1957 country sedan build

[terry_208]

I would speculate that someone used the hole in the body support, the one on the body, to put the hook of a tow chain into.  Another place people have placed tow hooks is into the frame horn supports.  Those sized holes seemed to act like a magnet for the hooks on the end of chains.   

[Wirenut]

My thought too, looks like someone hooked it and pulled or strapped it and tore the metal.
Thanks for the photos and letting us tag along with the repairs. My favorites are the old Ford photos and members sharing photos and updates through their build.
After seeing the quality and creativity from some of these members, it make me realize I need to go back and redo a few things I did on mine.

[djfordmanjack]

Well a lot of those 'improvement' type of things like chain hooks and speaker cuts. makes you wonder and wanting to cry about some people...literally every bumper on every car I ever bought had some chain hook dimples and forklift dents from lazy or cr*** persons.
What the heck were they thinking type of guys. We've all probably been guilty of doing stupid stuff before though.

Still I am wondering. why are people trying to put speakers in 57 doors, when they will actually only put sound into the bench seat or workers boots. When there is literally tons of space under dash, behind sunvisors, in kick panels, in the original dash speaker location, under hat trays in sedans and so on....you can put speakers in a hundred good places on our cars and there are about 5 or 7 super dumb& awkward areas, that all have received plenty of cutting, drilling and 'improving' ....like the tail gate on wagons f.e. Who would ever put speakers in a place that you want to put stuff on. I am at a loss.

[1930artdeco]

Not a lot done today other than using the grinder to find good metal on the floor pans and rockers. The rockers are good minus some small spots right next to them or cancer holes right next to the kick panels on the pass. side. Tried to get the pass rear drum off-no dice. Heat will probably be the next choice as I think it is rusted together on the face of the axle. I hope.

Mike

[terry_208]

I know you've already backed off the shoes but just in case try that before heat.  I believe the drums are hard to find if needed.

[djfordmanjack]

some early Ford axles may have a countersunk screw to hold the drum in place. maybe somebody drilled and tapped your 9" for such screw(s). also the drum usually has reamed holes for a tight fit on the wheel studs. if somebody has replaced these with OS or longer knurled style, or mabye even if rusted, the drum could be frozen at the weel stud seats.

[1930artdeco]

Ok got the RR drum off by tapping up on it the brakes look normal on both sides of the diff. So, here is to hoping my lock holds on the diff. I tested the sending unit after cleaning it up and here is what I got. Pos lead on the stud and Neg lead on case:

Set at 200 ohms
F= aprrox. 20 ohms
E= approx. 73 ohms

set at 2000 ohms
F=.018 ohms
E=.056 ohms

The difference could have been the way I was holding the leads on the unit. Are these numbers correct? Or do I need to buy a new one?

Mike

[Ford Blue blood]

Numbers are good.

[1930artdeco]

Well I am in buy parts mode now that I generally know what I am up against. I have most of the brake stuff now but ran up against a snag. My plan is to install a 69 Mustang MC so that I would have a dual chamber just in case something happened to half of the brake system. Well, I was at NAPA and he can get me the MC but he could not find any proportioning valve to match. Did they not use them until disc brakes came along? And if what I have read hear on the forum is correct they don't seem to work that well anyways, I might as well just see if I can rebuild the MC I have.

I also, went looking for a local place to get NiCopp line and found  a hydraulic place to buy it. But, I was talking with guy there and he did his 72 Nova is SS braided lines instead of solid lines. Cost wise I think the rubber lines are cheaper I would just have to connect to metal lines at the wheels and MC. Just something else for me to think about.

Where is the best place to buy tie rods? Both inner and outer. Next month I am pulling the front clip out so I can start rebuilding the PS parts and rebuilding the front end. PROGRESS!!!!!!! Albeit slow.

Mike

[abe_lugo]

Don't get tricked into some of the extra street roddery stuff.  Just get basics.  For the rubber hoses you be fine with the original style.  I just order the nicopp from Amazon it was 20.00 for 25ft and the fittings.  I would not do the braided flex line just do the hard lines. That's  just weird. 
And you will spend on a bunch of banjo fittings you don't need.  Leave the braided lines for motorcycles.
Also you would be amazed at what you can find in Amazon if you have the part numbers. 

For the master you mean the metering valve?
Again if you have a part number you may be able to find it online.

If you are doing a disc swap for the front add the 10# residual cake in the rear line.  Also add speed bleeders all around for one man bleeding.   

There is a full front end kit a shows up on eBay.  Prob the most complete I've seen. Lin the 250-280 range with all the ball joints tiie rod ends and bushings.


This is one I have seen, most likely will buy to redo mine suspension. .  Some people have bought parts of the kit.  The seller also has a website where different combinations of that kit exist. https://www.ebay.com/itm/Front-End-Suspension-Rebuild-Kit-Inner-Tie-Rods-Fits-1957-1958-Ford-Ranchero-/323673559893?_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49286

[1930artdeco]

Anyone have a spare hub they sell guy who is down on his luck . One is bad the other looks to be good. I will have to knock everything out to verify. Also will be getting two new from drums as well, the backs can be turned at least one more time.

Mike

[1930artdeco]

She is being really fussy. Took the tank into be boiled out and they were going to charge me $500. And there is no guarantee the tank will be good under all of the shellac. So I am going to fill it with evaporust (it seems to dissolve the shellac) and I?ll it with some sharp rocks and see what happens. I can?t get close enough to see how far up the walls it goes without choking so will assume it goes up a ways. Still buying parts and planning to disassemble things next month.

Mike

[abe_lugo]

On my wife's 59 dodge.  We did the Hirch coating.  It was a few steps.  It even had two 1/4 or bigger holes from the junk yard.  I think at the time we did the weld epoxie on those.  It held for a very long time.  We did the chain inside and now you can do the evaporust.
It was like a milky white hard coating.


https://www.tptools.com/Bill-Hirsch-Automotive-Gas-Tank-Repair-Kit,3277.html?ns_md=CSE&ns_sc=GoogleProducts&ns_cn=GoogleProducts&utm_medium=CSE&utm_source=GoogleProducts&utm_campaign=BH-ARK&gclid=Cj0KCQjwse-DBhC7ARIsAI8YcWIrbNy6uzRgckJx_OnUoubvqHwyUQsNStGhM7zdw9HD1pP3dG0bwN8aAub6EALw_wcB

[1930artdeco]

Thanks for tip Abe. I just need to find a place to order the evaporust so I can use the other stuff.

Mike

[abe_lugo]

Amazon also had the best price for the evaporust .  By the gallonwas cheaper than the large amounts.  Go figure.
When we did our we used the method in the instructions. No evaporust.  I think was something like the cement etching stuff.  But look up threads for cleaning gas tanks on the Hamb as it would cost a fortune in evaporust to fill it.  You really just need to etch it.  Run a chain with bolts attached to it.   And make sure to have a string on the end to make it easy to pull out. 

Also what you are at it I would recommend to plumb in a return line you can cap it but having one makes it easy to add a fuel return line in can you need to solve vapor lock issues later down the line.