Save Or Restore?

[Plowboy]

That's a question I never consider when I buy an old built up model. But, today I received one that has me asking that question. I found this on ebay for a BIN of $17 plus $10.75 shipping. I saw in the photos that it had the wrong front bumper. But, that didn't matter. It was a stock height roof '57 Ranchero! Plus, I just happen to have new pieces from another one I built years ago. Normally I don't care about the history of an old built up model. But, this old model is put together fairly well except for the tailgate being welded in crooked along with the bed floor. I want to rebuild it. But, kinda hate to at the same time. On one hand, I got it cheap, it's mine and they don't come around very often. On the other, it's kind of a piece of history that should be preserved. But, I'm not a history buff either. I'm really torn on what to do with it now that I have it. This is what it looks like after a quick wash.

I've never seen one of these with a '59 Galaxie bumper and tube grille. Was that an optional part of the kit?

It even has the bed rails and chrome around the rear window.

[Jantrix]

I wanna see Rogers version.

[Sam I Am]

That is a very clean old buildup. May I  suggest that you sit down and polish it out the best you can and then see how you feel.

On a side note,  last November I went to a show and one of the old time vendors who had been doing this for years was retiring.  This was his last show, he had sold his entire inventory to someone else. So at the end of the day when we started packing up, I went through his stalls of kits, parts, etc. I had been hoarding an old glue bomb Ranchero for years just to try and save the full roof. But low and behold this guy had an unbuilt one in its box. He was feeling very generous and sold it to me for $7.50 (now ducking, lol)

I picked up one of the new Revell Ford Custom kits and hope to use the best parts of it to build a real nice Ranchero. 

[ChrisBcritter]

That's the custom version as reissued in the 1970s with skinny vinyl tires. The chopped version had the stock bumper/grille. Redoing it is a crapshoot with the multipiece body; they do show up on eBay unbuilt now and then if you want to give it your own interpretation. Good luck with it!

[stavanzer]

If it was mine, I'd Keep it just the way it is. Somebody did a great( for the time) build on it.

Or ask Tom Geiger What he'd do with it. He's the king of Old Builtups.

 

[Scott8950]

It has that nostalgic look that many try to replicate but often don't succeed. Roger you have tons of cool stuff you have built already so if it were me I'd polish it and shelf it. It has a huge cool factor as it is and someone appears to have done a nice job on it.

Edited April 23, 2020 by Scott8950

[Bucky]

It sorta shows how things were done back in the day. Being as well built as it is, I would probably shine it up and display it as is. A couple years ago, I bought a built up Trans-Am off eBay to use for parts. Got it REAL cheap! When it arrived, I saw it was in better shape than the one I was gonna use it for. It now lives in the display case, and the other one still isn't fixed!

[Tom Geiger]

1 hour ago, alexis said:

Or ask Tom Geiger What he'd do with it. He's the king of Old Builtups.

 

Since I’ve been asked ?

I’d pretty much clean it up, polish it and put her on the shelf. It does have character and is the folk art of our youth

[tbill]

As in the 1:1 world, they are only original once ...., I’m not much on buying built ups, but I think I’d clean that up and keep it as a bit of a time capsule myself.

[64Comet404]

The build looks nice in pictures, might as well keep it like that for now.

BTW, the '59 Ford bumper was the only choice in the Revell kit until the chopped version from the early 1980's.  

[Ron Hamilton]

If mine was anywhere near that condition, I would just clean it up and put it in a case. The fact that mine was a gluebomb made my decision easy. It became the bones for a Ranchero based on the new sedan to get the proper length doors, and a resin Country Sedan.

[espo]

For what it's worth I would drop it in the purple pond and rebuild it the way you like it. I agree it was a good build when it was done for that era. Your skills are far better than this. The old Revell Ranchero tool with the stock roof I think died when they went to the chopped top. Maybe someone has more knowledge on this subject, but to me this body with a stock roof is the "hens tooth" thing about being rare. You can get a lot of parts from any of the current '57 Ford kits to redo this one. Please keep use posted I would like to see what all you do with this find.     

[Snake45]

You can actually have it both ways. 

For now, you can clean it up, make any needed repairs or adjustment, maybe try polishing out the paint, perhaps make minor changes (such as wheels & tires) you'd like to see. 

Then put it on the shelf. Live with it that way a while. I KNOW you've got other projects to work on. See if it grows on you--it very well might.

If not, you can always blow it apart, give it a swim in Lake Purple, and rebuild it to your liking in six months or a year or so. 

I did exactly this with at least four models in the last year--a '65 Impala convertible, '65 and '66 Mustangs, and a '69 El Camino. I fully intended to rebuild them all when I bought them. But all four are now sitting on my shelf as proud "survivors" for the time being. 

