Building My Custom 300

[57AGIN]

Here is the final (for the time being) portion of the drive train rehab.

I mentioned starting out with the Monroe H/Dshocks, then adding the Strange Engineering adjustable shocks.  Here are a couple of photos of those shocks.

#1 shows the Monroe H/D shock with the standard bayonett lower mount.  #2 shows the new adjustable Strange shock with the eye bolt lower mount.  #3 shows the upper mounting of the Strange shock.

Bob
57AGIN

[57AGIN]

I guess it is time to do the interior.  As you could see in my first couple of shots, the interior needed everything, from replacing the floor boards, kick panels and tunnel to actually bolting the original seats to the floor.

After owning the car for about 7 years and attending numerous car shows, I decided that I wanted a bench front seat with a fold down arm rest that could hold a coffee cup when I drive my car to work or the beach.  I also wanted the seat to be able to lay forward or back, sufficient to in conjunction with a fold down back seat enable me to get my 10' surfboard inside the vehicle and shut the trunk (I'm still a surfer and hate surfboard racks).  I could get my surfboard into my original 57, back in the early 60's, but I had to pull the back seat off of its deck support hinges and lay the seat down (it was a bit of a pain-in-the-A). 

So my basic interior specifications were pretty specific, probably a lot more so than for most refurbishers.  I visited several upholstery shops, including one that is seen often on the "OverHaulin" TV series.  I settled on Bon-a-Rue's Upholstery located in Orange County, CA., This shop wanted about half as many $$$ as StitchCraft and I've been very pleased with the outcome.  I found the front seats that I liked at a car show and went to the company that makes the seats, Glide Engineering, Rancho Cucamunga, CA.  The front seat is actually for a 1955-57 Chevy, with a tapered back seat and contoured foam.  They had never done a 57 Ford application, but the width is the same and since my 57 isn't intended to be stock, the fact that it was originally designed for a Chevy didn't bother me.

The fold down back seat was more of a challenge.  I looked all over to try to find a modern back seat fold down set-up that would work in the 57.  A few were close, but I finally gave up and asked Tito at Bon-a-Rue's to come up with a solution.  He fabricated a solid wood upper seat backing using a piano hinge for the folding part and a trunk latching mechanism to hold the seat in the normal upright position.  The back seat is reasonably comfortable, but that was not a highly critical aspect of the job.  Usefullness and looks were desired.

I had always wanted tuck-n-roll when I was a kid so that was a requirement.  I also wanted the interior to not clash with the turquoise paint job, but I was tired of the neutral grey tweeds that had become popular at the time.  I was assisted by the shop in making the final selection of a turquoise and white naugahyde.  I don't think the match could have been any better and like what they did with it.  I also wanted the side panels to carry out the two tone theme of the exterior to the extent possible.  I'll leave it to you to decide if they adhered to my desires.

I'll have to post this in several installments.  The first two shots are of the Glide Engineering front seat, one at the factory being assembled and one at the upholstery shop being worked on.

Bob
57AGIN

[57AGIN]

The next couple of shots show the upholstery work in progress.  They show the tuck & roll theme carried out on the front seats and the side panel carrying out the exterior two tone theme of the car.

Bob
57AGIN

[57AGIN]

Here are a couple of shots of the back seat construction.  First is the piano hinge set-up and the second is the back seat folded down.  (picture file size limitations are a real pain)

Bob
57AGIN

[57AGIN]

Here's a few shots of the finished product.  And what counts is that it works great and I'm happy.

Bob
57AGIN

[57AGIN]

Finally, here are a couple of shots of the trunk.

What do you think???

Bob
57AGIN

[57chero]

I think it looks great and works for what you use it for,Im curious about the windlace where it comes down the windsheild pillar and is pinched between the dash board, how did they get it in there without pulling the dash.I just pulled my dash out to paint it and dont see how it could be done with it in place, did you see yours being done.

[shopratwoody]

Bob,
That turned out very nice. I also had Tito do my seat recently. I need to cut new backings for the door
panels and get them over to him.
57 Chero, they seem to be able to get the windlace in alright. I've had mine done in the past
Later, Ron 

[57AGIN]

57CHERO & Ron:

Thanks, I get lots of good comments at shows and at the beach.

57CHERO, I know that the upholstery shop didn't disassemble the dash, but I wasn't present to see how it was done.

Here's a couple of more shots of the completed project.

Bob
57AGIN

[RICH MUISE]

Bob...I'm finally getting around to reading the old-old-old posts. This was a great thread..must have been an exciting time for you watching and making it all come together the way you wanted. Great results. Made me miss my years in Fountain Valley and Huntington Beach again.

[Jeff Norwell]

A super EXCELLENT thread....
what a nice ride.

[57AGIN]

Thanks guys.  I love the car and it is a never ending story (project).  A TKO 600 is in the works now, just a matter of getting the best price for purchase.  I really want the 5th overdrive gear, so I can do some longer trips with the car.  A couple of months ago I added a Paxton-Novi 1200 to the 351W and it certainly woke the engine up some more (475 hp to the rear wheels) and added a whole lot of "bling" to the underhood.  Again thanks for the kind words.

Bob
57 AGIN
    &
4.6 SHLB

[tarheel57]

57AGIN, great job it looks good. I have a 351w to go in my custom 300,and was wondering what ( year / type ) motor mounts you ended up using? Tarheel57

[57AGIN]

Tarheel57:

The engine is a 1974 351W.  The motor mounts were purchased from Butch's Rod Shop (no longer in business).
You can go to page 1 of this thread and see what these motor mounts look like.  Essentially, they are made from steel plate in a triangular shape, which when installed on the motor mount cross member has a flat surface on top.  On this flat surface they put a rubber shock mount biscut with a flat steel motor mount plate on top of it using a grade 8 bolt thru the top of the triangle, the rubber biscut and the flat motor mount plate on top of all that.  As you know the small block Ford uses a horizontal motor mount set-up, while the Y-block and FE motors use a verticaly oriented mount system.  Within a year of putting the engine into my 57, the rubber had deteriorated and split into pieces, I replaced it with a similarly shaped urathane shock mount (worked great).  Using the Butch's Rod Shop mount, the engine is solidly bolted (2 grade 8 bolts, washers, lock washer & nuts) to the cross member and several bolts into the block, too.  I always thought this set-up was better than trying to adapt the Mustang or other motor mounts to work with the small block placement into a 57.  Although, I've seen many suggestions in this forum of other combinations that are supposed to work, I never tried them.

Bob
57 AGIN

[tarheel57]

Thanks,I like the looks of them.I saved the picture you posted back then so I can check with some of the rod shops around here so I can maybe get me a set.I think some use 351 truck mounts,but I dont know what year model. Thanks!