New 57 Ford Project Should we go big block or small block? Pics added

Nice looking project you have there. I like the frame mods. What motor mounts did you use? I noticed Crites sells some along with headers but I've heard you can't get the car low enough with them.

512Fairlane wrote:Nice looking project you have there. I like the frame mods. What motor mounts did you use? I noticed Crites sells some along with headers but I've heard you can't get the car low enough with them.

The mounts and block to mount extensions are from '74 Lincoln. But pretty much nothing bolts in. The pads on the frame were cut out of the donor car and welded in place. The bottom of the oil pan is just above the lowest point on the front cross member. I am using a Milodon splayed, front sump oil pan. It just fits between the lower control arms. You need to get the engine as low as possible for bell housing, transmission, head, valve cover clearance so you can have choices when it comes to the manifold and air cleaner. The first 460/466 had a Stealth intake and I had to use the lowest profile air cleaner that I could find. With the '65 Thunderbird hood and the Inglese/Weber intake and throttle bodies and stacks, I will have room for the new 557 under the hood.
I looked at the Crites. They have some really nice stuff. If you start the Crites route, you might as well buy all their products. I asked them about their headers and they never mentioned that I would need their engine mounts, transmission cross member, oil pan, radiator core support, radiator, and I am sure that I am forgetting something else. I fabbed everything myself because that's what I enjoy not because I am a better engineer or smarter. Crites headers were made by Mad Dog Headers up here in Allen, MI. Crites reverse engineered them and someone else makes them now. The header design is like the late '60s CJ in Mustangs and Fairlanes. The front two tubes on both sides wrap forward and down around and below the suspension. In the late '60s, it was common for headers to 'hang' low under cars. Often, the cars sat a little high with that modified gasser look for drag racing. The old JR header jigs are still used by Mad Dog. So, some of the low hung flavor still exists. I have had several sets of this style header and have had to dodge many o' road kill to save my header tubes from being dinged. Since I did not want casters on my headers and I wanted something a little bolder, I went with the fender well exit header and have been very happy with this choice.

We've been scraping body deadener off of the floorboards and I can't believe we found original red primer underneath.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/512fairlane/sets/72157629294135739/

Isn't that something!!!! Near 55 years old and still going. My '57 has been in the family since new. The first time it ever was out of Michigan was for the 2009 Hot Rod Power Tour. Big portions of the bottom looked like your pictures and then right next to it the sound proofing was holding the rust togather. Replaced inner rockers and floor braces, rear foot wells, one front floor pan and both short outer rockers. Fortunately, the doors and quarters are great as well as the trunk floor. The rear valance needed a little work. Battery acid destroyed the hood. Dad crashed the car so both front fenders were trashed. The roof had a hole cut in it and was so wrinkled from bales of hay falling on it and kids playing on it that I skinned the roof. I Scotch Brited the entire outside of the car but finally gave up and media blasted the floors inside and out. Blocking it out on my home made frame table.

Looks like you got a great start on a solid car!!!!

Looking good Gary. All that work will be worth it. My 64 was a Texas car originally too but it had been sitting in a junk yard in MO long enough that it had a few holes in the floor where it was sitting on the ground. The 57 is a lot nicer than that. It did have a tail panel replaced and a small patch on the right rear quarter but other than that I can't find any rot. Still looking for something disappointing about this find but so far so good.