1957 country sedan build

Bit slow lately but still making progress. I am waiting for a fitting to finish the tank line install and then back to the long brake line-hoping to not cut it short this time :002:. Got the radiator fixed and installed, the PS pump is on its way back, the Gen/starter are in the shop and the intake is now bolted down. The carb is cleaned up but the throttle plates were frozen so it is taking several days of PB blaster to free them up. Will get my rebuilt distributor back this weekend, in the meantime I ordered a NAPA one-and you guessed it short dist shaft so it will go back.

Finally got the heater box out so will clean them up and paint them and reinstall with a new heater core. Then I will ask a boat load of questions about installing the engine and tranny just to make sure I don't forget anything. That is all for now. I will post pics in the next few weeks of the progress.

Mike

 

Thanks for the update Mike. Glad to here about the steady progress.

 

Well, I am hoping to move in a few months so the progress will go from slow to extremely fast rather quickly. Well, at least fast enough to get her on a trailer.

 

OrthmannJ, I will be headed up to your neck of the woods-I hope-this summer. Well Bellingham actually. So will be scouting for a home to build a shop for my two cars and checking the scene out there and north of the border.

Mike

 

Oh really? That's cool. There are few folks on here that are on the west side of the mountains. The Pacific Northwest is an amazing place. You'll never run out of things to do that's for sure.

 

You mean, *ahem* "Bellinghell."

 

We already have a favorite coffee shop and deli. Renewing our PP's so we can visit the neighbors up north as well.

 

Those are important points for moving.

 

Well been footing along slowly and here is what I have done so far.

1) Installed all of the brake lines so just need to fill and bleed now
2) Got the PS pump back and it is a few pounds lighter now that the dirt has been blasted off. Stanger rebuilding did a great job!
3) Carb is rebuilt
4) Heater box is ready to go, I just need to epoxy in a bolt and in it goes.
5) I was trying to remove the exh. manifold to pipe studs and broke one but once I get them replaced and the oil filter adapter screwed back on the engine can go in.

Then onto ordering parts and getting ready for a move.

Mike

 

When doing this, replace the steel nuts with brass ones to avoid any future problems. Actually, this is good advice for any vehicle.

 

I agree! And some anti-seize also is a good Plan B, if you can't find correct-sized brass nuts. It's like Brylcreem, "A little dab'll do you."

 

All things considered these studs were indecent shape. But, I am in this far so I figured I would replace them so I would not have a headache later on down the line. The thing that burns me is that it started to rotate then snap. So I will soak and then drill, drill, drill....

 

I just mailed Mike a couple of 57 Ford pamphlets I found in the bottom of my toolbox. I hadn't looked at them in probably 35 years. One was 57 Ford specifications and it is a treasure. Scanning thru it, I noted that the Thunderbird Special 312 with a Holley 4 bbl. carb had a 9.5 - 1 compression ration and required premium fuel. I don't know that I ever knew that, but since I worked at a Shell station at the time I had always used premium in mine anyway. I'm sure Mike will find some other interesting tidbits when he gets them.

 

OldFox, I just got the envelope and thank you. The Ford Service Specifications is really a nice little handy booklet to have in the car if I need some specs to get back on the road. I am on track for loading up the engine and tranny this sat. in preperation for a trailering to the NW in a few months.

 

Thanks OldFox for the booklets they are really cool. And as a side note, I FINALLY got the engine and tranny in!!!!!!!took us four hours and a lot of new vocabulary words.