Just got home from a night of block sanding on this custom 300. This car belongs to a friend of mine, it was a true barn find. He got interested in building a street 57, after seeing my projects develop. The car was spotted in the Phoenix area, and contact information was left with the owner. The owner eventually called, and a deal was struck. This car had 21,000 original miles on it. Very little rust repair was needed. He went through the 292 and auto trans, new gas tank, brakes, I loaned him a radiator as his was pretty bad. His plan is to keep it stock, had the two tone light blue over dark blue which he is going with. I printed the painter a couple pics of Bob's 57 again, with the new and old colors. He then wanted to go blue & white, but his firewall and stuff are all done, no turning back. I'll update this post as the car moves along, Mark
Nice!!
SHEEEET...GUYS THAT FIND STUFF LIKE REALLY PISS ME OFF. lol.....awesome find...speaking of which...I got to see Jeff Norwell's also awesome custom 300 still here in Texas. Unknown to me that it was there, I was at Owens Salvage, and Bob mentioned he had a really solid 300 2dr he was storing "for a friend from Canada."...."would that be Jeff?" I asked....
There still out there for sure.
Jealous....wow that body looks good.
Update on this car, the relationship the owner had with my painter went bad. Long story, but the car got pushed to the back burner.So he paid his bill and took it elsewhere. The cars owner is a local short track legend from the 60's, 70's, 80's. The new painter also raced with us for awhile, so he had a strong personal interest in the car. He did a beautiful job on it, another good move was having him polish and hang the stainless. I'll update this as it progress's, Mark
Dang........ that is SWEET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Quote from: Frankenstein57 on 2013-09-03 21:37
The cars owner is a local short track legend from the 60's, 70's, 80's.
What is his name? I know it's not Trickle....did he race at the Dells, Plover or Madison?
That 300 is fine...
Looks like Jeff and the owner of this one fell into the mother load... So it means they're still out there. Makes me wonder how many are still undiscovered in that nice unrusted condition.
That sheet metal is beautiful and the painter did a great job.
Quote from: RICH MUISE on 2012-11-30 08:15
SHEEEET...GUYS THAT FIND STUFF LIKE REALLY PISS ME OFF. lol.....awesome find...speaking of which...I got to see Jeff Norwell's also awesome custom 300 still here in Texas. Unknown to me that it was there, I was at Owens Salvage, and Bob mentioned he had a really solid 300 2dr he was storing "for a friend from Canada."...."would that be Jeff?" I asked....
There still out there for sure.
Rich I remember your mentioning in an earlier post how you stumbled across Jeff's car at Owen's salvage.
Funny how things turn around. He's from up north. His car was in Texas and you made a guess that it was his car.
And now I know just who Jeff is.
Small world isn't it?
I think Jay there are still a ton of these cars out there....(57's)..... they outsold all others in 1957.As you and I have discussed.... I truly believe that these cars are the 32-34's of this era.
If I could find another one..... I would buy it.
It's just to bad rot and rust are the big enemy to a 57-61 Ford.Interesting and kinda off Topic note..... I bought some YOM plates for my 57 last year.... 1957 and 1958 are the the most rare and expensive YOM plate to buy in Ontario......why?.... Because Like Ford and other companies... the Province issuing that year thought it was cheaper to go with reclaimed metal(1957 technology here) than buying premium stuff for that years plate(and 58 too!.)The plates just melted away after a few years.... and of course.at the time....Nobody cared.Same goes for the 57..... nobody really cared......) 'cept us now!
Ford in 57 started using recycled metal to cut cost.
At any rate... that 300 is very very nice...... I finally found a very good painter.... nice young fella with a family,no drug problems or substance abuse issues.... I don't know about Painters and bodymen in your neck of the woods.... but around here... trying to find a good one is a hard deal.
