1957 country sedan build

[1930artdeco]

  Got the 1/4 window in! But how do I fix the upper forward corner pucker? Should I use a sealant?

Mike

[1930artdeco]

Sorry had to flip again....

[abe_lugo]

I think we pulled the rope to the inside while I had a soft semi-pointy plastic tool to get the outside lip to seat.  The corners are hard to seat.  They might pucker a bit.  I have one that just wound budge but no water gets in.
Def put them in as one piece. Do not cut them. 

[1930artdeco]

On the one I just did most of the pucker is on the inside upper forward corner. Even after I installed the trim piece back in. Today I popped the pass side out and boy does it need a cleaning. The glass under the gasket is the same color as amber. Then just clean the channel out and it will go back in.

I bought a replacement dash and will clean it up and prep it for rewire. When I pull the original dah out I will pop the windshield out and hope and pray to God there is no rust damage. Along with the back glass and lift gate. Wish me luck.

Mike

[abe_lugo]

I would tape the pucker down, if you did use a sealer, put a bit under the pucker and then tape it to see if the rubber sets into shape. but it will take a while.

[1930artdeco]

Update: so far I have replaced both 1/4 windows and the rear glass gasket so now I can see out the back! I also replaced the sway bar with the T-bird one from SW T-Bird and boy is it beefy!!!!!!! Next up is raising the body either this weekend or next week and replacing the body mount rubber/bolts. Then the rewiring commences. Slowly but surely getting there.

[abe_lugo]

I saw you posted on dropping the column, the column drop is supposed to be 1 pice like a C-clamp, but most times they break, what I'm getting it is just down let it hang by one bolt, it might break.
ITs just those two bolts under the dash.

IF you take the dash out from wiring, there a bunch of small bolts around the windshield and some on the lower corners of the dash, also disconnect any accessories like the air dams and the hood pull, hand brake.

[djfordmanjack]

adding to Abes advice. if you want to pull the dash and loom. you need to know that the wire loom into the engine bay is one piece with the dash wire loom. if you want to remove it intact you need to pull the whole engine bay loom ( for generator, regulator, horn, starter solenoid, brake light switch, driving lights and headlamp wires. the lights wires have connectors on the inner fenders).

[1930artdeco]

Thanks, guys. Once I get the bolts loose and clamp gone, I am going to use a bungy to hold the column up by the steering wheel. As far as wiring goes I have a spare dash going in that I am going to wire up on the bench. The wiring in the engine bay is mostly gone or hacked up so I m not sure what goes where or does what. So my plan is to wire starting from the back to the front and from the dash to engine. That is the plan......

[1930artdeco]

OK. Need some help and opinion here. I finally got the column unhooked and supported and the instrument cluster out. I am going to use a Ron Francis wiring loom but I don't see light sockets for the instrument panel. most of mine ended as dust on the floor as I was gently removing them. For those that have used their wiring did they come with sockets? Mine did not and I just want to verify before calling them. What did you all use if the socket broke?

[djfordmanjack]

Mike, you should be able to find very similar snap in cluster light sockets at Autozone, NAPA....

[RICH MUISE]

I used Ron Francis but did not request/get light sockets as I told them I was using aftermarket gauges (built-in lights). If Ron Francis has them available, they will more than likely be of better quality than what you'll find at the parts stores.
Excellent choice going with Ron Francis.

[terry_208]

My kit didn't come with light sockets.  It came with a very nice-looking light switch and corresponding plug.  I couldn't fit the switch to the hole in the panel so had to use the og FoMoCo switch.  I next found the prewired, into the fuse panel, "hot" wire wouldn't reach the solenoid. There was no fuse or wire for the Backup lights or the electric fuel pump.  RF planned to use the light switch to activate the courtesy lights and no wiring from/to the door activation switches. The wiring for the dimmer switch is setup for a gm switch.

Overall, as far as I've gotten, the kit has been very well made. I don't intend the above comments as complaints, only as things of note.

[RICH MUISE]

Terry, I didn't realize apparently some Ron Francis kits use pre-wired fuse panels. Am I understanding you correctly? Which model wiring kit are you using? The Express kit that I used was pretty much overkill in most areas..........ie: enough wire so the panel could be trunk mounted. Mine did not have a relay for the fuel pump either, but it had one for an electric fan that I used for the fuel pump as I had to add a 70 amp fan relay, leaving their panel mounted fan relay unused.

[gasman826]

I ordered Ron Francis Express for Ford.  The wires were similar to OEM colors.  I added an option for a specific, pre-wired steering column connector.  I assumed a pre-wired connector for a Ford headlight switch but the default connector and switch was GM.  I found out after ordering that I could have requested extra wire length for under hood and trunk wires for console mounted fuse panel.  My wires were too short on both ends of the car.  Mine had fuel pump and fan relays.  I have a lot of toys on this car but I only used one or two of the unlabeled fuses.  Armed with the install experience of this RF harness, I wouldn't hesitate to order another.