|
|
| Welcome to 3T! Please take the time to register and join in on the friendly,knowledgeable watch talk.Please note that not all registrations will receive an immediate activation e-mail.Those who do not receive an immediate notification will be activated manually within 48hrs. by an admin. without an e-mail activation url sent to you,you may then sign in using your username and password,if you feel there is a problem please e-mail us at timetechtalk@hotmail.com and include your name and username and we activate your account.Thank You! |
| Moderated by: 3T | ||
| Author | Post | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
scottran 3T WIS 
|
Just hauled this home today. I guess you could call it a "barn find" It a 57 T'Bird. I think it has an interesting story. A fellow I met through amateur radio asked me to come and take a look at a car that he had in his basement. Back in '67 a guy wrecked this car on the PA turnpike. It was towed to a local garage and the owner never came and got it. So, the garage got the title for the car. My friends dad then bought the car from the shop, towed it home and put it in his basement since 1968. He had intended to fix it but never did. # years ago he died and passed his home down to his son. His son, not being interested in cars new I messed around with old stuff and so here we are. Its going to take a while to get it done but, I plan on doing a frame off resto. I have my work cut out for me for sure.    |
|||||||||
|
Tony Duronio 3T WIS 
|
Wow Brother, you sure have some work ahead of you , but when done a sweet ride |
|||||||||
|
scottran 3T WIS
|
Oh yeah, I know. I am in no hurry to get it done. I am going to take my time and do it right. Every nut and bolt is coming off of it. Like you said though, it will be nice when done. |
|||||||||
|
bigrustypig 3T WIS 
|
If my memory serves me right, that's a certified collectible muscle car. I envy you and know this will keep you pre-occupied for some time. Hope to see you post some updates via pictures. You'll keep it black, right? Or are you going candy-apple red? |
|||||||||
|
scottran 3T WIS
|
I have a couple of tractors I have to finish restoring so it will be sometime next year till I will be starting on the car. I will surely keep you updated as I progress. I would like to paint the car "flame red". That was a color available on the car in 57. But, if it hurts the value of the car by changing color, I will keep it "Raven Black". |
|||||||||
|
mcwright Admin 
|
Question #1 for me is: Does it run?  |
|||||||||
|
Paxman 3T WIS 
|
Wow Scott what a find! That will keep you occupied for some time I would think. It's gonna be great when you finish. Enjoy the road ahead! |
|||||||||
|
scottran 3T WIS
|
Thanks Pax. And, yes it will take me a few years to get it done. Mike, I havent tried to get it running yet. Even if it doesnt run now I guarantee it WILL run. So, no worries here.  |
|||||||||
|
oagaspar Site Founder 
|
Congrats Scott!...the 55'-57 T-Birds are considered Blue Chips and worth plenty...you have a lot to work with there and it is far from a basket case...looks like it's all there and original as far as body/interior and top colors. .....if you look/reach up behind the passenger seat by removing a couple of the metal fabric holders at the bottom you should find the original build sheet if no one has redone the interior which will give you all the info you need for restoration otherwise if you pm me the vin# I can research it through my Ford catolgues...the 57 is still my all time favorite American 2 seat sports car...there are a couple 55-57 T-Bird resto companies that specialize in them that would pay dearly for that car the wait it sits...you really found the "needle in the haystack" that car guys like myself only wish to find some day Buddy! |
|||||||||
|
scottran 3T WIS
|
Thanks Oscar. The lf fender is banged up and the bumper on the left also. The windshield post is also bent back but its all fixable. I wish I had the hard top with it but, luckily they are still available. I did some decoding of the sn. Its the 312 with a 4bbl built in Dearborn. Black exterior, red interior and built on july 1st 1957. I will be sure to see if the build sheet is still there and will be sure to preserve it if so. I wanted to get out today and clean it all up, get all the dirt off of it and vacuum out the inside as the mice chewed up the carpeting and made a real mess. But, I had one of my lousy feeling days so maybe some eve after work this week. |
|||||||||
|
Graham 3T WIS 
|
What an exciting find! I wish you a lot of joy and satisfaction with that project. I have restored about 30 cars in the past - all Mercedes. I've stopped doing that because of the ridiculous parts prices lately. |
|||||||||
|
timesofplenty 3T WIS 
|
just found this thread. WOW what a find, congrats! Please add progress pictures....and I vote for black, and I like the shifter knob! Hopefully in February I'll be ready to post some completed pics of my long-term project. Last edited on Tue Jan 11th, 2011 08:54 am by timesofplenty |
|||||||||
|
KenC Admin 
|
What a find...and while you do have your work cut out for you, It is not nearly a bad as it could be. In fact, it is pretty much intact. It looks like most of the work will be in dry rot, upholstery and making things shiny! |
|||||||||
|
scottran 3T WIS
|
Thanks again guys. I will be sure to post pics once I start. I have a tractor to finish then I can start tearing down the Bird. The rear quarters are rotten and the drivers fender needs replaced or repaired from the accident. One thing is sure, its a big job and will take time to do it right. And to add to it, my wife wants a car now. So I am on the hunt for a 70 Chevelle to restore also. |
|||||||||
|
scottran 3T WIS
|
Ken, You may find this interesting. I am thinking the car was owned by an Air Force guy. The front bumper has a sticker on it for McClellan (sp?) AFB. It makes me wonder why the guy never came back to get his car? Being it was late 1967 during the height of the Vietnam War when it was wrecked. Did he get shipped out? Or, I wonder if he never made it home? I think the car may have an interesting story behind it. I wish there was a way I could take the ID number from the sticker to find out what may have happened to the owner. |
|||||||||
|
IanM 3T WIS 
|
What a great project, Scott. I would love a 57 with a Paxton supercharger and decent motor... the foundations on this one look pretty solid, and the history might be verrrrrry interesting! They had a 3-speed, didn't they? Raven black is the go - 'cos originality pays when it goes to the Barrett Jackson auction rooms... New porthole tops are pretty easily available in the US, from what I know (given that I live in a country where a barn find like this is almost unimaginable...) but what a great opportunity, mate! Have fun, and keep us posted on what will be a heck of a lot of work, but really satisfying in the end. There goes that watch fund...  (a very envious!) IanM |
|||||||||
|
scottran 3T WIS
|
Thanks Ian. This car happens to have an automatic trans. And yes, I am going to keep it the original color. There are reproduction hardtops available . I cant wait to start on it. |
|||||||||
