New Guy, an Introduction of sorts...

[Dakota]

Hey guys, Ive been a maember for awhile but havent been around much.  Just thought id post some stuff about myself.

I'm 29, been into the car hobby since i was a kid. i have a few cars, i have a 1927 Ford Model T Roadster hot rod. I just build a 1958 Edsel Villager 9 passenger wagon for my Wife.  This is why im here,  the 58 Edsel Villager is basically a 57 Ford with different sheetmetal, and dash.

here's some pics.

this is what i started with. 



here's where its at now...



Gonna start doing some improvements,  as in Disc Brakes and such here coming up and this has been a great site for information.

i picked up a 75 Grenade, oh wait that's Grenada... for the disc brake swap.

one question i do have though.  On the master cylinder, is is just the edsel that seems to have the spread out 4bolt pattern mounting flange to the firewall?  ever MC ive got only 2 holes line up. the bottom 2 are lower.

thanks

Aaron

[JPotter57]

Thats all you need are the lower holes that line up with the master cyl hole.  I ran shorter bolts into the remaining two holes just because.  All the early Fords had the 4 bolt MC, and if you modernize it, you will eliminate two of them.  No problem.  Someone on here a while back used the Grenade power brake booster without much issue, although I have never done it myself.  I can't seem to ever be able to make enough vacuum..... 

[Dakota]

well mines nothing radical, but i just went through the engine this last winter,  its now a 396 CI FE, 9.5 to 1 Compression, Comp Cams 268H K Kit, and a 1960  360HP 352 Intake...

still has the stock carb on it though, thats a much need upgrade, been saving for a new Barry Grand 750..

[hrsky]

Nice car indeed.  Just love the 58 Edsels. HR.

[rmk57]

  Very nice job. I just sold my 58 Villager about 4 months back to make room for a 57 Custom.
Do you have the teletouch working? My was a constant struggle to keep working properly,
but a real conversation piece at car shows.

[meteor]

Welcome Aaron. I really dig your wagon, very cool - I think I've seen it on the HAMB? I assume you're running air bags?

[Frankenstein57]

Sweet looking grocery getter!

[Hoosier Hurricane]

Dakota:

You're 29 and been into cars since you were a kid?  To many of us on this forum you ARE a kid.  Nice looking car!

John

[wolfpupsdad]

 LOL, WAS THINK'N TH SAME THING JOHN

[wildhog]

DAKOTA, 29 I HAVE A SET OF WIDE WHITE WALL TIRES OLDER THAN THAT!!!! NICE CAR. TOM

[Dakota]

Hahaha, well i had my First car when i was 12, a 49 Chevy buisness coupe. SO i guess 17 Years is along time for me. My father immersed me into cars when i was really young, i was only a few months old when he took me to my first Junkyard. I live and breath the car hobby.

The car is actually an August 57 production wagon, and it was optioned with the Column shift, which was discontinued on Edsels as an option in January of 58. Thank god, i  dont want the hassels of the teletouch, although i got the car from probably the premiere edsel guy in the US, he has over 220 Edsels. If you know who im talking about, i lived in his werecking yard as a kid, worked for him on and off and thats where i got my education.


The car is NOT on airbags.  1.5 Coils cut up front, and 3" lowering blocks in the back.  and the car rides actually pretty darn well. it dosent bottom out EASILY, but it can if you hit a bump hard.   Plans are someday maybe air ride, i have everything as far as controlls and stuff, just need to fab the mounts.  i would like to put a 4link in the back, as removing leaves from the rear springs makes me nervous.

i still have a little rust repair to do to it, the pass front body mount is toast. i did a few things on this car a little backwards, but i had a chance to have a body shop paint the car for cheap, and done WELL. and couldent pass it up, as i HATE body work. so some of it got out of order.

next up is getting the heater controlls sorted out, finish the little bit of the rust in the floor, and interior. and bumpers.

[shopratwoody]

Welcome Dakota,
Nice Ride you have. Hope this place helps you out a little.
Hell, my wheels are 45 or so years old

[JPotter57]

The Ed definitely looks cool.  My wife wants a '57 Country Sedan, but she saw the pic f your Edsel, and said she would drive that...cool.  Yours sits perfect.

[meteor]

dakota, the car sits perfect. what size is your tire/wheel combo?

here's a question for everyone with 3" lowering blocks. How do you change a rear wheel? I don't have lowering blocks yet and the wheels barely fit in when putting them on - and that's with the car on a hoist.

[shopratwoody]

Mines a PITA even with cut fender wells. Better yet how do adjust the rear brakes?
Ron
I put self adjusters on the rear, I need to drive it around in reverse for a couple of weeks I guess.
Try un hooking the rear shocks.