Quote from: Jeff Norwell on 2013-09-04 13:24
At any rate... that 300 is very very nice...... I finally found a very good painter.... nice young fella with a family,no drug problems or substance abuse issues.... I don't know about Painters and bodymen in your neck of the woods.... but around here... trying to find a good one is a hard deal.
Back in 1968 when I had my 57 painted Thunderbird Rave Black and some Cadillac silver the painter was an older guy and an excellent painter when he was sober :003: My car sat for weeks waiting :005:
Jay...funny about Jeff and his car. I've "met" the car, but not Jeff...you've met the man, but not his car. Odd also, especially with Canadian being the common factor, I've seen Lorne Udy's car in person also, but haven't met him. I saw it in Phoenix before he bought it.
And speaking of small world, I'm French Canadian. I'm originally from Mass. where you live. Lorne's car I saw in Phoenix, where your brother lives.
As far as good painters, seem to be a handfull around here. I met the best of the bunch last year, had no clue who he was, just that he had a '57 ranch wagon. Funny, nice guy, we talked '57's for an hour or so. Showed him pics of mine. After a lot of talking, I asked what he did for a living, he told me he use to paint cars and motorcycles before he went back to work for Bell Helicopter. When he showed me his thick photo album my mouth dropped open. I commented he must have had a bunch of these in car mags. He told me he has been on the cover of "just about all of them" . Anyway, not sure if I remember his first name correctly, but I'm thinking it was John(?) Stromberg. He's one of the Lucky Seven, has done work for Foose and Troy Trepanier and that big big collector whose name I can't remember(usaually has 1/2 dozen builds going on for him by the biggies in the business). Troy tried to buy his '57 Ranch wagon, which he wouldn't sell, for the build of that awesome orange and silver heavily modded wagon that ran the big show circuit for a few years. John's wagon is still kind of a ratrod, but will be a future project after he takes a few years break from cars.
Wow.....small world indeed.
Rich...John Stromberg is a verg good pal of mine...... I met him in 06(?) on my first Trip to Texas.... in Amarillo...minutes after i stepped off the plane.
Talented beyond belief.
John owns some of my art.... he wanted to paint my 32 truck... but the distance was too great.He is a very close friend of Bob Owens.
I see John when I travel to your neck of the woods.
I really wish he would finish the 57 wagon.......
Your right.... his portfolio is stunning.....
Your French Canadian?
I am sorry to hear that....... ha haha ha(Kidding....half my family is French Canadian)
Small world indeed.
I wanna meet James Potter.
Jeff..Bob was the one who told me about John when we were talking '57 Fords. He just never told me about what he did. As you know, I've prided myself in the fact that no one has touched my car but me. Hopefully, if I can afford him, that'll change one day. I really want a subtle flame job, or contemporary graphics, on my car. I see maybe one in thirty or so flame jobs at shows that I like, and I understand the kind of talent it takes to do them right would mean I would never be close to happy with anything I produced. So, with any luck, eventually John may add the fiinishing touches on mine. After looking thru his portfolio, I would feel totally at ease just giving him an idea of what I was thinking and letting him have at it. Besides...he has an interest in '57 Fords!
One thing I can't stress enough is body lines, painter #1 on this car did my ranchero, and he would not procede until the piece we were on was perfect. He also taught me how to block sand the right way, and it shows in these cars. Painter #2 I saw at a car show said he inherrited a hell of a nice platform in which to work on. Bill, the owner is a dirt tracker from the Milwaukee area,name is Frank Smith. We had a 3 track curcuit in those days which counted towards area championships, he won 23 consectutive track titles, and 7 straight area titles. Running 57 &58 custom 300's, 312's and 406's. Some dam stout Chevrolet teams lined up trying to get the title away, didn't get it. Mark
Jeff, I hear what you are saying about painters. Always seems to be some drama involved getting a car done. My guy is a pretty good person, one of my best friends younger brother. He's a little out there with the political stuff, but there is lots of that these days. Mark :deadhorse:
The last guy that did my last 32 was a big drunk.... he needed a few drinks to get underway..... I waited and waited and waited..... got ugly before I got the project done....
