Check out the new color on the dash

[JPotter57]

I decided to get rolling on the dash, so I can get it back in after I get finished cutting in the `58 under dash wiper motor assembly.   Check out the coolness of the Flame Red.  I finally found a red headliner too, so the whole interior will be red.   Anybody got any decent front and back seats for a Custom Tudor, preferably close to Mississippi?

[JPotter57]

I finally decided to go a different direction than originally planned on this car.  I had wanted to build this car back as it was raced in the 60's, but now, I will just be making a nice driver out of it.  I have a new 5.0 and 5 speed in the car now, may change to a Y block later on.  As long as its fun to drive, I probably wont be changing much.  I have long tube headers on it, which will cause me to have to either make a new crossmember or switch to shorty headers.  Since I have the tranny in, I will likely be switching to shorty headers, and using 2.5 inch pipes instead of the 3 inch ones I have now.  I have a good 3.70 gear I will be putting a limited slip into, and the wheels will be changed out once again.  Right now, I have a set of 15X8 on back that I built myself, and a set of original KH 15X5 on front.  I would probably like the fronts a lot better with a little bit bigger tire, but, they do look funny, so I will switch them out for some 15X6 steelies.  I have the `57 dog dish caps on them, and the wheels will get sandblasted and resprayed body color when I get that far, right now, they're black.  I will probably paint the car white, not wimbledon white, never did like that color.  I will probably do it a more white color, Colonial white, Polar white or something similar.  This is what I have in mind:

[shopratwoody]

The dash looks good James. Quite a change in direction for the ol Ford. Mines been both ways
and I enjoy using it instead of trailering it to the races. I did enjoy all the years of racing though.
I think the conservative way you're going will be cool. Most of all enjoy it!
Ron

[F570RD]

James....I just got a call from the Fire Chief.Said somthin about a dash board.Hope the five 0 deal works out.

[JPotter57]

The 5.0 will work out long enough for me to figure out what I want to put in it for good. I have a 390 and 4 speed, plus I have a 460 I could build.  Whatever it is will have a manual trans, which is why the 460 is not already in it...4 speed bells are hard to find.  I also have another stroker windsor, a 393, which I can build, and parts are pretty easy to find, plus its a good torquey engine.  I want to just get it to where I can jump in and drive it across country if I want to, and this was the easiest way.  My last Custom was cool, but a bit much to drive too far, solid roller cam and 4.11 gears and all.  I decided my boys were growing up, and I need to do something they will want to participate in.  They like the cars and stuff, but dont particularly like drag racing.  They like cruise ins, shows and stuff though.  I want it to run good, and sound good, but most of all, I want to take my kids and wife out when I go.  Of course, now, I'll need a station wagon to fit them all in, lol.
  If I can get a 390 or 406 together, I may just go the FE route, or I may go back to the 292 or 312 again, not sure.  I may have found a '57 312  here locally, gonna go check it out this week.  If it is, I may buy it.  I was afraid of all this though guys, I knew I would eventually slow down and start getting old.  The shift from dragster to cruiser affirms that.....Maybe some slicks in the trunk would help.....

[wolfpupsdad]

 james, that red color is about the same color that'll be on my ranchwagon. look good and keep us postedon the progress

[JimNolan]

James,
     You're going cruising, that's great. It's nice to have a car that can do both but lets face it, there's no such thing as the best of both worlds. Either you hook up and break parts or you drive around looking cool and not breaking parts. Hum, what a choice, both are fun. As far a cruising goes, you might want to rethink 3.70. Although it's not extreme low, it's low enough to cause considerable pain at 60 mph. Cruising down the interstate 1800 rpm is a lot more enjoyable than 2800 rpm. Not to mention the gas. If I'd had my head on straight instead of thinking I could throw money at my car, I'd have gotten a 3.00 - 3.25 gear with a 4 speed toploader. From experience I can tell you that a good FE at 1750 rpm will indeed pull itself out of a ditch when you mash the throttle.
    The Tremec I've got is nice but you can't come out of the hole with it on street tires. Once you get out of 1st it's nice though. The .63 5th gear is really the nice thing about the car. Anything higher than a 3.70 rear gear would make 5th gear useless on that car though. You'd have to be doing 70 mph before you could use it.
    It's hard to figure out what combination to use, it'll be interesting to see what you finally go with.
Take care, enjoy the baby.

[JPotter57]

I have a 5 speed in the car right now, so a 3.70 wont be too bad on the road.  The 3.70 would suck with the toploader 4 gear or a C4 automatic, but I wont have another automatic hotrod.  If I ever do the toploader, I will probably step back to a 3.25 or so, as I have a couple of those too. 
The baby is already 2 weeks old, and has grown so much already.  He definitely is a "daddy's boy", he will cry when I come in from work, then I pick him up, and he's fine.  Once he's asleep, I can put him down in his bed and he will sleep for a couple hours till he wakes up hungry.

[Ford Blue blood]

I put a 302 EFI/5 speed in a 66 Ranchero with a 3:23 gear.  The car gave me an honest 22 to and from work and right at 32 on the road at 70 MPH.  The EFI was a speed density out of a Continental.  Even with a speed density EFI you will not regret having it!