Interior finished
interior 2
Interior finished 3
that interior is very nice, i like the seat covers, but have to ask, where did u get the floor carpet?, thanks jerry
That looks fantastic. Soooooooo much better than just an oem replacement. Nice touch, and color coordination.
More photos of the interior
interior 3
interior 4
interior 6
Brake system...
brake system 2
brake system 3
brake system 4
brake system 5
brake system 7
brake system 8
brake system 9
Very neat!!!!!!!
Thanks, good thing I'm retired now or I'd never get this thing done...lol...
Man that is pretty! Good job.
Special insturments.....no idiot lights.
Nice work. What running gear are you going with?
I am speechless, the instruments especially are beyond words
I love that instrument cluster. Who did it?
Dakota Digital.
The old Gen and Oil lights are the turn signals now?
A link to their site....
http://www.dakotadigital.com/index.cfm/page/ptype=product/product_id=964/category_id=433/mode=prod/prd964.htm
Yeah, but also, where the original turn signal indicators were, are gauges...nice. Very nice.
He just ordered a 302 crate motor from Speedway Automotive and now looking for a AOD trans,also running a Ford 9" with 3:50 gears! By the way--instrument cluster is not a Dakota Digital but another vender who you send yours to and that's what you get back.He'll have to list the vender name! Having been up close and personal I can tell you that the pictures don't do it justice but he's left handed (meticulous) LOL!!! Kid Kourier
Instrumentation was done by Bob's Speedometer, 10123 Bergin Rd. Howell, Michigan 48843 1-810-632-0400. When I finally put power to it I hope it all works!
And the 9" 350 ring, pinion & bearings are all from Jeggs
It came out quite well.
Very impressive work...on everything! Thanks for sharing it with us, and keep it coming.
Rich
No problem, engine & trans are next.
Thats some impressive work. The rear axle housing and third member don't appear to be 57?
Housing is the original 57 that came with this car, the third member pumpkin (without ring, pinion or bearings) I used is 1967, originally came out of a Mustang GT.
OK, sometimes pictures can be a little deceiving, it looks like the center section of the housing has a flat area in the center?. I used a later pumpkin when I set up my 3:89 gears, I didn't want to use the 57 with the large pinion seal.
Nope, no flat spot. Just like the assembly line in 57.
More progress on my Custom. Completely re-plated, and re-painted 57 Ford small hubcaps, they look better than NOS. going on custom built offset 15X7 chrome wheels by WheelSmith of Corona California with 225/70R15 BF Goodrich T/A Radials mounted, this finished out wheels & tires, next batch of photos will be the 360 HP 302 engine.
Two more photos...
Those caps look great, both on and off the car.
Yeah, the hubcaps came out great! And now for the engine, a 360HP Ford Boss 302 crate motor from Blue Print. now I need to find a small bell housing (157 tooth flex plate) C-4
A few more things added to the Boss 302, one being the Shelby 289 / 302 cast iron headers, they breath as well as steel tube headers, plus a Motorcraft 65amp alternator.
Wow, everything looks great!
x2 This is one car I'd sure like to see in person when done.
TCI C-4 "Sizzler trans" and torque converter with aluminum bellhousing attached to Boss 302, almost ready to drop the drivetrain in the chassis.
A few more pic's
Drivetrain went in this weekend, used Butch's Rod Shop motor mounts and they worked perfect.
Everything bolted down and in place, next will get the driveshaft cut and balanced with new yoke and U-joints installed.
Very very nice. Won't be long before you're going nuts trying to get the sheetmetal adjusted.
Just went through your build thread for the first time, very nice 57. Great attention to detail, you did good! Mark
Thanks Mark, hopefully, it will be finished and running by the end of this summer.
Very nice!!! I like how the interior turned out! Who did you get the interior parts from? I really like the Gauge cluster too, although the Dakota Digital Gauge is nice too!
Assembling the front clip, first up is the inner fender wells & radiator support, then the fenders & center peace.
Fenders & centerpiece.
Very, very nice work!
Thanks! every section to this is a little project all to itself, the shift lever for the TCI C-4 I got through Ron Johnson in Colorado, he has a storage yard full of 57's and 58's, ordered that piece and several other pieces you just can't find anymore. The rod & linkage was for a 57 Fordomatic and fit the C-4 perfect after the adjustments to the rod to make sure I had everything (PRND1D2L), but I did need to drill a different hole on the trans arm. . Got the transmission cooling lines through California Mustang for a C-4/small block, fit the 57 chassis perfect.
Wow! every last bit of that car looks great. Nice work!
Installed the mirrors and antenna this morning, may seam insignificant, but this is far easier than trying to do it after the front clip is on the car. And a suggestion on the mirrors, some people like them on the doors, some on the fenders, the one mirror from the factory on this car was on the drivers fender, so I stuck with that location, factory mirrors were installed with sheet metal screws, road vibration eventually caused them to loosen the screws and hog the holes out, I used very small Philips head bolts with nut, lock washer and a very large flat washer, I won't have any problems with this ever.
Front end attached and adjusted, got the fenders / doors lined up perfect. Next day I installed the headlight assemblies as well as the grill.
That's looking great! Very nice work!
Really neat work, I love to see detail like this.
Beautiful work. I think it looks better then when it came from the factory.
I have been accused of being a detail freak more than once in my life, but that's better than being the opposite!...lol
Just a few more pic's of the current condition. Radiator should be here soon, after that, hood, splash pan & front bumper will be installed, then will have it flat bedded down to have the exhaust system built.