I have a new guy now...reasonable cost...has a stable F/T job(doing his profession.....) and no substance or alcohol problems...... we will see!
And I should not paint bodymen and painters with the same brush...... ONLY 75% of them hahahah
kidding........well.... not really.....
I've been a member for a while just never posted till now! I'm near finished with my body guy after two years!!!!! Amazing work but it took forever.
Welcome to the 57 Ford support group, please send pictures
Body work and paint :005: I did the body work and paint on my panel truck in 1975, painted it again in 1995, the next paint job will happen when my son inherits it. In 1985 I did custom body work on my 66 Mustang then gave it to my son who never painted it, still primer to this day. One day the light bulb lit that said you are nuts or the bondo and paint fumes made me that way and I haven't touched one since :003:.
I guess the chemicals in these trades make them they way they are....it is a very hazardous enviroment.
I have seen guys washing up with laquer thinners.... poor masks or no safety equipment at all.
I work in the commercial art biz.. and in the days of big art studios(now long gone)..... we used all kinds of nasty stuff.... there was a women who worked in the biz.and here job at the end of each day was to clean all the art desks...every day she would wash down everything with a big bucket of Rubber cement thinner.... no gloves,nothing.....
one day..after years of doing this.. she just dropped dead.....blood poisoning
very ugly stuff.
Quote from: Jeff Norwell on 2013-09-07 07:44
I guess the chemicals in these trades make them they way they are....it is a very hazardous enviroment.
I have seen guys washing up with laquer thinners.... poor masks or no safety equipment at all.
I work in the commercial art biz.. and in the days of big art studios(now long gone)..... we used all kinds of nasty stuff.... there was a women who worked in the biz.and here job at the end of each day was to clean all the art desks...every day she would wash down everything with a big bucket of Rubber cement thinner.... no gloves,nothing.....
one day..after years of doing this.. she just dropped dead.....blood poisoning
very ugly stuff.
I'm not surprised more people didn't die, me included. I worked several years as a production painter in manufacturing back in the late 60's. We washed everything in acetone, mek and toluene. We never had gloves, respirators or any of the other safety equipment. And the solvents in the paints where who knows what and we would thin them some more with lacquer thinners..
Wow Jim...... All that stuff produces nasty cancers.... Just like old mechanics with there hands in all kinds of petroleum products daily.... real bad for you on the long term.
Antifreeze is a scary one.
I do remember a very funny story about a studio manager once I worked for..... there was a big pitch and the Agency was trying to get a piece of this business... so they hired all kinds of creative types....Anyhow it's not uncommon to work 24-48 hrs on the final deadlines... this guy had put all the work together in the shop....gluing,spraying all the creative down to boards and foamcore for this massive presentation... were talking 30-50 grand spend to get this business.
Big studio area,20x40 table....all the work is on it and he has been up for a very long time....he diced to clean all the table with thinners(as was the common practice in those days).... I guess the fumes were so heavy after he finished.... he lit a smoke..... and...BOOM!.... ALL WENT UP IN A HUGE BALL OF FIRE.
He got fired.
We would laugh about it.. but at the time it was scary.
anyhow.... sorry about the O/T.
That is funny now Jeff :003: but not at the time I sure. Somethings still haven't changed, I have a friend who does painting on sets for the TV and film studios, and what ever other adhesives etc the use. At times she if forced to take months off to detox. I can't even remember how many cars I worked on back in the day that had asbestos brake shoes.
My friend called asking about the rear window, on the customs does the trim go into the gasket before it installs on the car? Similar to the windshield? He also isn't sure about the piece with the screws. I haven't been over to see what he is doing, and I've never put one together. Thanks, Mark
Yes, if you don't you will never get it in place. The screws are just about impossible to line up with the old holes, leave them out. Two 57s I helped finish up still have all the trim in place and the screws were never considered.
