So I was looking on Craigslist

[Zapato]

Whoever did the body and paint has skills I'm envious of.

Totally in agreement on this.

Zap-

[57 imposter]

I have always tried to keep two facts in mind when approaching a car project. 1..Not every idea is a good one!  and 2....Just because you can do it, doesn't mean you should.

[sprink88]

And yet I also agree with you! I DO like the interior. But the outside is a no-no in my book. My car still looks like it just came from a barn, and I cannot get enough "sweet car" from strangers. Why ruin the art of the original. To each their own I guess

[Tom S]

You got to love the headlights !!

Worst part of the whole car!      

[Zapato]

Those headlights in pods remind me of a 61 Imperial. Rich is right-on with the body mans skills. Went back and looked it over again the inset area where the gold trim would normally be looks to be flawless in execution. There is a lot to appreciate there. Not sure if its an optical illusion but it appears that the lower rear quarters are also inset. Outward fit and finish are at a level I can only dream of someday attaining. I love ''KUSTOMS'' however this one doesn't do it for me but since I don't own the keys to it there is no need for it to do so.

Positive or negative I'll bet that car will get more comments and have its picture taken at any cruise night than the average restored stocker.

Zap-

This car was obviously built for the show circuit. Reminds me of the cars built late 60s early 70s built to the judges score sheets. The more mods the better as each one garnered more points. That era almost killed the kustom car as a viable part of our hobby.

I've rambled enough about this car its time to pass the keys to someone else, don't need/want them back.

[JimNolan]

Sorry Guys,
   I still think of it as a poor example of a Customized 57 Ford. I don't care who appreciates it. This car was designed and built to compete with a Big Daddy Ed Roth or a George Barris design. Obviously the guy left too much of the 57 Ford intact to compete with the look those guys produced either. Jim
  PS. I'm sure the guy that customized this car loves it, so too may a few other people. But, Charlie Manson had a mother that loved him and a few followers that loved him also. That still didn't change what he was. LOL

[JPotter57]

I agree Jim, it is a sad example of a misguided attempt to improve something...
At the risk of possibly offending the owner who may be lurking about here, which I have done before, I will say that this car looks pitiful, good bodywork or no.  The paint job may be smooth and shiny, but it looks like someone dropped a few hits of acid before they started taping off and spraying.  That's just my opinion, others may have thought it, but I said it.  Sorry if the owner is on here and is offended..This site is not responsible for what I say or post, lol.... infinitum


Oh yeah, quote from zap---"This car was obviously built for the show circuit. Reminds me of the cars built late 60s early 70s built to the judges score sheets. The more mods the better as each one garnered more points. That era almost killed the kustom car as a viable part of our hobby."

Too bad that era didnt kill that segment of the hobby, that way the only ones ruined would have been the ones ruined back then, and not ruined now that prices are skyrocketing on good buildable stuff...again, just one man's opinion.

[Zapato]

Well since this has shifted off on a tangent I've returned with a few opinions. all mine.

Personally don't see how building kustoms depletes the selection or number of available cars any more than all the ones that were crushed for years in stock car racing, destruction derbys, cut up altered drag cars etc.... not to mention the ones we sent to wrecking yards because they were after all just cars.

As far as ruining an original beautiful factory design that is exactly what Ford did in 57. Ever wonder why 57 is the first year of a small and large ford ? Not to be confused with the standard and deluxe models of the 30s and 40s. Or the various trim and option same model variations prior to 57. The big Ford was a quick reaction forced on design and engineering by Mr.Ford after attending a car show and seeing a home built retractable hardtop, incidentally built by a couple young guys with absolutely no engineering background. Ford (corporate) had been working on the RHT for a few years and had spent thousands with no end in sight. He wasn't pleased. The result being that the crisp clean small Ford had to grow considerably in length and wheelbase. And so the Fairlane 500 and all its derivatives came to be. Nothing in this paragraph is opinion its Ford history.

The next part is my opinion. The small Ford in its simplicity is the girl next door while the 500 is the B movie starlet. The beauty next door has always been my favorite of the 2.  That has always been my choice when it comes to 57s.  All that extra chrome and flash the factory added did it my book nothing to improve the looks.  Just like the girls we've all known with too much make-up and we run into them without it and our socks are blown off. My first 57 was a 6 cylinder business coupe, many other 57s (even a couple of fairlanes) gave up parts to make it right but it always kept that recognizable appearance and beauty. I've passed on several 500s over the years. They just don't look right to me. Way too long aft of the rear window.

Now if you've been into cars for sometime you are probably guilty of ruining at least one car. Price of cars has nothing to do with that. Studebaker guys refuse to pay ridiculous amounts for studes. The rest of the hobby never caught on to that so we bleed green every time we reach for our wallet. One thing I've noticed over the years if a national magazine does a project car and pays stupid money for a project car every one buying the same thing elsewhere will feel an extra sting. And all that stupid money spent on auction sites doesn't help.

