My Recent Purchase '57 Custom Tudor

[modifieddriver]

This car was advertised on the HAMB.  It was about 180 miles down the road.  Talked to the seller and thought it would be a decent "project car".

Car was originally Willow Green, 272 V-8, 3-speed, still on column.  It is a true radio and heater delete car, having always been in South Carolina.  Last year licensed was 1984.  Was stored under a tractor shed since.

Good news is every body panel on this car is original to the car and nothing has been altered or destroyed.  I see no evidence of any crash damage except a spot of RR repair where the bumper hit the quarter.  I don't think the bumper was replaced!   A radio/antenna was added, but the delete plate was in the glove box.  Has original engine, oil bath air filter and the bumper jack is in the trunk.  Dual exhausts were added, with the part# stickers still on the pipes.

Bad news is typical rust on a '57 Ford from the sand hills region of SC.  Bottom of front fenders, rockers, rocker inners, four floor pans and the bottom of the quarters next to the rockers is rusted and will require replacement panels.  Over and around the headlights, over rear wheel well opening and trunk floor are great.

Years ago the sand hill region of SC had a bunch of unpaved sand roads (still do).  The sand would seek its way into all the lower body panels of these old cars.  Wherever it got trapped it would get wet, hold moisture and rust the panels out.  The rockers on this car are filled with dirt and sand.  It was repaired years ago with the quick fixes used at that time.

Debating to keep or sell this project.  Finding another with only a marginally better body isn't worth the hunt or extra money.  A small rust hole or a big rust hole means panel replacement.

I like the completeness of this car vs. the alternatives.

Suggestions and comments welcome.

PS:  I owned my last '57 Ford in 1967-68.  Cut it up into an oval track race car. 

[RICH MUISE]

Welcome to the forum. Sounds like the normal rust issues, but not too bad, particularly for the east coast. You may find more when you dig into it, but sounds better than what I had to start with.
What are your plans?
One suggestion....don't cut this one up for the oval track. LOL

[JPotter57]

Best advice:  start buying your replacement panels. EMS stuff only, dont waste your money on cheap stuff, it won't fit well at all.  As you get stuff for it, tackle a panel or system of panels at a time.  It's hard to find these cars complete like that.  Mine was completely apart and a lot of the hard to find stuff was missing.  My car was an old drag car, last run with FE and 4 speed in the 60s or early 70s. The ca4 was last tagged in 68, that tag is hanging on my garage wall.  Long story short, in retrospect I wish I had held out for a car more like yours.  Rust sucks but so does tracking down every  little bracket and bolt too.  Good luck with that Custom...looks like the start of a cool project

[Ford Blue blood]

Welcome aboard.  Nice find, hard to find them with no rust.  They are out there but as you said....the hunt and the money.

[Jeff Norwell]

Welcome to the Board.
As all have said... finding one that has no issues is very very rare.If the floor pans are gone....chances are the floor braces will be need too.My rockers were filled to the top with sand,soil and crap.
James has given you the best advice.... buy EMS replacement panels... they are the best.
I saw that car on the Hamb as well and watched it.It looks like a very nice unmolested piece to start with.How is the front crossmember?.... the rest of the frame?
Is your trunk area in good shape?
Again.. looks Terrific Please keep us posted!

[hotroddonnie]

Nice car to build from. Lots of my car was replaced, all from EMS, my fabricator said the panels and pans were a good gage and quality, pretty much sell all that you will need.

[modifieddriver]

Thanks for the positive comments.

You folks are making me feel better about my purchase .

Plans???  Don't exactly know yet.  I'm a firm believer that only two engines belong in a '57 Ford.  A Y-block or an FE.  A Windsor engine looks lost in the engine bay.  I have several FE's, so that might be the ticket.

As for the trunk floor?  It's solid, as is the spare tire well.

Noticed I am missing a trim part.  Car is missing the short piece of windshield interior garnish molding in the upper corner on the passenger side.  About 3-4" long.  A black knob is broken off a window riser handle and I'll need a hood release pull knob.

I thought about putting a '58 hood on it.  I have one in stock, but not as nice as the original hood on it now.

I haven't even taken it my hauler yet.  So when that happens I'll take some more pics.

I hate to admit it, but for years and years I was a '55-6-7 Chevy guy.  Still have a '55 Bel-Air 2-dr I bought in '77.  Was my honey moon car.  Hasn't been on the road since '85.  There's a long story why.  A bunch of folks around here forgot I even own it.

But somewhere along the line I started messin' with Fords.  I'm restoring a '56 Ford oval track race car now.  It last ran an FE and will be getting another.  It was real rusty

Anyway, when I get a few more pics I'll post'em here.

[JPotter57]

Upper corner will be either a sunvisor or a sunvisor delete trim.  Visor shouldn't be too hard to find.

[sprink88]

Welcome to the 57 Fords life!

[modifieddriver]

Had one of my expert metal working buddies come over this afternoon to scope out the '57.

He reinforced my thinking.  A great complete car with the typical rust problems you have with almost every east coast '57 Ford.

Trunk floor is solid, front cross member seems to be OK.  Jack in the trunk is actually for a Chevelle.  Good swap meet piece.

We pulled on he fan and the crankshaft moved some.  That's always a good sign.  As usual, rusted out under the battery.

Did these 272's come O.E. with a Holley 2 barrel carb?  That's what's on this.

Did a trip through the EMS Sheet Metal web site. Looks like $2,365 worth of panels (some used for just patch sections) to repair the rust.  I think Ford dipped '56 and '57 Ford sheet metal in a salt water brine bath at the factory.

All of a sudden I'm leaning more toward oval track race car.  Bust out all the window glass, gut the interior and take the front and rear seats to the dump, peel off the side and windshield molding, bend them in half over my knee so they take up less room in the trash can, sell the 272 for scrap metal, torch out the trunk floor, door and quarter inners, scrap the dashboard, add a cage, fuel cell, weld on some bumper over riders and go racing with a 427 up front.  Good plan??  Just like the old days.

JPotter:  I assume that missing windshield garnish molding was a visor delete trim.  A visor delete trim is probably tough to come by, unless somebody wants to add the pass side visor.

[glen b henderson]

You bought it with your money, but it would be a crying shame to butcher that car up. That car deserves to be restored. If you want to make one into a into a race car, I have some rusted out hulks that will do for that!

[Ecode70D]

In my honest opinion, I sure would like to see a nice complete car like that come to such a demise. 

[RICH MUISE]

OLO.LOL...I have a hunch this is a test to check our sense of humor.

[modifieddriver]

You bought it with your money, but it would be a crying shame to butcher that car up. That car deserves to be restored. If you want to make one into a into a race car, I have some rusted out hulks that will do for that!

This is a rusted out hulk  .

[JPotter57]

wow.....rusted out hulk is what you find down here on the coast or up north where they salt the roads.  That car isnt that bad compared to some I have had to part out.  Like the man said though, it's your money, you can send it to the crusher if that's what floats your boat...Just sad that another old Ford has to go that way.