Almost sold my `57...refocused, re-energized and ready to go...

[JPotter57]

Recently, I had become discouraged or at least discontent with my Ford, as it is almost totally apart, and needs several items to get a good start, and was ready to sell it and buy a Galaxie, put a motor in and drive.  Well, a good friend of mine here in town, kept after me, and planted a seed of "just get it running".  After that, I went to my computer and watched a couple videos of my last one running, and that's all it took.  Today, I am putting it back into the garage(I rent so I dont get use of the garage all the time, landlady parks her duallie in there).   I will be finishing up the welding on the rear part of the frame I started modifying.  Once I am done with that, I will decide what to do next.  Probably going to put my 351 Cleveland in there until I get my faux 406 built.  I am gathering 390 FE parts to build my 406 clone which will eventually find its way into the car.  My Cleveland is complete and ready to reassemble with fresh rings and bearings, so I can be driving the car while I am doing the other stuff. 
I have found that you tend to lose sight of the fact that this is supposed to be fun.  I was talking to my dad not long ago, and told him that this used to be a lot more fun than it is now.  It seems that you start thinking you have to spend a ton of money on it for it to be fun.  Bull crap.  It stops being fun when you start spending a ton of money on it.  My last `57 would have been a lot more fun if it hadnt gotten out of control the way it did.  I am staying with leaf springs, stock front suspension, stuff like that. I know that FE and low buck are not exactly synonymous, but with the FE, I won't really have to do a lot to run strong.  The highest ticket item will be the cool 3X2 intake my buddy is letting me have cheap.  Headers are a pain for FE `57s, but I am going to try the1 3/4 headers for `63-64 Galaxies, not the crazy big tube bundle of snakes, but the common everyday Joe headers.  I can move tubes if I have to.  I guess the point of what I am ranting about is to make everybody see that fun doesnt have to mean you spent a truckload of money on it.  I will be beating and sanding on this thing from now until it finally gets paint, I guess.  Until it does, it will roll in the same Hotrod Black primer my last one rolled in until it got paint.  And I had a lot of fun doing it too.Thanks for taking the time to listen to me ramble on.  Now, I have a date with my Millermatic and my `57 Custom......later.

[wildhog]

JAMES, GLAD TO SEE YOU ARE BACK AT IT. I ALSO GOT CARRIED AWAY WITH THE MODIFICATIONS ON THE RANCHERO, BUT I AM TO FAR ALONG TO CHANGE. IF I HAD DO OVERS IT WOULD BE DONE AND I WOULD NOT HAVE SPENT SO MUCH MONEY. I THINK OLD SCHOOL-LOW BUCK IS HOW I WOULD DO THE NEXT ONE. I WILL SEND YOU PICTURES OF THE WIPER SWAP, AND IF I CAN BE OF ANY HELP,PLEASE LET ME KNOW. TOM

[JPotter57]

The wiper swap will be in que after I finish up the rear end.  I am finishing up the frame pockets I modified for the moved-in leaf springs.  Not as big a PIA as I thought it would be.  With that out of the way, I will be able to start on the body work.  I will take that slow, as I want to drive it, at least in primer, while I work on it.  I will prob swap the left rear quarter first, then fix the bent right side rocker (somebody apparrently tried to put a lift jack there instead of under the frame), then work out all the BB dents (kids, not mine) and rock dents (also kids, not mine).  I have a buddy down here that is into old Fords, and he gave me all of the regulators, vent wings, and door latch stuff from a pair of rusty Custom 300 doors he had.  I am thinking about whether to shorten the rearend, or leave it as is, probably will leave it alone.  I have another late 9 inch to shorten, wont cut up a `57 rear, too hard to find.  More later...

[FORDNUT]

I also, like most folks, have gotten carried away with a build. It finally occured to me that the cars I enjoyed the most were those that did not require a second mortgage to create. I am a number of years older than you, but when I started building them the same way we used to 'in the day', I again loved what I was doing. It worked on my 57's and it is working on my 63 Galaxie. Hang in there. You only get to act much younger than your age once.

