My 1957 Ranchero I call her Rona!

[VwDrvFnd]

I bought her back in October so I am new to 57 Fords but i am a die hard Ford fan! She use to be owned by a HotRod Artist by the name of Von Franco who then sold it to a guy here in town who only owned it for a few months.
Original California car and spent most of it's life there. Its a 292 Y-block with a 3 speed overdrive on the tree. From what i can tell the car was completely stock untill Von Franco owned it and he did a little to it. Mild drop(the wrong way), new headliner and bed cover were done by Martinez Industries Co. in Cali. Then the guy i bought it from got a hold of it and did the Cruiser skirts, Lake pipes and lots of chrome work to the interior, new suspension(fixed the drop) and never washed the car!

So here ya go a few pics.



Before all the interior chrome

Clean(er)Seat and smaller Grant Wheel(yes i am fat)

Lots of chrome




As for my plans with her, My main gole right now is to be able to get my fat ass in there and actually be able to drive the car. Power Steering, Power Disc Brakes, Aftermarket Tilt Steering Column, Ford AOD conversion and a set of 64 Thunderbird buckets(ala Keith Weesner), new exhaust and just get her all cleaned up that pretty much it.

Enjoy!

[hiball3985]

Looks like a nice Ranchero to start your projects with and good to see another one on the road.. I can use the OD trans when you swap to the AOD. Keep me in mind..

[VwDrvFnd]

Thanks!  Will Do!

[sprink88]

Nice car.  Just looks nice.  Not cosmetic work to be done

[RICH MUISE]

Looks great..New wheel and seats will make a big difference. Not sure about the chrome glove box, but I like everything else. Thanks for posting.

[Frankenstein57]

Nice ride, looks like it has been driven.  I wonder if the wife could brush her hair in the reflection of the glove box?

[electricalan]

Nice rig.Mine looks like the same rig,but with an automatic,and 40 years off the road.Just got it fired back up a few months ago.I have a lot of work to get it to where your at.Take care of Rona,dont have a name for mine yet.Thanks for the pics, Al

[VwDrvFnd]

Oh it's definitally been driven even has a trailer hitch! The Previous owner told me a story about another previous owner using it to haul his motor cycle back and forth from Cali to Utah to run on the Salt Flats.
I also found a very intresting picture on the internet of a 57 ranchero on a boat ramp that could be the spitting image of my car.

Found and made a pretty good deal on some 64 Thunderbird seats. Should be at my door next week.
I have started ordering parts to fix or replace the pieces that aren't the way I want them or from what I can tell missing.
Battery tray is trash so I ordered a new one. I will pull out the old, clean the rust out, hit it with some rust converter and paint and install the new one!
I got a box of parts from the previous owner mostly replacement heater stuff and a few chrome bits, its looks like it may have blown the heater core and they gutted the heater boxes and cables under the dash. I am pretty sure when my order arrrives i will have everything to clean it all up and put it back together.

Boat Launch

64 T- Bird Seats

Original battery tray.

[Frankenstein57]

Not sure where H-town is, but Troy (410 ranchero) is looking for a bench seat

[Limey57]

I like that!

[VwDrvFnd]

H-Town = Houston Texas.

[VwDrvFnd]

I have been able to get some small stuff done to my Ranchero when the weather is nice, Pretty soon it will be to hot to do anything out in my driveway.

The previous owner had a set of cheapo aftermarket gauges installed but not even hooked up. I pulled them and put in an electric AutoMeter water temp and oil pressure. At idle it sits about 60 on the oil pressure and about 170 on the water temp.

I had to add a power wire to the back of the ignition switch and tap into the instrument wire on the light switch so while i had everything pulled i put in a new Head light switch and installed The Chrome switch bezel on that side. even unpainted it looks 10 times better than the chipped up red bezels, The instrument lights are much brighter now with the new switch, the old one was definitely the original.

The previous owner installed an electric fuel pump so they had rigged the fuel line from where it comes off the frame rail on the drivers side up to the carb. I cleaned it up a bit added a pressure gauge and put in a new fuel filter, hoses and clamp. it could still be cleaner but it works.
Had a scare when i went to crank it up, fuel just started pouring out of the breathier tubes on the carb. Stuck float or needle i guess, a few taps on the front of the carb and it was good to go.
The little electric fuel pump is running about 6 PSI so i am thinking it might be a little to much for the carb.

[VwDrvFnd]

So Clean!

[VwDrvFnd]

Finally Getting the dash put back together and the Dome light all situated. Thanks to Rich Muise for the Chrome Switch Bezels. They cleaned and polished up nice, I decided not to repaint the center sections and just leave them chrome.
Installed the Chrome Bezels with new gaskets, New ignition switch, headlight switch, Electric Wiper switch and lighter and element.Also new wiring and switches for the dome light and doors and new clock and lighter wiring.
Installed the aftermarket Water Temp and Oil pressure gauges a wile back.



[imghttp://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/t1.0-9/1506898_10202698497837368_6770205907612563319_n.jpg]http://[/img]

[RICH MUISE]

Looking really really good! You're doing a great job.
It sure puts a smile on my face to see unneeded parts from my car being put to good use on so many of our member's cars.It sure beats the heck out of selling them at a swap meet and never knowing where they're going.