morfing a 58 custom into a 57 custom 300

[Limey57]

Very, very nice.  As soon as the paint hardens you tend to think "great, we're nearly there" but it seems to take just as long to clean/paint/fit all of the other bits & pieces as it does to finish the body!

[Ecode70D]

Doug
   After working on a project like yours for a bunch of years, it has to feel real good to have reached the point where you have some color on it.  You did a lot of work on that car and it looks real nice.  I'm very happy for you.  Jay       
   

[hiball3985]

Congratulations! It looks mighty fine. From the holes in the rear quarter it looks like you will be using the 58 trim. Does the roof still have the ribs?

[clusterbuster]

Looks sharp. I like your shaved deck lid. You must have a remote opener.

[57 imposter]

looks great!

ZAP-

went back and gave it a better look over, love the way you deseamed the front clip. looks like you must be planning on using just the spear of the 58 trim. as someone who punches and loves louvers wondering why did you only punched the back half of the hood? just curious not criticizing.

Yes, the plan is to go with just the spear with no insert. once its done, I will be able to look at it for a while and see if it works. the insert can be added at any time. The hood was punched by a guy named Paul Harper. he works out of the most unassuming garage you ever saw in Roslyn Wa. He is a builder of some note as he has created 2 or 3 magazine feature cars including a baby Cad. that is just outstanding. Anyway since I had driven off from here without the picture of the hood that I liked, I just left it in his hands to give it what he thought it needed. we ended up 3 louvers short of what I would have chosen but he said when you start over the front of the hood the louvers start looking toward the sky and he tries to avoid that. but I wish he had done them. so I do have at least one fly in the ointment however I have pretty much gotten used to the look but if they ever get to where they bug me and I come across good hood, I will start over. really doubt that will happen but its always an option.   The trunk is opened with either a button in the console or with a button on the key fob.

[JPotter57]

That car looks great.  You have definitely done some grade A work on this car to get it where it sits now.  As soon as I get time, if you dont mind, I want to merge all of your build and project posts into one, and move it into the build thread section.  Your build is one that a lot of folks wouldnt have thought of, and I think the project should be where it can be appreciated.  Definitely very impressive, for sure.

[Jeff Norwell]

Outstanding work.I love the transformation.I am probably the only guy on earth that likes the 58 front end sheet metal looks.I saw it done as a custom thing back in the day.(I love 57 front ends too)
Really magnificent work.

[junior58]

Now that this has been combined and shifted over to the Project Builds section I have read through the whole thing. Years ago, my first foray into 57's was exactly what you have - a 58 converted to 57, so by all accounts it looked like a 57 with a 58 ribbed roof (or was it really a 57 with 58 roof?). It started out as a 4 door, converted to 2 door then given a 4 inch roof chop. All front panels were welded together to form a one piece tilt front. I'll see if I can find some photos in the archives. Had a 390 and 4 speed.

[57 imposter]

well they are finally here. All the little and big issues that I have kicked down the road during the build are coming home to roost. got the car on the hoist and based on the frame to hoist pad clearance, I may not have to do any adjusting on the front end. have spent three days cleaning up misc. issues under the car. I went ahead and replaced the 1 inch lowering blocks with 2 inch to try and get the rear end down to an asseptable level. spent all afternoon yesterday trying to find and then modify U bolts for the longer blocks. Got them done but threw in the towel for the day. Today I need to cut a section of the head pipe out and remake it to correct an exhaust leak. Then double check all my brake line connections and the brakes should be ready for fluid and bleeding. I have some fittment issues with the front coil spacers so I will have to drop the coils back out. I didn't reinstall the front callipers or shocks and the upper ball joint nut is just finger tight so getting the springs back out will be no problem. I put a new long block in about two years ago so once the other nagging problems are out of the way I think I'll see if the thing will start. After that, it will be on to exterior trim and then the dreaded door and Quarter window builds. sorry about the typos and bad grammar but I am working on my lap top, on my lap with a very needy dog laying across my chest so I am having to look around and over him to try and see what I am doing.
     

[RICH MUISE]

Well Doug..you did say you were shooting for a March(?) completion to drive that puppy down to Arizona....here's a little inspiration for ya:

lol...."puppy" refering to the one in your garage, not the one in your lap. Our next trip is tentively scheduled for March.

[57 imposter]

Makes me want to leave now. Man it doesn't get much better than that.  Every time I see a 1963 1/2 Galaxie I kick myself for selling mine.

[57 imposter]

Well I just completed a week of work on a project that should have taken about an hour. Trying to get a brake pedal in the car. all the parts are new but I have had them on the shelf for years, maybe even ten. used a vacuum bleeder on them two or three times and still had a very spongey pedal. Used a power bleeder twice, still no luck. Yesterday I started to isolate components and plugged off the master cylinder and have a good solid pedal so that appears to be ok. Ive been over the whole system soo many times i can't even count and there are no leaks.. So today I am going to really fill up the pressure bleeder and push enough fluid thru the thing to float a boat and get the air out on the system which just has to be the reason for my problem. Just thinking, why doesn't someone invent a dye that you could put in the master cylinder that would show up at the bleed screw to tell you when the line was completely flushed. The week hasn't been a total loss as I have installed the headlights, grill and re-bushed the rear springs got new shackles in to replace the home made flipped shackles and got rid of the lowering blocks. Final ride height is now a total crap shoot but won't know until I get tires on and back on the ground, which I won't do until I have this brake nightmare fixed. Did I mention, I am working outside, cause thats where my hoist is, so I am racing bad weather. been winning so far but am getting fewer hours a day that its fit to be out there. Nooo Pressure!!! 

[lalessi1]

I would venture to say we all have had weeks (days, months) like that. Hang in there! My pedal feel was garbage until I changed to braided stainless lines, but I may have accidentally fixed the problem in the process of putting them on.

[RICH MUISE]

Lot of that going around...I spent hours trying to bleed my front brakes. I chaulked it up to hydroboost, new calipers, and inexperienced operator. Got a reasonable pedal, stopped there as I knew I'd be opening up the system again when I hooked up the back brakes.

[57 imposter]

I am in the same spot reasonable pedal but needs more work. At least i got it back on all fours and moved back inside. installing stock shackles really took a lot of ride height out of the back end. May still need a little more but I'm going to give the front coils more time to settle before doing anything else.. Really need to get cracking on the interior.