Thought I would ask this question now that I have access to you all knowing 57 ford beings.When I was young my father had a 58 ranchero.In my 20's I had one 57 custom and three 58's.So I know what 58 tailightes look like.I remember my Dads"which he bought new off the lot",had the 58 nose and the 57 tail.I liked the rig'since I kinda like the nose of a 58,but the 58 cheros i've seen with the actual 58 tailights,not so much.Also his had a police intercptor engine,was that a 352.I dont know enough about exactly what was available,but I bet i will real soon.
Thanks AL
The 58's had a 58 front and a 57 rear. If you saw one with 58 tail lights it was probably some custom job or a wagon with the top cut off. In 58 I believe the only FE was a 332, 352 came in 59 unless there was a late year change I'm not aware of..
I had a '58 Fairlane 2 dr hardtop in '63 or 4. 98% sure it had the 352 Interceptor. Hiball is correct..'58 Rancheros had '57 tailights...not sure why since the '58 wagons had the '58 tailights, so they had the tailgate and rear quarter to do it. Maybe they just had too many left over '57 parts to ignore.
Wow,I personally viewed one with the 58 tailights and it was not restored "so I thought" Maybe a older customization,but it sure fooled me.
thanks for the reply jim
THe one I saw had part of the oval lense on the wing and part on the tailgate.In other words the lense would have been cut in half .
Thanks rich I was not sure if 352 was the right number,but I do recall a sticker on the air cleaner.I will check back in later.Gotta head off to a company x-maas party.
Thanks Al
Electrician
I agree 100% with Rich and Hiball. People were always asking me if my 58 Ranchero was a 57 with a 58 nose on it. Yes it is true that the 58 wagons had the double tail lights. Most likely we will never know the real reason they did it that way.
1958 add showing new Interceptor V8, 352 cu in and a 332 cu in, so I guess both were available. FWIW
Quote from: RICH MUISE on 2013-12-13 19:17
I had a '58 Fairlane 2 dr hardtop in '63 or 4. 98% sure it had the 352 Interceptor. Hiball is correct..'58 Rancheros had '57 tailights...not sure why since the '58 wagons had the '58 tailights, so they had the tailgate and rear quarter to do it. Maybe they just had too many left over '57 parts to ignore.
I'd almost be willing to bet they took the short cut on the Ranchero being a low volume seller and concentrated all their time and money on the Tbird that had to be designed and tooled from the ground up.
This comes up every time I go to a cruise night or car show, I can predict what the questions will be when I see a group by my car. Last summer I was at a lions club show, a guy comes up and introduces himself as "an el camino guy", then procedes to argue the 57-58 thing. He swears he remembers 58's with the four tailites. I have never seen one, nor have I seen a picture of one, if anyone has pictures I'd like to see them. I believe Ford did this for production reasons, being a utility type vehicle. Change cost's money$$$$$$, the 58 body is different than the 57. The only difference I know is the inboard wiper motor. I was going to ask Edsel Ford when I met him, but time did not allow. Mark
I'm no expert, but look what I found.
Nice find Donnie. But that's a clay model done by the design engineers. So it was a thought in the beginning and possibly a prototype may have been built but it was never put into production unless some one can prove me wrong
Reading the small print your right. But I did produce a picture like asked.
Quote from: hotroddonnie on 2013-12-14 08:31
Reading the small print your right. But I did produce a picture like asked.
Yes you did, we need to find you a prize :003:
Thank you guys, I'm glad to see that I'm appreciated :003:
Quote from: Frankenstein57 on 2013-12-14 07:31
This comes up every time I go to a cruise night or car show, I can predict what the questions will be when I see a group by my car. Last summer I was at a lions club show, a guy comes up and introduces himself as "an el camino guy", then procedes to argue the 57-58 thing. He swears he remembers 58's with the four tailites. I have never seen one, nor have I seen a picture of one, if anyone has pictures I'd like to see them. I believe Ford did this for production reasons, being a utility type vehicle. Change cost's money$$$$$$, the 58 body is different than the 57. The only difference I know is the inboard wiper motor. I was going to ask Edsel Ford when I met him, but time did not allow. Mark
Besides the wipers, the steering box, column and wheel and the FE option. And maybe more I have forgotten.
I'm having flashbacks Donnie.The one I saw was at the Portland swap meet over ten years ago.It was at the swap meet yard for sale and looked to be original,and in need of restoration.I already had my 57 so was not a buyer "maybe I should have been."Sure interesting anyway.Thanks for all the responses guys.I got my answer that my dads setup was the norm as far as the lights,and his engine was available.
Thanks Al
The 58 352 Intercepter option came with a glove box emblem.
Quote from: hotroddonnie on 2013-12-14 07:56
I'm no expert, but look what I found.
Donnie
What does it say under the picture? When I blew it up , I couldn't read it. Jay
I'm out and about Jay and it's hard to see on my IPhone so when I get home I'll look on the big screen, or you can go onto 58 Ranchero and go to images and scroll till you see it.
Outlaw.I am really stretching my memory now but I think I do remember some kind of plate surrounding the keylock to the glovebox, Is that where it was located?
I had a few of them and it was on the glove box of the 58. Pretty sure that it said Interceptor special.
Well the letters on the bottom say. This 58 Ranchero (clay) is about as close to production as it gets. Note the flat board interior (dash) and then it says the 56 in the back ground is a production vehicle. So I guess Hiball3985 was right when he said it was a clay car. So back to the main question!
I have a few of the 58 Interceptor glove box emblems, that I got in the deal with the 57 Thunderbird special emblems, I have never posted them for sale as they are 58 parts. If any one is interested, please P.M. me
My 58 had a 57 steering box in it, I was missing some horn parts when I realized it. I went to southern Illinois to haul back a 58 I found, and the horn parts wouldn't fit. Upon closer inspection I saw the 57 box, so I swapped it out. It made a huge difference in the drivability. I should check the production run, probably an early build and they used up the 57 stuff first, Mark
I have heard they used to do stuff like that.That was kind of where my original question was going.did not know if they had half years back then.
Changes were always made during production runs but I don't recall any designated half years until 63 1/2.
Please don't make me go outside, put me back in the shop!
I read that as "What are we waiting for lets go". I like cars that aren't afraid of a little weather.
Differences;
Cruis-o, Dual range.
Alum 2 sp Fordo (junk)
Starts in park
Upper control arm bushings.
Opt Aire Ride
Hood scoop
No in-dash a/c
White knobs
Most all trim/colors
Rear bumper (F/L)
Ron.
The spare tire was moved out of the cab to under the rear in 58, Gages swapped colors in 58.
I didnt know about the spare tire being moved. Does anyone have a picture of that? Did the back bed floor have a hinge? If seen people add a hinge, but wasn't sure if Ford ever did that.
The Couriers in '58 also has '57 style tailamps, but with a ribbed roof.
My dads 58 had the spare behind the seat,and definately did not have a hatch in the bed.I was the one unloading trips to the dump and cleaning the truck.
Quote from: hiball3985 on 2013-12-15 21:19
I read that as "What are we waiting for lets go". I like cars that aren't afraid of a little weather.
Salt is a paint jobs worst friend
Quote from: Frankenstein57 on 2013-12-16 19:18
Salt is a paint jobs worst friend
True, I didn't think about that, not something I have to deal with so it slipped my mind.