Ranchero build

Limey57 · 2016-05-16 16:50

Neat installation there! I've got the same on mine and I know what you mean about the mounting bracket for the proportioning valve, I thought it was for a different set-up it was so far out!

gasman826 · 2016-05-16 19:20

I have '63 Thunderbird seats in the '57 Custom. I cut spacers from steel tubing to get the seat just right for me.

Ford Blue blood · 2016-05-17 08:05

These are the seats out of the parts car I have. The car is on jack stands for a bunch of "under" it work and leveled. The seats were too tall for me so off to the drawing board. The irregular shaped mount was easy as I wanted to lower them. I cut off 1" and welded in a 1" X 1/8" strap.

Put it in place using the rear original seat mount hole and leveled the frame up with washers. Got happy with how it set and made spacers out of 1/2" pipe based on the height of the washer stack to keep it level. (I don't think our cars have a level spot on the floor pans!)

Ford Blue blood · 2016-05-17 08:09

Very happy with the seating position, wheel is in the right place and it sits comfortably with respect to reach and foot controls.

gasman826 · 2016-05-17 17:39

The greatest thing about building your own car...you make it fit you.

jvo · 2016-05-17 20:20

Did you lower the steering wheel from the stock height? I am having trouble with this. I bought a 26 inch long ididit tilt column, but I want to run an original style steering wheel. So far I haven't found an adapter to do this.
If I went with the original column, I guess I could lower it some from stock height. Is that what you did here to fit yourself?

Ford Blue blood · 2016-05-17 21:50

I did not. The column is a 63 Bird. Between it, the 64 Galaxie box and rag joint it is 2" closer to the dash. The wheel is smaller diameter then the stock 57 wheel.

Pic shows the column in the stock dash.

KYBlueOval · 2016-05-18 05:14

Quote from: Ford Blue blood on 2016-05-17 08:05
These are the seats out of the parts car I have. The car is on jack stands for a bunch of "under" it work and leveled. The seats were too tall for me so off to the drawing board. The irregular shaped mount was easy as I wanted to lower them. I cut off 1" and welded in a 1" X 1/8" strap.

Put it in place using the rear original seat mount hole and leveled the frame up with washers. Got happy with how it set and made spacers out of 1/2" pipe based on the height of the washer stack to keep it level. (I don't think our cars have a level spot on the floor pans!)

Thanks for the photos and description of what you did and how you did it. My Ranchero has some rusty rear floor pans , and I've contemplated cutting all of the depressed area out from behind the seats and welding in a flat panel. That depressed floor serves no purpose in a Ranchero, that I can see. I think it will make the seat installation somewhat easier. And I believe it will be easier to install carpet on a flat floor. What do you think? Opinions and comments are welcome.
John

gasman826 · 2016-05-18 07:06

I cut the rear foot wells out of my Custom for more muffler and frame modification room. It does reduce passenger comfort. But, what do I care, I'm not going to ride back there!!

Ford Blue blood · 2016-05-18 08:18

John you're going to have to make brackets of some kind even with the rear floors flat. The floor pan seams to "tilt" from the center tunnel to the rockers. It drops about 3/4" from the center. I welded a large washer over the hole for the rear seat mount and still needed almost 1" of spacer there. The part of the floor under the seat runs flat and slightly down hill near the tunnel. Best bet is to put the seat track on the floor after you do the rear pan fix and use a level to true it up.

My test for seating position in a build is to grab a couple of beers and sit down in the car. If you can sit for a half hour or so and not squirm around better then even odds the driving position is good.

KYBlueOval · 2016-05-19 06:19

Quote from: Ford Blue blood on 2016-05-18 08:18
John you're going to have to make brackets of some kind even with the rear floors flat. The floor pan seams to "tilt" from the center tunnel to the rockers. It drops about 3/4" from the center. I welded a large washer over the hole for the rear seat mount and still needed almost 1" of spacer there. The part of the floor under the seat runs flat and slightly down hill near the tunnel. Best bet is to put the seat track on the floor after you do the rear pan fix and use a level to true it up.

My test for seating position in a build is to grab a couple of beers and sit down in the car. If you can sit for a half hour or so and not squirm around better then even odds the driving position is good.

Thanks for your reply as well as that from Gasman. I had and have a pretty good idea as to what I would be facing in cutting out the depressed area and making it relatively flat. Your detailed explanation will no doubt be helpful when I get to that point. Part of my reason for asking about doing this was to see if there was some reason not to do it, that I had perhaps over looked. I always like to hear from those that are more knowledgeable than I and have "been there done that", before. Helps keep me from doing it twice or regretting what I did, or didn't do.
So far, no one has said, Don't do it because.............
Thanks
John

RICH MUISE · 2016-05-19 08:06

John...when you get to making the brackets, have a look at uni-strut if the 1 1/2 or so height is in the range of what you need. Perfect for seat rails imho..cheap, lots of heavy duty cheap hardware available, and make for easy additional adjustments. It's what I used to mount my Mitsubishi seats with. Lowes or Home Depot in the electrical dept.

KYBlueOval · 2016-05-20 05:56

Quote from: RICH MUISE on 2016-05-19 08:06
John...when you get to making the brackets, have a look at uni-strut if the 1 1/2 or so height is in the range of what you need. Perfect for seat rails imho..cheap, lots of heavy duty cheap hardware available, and make for easy additional adjustments. It's what I used to mount my Mitsubishi seats with. Lowes or Home Depot in the electrical dept.

Rich..........can you expand on what "uni-strut" is so I have an Idea of what I'm looking for at Home Dumpo or Lowes.
Thanks
John

BWhitmore · 2016-05-20 06:13

Uni-Strut

Ford Blue blood · 2016-05-20 16:04

Got the Exhaust manifolds aluminum oxide (80 grit) blasted for the application of the ceramic coating. It is a product Columbia Coatings sells. Air dries in 24 hours and is fully cured in 5 days. It is said to be a real high temp ceramic coating, good up to 1700*.

Also cleaned and blasted the brackets and powder coated them with Columbia Coatings "Almost chrome". Look pretty good, not too shinny but nice and clean.

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Ranchero build