1957 Ford Del Rio Rock'n'Roll Ranchwagon

[djfordmanjack]

Rich, the other person is my friend Baumi from Germany. He is also an active member on the HAMB for many years, you might know him. He bought a 1934 Ford hotrod recently from TX but is mostly into 'Communist' cars, ie the wrong side of Detroit....
I have no idea why people are not using 57 taillights in custom applications, as they seem to be the most beautiful thing to ever have come out of Dearborn. I have never seen 57 units on a Galaxie, but many the other way round.

I might add that I used the 34 as my daily driver this year and I put more than 5000 miles on the oddometer. It's just really a nice car and sometimes it's nerve wrecking to use such a nicely finished car in daily traffic. Of course I am not driving it in winter.

[Jeff Norwell]

Wow G.!... I almost did not recognize Jay.. he did not have his hat on!.... What a great Model 40!!!!!!!

[BWhitmore]

DJ - did I spot a Mercedes 108 in the picture?  Is that yours?

[djfordmanjack]

absolutely correct - W108, that is my 1966 250SE - my winter daily driver. You see, I am somehow stuck in driving these cars and I haven't owned nor driven a car younger than 1967 in 21 years.

[BWhitmore]

I have three W123 cars, a coupe, sedan and wagon that are all pristine.  I let one get away a few years ago - 1971 280SE 3.5 coupe with 42,000 actual miles.

[KidKourier]

DJ      Where abouts in Calif. did you buy your red '57 Courier?  I knew a gentleman whose name was Bob Cambell that just finished a red '57 with a 302c.i./c-4 and black interior that lived in Winchester,Ca, who was asking $12,000 for it. He might have taken it to Pomona or Long Beach swap meet.Next time I saw him he said a fellow bought it and shipped it over seas to Germany or Austria in that area.Looking at car shows over seas I saw a red one but it had white scallops on it ,I always wondered if it was the sameone. KidKourier

[djfordmanjack]

Bill, since you have 3 of those fine German cars I guess you like them as much as I do. I once had a 123 230 HT Coupe also, long time ago. The T model wagons are very sought after especially with the US specs bumpers and lights. Unfortunately MB didn't make wagons back in the 50s and 60s except for hearses and ambulance cars. Those V8 W108 make terrific cars, especially since they came with factory airride. right now in our local classifieds there is a dark green W109 SEL 6.3 ...wow....glad I have spent my money on my latest purchase, or I'd have to go get that one.
@ KidK, yes the red Delivery came from Cali and I think from Pomona. That was a long time ago, possibly 1996 or -7. That was the year I first saw it here in Austria and had to have it, bought it in 98. The car had very recognizable 14" chrome wire wheels and all black leather interior with I think Cadillac seats. 302/C4. I put the whitewalls and white scallops on.
I sold the SD in 2004 to a friend who repainted it and sold it on to Stuttgart in Germany. I just recently found and talked to the current caretaker and he still has and cherishes the car so much and his wife won't let him sell it.  So I am without my old Courier for now. That's when I had to take a different route.

[djfordmanjack]

Sorry I don't have any pics of the SD in 1997 condition on my computer, I will scan some old photos soon and post them here.

[hiball3985]

Love the Comet and understand how you feel, I wish I had kept my 61 Falcon. A great turn key daily driver.

[djfordmanjack]

Yes Jim, they built milestone cars with those 1960s compacts. easy maintainance, low cost, great reliability, perfect roadkeeping (On those winding Alpine roads here), light bodies, bullet proof engines, good design. only the early transmissions were a little weak. And then they put in a great Dagenham 4 on the floor in 64. drove one and it shifts nicely!!! The mpg rate of these cars are unbelievable even at todays standard. I was getting around 30mpg in the 62 Comet 2dr (I used tall 15" wheels for better looks and taller gearing). When you tell that to people who believe in their modern plastic trashcans, they are shocked. 2 of my friends still drive them daily. one has a 62 Comet 4dr wagon with the 170L6 and the other has a 65 4dr Comet wagon with 289/c4. He adds over 15k miles a year.
I was looking a lot in pre 65 Falcon and Comet wagons this year but hey have become really hard to find, especially good ones. They got pricey too.

[hiball3985]

Mine was a 3 speed and you are right, they weren't the strongest trans but if driven normally they were ok. Mine was the bare bones model, only option was an AM radio and heater. I think I use to get 25-26 mpg. It finally ended up just sitting in my back yard after I acquired some other cars, then my dads VW was involved in an accident and I gave it to him and he drove it for a couple of more years. I originally bought it used for $300 so between me and him we got 6 years use out of it.

I've seen Bills cars, they are beautiful..

[BWhitmore]

Joan, my wife, drove a 1962 Mercury Comet station wagon to high school.  She had surfer decals all over the side windows yet never owned a surf board.  I think the wagon was a 2 door, automatic.  Speaking of Mercury Comets, as a high school kid I used to walk to Sachs & Sons Lincoln Mercury in Downey, Ca and had several great conversations with Jack Chrisman, who at the time was running a Comet funny car sponsored by Sachs and Sons.  Jack stored the car there and quite often would work on the car at the dealership.

When I first met my wife in 1966, I was not only delighted with her, but was also delighted that her best friend was Judy Black, daughter of Keith Black.  What a treat to talk to the legend Keith Black and visit his shop in South Gate (which is still operated by his son, Ken).  Keith is gone now but we are still good friends with Judy and her husband as well as Jane Black, Keith's wife. 

Jim - thanks for the compliment on my cars.

[djfordmanjack]

Jim, I don't know when you had that Falcon, but $50 a year makes it a winner 1960s and 2016 all the same....
I cannot understand why cars like these are out of production. fairly simple, economical and nice looking. they make terrific drivers.
On the other hand, when you can have a 57.....

Bill, your memories and connections are priceless, to say the least.
I have lots of window stickers and yet need to catch a wave...
Those are also my cherished memories, cruising Downey (now Big Boy) and hanging out Laguna Beach after a night at Don the Beachcomber...

[hiball3985]

I think it was around 1970-71, the car only had 30,000 miles and was pristine, thats why I paid top dollar for it 
Thanks to the government and all their regulations we will never see cars like this again..

[gasman826]

I have a SD with the only thing of value is the roof and drips.  The stamping of the roof leaves the metal thin and brittle.  A buck would have to be built to support/protect the roof skin and find a sea box with enough room to make shipping affordable.  The roof skin comes off first and the drip rail is sandwiched under it.  Somewhere I've seen repopped drip rails for rust repair...maybe for '41-'48 Fords.