1957 Custom

rmk57

rmk57

Well-Known Member
Picked up this gem about 8-9 years ago from retired gentleman in Roseburg, Oregon. The car was originally owned by a school teacher in Pleasanton, Calif., it still has an Oakland school district parking permit on the rear bumper I wanted tp preserve. I have to give credit to the guy I bought it from for the paint and bodywork, it turned out pretty nice but a pretty solid car to start with. Original color was Flame red. Not sure why the color change, I don't mind red. He had the 272 y-block rebuilt, trans overhauled, only thing that wasn't finished was interior. The old guy said he was on a fixed income and couldn't afford to finish it off. He was going for a mostly stock restoration and I didn't have the heart to tell him what I had in store for it. Drove it for the first year with the y-block, built a set of headers and put duals on it, I also got a young guy in East Van working out of his basement to reupholster the seats and build door panels for it.

Here's the day I bought it home, still has the Oregon plates on it.

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I always had plans with something with a little more oomph so I found on Craigslist a low mile 1969 460 out of Lincoln. One of the reasons I knew it was out of Lincoln was it still had the power steering pump attached to the front of the crankshaft. Also on Craigslist I found a re-built C6 from one of our members here, (351CFalcon) ( great trans btw). Ordered swap headers from Crites, used Stealth intake, re-curved distributor and a small cam from a company in Tacoma. At this point I decided to pull all the sheet metal off for easier installation as there was going to be a little fabrication to get this big lump in there. Oddly enough the priciest part of this whole swap was the carburetor I had laying around and have never used. It's a D0ZF-9510 1970 Boss 302 unit and have no idea where I got it from.:unsure: Use what you have I guess.

Looks like it was made for it!


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Randy
 
That installation certainly causes a steering link challenge. Had a friend here do the same swap in his 57 wagon.
 
Sure, looks like it belongs in there! You must know what an original Boss 780 is worth these days? Just saying. Now looking forward what you did in the back end to handle that 460 torque, doesn't look like those 6 or 7 inch tires are going to do it, unless you like tire smoke. Last thing, looks like raised valve covers, what's under there?
 
I had to grind the cover on the steering box to give me around 3/8" clearance. Also when the front suspension is at full droop the center link would slightly rub one the header tubes. I've remedied both those issues that years ago.

One other thing I changed were the wheels and tires. Got rid of the puny 14' and put on 15x6 with a really nice set of BFG G-78 Silvertowns for the time being.
I also tossed on a some slapper bars I had laying around. They never worked that well. If you look at the photo the right spring hanger has flipped from the springs wrapping up.

Would the wagon be Terry Denomme's sedan delivery?

I got valve cover spacers to clear the rollers. They wont clear unless you stack gaskets or use a taller cover. I like the look of the stamped steel covers.



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ssmustang said:
Sure, looks like it belongs in there! You must know what an original Boss 780 is worth these days? Just saying. Now looking forward what you did in the back end to handle that 460 torque, doesn't look like those 6 or 7 inch tires are going to do it, unless you like tire smoke. Last thing, looks like raised valve covers, what's under there?
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I believe a core would be around $800-$1000 US. The one I have is in pretty nice shape, I have it on my Mustang. Could never figure out why they put a 780 cfm carb on a Boss 302 and a 735 cfm on a Boss 429.
 
OK, got to ask a couple more questions. You said 'small cam from Tacoma', and I figure you should have enough room under a stock valve cover for .600 or .650 lift unless you have done some changes to rocker ratios or maybe you are saying the roller rockers were just physically bigger and needed more clearance? So, what's the small cam from Tacoma?

I did see some info from some of the engineers that were there back in the day on the 735/780 deal, RPM may have been some of it and I seem to remember something about the truck boosters being more efficient lower in the rpm range on the 735? Last question for now, what does it run?
 
My Harland Sharp rollers are much taller than the stamped steel stockers. Also the installed height is a tick taller with the Edelbrock heads. You can use 2-3 gaskets stacked but I would think it turn into a leaky mess.
The small cam was .570 lift 233/244 @ .050. Pretty small cam for 500+ cubes.

My new cam just cam in the mail today. It's a little more aggressive. Can't hardly wait to get it up and running.

Last fall it ran 11.18 @ 118 mph. Pretty sure it should be well in the 10's with the new cam and proper converter.