Stopped out to check progress on this car, he is in the process of installing the interior panels and various trim pieces. He wants it done by his birthday in late July. He called me last night with a problem, it has the factory power steering, and only turns freely to thr right. He put a new ram on the steering linkage over the course of the build. Is there any bleeding necessary on the ram? I thought I'd run it past you guys for ideas, then I, ll go give him a hand
Quote from: Frankenstein57 on 2014-07-06 08:32
Stopped out to check progress on this car, he is in the process of installing the interior panels and various trim pieces. He wants it done by his birthday in late July. He called me last night with a problem, it has the factory power steering, and only turns freely to thr right. He put a new ram on the steering linkage over the course of the build. Is there any bleeding necessary on the ram? I thought I'd run it past you guys for ideas, then I, ll go give him a hand
Make sure you cycle it first "lock to lock" several times, to bleed all the air out before you start looking for any other problem.
If the ram hoses got swtched around the wheel will turn one dirrection by itself. Very common error when replacing steering hoses as the new ones don't seem to line up at all, so often they get screwed in to what seems to fit the best. Often reversin will solve the problem.
Absolutely gorgeous 300! This is my favorite body style (and, of course, the Custom Tudor) and I think when they're two-toned, are some of the most attractive cars Ford ever built. I've gotta say, the two tone blue like this one is stunning!
This thread is fairly old; is the car now finished? Can we see the finished photos?
Tom
Mark,That car is so awesome!
Thanks, I'll pass along the comments to Frank, he called me tonight to go to the cruise night at Quaker Steak & lube, but I worked late and had a list of problems to deal with when I got home. Tom, the car is almost done, I've been adding to the thread as it progresses, rather than start new ones. He has a nice set of blue wheels with radials mounted up, and some dog dish hub caps, so it should look similar to the two tone green one posted up recently, with the sweet sounding y block. I need to get over and give him a hand with the finish, its been a long cold ,wet spring around here, so now that its warm we have a million things to do. Should have some photos towards the end of the month, thanks for the tips on the steering, it actually turns free to the left, not right. Mark
Went over to help him last Sunday and Monday, we got the interior trim finished, installed the carpet and seats. The steering issue was the control valve, something wasn't right, so after he messed with it it leaked badly. I gave him one to use from my brothers old ranchero, works like a champ, hasn't been used since the early 80s. Now he said the trans shifts hard., I had to drive up North last night so he's on his own for a few days. The frustrating part of this deal is the screws, nuts, bolts and stuff are all over the place. Frank is 75, and the disassembly was old school, everything in a pail or can, if anyone is starting a build. Bag and tag! Check out how clean the floor pan is, original paint
Mark
That's a nice looking car. It's amazing how the floor survived all these years and still looks so nice.
An update on this build, Frank has had the car on the road for a month or so, he had a few bugs to work on with turn signals, brakes, and miscellaneous stuff, but here are current photos of the car. I'll do a related post as there were two Troy Trepaneir built cars at this local Monday night cruise
Mark,
Been gong nuts trying to figure out the barely visible tail light in the second picture. Do you remember what that car was? Bugging me mostly because I know as soon as you respond it'll be one of those ''knew that'' moments.
Zap- :unitedstates:
That Custom 300 looks just awesome in its two tone Dresden Blue!
Can we have a guess at the car that Zap mentioned ?
I'd say it is a 56 or 57 Chrysler fin. is it also a 300 Model then ? :002:
most probably the Trepanier Custom from the other topic.
That would be correct, the owner is a local guy so it shows up alot around here. The second one was a 62 Cheby, they trailered it up from Illinois, a couple of big $$$$$cars
''knew that''
Zap- :unitedstates:
great story and car. I just went through this thread twice. Maybe just me but the car looks white and blue in first painted
pictures. Now it is blue /blue. The first pictures is what my car was originally painted like. It still has some of the blue on the bottom
side.
either way ,that is one sharp car.