Ranch Wagon History

[cobraffr]

I recently bought a 1957 Ranch Wagon at the Mecum action in Dallas.  I did a google search on the VIN (C7AR180992) and found out it has changed hands several time in the last few years.  I would like to track down the person who did the restoration on the car and get some more background on the car. Any help, suggestions or history on the car would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Donny

Here is what I have so far:

Mecum - Dallas 2011
http://www.mecum.com/auctions/lot_detail.cfm?LOT_ID=DA1011-114344&entryRow=32&lottype=

Barrett Jackson - Arizona 2009
http://www.barrett-jackson.com/application/onlinesubmission/lotdetails.aspx?ln=687&aid=283

Barret Jackson - Arizon 2008
http://www.barrett-jackson.com/application/onlinesubmission/lotdetails.aspx?ln=657&aid=223

A&E Classics - Oklahoma Date Unknown
http://www.automaniacs.com/OnlineCars/Ford/57RanchWagonRED/1957%20Ford%20Ranch%20Wagon/album/

Hall Motor Cars - Kansas Date Unknown
http://www.automaniacs.com/OnlineCars/Ford/57RanchWagonRED/1957%20Ford%20Ranch%20Wagon/album/

[JimNolan]

Donny,
   You can look up the Title and Registration Bureau of most states and pay them to send you a copy of everything they have on a car. You pay for this service ( @ $35.00 ) but they send you the names of all the people that owned it and a copy of every document they had on the car. I was able to go back to 1970 on my car. Then I looked the people up, called and talked to them. It was quiet rewarding. The trail ran cold in 1970 because Washington State only supplies that information to police and car dealers only. One person sent me pictures of the car when he had it, another sent me the original owners manual he'd taken out of the car when he sold it because he liked the car so much.
   Just hope the states your car was registered in provide that service to the public. Jim

[RICH MUISE]

That's a hell of a ride you got yourself..congrats.  Is the car still in Texas? (I'm in Amarillo...we're gettin' quite a few Texas '57 owners lately)
Welcome to the site btw.

[shopratwoody]

Very Nice!

[cobraffr]

The car is still in Texas.  My brother and I drove it from the Dallas auction back to Houston.  That was quite the experience.  The car ran great, but above 45 MPH it can develop a "death wiggle".  I need to go through the suspension and check for worn out components also the steering has a lot of play.  I am in the process of installing seat belts and will install AC before next summer.  I want to keep it as original as possible, but also want to enjoy driving it and feel safe with the kids. 

[Zapato]

Yippee-Ay-O! Another Texan on this board. Welcome, you're going to like it here. Hopefully you'll be echoing a good old Texas buddy of mine who used to say "Right proud to be here".

Zap-

[Lou]

Reguarding your "death Wiggle" check you front wheel ballance. Try to find someone who has a "Bubble Ballancer" rather than a spin ballancer. I've run accross this problem 5 or 6 times on 50S and 60s cars, and fixed it with my 1953 bubble ballancer.

[kens65fb]

Wow, checking out the prices that that car has fetched at various sales, it certainly shows the sad state of our economy.

I have been able to piece together a timeline for this car.

Hall's Motor Co        Wichita, KS        ( 2006 )   ----   Asking $32,900       
A & E Classic Cars    New Braunfel, TX  ( 2007 )   ---- Asking  $32,900
Barrett Jackson       Scottsdale AZ      ( 2008 )  ----   Sold for $29,700
Barrett Jackson       Scottsdale AZ      ( 2009 )  -----  Sold for $24,200
Mecum  Auctions     Dallas Tx             (2011 )  -----   Sold for $23,000

I would try to contact each of these companies, they all should have a record of this car passing thru.

I have dealt with both,  Barrett Jackson and Mecum Auctions, and they have complete information on both sellers and successful buyers at their sales.

[RICH MUISE]

Cobra...some of the steering play may be taken out of the steering box if it's not already at max adjustment. There is an adjustment screw on the top of the box, and I believe the repair manual has a section on the adjustment. Glad your in Texas..there's another member from the Houston area on here...can't remember which..maybe Texasfordguy?...I've gotta make a list of '57 Ford Texans. Maybe I'll do a post rounding us all up.

[Lgcustom]

Cobra,
I'm in the Houston area. Cypress to be specific. I have a '57 Custom with a 460. Be glad to share any info I can. Maybe I can learn something too!

Larry

[Limey57]

Very nice, I'd clear some space in the garage for that!  What is the three speed like?  I've only ever driven one American car with manual transmission & it was awful, first gear was too low and the step between second & third was so great that by the time I'd wrestled the (worn) column shift into third I'd lost all the power & had to drop back into second!!!!

[shopratwoody]

They're not all that way

[cobraffr]

Thanks for the "death wiggle" suggestions.  I have not had the tires balanced yet.  That is high on my list because currently you have to remove the hub caps to air up 2 of the tires.  The valve stems are too short.  I have found some pictures of the car with different hub caps that worked with the shorter valve stems.  Steering has a lot of play, you can move the wheel 20? without any change in direction.  I will check into adjusting the steering box.  It has power steering so hopefully that adjustment advice still applies.

Larry, I am in Cypress as well. 

Ken where did you find the dates for Hall's and A&E?

[62galxe]

Cypress is pretty close. im in Magnolia.
Kenny