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Nice, I like the way it leaves and low 11's would make for a fun ride, and license plates too! Ok, sorry but I have an inquiring mind, rear suspension looks a lot like my old Chrysler Super stock springs with a snubber. Maybe Caltracs? Please elaborate, also 500+ inches, need to know more about what's all in there and the new cam? Shouldn't take much to get into the 10's. Last question, what does it weight? Thanks,
 
Love this project. With the dog dish caps, hidden pipes and the rescued Lincoln motor it's an ultimate street sleeper. Have the brakes been upgraded? And how do the vacuum wipers work with a big cam? I guess with the big motor there will still be enough vacuum going up the cut in the rain.
 
Just a back note on the valve cover spacers. I think if you ran stainless steel rockers you "might" have enough clearance, but as you know these aluminum rockers are quite bulky.

The rear suspension is quite simple. Homemade Caltracs, Strange single adjustable shocks and the original 2" leaf springs. I'm really surprised these springs are hanging in there. Old set of Centerline Auto Drags with M/T 275 Radial Pro's. 1.52-1.54 60 ft. The rear axle is the stock 57 that has been narrowed 5/8". 3.70 rear gear, Detroit Locker, 31-spline Dutchman axles. Last year I put in an aluminum driveshaft from an old Crown Vic cop car.

The engine is a basic 4.15 stroke Scat 9000 series cast crank, I-beam rods, 10.1 SRP forged pistons which comes out to 502 c/i. Stock 71 block with a .030 overbore. I love these 460 Ford engines, there plentiful, durable and cheap. I have another complete spare under the bench maybe for another build.
It has the regular stuff you would expect. Edelbrock heads with a little bowl blend, Weiand Stealth, Milodon pan, msd 6-al2, msd distributor, Holley 950 HP for the track, Crites 2" headers. I have a Quick fuel 750 AN for the street. Fantastic carb, it runs so much cleaner than the Holley.

Through the years I've whittled it down from 11.70's to where it is now. You know how it works a 1/10 here a 1/10 there. I picked up an old dented $40 swap meet hood a couple years ago, whacked a big hole in it for more clearance and Boss 429 hood scoop, picked up almost 2/10's. That's how it's done.

The new cam is .586/.632 247/262 @.050. I'll have to get new valve springs for it also. I was using the original springs that came with the heads, just shimmed a bit. Even then I think they weren't doing the job. Car seemed to be hitting a wall last 200 ft. of a run......valve springs?

The brakes have upgraded in the front to discs. The donor was a 69 Torino. Truthfully the drums were fine in a panic stop or regular driving. The discs do a better job on long downhill grades, less fade.

The vacuum wipers working? That ship has sailed years ago, although I do have electric conversion it's just not on the car.

It has a full interior but I did get a radio, clock, heater delete plates. The old girl weighs about 3480 empty with a half tank of gas.


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Nice engine build, good parts that should stay where they are supposed to. What rpm are you running it to? Converter? I know you said that may change. I know cams are amazing now adays, huge advance in technology from back in my day, I think the new cam may knock down that wall at top end. I was a bit shocked at the weight, thought it would be more. My Mustang had to weigh 3278. Thanks for sharing, good luck for 10's and keep us posted.
 
I shift at 5500. With the new cam it should be a few hundred rpm higher. The biggest stress is breaking in the new cam. Valvoline Vr1 and I have removed the inner spring from my old valve springs and hope for the best.

There's torque converter builder out here in Langley, I'll give them a call after Christmas. The have a online form you can fill out with specs of your combo. I'm guessing around 3600-3800 stall?

I was surprised at the weight also. Scaled it at the Mission track. Just changing over from the street tires and steel wheels to the Centerlines it lost 43lbs.

I'm fairly confident it should run in the 10's somewhere. I know for a fact if it does I'll be getting a tap on the shoulder by the tech guy to put a roll bar in it or slow it down. technically it should have one now but no one has said anything. But I'm thinking for my safety it would be better to have one sooner than later.

Not going to be much done to it until the new year anyways, maybe pick up a some gaskets I need then cover it up until 2022.


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shaune said:
Real nice car, I have a soft spot for blue Fords of the late 50s.
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Thanks! Me to, particularly when they have a blue engine installed.;)

I guess it's up to what your vision is on building a car should be. 57 Fords do look pretty good as a gasser, it's just not my vision. Besides the car was way to nice a shape to cut up into a gasser. I felt guilty cutting a hole for a scoop in the $40 swap meet hood!
 
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