1957 Ford Custom Restoration & Big Block Swap on the web

[Ford_Crazy]

If anyone's interested I started a web log of my latest project, a 1957 Ford Custom.  I bought this car from Randy Conner in Wisconsin. The car was an original 6-cylinder stick that Randy used for a while as a daily driver.  He swapped in a 1957 272 and a very nice T85 overdrive trans.  The car is being converted to a big block with a 3 speed O/D on the column.  If you would like to see my progress as I go along the URL is http://www.lakefrontflorida.com/57ford/ .  I'll be posting new pictures every once in a while.

[Lou]

Nice car and looks like some great workmanship. But I don't see how it's a restoration if your swaping in a big block?

[JPotter57]

Restification?  Very nice car, and great job on it...What kind of wheels do you plan on using?  Tire sizes?  Paint?  Lotsa questions here man.....

[wv 57s forever]

?

[Ford_Crazy]

Restoration or Restification, who cares?  Anyway, the car will probably be black with 1958 gold center dog dish hub caps.  I restored a 57 Fairlane 500 with a 312 about 15 years ago.  My first car was a 57 Custom, so Y-Blocks bring back lots of memories for me. I want a big block in this one.  Black, big block with three duces, solid lifters and three on the tree with O/D  ...  what could be better than that?  $427?

[shopratwoody]

Black sounds good with the dog dish caps also. I've had some good y-blocks also but my Ranchero got
it's first 427 in the 60's. Nothing like H.P.
Ron

[JPotter57]

Sounds like a good plan...I, for one, look forward to seeing more....Keep us posted

[Ford_Crazy]

I'm still going back and forth on the color. Black is my first choice, but this car is factory Willow Green and Colonial White like the one I had in high school.  I'm a long way from paint, so I'll have to think about it some more.

[robhaerr]

Black, big block with three duces, solid lifters and three on the tree with O/D  ...  what could be better than that?

It's your car, of course...but a 4-speed(or 5 speed) with a floor mounted Hurst shifter would be my idea of better. Looks great!

Cheers...
Rob

[Marc]

Looking good! That mustang looks pretty sweet too. I like the green & white, just because it's a combination you really don't see when you bring it to a show. But, black & white or black & yellow look fantastic on these cars.

[Ford_Crazy]

The floor mounted 4 or 5 speeds are the norm.   My 61 Starliner had a 401 HP 390 with a three speed OD and I loved it. Just the right amount of 50s hot rod nostalgia.  I remember my Dad saying to me when I was a kid "How come you guys are always putting a floor shift in your cars?  We got rid of the floor shift 20 years ago!"   If you remember that, you are old .... me too.

[Frankenstein57]

I had emailed you awhile back about the 406 manifolds clearing everything in my 57 dirtcar, That car started life as a 58, which we reskinned to a 57. So you are on the right track with the 58 steering box, looks good!, Mark

[BAMA_57]

Looks good Phil. What are you using on the inside (black paint/primer... Pro15) of the '57? It looks like it's been brushed on. The Mustang looks really nice, you do good work.

[Ford_Crazy]

The brushed on black is Eastwood's Rust Encapsulator.  Don't have too much rust, but it covers everything nicely.