Different ashtrays! what next?

[Zapato]

Reading thru the oldest 57 thread and the t-bird emblem fiasco (I've never seen one) and now someone tells me there are 2 different ashtrays. What are the differences and anyone have pictures? Is there no end to this madness?

Zap-

[shopratwoody]

I bought one once that had the different ashtray and it had
horizontal grooves in the chrome on the dash instead of the
vertical ones. Wierd.

[JimNolan]

Zapato,
   Where have you been. You mean you have a 1957 Ford and don't know all the descrepancies of that year. Shame be upon you. LOL. Yes Virginia, there is a difference in 57's. Especially if you smoke. The ashtray lid is seperate from the ashtray in the early 57's. You have to stick your cigarette straight back into the dash on the early 57's. But you can buy a later model ashtray and install it without changing anything like I did.
   You read the post I made about Concours sending me the wrong hoses to my steering ram and valve. That was because the early 57's used a different ram cylinder and valve. It is actually a ram cylinder and valve from 1956 cars.
   The inside rear view mirror bracket is different on a early 57. The early ones use a 56 T-Bird style mirrior bracket. The outside rear view mirror is different also. The early cars used a round tri-bar mirror and the later ones used a square mirror. Any part that they could use from the previous year of 1956, they used. There's probably more items different that I don't know about. If anybody can add to my list let me know. Jim
   P.S. Shoprat, I've seen a one piece faceplate that incorporated the heater control, radio and clock. I forget if the lines were horizonal though. It was put on the later Fords I think. Also, I too have seen the horizonal lines on a 57 faceplate but for the life of me I can't remember why. Might have been Canadian built.

[cool57]

I bought one once that had the different ashtray and it had
horizontal grooves in the chrome on the dash instead of the
vertical ones. Wierd.

The one piece dash chrome has horizontal grooves. I have not seen the individual pieces with horizontal, only vertical grooves.

[cool57]

How's this for a different ashtray? Airride pressure gauge, up & down switch, acc. power port. That is a spare dash used for mock up. My buddy Jay may make this available as a bolt in kit for our cars if there is interest.

[Zapato]

Zapato,
   Where have you been. You mean you have a 1957 Ford and don't know all the discrepancies of that year. Shame be upon you. LOL. Yes Virginia, there is a difference in 57's. gh. It was put on the later Fords I think.

You're right I should sign up for a public flogging in the town square.

At one time I had a 66 Fairlane GT, and of course every time I heard of one being parted out went and pulled items to make mine better. And at times came home with extra stuff they just wanted to be rid of. In a couple years found many different parts. Found 3 similar but no identical instrument clusters and 2 different clocks all stamped with the same Ford numbers. Looks to me that the vendors had a bit of leeway on the parts they produced.

Back to 57s now how many different dash faces are aware of and are they related to model trim levels. I have always thought that the 57 dash would have looked better if the dash trim went all the way across and rolled into the door like on many GM cars,

Zap-

[Frankenstein57]

On my 58 the chrome dash trim is available that extends onto the glove box door. I need that if anyone has it. Thanks, Mark

[RICH MUISE]

Zap...check the wanted posts a few months back..we got into the differences in ashtrays a little. That was the first I had heard of it. Both made to fit in the same dash cavity,the one I had, and in like most '57's I believe, the door rotated down into the dash. Canadian Ranchero talked of another that the door and ashtray were one unit and pulled out of the dash on a slide.
Other '57 differences I have heard of...some wing window frames are chrome plated, while I belive most are stainless. Don't know if it's a model difference, or if the different materials occured on the same model. I was told years ago that the windshield trim pieces consisted of both s.s. and chrome components...mine were all stainless.
and the biggie..., and I'll probably be tarred and feathered...I believe the lattutide the multiple suppliers had in providing components for Ford is the reason for the big argument about differential size, even to the point where components may have strayed from documented specifications. There are just too many people on both sides of the fence to believe that one group is wrong. This also falls right in line with what Jim's Ford employee contact told him about keeping the assembly line going (see oldest '57 thread)

