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Welcome
to SpeedMaven.com. This site is the online garage for my `57
Ford Custom. I will periodically post updates on the
car's construction, photos, resources for hard to find
parts, and other snippets of information. This site
will also be referred to in the `57 Fords International newsletter, in the section entitled In The Shop,
made for the buildup of this Custom.
This Custom will be a street/strip car like my last one,
and I will be spending some time at the track with my boys
earning merit badges for our scout group. |
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This `57 is actually in pretty good condition, especially for
a 50 year old car. The majority of the very little
rust is in the driver side front floor pan. The rear
suspension is being left basically stock, with the exception of
a pair of Cal Trac traction bars. The original leaf
springs are in in good, useable condition, but will be rebuilt
with new bushings and anti-rattle pads. The front
suspension will be rebuilt with Granada disk brakes, new
bushings, ball joints, and new steering parts.
Paint will be Winter White with Flame Red interior.
Crites supplied the hood and trunk lid, while I got the 40
year old glass fenders from a friend. |
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fit of the wheels above. These are 15X8 Cragar Super
Slot II wheels, produced from about 1984 to 1986 or
so. They have a 4.5 inch backspacing, and wear
255-70-15 rubber, which is a nice tall tire, with a good
footprint.
The front wheels are
15X4 Cragar Super Slot IIs with 165-80-15 tires. A lot
of people will say not to run the little front tires, as it
makes them handle badly. I can say from my own
experience, I have run 15X3.5 or 4 wheels on my last 5
hotrods, and have never had any issues. You can't
expect to handle like a Corvette, but it drives fine for
what I do.
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started this build with ideas of using the 292
Y-block. However, when I started looking for parts
for the Y, I decided against it, and turned my attention
to my FE blocks. Once I started considering that,
visions of straight axles and gassers starting dancing in
my head, and I even went as far as to buy an Econoline
axle and springs. Once again, I couldn't bring
myself to cut up this car, as it is in such good shape
body wise. So, I put together a mild little 302 and
5 speed until I could decide what I really
wanted to do with the car. Now, I have a `70 351
Cleveland 4V, built to Boss 351 specs that I will
eventually get into the '57 for some bracket racing. |
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This is
the last `57 I owned. This was the day before we loaded it
up to take to Hot Rod weekend at the Gulfport Dragstrip.
This `57 had the stroker 351 W, 427 inches, with TFS
HiPorts, custom headers, solid roller cam, and PA C4 with
4800 stall convertor. With 10 inch slicks, on pump
gas, through the mufflers, it went 11.31 at 120, best of
123 mph, best 60 ft of 1.61. It never hooked, slicks
were about shot, but it went fast for a 3600 lb boat, and
drove like a new car. This one will be lighter,
maybe quicker, and all around better looking, no crappy
cowl hood.
Paint will not be yellow as originally planned, but will
be Winter White with old style Cragar Super
Slots. |
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Coming Soon . . .
gets paint ! |
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Page Updated
April 2, 2009 |
| All material
contained on this site is the property of SpeedMaven.com.
All rights reserved. Copyright February 2009. |
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