57 Ranchero find

[JimNolan]

Guys,
   Just thought I'd share with you my latest find. A 57 untouched ranchero 66B. I have the original title too. It was bought new in Feb of 57. The 80 year old owner sold it to me for $350.00. The body is rusted beyond help but the stainless, bumpers and original seat that was covered in plastic when it was new is still so-so. All the glass and trim as well as the 312 with automatic is still intact with no parts missing. He just parked it in back of his barn around 1967 and didn't move it again. I pulled the oil pan to look at the main bearing caps and sure enough it was stamped ECZ. I plan on disposing of the body and trying to keep the frame, 9 inch rear, automatic transmission and 312 engine.
   My wife took one look at it and called the Bowan Center. You can guess what the Bowan Center is.
Jim

[Hoosier Hurricane]

Jim:

Be sure to keep the trim, especially the stainless trim around the top edge of the bed.  That stuff brings good money on ebay.  I would be interested in the steer head emblem off the tailgate if it is still there.

John

[JimNolan]

John,
   Every piece that it came with is there. It was never a parts car. I plan on stripping everything that I can reuse on another body. It's probley hard to find things like that emblem. The chrome bed rail is there but two of the small pieces have rust holes in them. I really don't know how much is salvageable. I'm just hoping that the engine block is OK.
   It's interesting to look at it. Every wire clip is still in place. It's like the old man just got tired of driving it and forgot it for 40 years. It'd been nice if he had parked it in one of his 5 barns. He also told me he has two Crosleys in one of those barns.
Jim

[Hoosier Hurricane]

Jim:

Most of the bed trim is stainless.  The small pieces you speak of, I have never seen stainless ones, only chromed mild steel.  Probably to difficult to stamp in stainless.  The rear corner pieces, I have seen both in stainless and plated.  The steerhead emblem is used to cover the key lock hole in the station wagon tailgate that was used on the Ranchero.  Mine was misssing, so I made one from the plastic steerhead emblem from a Maverick gas cap.  Not original, but looks OK.  I also had two Crosleys when I was too young to have a driver's license.  Cut the top off the sedan, then junked it.  Sold the station wagon for a small profit.

John