[Zapato]

Rich, guess we should be happy that at least its all ford parts, could be worse. Good buddy of mine in my Navy days had a 67 Dodge that he had bought brand new and had all sorts of minor problems and he felt it had to be cobbled up at the factory (in one of those keep the line running) as on his glovebox was pretty as could be a Plymouth Belvedere 2 emblem. Now my dad had a 67 Belvedere actually bought in 68 had been left over in the dealers lot and as he owned we at first had trouble getting normal things like sparkplugs, seems his car had a 66 engine that while still a 318 was in many little ways different. I tore down that motor when it started smoking with around 160K miles and found that #3 cylinder had a .030 over piston. This car had 13 miles when Dad bought it and it was in the family from day one. So they not only kept the line running but they didn't junk out a block because a bore needed to oversize to clean up.

Zap-

[Zapato]

On my 58 the chrome dash trim is available that extends onto the glove box door. I need that if anyone has it. Thanks, Mark

I'd sure love to see a picture of that trim piece.

Zap-

[Bubba]

Bros:
I've learned, the hard way when working on a 57 Ford, that the ANSWER is always a qualified"That Depends"
For example, I found out that the rear seat in my 63A wasn't a 63A rear seat [GOD only knows where, when or how it was changed] and that therefore the armrests and ashtrays in the rear weren't the correct ones.  After many Email and hours on the internet I was finally able to get the correct rear seat bottom cusion form one source and a set of 63A armrests and ashtrays from another.  So now at least the interior will be correct when I recover the seats.

BuBBA

[Zapato]

BuBBa,

Could also be that someone special ordered those seats and ashtrays, and by replacing them with the "correct" you could have actually altered your car. Myself while I find 100% factory restorations interesting and can admire the effort that went into it, specially if one considers all the "That Depends" one comes across doing a restoration. However they don't really excite me as much as an altered vehicle. Whether its a Kustom, Hot Rod or any other variant from factory stock. Its about making it personal that appeals most to me. So I would never have worried about the right/wrong seat if my car was to get a rear seat it would probably be from a 66 T-bird or maybe a set of fold down buckets out of a 66 Charger. But there is no way I'll be putting in back seats in my business coupe, maybe a rollbar. But I do enjoy learning about all the differences that came down the line most of which I tend to believe are vendor issues.

Zap-

[Bubba]

Zap:
Your right about the rear seat it could have been a special order.
When I got the car the rear armrests were the "stand alone" style that screw on [like the front armrests] with chromed ridged covers and the ashtrays are shaped to fit the armrests.  The correct armrests for a 63A, or so I am told, are screwed into the side of the car, upholstered and have a flat rectangular ashtray, and the bottom rear seat cushion is indented on both sides to accommodate the armrests.
Actually my Old girl will be a resto mod when finished.
I am not a restoration purist, but understand why many folks enjoy pure stock restorations.
From external appearances, with the exception of the louvered hood and maybe a 66 Pontiac Super duty style functional hood scoop, Cragar SS wheels, and factory style paint, she will appear stock. I actually have 3 differnet hoods for the car, stock original hood, louvered hood and a Crites Ram Air hood. The suspension will be upgraded to front discs and rack and pinion steering.  Engine going in this winter is a 70 428CJ FE with a fourspeed top loader. Read end is Ford 9 inch with 3:79 gears and a posi unit and Posies rear springs.
BuBBa

[glen courier]

Bubba,
What are the dimensions of the Pontiac scoop?

[Bubba]

Glen:
I will take some measurements when I get home this evening and if i can take some digital shots to Email to you.  The scoop is stamped sheet steel and attaches with screws to the hood.  The scoop has a removable chrome grill with screening.  They actually look really good.  I have two or three of them that I acquired over the years. They were also used on Frod 600 series trucks, GMC trucks and I believe some International trucks.
BuBBa