Now all you guys with 500s don't get upset I never said they're butt ugly or anything like that. They just don't look right to me. And it could be that if the definition of a Kustom is to alter an original design. Then whether you like it or not you're driving one. Only you didn't have to go thru what the OP of this thread showed us.

My 2 cents and more.

Zap-

[JPotter57]

Wow.  Didnt mean to hurt your feelings Zap...
Never customized a car before, I did ruin a couple late models, but they were of the disposable car variety, and as bad as I butchered them, they still looked like what they were.  That thing is hideous.  The extent of my regrettable car building only included ugly bolt on cowl induction hoods, that I immediately hated as soon as I put them on.  I even did that to my last `57, hated it right away, but had already sold my flat hood...Still, all my cars, from my first to my current, over 30 years and 100 automobiles, have looked like whatever they were when they rolled off the assembly line, with the exception of two or three ugly hood scoops.  Oh yeah, and I have never, ever had a car with an acid induced paint scheme.
Sorry, it is bad of me I suppose to not like that style of car, but I don't.  And since it is my opinion, and I stated it as such, I won't apologize, other than for offending Zap...

[Zapato]

 Not the least bit offended, and pretty much share the opinion of that car that has been shared. its bizzare to say the least. i do appreciate all the work that was put into it and from what we can see the skill level of the builder. I do love well executed Kustoms and even the greats built some ugly stuff, its probably one of the hardest car builds out there as its not cookie cutter like a restoration would be. Would I want that car in my driveway? Hell! No!

That car reminds me of an old buddy who started out building a lowered 73 Datsun pickup. He at the time raced an SCCA  GT2 class 240Z really knew his way with those L series motors. He started doing a few things and at one point it looked great. But he got caught up in just building for building sake and you know the rest of the story. It looked awful, ran like the legendary raped ape but you really didn't want to be seen in it.  He failed because he started the build without a plan. And it snowballed.

That 57 probably had a plan, not one I would have ever imagined.

But really James you're going to have to try a lot harder to offend me. Like you said its just your opinion and why would that offend anyone.

Zap-

[JimNolan]

Guys and Zap,
    I read a book about the Skyliner and it's history. In that book was a section on why the 57 Fairlane came into existance. I remembered reading that the head guys at Ford ( can't remember who ) had directed the engineering team in 1955 or 56 that the women customers biggest complaint of the Ford automobile was not being able to see over the roof. A directive was sent down that a 5' 2" woman had to be able to stand on the ground flat footed and see over the roof. The only way the engineering department could figure out how to do that was place the passengers down and between the frame. You see, car bodies were placed on top of the frame until that time. Not only did it meet the design criteria but it enabled Ford to emphasize the safety of having the frame on the outside of the passengers. For this reason and the fact Chevy put tubless tires on their cars in 1957 and people weren't ready for that, it enabled Ford to produce a winner in 57. Also the retractable came from a Ford Manager visiting the Lincoln Division and being given the retract designs because the Lincoln Division thought it wouldn't sale on their cars because they already had too high an asking price and their customers wouldn't pay the extra $700 for that option and the Ford Manager thought their cars were cheaper and Ford could sale it as an option.
   It took this new body design to offset the undenighable fact that Chevy produced the better V8 engine. If Ford had had the small block Chevy engine and Chevy had the Y-Block, you'd see all kinds of 57 Fords running around today instead of 57 Chevy's. People would have stayed with Ford after 1957 if the engines had been any good. By 1958 the 312 boat anchor engine was a thing of the past. The Y-Blocks performance and reliability couldn't match the hydraulic lift small block Chevy engine. Other than circle track racing the Y-Block couldn't cut it.
  As far as a 1957 Custom and a 1957 Fairlane goes, my opinion is that without the pomp and circumstance Ford wouldn't have sold enough cars to stay in business if it depended on people liking just the 57 Custom. As it happened the pomp and circumstance made it possible to outsell everyone in 1957. Jim
   

[Frankenstein57]

That thing looks bizarre, but I bet he loves it. Look at the price he's asking. While I've always preferred the short wheelbase 57's, a fairlane 500 with nice paint, wheels, stance, looks awesome. Not to often you find one of these cars you can't like. Mark

[Lou]

Look it the front end, and picture getting caught in the rain, now just think how much dirt and grime that front end would catch particularly behind and under the headlights.

[57AGIN]

Guys:

WOW!!! Who would have thought?  This ended up being one heck of a thread.

Bob
57 AGIN

[JimNolan]

Bob,
I couldn't sleep, what's your excuse for being up this early. It's 4:15 am in the Mid West. Jim