Just bought a 57 Country Sedan ...

[Kai]

We just bought a nice 57 Country Sedan with cool patina, a 312 matched to a 5-speed manual. We are from Germany, the car is at a friends house in Illinois and we will be using it to tour the USA. We have seen a lot, but it will be so much better in a cool ride. The car is complete and running, but I want to do some mods prior to taking off for many thousand mile on country roads (trying to stay off boring interstates as much as possible).

I have plenty of questions, but will see what others have posted prior to asking the same questions.

The photo shows the car still in the previous owner's garage. Now it is a few hundred miles away from there and parks next to a cool 64 Vette waiting for us.

BTW. We have a few other old Fords. All in Germany. At this time a 54 F100 (that we have since 32 years), a 65 Galaxie Fastback (that I might soon sell) and a 67 Mustang Convertible.

Kai
Hanau/Germany

[hiball3985]

Great wagon and should be fun to tour in. It sounds like it's been upgraded mechanically if they put a 5 speed in it. Taking the back roads is always more fun, I would check the tire built date unless there are receipts before taking off, good looking tires aren't always what they appear to be..

[RICH MUISE]

That is just awesome. Lots of '57 guys here from all over the country that would love to have you stop and say Hi if your in our neighborhood. Let us know/update us on your trip plans and maybe some of us can meet up. I love that wagon!

[hiball3985]

Is that a Mercury hood emblem?

[djfordmanjack]

looks like a Cadillac Flying Lady to me Jim!
Hallo Kai, willkommen hier am 57 Ford Forum! Ein Prachtexemplar, ich h?tte Dein Auto auch schon mal fast gekauft als er vor ca 2 Jahren auf ebay war !
Being fair to other members I will keep talking in English. Kai, you can PM me anytime and we can discuss the tailgate lock and key topic, even on the telephone, I can give you my number.

[Kai]

Thanx Guys & Danke Guenter, ... looking forward to our road trips the next at least two years. Will keep you posted on where we'll be going in detail. First trip is planned for this coming May. Assuming the wagon will not let us down it will take us from Chicago, IL, to Charlotte, NC, with stops in St.Louis, Bowling Green, Nashville and Knoxville.

The hood emblem is certainly not a 57 Ford emblem. However, not matter what it is it will have to make room for the correct one. There is always one on eBay. Certainly not my first priority.

My buddy Jim (the car is in his garage right now) started to check things out. So far I only saw photos. Here's a first short list of stuff that I need to take care off:

1. No brake lights and turn signals. Hopefully an easy fix as the wiring of the 57s is simple with the whole wiring diagram fitting one page.
2. Wiper does not work. It appears I have the fuel pump with vacuum pump function. Wonder what the electrical wires on the wiper motor do.
2. Only one key that seems to just fit the ignition switch.
3. Previous owner said that the one before (or who ever) lowered the car by heating the coil springs. Not a good idea. Guess I better get new ones.
4. It only has a simplex brake system and no power booster. I really want good brakes for my trips. Options are booster, discs up front or both. Will check all previous threads first and then ask my questions.
5. Change all fluids and filters. Since it is an original 312 I need to be sure to get the right oil. Plenty of discussion on that all over the web.
6. Change plugs, wires, cap and rotor. Wonder if I should go with a Pertronix conversion.
7. Previous owner claims all hoses, belts, ball joints etc etc where exchanged recently. Need to verify that.
8. Certainly would love power steering, but that is not as important as the brakes.
9. Wheels and tires are supposed to be rather new. Wheels are aftermarket 15" aluminum. I like the looks. Just need a spare tire.
10. Interior looks quite nice. Just no radio.

Really wonder where the car was before. The guy that I bought it from was from Waynesville, OH. Before that it was owned by a guy in Lebanon, OH. I am trying to call him up. I was told it came originally from TX. Guenter wrote he has seen it on eBay about two years ago.

I will post more photos soon.

[hiball3985]

looks like a Cadillac Flying Lady to me Jim!

I might need new glasses soon 

[RICH MUISE]

Kai, sounds like your wagon is in good hands. Thanks for posting all the info. Like Guenter, your mastering of the English language is impressive.

