1957 country sedan build

[terry_208]

Be sure you save all the old washers until you get the new body mounts installed.  Just in case your kit is short on some of the required items.  The four special washers and the complete rear body support items were missing from my kit.   

[djfordmanjack]

Terry, I believe the special shim washers are not included in the kit anyways ( missing also in my kit). So are the rear mounts, which actually they are just thick squarish rubber pads on a wagon or Ranchero. You can cut them from stock rubber sheet.

[1930artdeco]

Another update. Well managed to get the left front drum off . I don't know how people do some things. But I pulled it off and there was no outer bearing in the hub and the inner race had big score in it. Well found the outer bearing still stuck to the spindle-hope I can still use it. All the springs were broken , but the shoes were still good along with the rubber boots on the wheel cylinders. The drum looks like it just needs a turn and it should be good to go. I could get the left rear drum off as it is stuck on something. Found more cancer in the pass wheel inner quarter panel-I am hoping EMS will have something I can use.

But at least I know what I am up against and can start getting parts together.

Mike

[mustang6984]

Bought a kit from Carpenter's place. Got lucky they had a couple of them in stock. Sometimes you order and have to wait for awhile to get them. I am replacing all of mine, but then I officiated in the divorce of my body from the frame.
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Hate to be the one to say it...but...I would replace ALL of the brake components other than he drums if they can be turned. Safety being the reason. No idea how old the springs are or the shoes. They might appear to be serviceable...but could cause you some serious grief when you least expect it. JMHO.

[1930artdeco]

Oh yeah, total brake rebuild is on the list of things to do. I will take off the front sheet metal and work the steering, suspension, brakes and cowl drains all in one fell swoop. The tank goes in this week to get boiled out. Then in another few weeks the front will get tackled.

Mike

[Ken 57Wagon]

Mustang, I am about an hour east of SF. I am now either going back to a Y block or a small block and AOD. I like the originality of the Y but the tranny choices/HP of a small block.

GLR-thank you for the info about the diff. I will get underneath and look a little closer at it today. This project is getting bigger by the minute. And is more than I wanted but one step at a time and she will turn out just fine.

Mike

I've got a completely rebuilt Y block and trans that I may not use.  I believe I have most of the paperwork on the engine and trans to show.  It doesn't not have a carburetor, the block off for the engine hoist is still on it.  All other parts are there.

Ken

[1930artdeco]

Ken, I will PM you.

Mike

[terry_208]

On post #18, it was asked if there is a way to tell if your car was a factory ac car.  I understand that the inside mouldings at the windshield base are different from non ac cars.  Also, the heater controls were different. I'm not real knowledgeable about such things.  From the location of the holes along the sides of the trans tunnel, I would think possibly an aftermarket ac was installed, one of those  under dash units. Please, if I'm wrong someone correct me.

[abe_lugo]

As Terry said the lower windshield molding are different, that have a bunch of little louvers or vents molded into them, easy to spot.  But the controls are most obvious,. There is picture of the lower molding vents on here if you search.

[1930artdeco]

craigslist to the rescue! I am going to look a core 390 tomorrow-same year and out of a truck as well. It is complete so I will cobble together one from two. I also pulled the pass front wheel off to look at the brakes on that side. Same mess as on the driver side. I have absolutely no idea how the P.O. did that. I will try and get the rear drums this weekend. I tried to get a 3rd party to do the registration-nope. I am required to go to DMV, so getting up very early on Friday and hoping that they don't find anything bad-wish me luck.

Mike

[SkylinerRon]

Most hang-on A/C's hoses enter the cowl near the heater, Factory A/C too. The heater blower motor and housing is smaller than the factory a/c parts.

Ron.

[1930artdeco]

UPDATE: I found a core 360/390 to pull parts from and another set of bare heads. So one will go in (unless a 292/312 drops in my lap) and then I will sell off the short block spare. I GOT PLATES!!!! an hour and a half at DMV and I was out. Now onto cleaning more concrete off the suspension and opening up the rear brakes to prep them for rebuild.




Mike

[mustang6984]

Congrats on getting plates!

This build thread is going to be fun and interesting to watch. Looking forwards to the info and pics when you have them. Enjoy...we sure will!      

[1930artdeco]

Sat. update.

I don't know what they did to this poor car but they beat the snot out of her. Finally got driver rear drum off and the brakes are in great shape, minus the worn shoes. The pass rear seams to be  wedged onto the studs somehow. She turns freely but does not budge in or out in way shape or form-guess it is big hammer time . Destroyed the front door panels to get them off as I need to get into the doors for repairs and then sucked out about a pound of dirt and sand from them.

Got underneath to soak all of the front suspension and steering bolts that will have to come off and noticed that there was a large tear in the body right at the 'A' pillar body mount -driver side. Went to the other side and sure enough there was a dent in the support there as well. It looks like the body, frame and bolt are ok and there is no major damage. Starting to source brake parts at the local NAPA store and already found a place to boil out the tank. Oh, I soaked the sending unit in Evaporust and it ate the varnish right off. Wonder if I can do that for the tank . 

Questions for this round:

1) A previous owner put speakers in the door and chewed them up. Any damage done there or can I just clean it up and put the panel back on?
2) anyone know the readings on the sending unit? Would like to test it out after I get it cleaned up.


Thanks,

Mike

[mustang6984]

YIKES! Looks like there was some off-roading activity in the poor girl's past.