My new 57

thumper · 2019-09-07 15:07

That's right about the Burton's and we have a nice track here, well attended, sold out events. It's a
racing town.

junior58 · 2019-09-07 22:09

Welcome aboard Wayne. You have found the best home for 57 lovers and your car has found its best home. There are a few young ones on here (I?m only 61).

mustang6984 · 2019-09-17 21:06

Welcome Wayne...Thumper eh? There HAS to be story behind that nickname! We are ALL ears!

I too have been out of the game for a long time. I think other than Gunther...I am the kid in this place. I am a mere 66 years old. Been hauling my 2 '57 Couriers around behind me for over 40 years. Finally began working on one of them. Slowly!
Good story about the acquisition of your ride. Never too late to fill in the dream column is it?

A lot of guys here are full to overflowing with knowledge...especially Gunther! We have all been captivated by some of his restoration projects he has taken on. Rich just finished replacing his motor and others here have been a wealth of info for me personally. You hit the Mother lode of guys with info willing to share. Like everyone else, I look forward to the pics!

thumper · 2019-09-17 22:01

Hey, thanks for your comments, as a newby here i am just getting my feet wet and you are correct there is a huge amount of knowledge on here. I grew up with these 50's cars and worked in the old gas stations that also did repairs on these vehicles and i pretty much know my way around them including the particular problems they all had. What i like here is the vast knowledge of engine swapping, tranny issues and the technical issues as to upgrading brakes, steering and the like. As to the nickname i was given that in the military by my buddies. My Dad and one of my uncles were boxers and by the time i was 15 i had been taught how to perform the sport, it served me well in school dealing with bully's, it went into the service with me and after a few altercations in the bars around Baltimore not of my choice, i was given the nickname because none of the incidents lasted very long. I am also not that person now but i do like the nickname.

My new 57 had a frame off resto that was complete in 2002, shortly after that the owner became sick and the car sat 17 years with no start ups. Most all seals,and anything made of rubber had dried out, i have gone over all of that, it runs nice and tranny was serviced before going out on the road. While going through the receipts of work that was done i came across and engine and trans rebuild. Mileage shows less than 2000 since the rebuild, i do have a question that someone might help with, the engine work shows .060 thousands over on pistons. By my math that indicates around 302 cubes. Is that even close.

mustang6984 · 2019-09-17 23:30

Not being even remotely knowledgeable about bores and such, I will leave that for one of those more educated than I.

Sounds like you scored a good deal though...outside of the less than stellar brake job. Hard to understand doing them so poorly...one of the easiest things to do on a car. Weird.

lalessi1 · 2019-09-18 07:42

I calculate 301 (300.98) CI. (Bore x Bore)/4 x 3.1416 x Stroke x 8. Bore 3.81, Stroke 3.30.

thumper · 2019-09-18 15:59

Thanks for the answer, i was pretty close.

thumper · 2019-09-18 16:19

As to that lousy brake job, i can not understand it either. This person had new shoes backward, master cyl. incorrect, this 57 has power brakes and takes a cyl. with a 1 and 1/8th bore, this was a i inch. He replaced 3 wheel cyls. and not 4. He also monkeyed with the rod adjustment that can be adjusted under the dash. Lucky for me my old brain remembered how to correct all of this. Wife is not to happy with me crawling around on a creeper under a car sitting on 4 jack stands. have been getting up dated on here with all the nice new updates that can be done, like disc brakes and dual master cylinder. I am wanting to find out the easiest engine and trans. swap.

mustang6984 · 2019-09-18 16:31

I have always looked at wheel cylinders a as "pair" thing. If I do one...then I do the matching one. Especially nowadays, when they are a purchase item rather than a rebuild item.
As for the master...why not buy the same thing he had? And fooling with the rod is kinda nuts to begin with.
And shoes on backward? I think he would be better off watching reruns of Tom & Jerry than working on cars!

Your wife should be happy youi are on a creeper in the garage...instead of elbows on a bar in some tavern! LOL!!! Mine is!

thumper · 2019-09-19 10:35

Believe it or not, they were backwards. The people i bought the car from had this work done in Denton, N.C. I purchased the car without driving only because it was a deal.After repairs to brakes it runs very good. Please notice i have added three pics of the car

lalessi1 · 2019-09-19 11:04

VERY nice!

hiball3985 · 2019-09-19 12:01

Great looking Fairlane. Why an engine trans change?

hemidave · 2019-09-20 07:12

Nice looking car, I like the color combo !

thumper · 2019-09-20 12:16

Thanks for the nice comments on my 57. as to the engine change i am not sure about that yet, the car runs nice and i need to service the tranny. There is only a couple thousand miles on both since the rebuild, however, it sat for 16 years without being started or moved and i am not confident that the seller did the right things before running the car. There is some valve train noise ( not bad ) and the trans. shifts pretty hard. I know those both have adjustments. But i also remember back in the day when i worked on these cars the Y blocks had issues with oiling to the upper valve train. I like the idea of a nice running 351W or even a 302.

mustang6984 · 2019-09-20 21:38

Quote from: thumper on 2019-09-20 12:16
There is some valve train noise ( not bad ) and the trans. shifts pretty hard. I know those both have adjustments. But i also remember back in the day when i worked on these cars the Y blocks had issues with oiling to the upper valve train. I like the idea of a nice running 351W or even a 302.

For the valve train noise...I am guessing the rockers probably need adjusting. Or after sitting for so many years you may have stuck lifters.
Tranny...all my cars with the exception of my two trucks and the '68 Buick Le Sabre I inherited from my grandparents have sticks...so I will defer to those much smarter than I.
Sounds like small annoyances that will be easy to bring up to snuff though.

As for the car...WOW! Nice looker! I be jealous! Hope when I finish mine it is as grand!

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My new 57