[djfordmanjack]

Very well planned to do list. that car is in good hands ! I will pm you in short about then door locks.
for now you can also look at the topic that I started.

http://57fordsforever.com/smf/index.php?topic=6651.0

Against what some people might have stated from experience with their Coupes and Sedans, the key situation appears to be different for the wagons ( as obviously) they have no trunk and you can get inside the car even from the tailgate, so it's just another door.
So, as a matter of fact, in a 57 Ford wagon there is one ( squarish) key for the ignition lock. all other door locks, tailgate AND glovebox are locked wiht the round key. Now here comes the easy part: When you have the car, you have to removee the PSSGR (right) door lock ( very easy, only need to remove the door seal a bit and you will be able to pull a blade retaining clip).
The pssgr door lock has the door key number stamped into it. Every good locksmith should be able to reproduce a key according to that 5 digit code. I had mine even cut here in Austria.
That is a great plan that you have touring the States with your old wagon!
I'll look into my files and see if I can find the old pics of your car. It was on ebay at least twice before. It is very recognizable because of the weathered Inka Gold paint. It had the the lower quarter panels replaced and paint blended since.
Guenter

[djfordmanjack]

Kai, take utmost car in thorough inspection and cleaning of the 312 if necessary. These are known to become clogged with old sludge after decades and if the car hasn't been driven much, you must be careful! new oil will wash out the old sludge and buildup and it might clog the oil feed to the rocker assemblies. I will need to clean out my engine in spring.
If it runs nicely I would not mess with a Pertronix. keep it simple and carry a pair of std points. You will be able to replace them on the side of the highway worst case , but you will have to wait 2 days for a new electronic part getting shipped. this is just my opinion on ignition. the factory 57 dizzy is better than its predecessors, but if it's worn out and the enigne misfires it needs serviced or replaced. There are many things that can go wrong with an old worn out distributor.

[djfordmanjack]

This is how the car sat in Spetember 2012. Obviously somebody took care to tidy it up, polish the og paint and repair the rusted sections. I believe to recall that the car was in Missouri or Texas back then. obviously back then the patch panels on the rear quarters were just screwed in place. I was interested in this car just shortly before I bought the Del Rio.

[djfordmanjack]

Kai. looking at the surface rusted rear floor pans, the FIRST thing you will have to do on the car is inspect the dreaded rubber drain hoses for the cowl vent (left and right under the dash, to the a posts). It appears back then water was still coming in and filling the primered floorpans to a pool. ask me how I know...
I would not be surprised if the rubbers had not been replaced. they always crack and disintegrate letting rain water inside the front floors and back down in the rear footwells.

[Kai]

Thanx for sharing the photos, Guenter. That is the car. It looks so much better now. Hope that the next owner did take care of the water getting into the car. For sure will check all that when I finally get to the car. They also painted the replaced sheet metal and - from the photos I have - I think they did a great job.

Appears it already had the 5-speed installed as i see a floor shifter. Originally it must have been a 3-on-the-tree.

That air condition unit is gone.

The engine looks exactly the same and I will not make it look any nicer. I do not like the Edelbrock carb, but will keep it if it runs ok. Just need to add a choke. My buddy Jim says the oil looks used, but no exhaust smell. I am currently looking thru other peoples postings re. the right oil for the YB.

Thanks a lot for sharing the info on the locks. That is an easy thing and I will ask Jim to do this for me.

But are you saying the tail gate cannot be locked ? What then is the lock for ?

Here are a few photos from the seller.

[RICH MUISE]

Kai, I think what he was saying is on the passenger cars, the trunk is a different key from the doors, but not so with the tailgate on the wagons...... The tailgate is same lock as doors

[djfordmanjack]

Yes Kai, the door lock key also fits the tailgate lock. Assuming they are still the og locks in the car. I am glad that the car was in good hands before and you can see that someone spent quite some time to clean the car and probably put wax over the og paint patina. Even though the car looks a bit rough on the edges  I think it is a VERY good original! Many wagons have rain gutter rust (like both of mine) but yours looks still solid in that area. also seems to have og rockers and the small rust spot in the lower front fenders is a usual spot for 57 and very small with your car.
It appears that your car was a radio and heater delete from factory. it seems as if you have a dealer installed heater unit ?
You'll get to know all those 57 specific details soon.
What I was going to point out, you have to take utmost care in cleaning out the engine, if it hasn't been done before!
Apart from the 5spd and seat covers your car looks all og, which often means that also the engine is all og and could have 6 decades of buildup, sludge and grime inside. which would come loose at extended highwaydrives with modern oils. I would change the oil and filter frequently in the beginning. My own Country sedan looks pretty the same as yours, and I observed lots of dirt in the oil. the engine has still lots of compression. I will flush and clean out the engine and change oil frequently in spring.