1957 Del Rio wagons on the market, discussion

[djfordmanjack]

No doubt about that. I totally second your and Jeffs opinion. building cars for yourself is about passion. the problem is, I have so many cars and just so much passion.... 
But who knows, you held onto your SD 57s for 40 years until you started work. I have only owned this DR 7 years, so maybe I just gotta be more patient...

[mustang6984]

Oh yea...the Couriers for 40+ years...(One for nearly 50 now...this year is 48 for the white one) and the '69 Mustang has been mostly down for since 88 with brief exceptions.
And I have 3 more Mustangs, plus a '50 dodge P/U and an '82 RX-7. One Mustang, the Saleen, is already fine...bought it that way, kept it that way, the SVO needs paint, but the rest...well...yea. Also just acquired an all original (except for exhaust and wheels) 65 Chrysler New Yorker. Original paint (with some, not many, rough spots) and interior.
I can sympathize. And foolish me...I want  couple of the Factory Five cars as well as a few others I see from time to time. Also in line to inherit a '49 Ford pick up, currently a rat rod. I am sure I will probably have projects that outlive me.

[rmk57]

  You should check the rear of the block of your 351. There could be a partial vin# stamping. Should or could read something like 9F******. I have 2 460's and sold 1 429 a few years back that partial vin#'s stamped on them. My 1970 Mustang has a vin# stamp on the block on it.

[djfordmanjack]

Interesting Randy. my 34 Ford has a 302 in it and it sure has the og pssgr car VIN stamped on the rear, just behind the manifold area. Hard to see when the engine is in a car, manifold, carb and air cleaner on top. just found it when replacing the intake and gaskets and scraped off paint.

@Hugh, sure understand your sentimental thoughts. The older I get, the harder I find it to sell a car, and I start wanting to buy back old sold ones already at age 46.... My son (12) is even worse ! Every time i start thinking loud about selling this or that project he yells at me, saying :NO WAY !

[Tom S]

Randy, do you mean this one ?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1957-Ford-Fairlane-2dr-Ranch-Wagon/324024286731?hash=item4b715a3e0b%3Ag%3AmygAAOSwfEJeBT1r&LH_ItemCondition=3000%7C1000%7C2500

... it'll be interesting to watch the auction and if it gets sold. ...

Looks like it didn't sell. Reserve not met with last bid of US $16,200.

[mustang6984]

  You should check the rear of the block of your 351. There could be a partial vin# stamping. Should or could read something like 9F******. I have 2 460's and sold 1 429 a few years back that partial vin#'s stamped on them. My 1970 Mustang has a vin# stamp on the block on it.

They will have the part of the vin that designates the type of motor I am told...but not that i.d.'s them to the vehicle.

[rmk57]

  Should look something like this..... 0 = 1970  F = Dearborn and then the consecutive #.....

   

 

[mustang6984]

Right...but that doesn't tie it to a specific vehicle. From my Chevy friends (yea...I know...) I understand that the entire vin of the vehicle is imprinted into the motor...that motor...goes to a specific car.
I constantly try to make those people understand the folly of their ways...have converted a few over the years....

[djfordmanjack]

at least yom and motor specific. here's my 302

[mustang6984]

at least yom and motor specific. here's my 302

Yep...that's all.

[rmk57]

Right...but that doesn't tie it to a specific vehicle. From my Chevy friends (yea...I know...) I understand that the entire vin of the vehicle is imprinted into the motor...that motor...goes to a specific car.
I constantly try to make those people understand the folly of their ways...have converted a few over the years....

   According to my vehicle registration it does. Has the same 6 digit consecutive number as my registration which makes it a numbers matching car.

[rmk57]

at least yom and motor specific. here's my 302

  3= 1973  F= Dearborn, then 169380 should match the vehicles registration. Whether it was Mustang, Pickup at this time who knows what model it came from.

The 3 could be 63, 73, 83. I take it it's a 302?

[59meteor]

   According to my vehicle registration it does. Has the same 6 digit consecutive number as my registration which makes it a numbers matching car.

Randy is correct. Out of the 5 ''R'' code 428 Cobra Jet cars that I have owned over the years, the only ''numbers matching'' engine and transmission car was my 69 Mach 1 , which had the partial VIN stamped into the back of the 428s engine block, just below the drivers deck surface, and also on the top of the C6 case, just ahead of where the tailhousing bolts up. The partial VIN has the 9 for 1969, R for the San Jose plant, followed by the 6 number ID number.

[Ford Blue blood]

It is my understanding that the only engines/transmissions/rear gears that had the vin were specialty cars, ei, Boss 302s, Boss 429s.

My 70 Boss 302 had the sequence number stamped on the block, transmission case and the edge of the pumpkin.  There was no date code or plant code stamped on any of those three items.  The rear gear had the usual tag with the ratio and the fact it was a T-Lock.  All the stamps were hand stamped, they were not perfectly aligned, they had numbers that were struck a little off center.  I am intimate with the markings on this particular Boss 302 because it was apart a few times for checks and refresh at the end of the season while it was raced.

[mustang6984]

I have several 390 blocks and they have heir I.D. marking in them...but not a single one has a vin number.