Small progress

[JPotter57]

Well, I finally got caught up with other things long enough to finally work on the Ford.  I got the unneeded holes welded up in the firewall, ground down and filler applied...Really loving the Rage Extreme filler, very easy to work.  Got the firewall stripped to bare metal and etching primer applied.  Hope to get the jambs and firewall ready to paint by saturday, so I can get them painted and get my Cleveland and 5 speed dropped in place.  I found a killer new idea for a cable operated clutch, and as soon as I get it fabricated, I'll take photos and post them here.  Totally cooler than punching a hole in the firewall and modifying the cowl tank like I did my last one.  This way is very clean.
Like I said, the plan is to have the firewall and upper cowl done by the end of the weekend, hopefully.  Now, for paint:  which would look better, body color firewall or satin black?  I will be buying the paint tomorrow or saturday morning, so lets have some opinions.....

[Frankenstein57]

I've always liked the body color firewall, brings out the engine colors better. And enhances any bling that you might bolt on. Mark

[JimNolan]

I've done it both ways and I like the body color firewall best. Better eye candy. Jim

[glen courier]

I would go with body color on the firwall, alot harder but anyone who has done it will apreciate it.

[tarheel57]

If you have any chrome goodies on your motor or firewall it will all stand out better with the body color. Tarheel57

[Ford Blue blood]

Body color on the fire wall and the fender wells!  Details, details, details....they seperate the men from the boys.....

[JPotter57]

Mines gonna be eitherwhite or red/white,stop trying to make up my mind.  That will make a big difference since that will make the firewall either be white or red.  Decisions....

[JimNolan]

James,
    The cowling on my 57 Red/White Fairlane is white down to the seperation of the cowl like most 57's, from there down it's semi-gloss black. I have never once cleaned the black part, not once, and it still looks good. But the cowl separation up that's painted white (that has the hood latch and wiper motor attached) takes constant cleaning. It really looks bad at shows if it's not cleaned. I like a painted cowl as far as looks but I wouldn't want to take care of it if the car is driven much. Jim

[JPotter57]

I've thought about that.  I saw a white 57 with a white cowl and firewall and it really looked cool.  Trouble is, I plan to drive this car a lot, maybe even daily.  I don't want to be having to clean it all the time.  It will never be a show car anyway, maybe a nice 10 footer.  On the other hand, I don't want it to look like crap either though.  I suppose I should go ahead with the satin black on the lower portion for ease of maintenance and good looks.

[Ford Blue blood]

The paint today is much easier to clean.  Don't staqin like the laquer and enamil did.  Good friend wanted to paint his entire engine compartment semi gloss black on his 41 Olds, his painter said he would not do the car if he insisted on doing the sime black.  He relented and painted the engine compartment with the body colors and hasn't regreted it one bit.  It is a driver and stays nice and clean with the regular car washes.

[rmk57]

 I like satin black for the body and engine compartment.

[RICH MUISE]

I like satin black for the body and engine compartment.

lol...you've got to be into politics! that's funny...you didn't have to take sides.
I like nice shiny body colors myself...my problem is I did the undercarrage and wheel wells the torch red I was planning on painting the car...and now, like you, James, I'm not so sure. If I hadn't pre finished all those bolt on components I would be painting the car two tone - grey and dark champagne. I still may...and maybe add a torch red flame job to pull everything together. I'm just not sure about 2-tone w/ a flame job...maybe too busy...one color i'm definetly going with flames.

[57AGIN]

James:

For what it is worth,  I did my 57's engine compartment two-tone White over Turquoise.  It was carried the exterior theme out in the engine compartment. I've had numerous complements over the years and it really hasn't been very much trouble to keep it looking good.  Since I'm in the process of repainting the car now, I'm going to have the painter continue the color theme (whatever I finally decide upon). 

I went to the Grand National Roadster Show on Saturday to get color scheme ideas and ran into Shopratwoody.  He had his Black 57 Ranchero parked next to another 57 Red & White 57 Ranchero.  Both looked good.  I didn't see a single 57 Custom or Custom 300.  There were a couple of highly customized Fairlane's and Ranchero's inside the buildings being exhibited/judged.  Very interesting show, lots of BLING.

Bob
57 AGIN

[JPotter57]

Well, I rolled it out in the sunlight, and it looks ok.  I did the cowl and windshield jamb with Winter White, and the firewall with satin chassis black.  Notice I filled in the wiper motor area, much like a `58, since I used the `58 inner cowl and wiper ass'y (Thanks Campy).  I also filled some of the indentions in the cowl and all of the holes for insulation and heater box.  The body of this Ford will be done the way Ford would have done it had they built a factory lightweight in `57.  For now at least, it will have a 351C 4v and 5 speed.  Once I decide from there what I want to do with the car, I may put together a Y block or maybe an FE.   I have one of each, so I can decide that later. 
For sure, I want to be able to drive it anywhere at any time.  I want to do Power Tour in it at some point.  I will probably take my `61 Unibody pickup this year, maybe if I am close next year, take the `57.  My Cleveland i a little radical for such a long trip, has 11.5:1 compression and a big Chet Herbert solid cam, single plane intake and 2 inch tube headers, 2 chambered 3 inch exhaust.  Should be pretty loud and reasonably fast.  I have such a hard time deciding what to do with this thing.  Once minute I want to do some nostalgia drags, which will be getting wound up in the southeast as you read this.  Then I think I want to do some of the extended cruise type events like Americruise or Power Tour.  Then I just want to drive it every day.  As all of you know, you cant build a car to do everything well, you have to compromise.  If you drive it everyday, it has to pretty much be a turd, not really overly powerful or loud.  If you want to drag race it, it wont be any fun to drive every day, or even regularly.  I found that out with my yellow `57.  I just cant stay interested in the same thing long enough to stay with it.  I think, that if I were to stay with my plan of building it how I would have when I was in high school, or right after, I would have the most fun with it.  My engine already is, except I probably would have used a milder camshaft, probably something like a 280 or 292 hydraulic Comp Cam.  Just something to make a little noise, but not so radical that it's no fun to drive.  But then, if it ran halfway decent, I'd want to take it to the track to see how it did, then it would be a dog, and I'd wind up putting the bigger camshaft in it, along with a bigger carb, stouter clutch, then it would gt 8 mpg, be so hot natured you couldnt stand to be in it..  What to do?  Oh well, enough of the rantings of a lunatic...Check out the smooth winter hue on the front of the Ford...

[glen b henderson]

I'm liking it James! By the way, what is that 57 way in the back ground? You ain't holding out on me are you?