[rmk57]

 I got carried away with a 1964 Falcon hardtop build. Started out with a nice stock type driver ended up with a 351W Pro-streeted,Detroit locker,Pinto rack etc... that wasn't much fun to drive anywhere. When I bought my current 57 Custom I made a decision to keep it a street friendly driver, stock suspension, warmed over y-block and a back seat,unlike the Falcon, so the kids can come along. Spring is just around the corner ,that alone is a motivator for me.

[RICH MUISE]

James, Hi from texas. I had to laugh when I read your "rant". I wonder If I ever would have started this project if I had known what I was getting myself into. I bought my 2dr custom about 8 years ago from my late father-in-law's wife. I parked it in my driveway for about 4 years thinking I'd start on it 'soon'. When my lease on my suv expired I thought it would be nice to not have car payments for a while, so I had a mechanic friend get the 57 running for me. I lived in Colorado at the time and drove it up to Cripple Creek 4 or 5 times a week for a year or so.Stick six...100 miles to the gallon ...(of oil). Anyways,I retired, moved to texas, put the 57 in storage for a year( bought a new Jeep)...but missed my 57!. I took a bus to Colorado, picked up the 57 and drove it back to texas...surprised it actually made it over Raton Pass. I started trying to fix things on it while keeping it a driver, but didn't take long to figure out that wasn't going to work. that was 4 years ago. I am now working 40 hours a week to pay for my hobby...I am fortunate enough to have a younger wife with a good job that pays the bills and doesn't mind me "living" in the garage. I must admit, it has become my passion. It's my first build and I have deceided it's not going to be a Riddler contender by any means but it will be as good as I can get it. I am a novice, but I am particular about getting it right, no matter what it is. I had a friend who does restoration work professionally come over and look at it. He looked for about 10 or 15 minutes and asked me if I wanted a job. Nice compliment.  I am rambling...I am going back to sanding too.

[57AGIN]

James:

Sounds like a good deal of thought went into your decision.  Congratulations on staying with the 57, but after all it is good hobby to work on with your kids as long as it doesn't become all consuming (like an addiction).

Sounds like you aren't going to do a radical suspension change.  I might suggest looking into a set of CalTracs traction bars.  John Calvert has a design that does an amazing job of making leaf spring cars bite, even when using relatively narrow (9") tires.  I put them on my 57 and on the one timed run I ran the engine up to 4000 rpm dumped the clutch and bogged.  They really work for a relatively small investment.

Bob
57AGIN

[shopratwoody]

We all know the more we can do ourselves the less it cost to build. Paying some shop to do the work is
out of the question for me. I used to enjoy it a lot more myself. You're young hang in there.It'll all
happen if you stick with it. James, my 427 loved the 1 7/8" tubes. Good Luck.
Ron

[glen b henderson]

James, like I told you in the PM's, anything that I have that you need let me know. We can always work something out. Like I told you, I'm sure that I can fix you up with drive quality glass and a fender.

[JPotter57]

I do appreciate the offer, Glen, and I will be taking you up on it soon.  As soon as I can get up that way, we can deal...

[Ford Blue blood]

James I am at that point with all the projects I have.  Too many to complete.  Thought I would be able to hit the shop and work 8 hours a day and knock these bad boys out, but, things change and unexpected events occur.  With my wife's health deteriorating to the point that care for her and our place take a good amount of time it is just simply a matter of no time and too much to do.  I have/had four projects planned, decided to get rid of two of them.  The Studebaker is gone.  Of the two 57s I have the Retractable is the one selected to go.  Going to keep the Ranchero and a 68 Mercury Montego Convertable (it could go if the right offer comes along) and finish the wife's 65 Bird.  My retirement project has gone back to hobby status now and I'm OK with that, just keeping the big picture if focus.