That is some kinda nice!
Definetly one of the top ones...perfecto!! Realizing it's still got some weight to be added, is it sitting close to the ride height you're looking for?
Beautiful!
The front end needs to be lower, but, I believe after adding the new radiator, all the coolant, all the oil for the engine, battery, all the trans fluid, the hood, splash pan, front bumper, and after having the entire exhaust system built, it should be sitting pretty much where I want it. And I used the original 223ci six cylinder coils in the front, ......sure shows you how much those boat anchors weighed!
Your car is a truly beautiful work of art!
Where did you get the Booster/master cylinder setup I really like the looks of that setup. Looks really small and compact compared to others I have seen.
Steven
I bought the brake system through Mac's Antique Auto Parts, Their part # is 64-79281 if you want to look it up on line. It's smaller size single diaphragm was what I liked, plus the duel chamber master cylinder is a 60's Ford style. Price for the whole unit was $430.00. The proportioning valve and lines I bought separately and made the bracket.
You are doing a fantastic job on your '57. I appreciate balancing the original look and details with a few drivability upgrades. Keep up the good work and building a car that represents how great '57 Fords are.
Thanks for the info, going to look into it for my ranchero. It's very tidy and clean looking on your car!
Just about done with the engine compartment, will be installing the hood, splash pan & front bumper next, then have it trailered down to have the exhaust system built, after that, .....turning the key!
Absolutely gorgeous!
Finished with the assembly of the front clip components. A few more small things, then flat bed it down to have the exhaust system built.
Absolutely Beautiful!
Workmanship is as good as it gets far as I can see.
Great looking car.
Thanks both of you!
I wonder what your car would look like with body color wheels (green) and dog dish hubcaps. Truly a beautiful car and OUTSTANDING craftsmanship.
What kind of Ford did you get your front spindles, rotors and all from?
1968 Ford Torino GT disc brakes, they worked quite well.
Custom Shelby..........looks great. Can you please tell me what paint you used on your frame?
Thanks
John
:unitedstates: Beautiful
Oh geez, I don't remember concerning the paint used on the frame, shot that part of it a long time ago, it was what was recommended by the auto paint shop here in the valley. all I can remember was exterior rust resistant semi-gloss black. After I got through with the frame, I disassembled the rear axel, springs and front suspension then started on them. sorry!
Nice when everything goes back together and it all fits the way it should....
You're not going to actually drive it, are you? lol.
That car is way over the top.
Off topic, but I'm a little confused as to where you live...the Bougavaileas(sure I spelled that wrong) and the Yuccas tell me Socal...but the pile of firewood? Can you still burn wood in Socal?
Haha! The pile of firewood has been sitting there for years, Yes, Southern California, hasn't been cold enough here in the winter to burn the wood in the fireplace, not since 2010, and thanks for the compliment on the car, gonna be interesting when I first turn the key on the Boss 302, that's coming soon. I'll shoot video on that.
Rich - yes you can still legally burn real wood in your fireplace in So. California but hasn't been cold enough to do that for several years. However in most communities it is against building codes to build or remodel a home with a traditional wood burning fireplace. My home was built in 1936 so this does not apply to me.
They do have NO BURN days in So Calif. and usually on the days you need it :005: . My firewood has been sitting so long I think its becoming petrified :003:.
lol.... :003: :005:
Pretty much done with the Custom project except for a few instrument gauge problems. I ran it out to the Cal Fire Air Attack base here in Hemet CA for a photo shoot among the S-2's, OV-10's and UH-1 after a rain with some great clouds reflections.
A few more
Last couple
I was going to comment on the only thing I didn't like about your car overall and that was the GM style HEI setup you had in it.
Looks like you removed it and back to points, MSD or something else, anyway it makes the engine compartment look a whole lot
cleaner with the small black cap.
I really like the colour combo, beautiful car!
Looks pretty clean...are you sure you didn't trailer it out there?, lol.
Just yankin' your chain. That car is top notch all the way. I'm guessing you must be in the fire department to have them let you that close to the equipment without it being an open house.
Something like that yes, a photographer for Cal Fire/US Forest Service / Phos-Chek Retardant. I did the same thing with my 68 Shelby back in 2007, those pic's came out great too. And I hated that HEI distributor, unfortunately it came with the Blue Print crate engine, I ordered a PreTronix Flame-Thrower breakerless distributor and coil, looks stock but puts out a lot more power.
Absolutely drop dead gorgeous car. Beautiful in everyway!
Your 57 looks spectacular, especially since you got rid of that eyesore Chevy distributor! Love the Willow Green and white combo. I assume the 302 is a Ford crate motor? Does it actually use a Ford Racing "Boss" block, or a regular 302 2 bolt main block? Should be a great cruiser!
Beautiful car, I love the chrome wheels and everything else being close to original..
Thanks guys! After this one I think I'm done....although there is this 57 Ranchero that's been sitting out on a farm in the weather for decades, but THAT's more work than the Custom I believe...LOL....And somebody put a big block in it many years ago I see.
Looks pretty complete...extra seat...rust free core support. That BB looks near ready to go. Set of points and.........
Man.it's beautiful..you must be stoked.
Nice pre 65 FE, 332-390. Fire it up :003:
LOL, yes, I'm sure that dirt filled 2-barrel 352 would be quite the powerhouse... ;-) Probably came out of a truck....
I've been following your build can you tell me more about your exhaust manifolds how did they fit and were can I get a set I want a manifold that clears everything ans doesn't leak I have a Ranch Wagon with a late model 302