[slusher]

6 hours ago, Tom Geiger said:

Since I’ve been asked ?

I’d pretty much clean it up, polish it and put her on the shelf. It does have character and is the folk art of our youth

I agree with Tom, but a clean and wax goes a long way. Could have a ton of glue in it...

[1972coronet]

Nice score ! 

My initial thought is , "Is that paint , or is that the colour of the plastic ?"  The interior and the engine appear to be the same shade-of-red ; however , the darker-shade seems to look like the interior and engine were painted . 

I've never had nor built one of those old Revell Ranchero kits ; I have no idea how the body panels join-together (though I can ascertain that the windscreen trim has a separation at the roof , on the A-pillar) .

I'm mixed as well . One side of me says , "Clean it up as much as possible ; polish / wax ; re-chrome the trim and bumpers with a Molotow (trim) and Krylon Chrome (aerosol) ; and ditch the wheels and tyres for some nicer pieces..."  , whereas the other side of me says , "Carefully-disassemble ; repaint everything ; bash with the newer release 1957 Ford ( though , really , that kit's Y-Block looks decent ; and the engine compartment is detailed enough ) ; change wheels and tyres..." 

Now , where's a good 1958-1959 Ford sedan / wagon / Ranchero ? 

[alan barton]

Just to be the devil's advocate, while this is a reasonable build, it is not an exciting build.  It's a typical paint and glue job from a careful builder back in the day but doesn't tell you anything about the builder.  If it had been a radical custom or a nice shop truck with a trailer hitched up or a rear engined funnycar with a forward tilting body (hey, it could have happened!) then I might leave it alone. But as a basic, kinda funky looking old red Ranchero, and considering your desire to have one in your collection, I would call it a ripe candidate for rebuilding.  

But like Snake said, if you are as busy with other projects as most of us are, why not leave it to smell the roses for six months or so and then have another look at it. Either way, it is great that you finally found one.  I have one of each, chopped and stock, but have begun unchopping the chopped one because it just isn't pretty.  It uses an unstretched roof "lid" the same as the stock one so the rest of the chop really suffers as a result. The unchopped version you have is definitely the one to chase!

Cheers

Alan

[catpack68]

I would definitely like to see you rebuild it.You build some really cool stuff.

[DrKerry]

I’d be torn too!! I’ve bought stuff in Bay before to get it and cut the life out of it only to get it in hand and tell myself, Nope, can’t do it! I have a collection of 40 Fords from the Bay and was gonna cut most of them up but I didn’t as I saw them as survivors! Yeah I can be a sucker for a well built and kool survivor only from the stand point, It’s only going to be “THAT” kool, once!! Yes it could be changed into something else and possibly even kooler. But! Do you want to ruin the Koolness it’s in now?

The 59 that I got from you is one case in point. I had an idea of hacking it up and making a kustom out of it. Now I’d be happy putting a set of headlights back in it and leaving it just as it is.. Am I getting old and soft? Maybe in some cases but some times I just like the original kool and leave it as such! 
Me personally I’d keep it as is! But that’s just my two cents... 

 

[Plowboy]

15 hours ago, Jantrix said:

I wanna see Rogers version.

OK. There's this one.

 

[Plowboy]

Thanx to everyone for the responses! I'm going to see what I can do with it. If I'm not happy with it, I'll kick on to someone that has more appreciation for it. I think it needs to stay just as it is. Change nothing. I can always convert the Del Rio into a Ranchero when the time comes. I would like to have a copy of the grille and bumper to use. The body kinda has me stumped. In one way, it looks like it's molded in color. But, it has a little junk in the finish in places. Maybe the builder sprayed a clear coat over it? It's gonna be interesting to see how it turns out.

[espo]

14 minutes ago, Plowboy said:

Thanx to everyone for the responses! I'm going to see what I can do with it. If I'm not happy with it, I'll kick on to someone that has more appreciation for it. I think it needs to stay just as it is. Change nothing. I can always convert the Del Rio into a Ranchero when the time comes. I would like to have a copy of the grille and bumper to use. The body kinda has me stumped. In one way, it looks like it's molded in color. But, it has a little junk in the finish in places. Maybe the builder sprayed a clear coat over it? It's gonna be interesting to see how it turns out.

I have seen a couple of nice looking Resin bodies for a '57 Ranchero with the bed already done, just ad parts from the Revell '57 Ford. 

[Tom Geiger]

Cool! It lives! 
I wouldn’t want to invest time doing a modern build from this car since the body is inaccurate anyway. You will be much happier creating your own Ranchero like Ron has described. I know Ron and have seen his build in person. It’s first rate and you have the skills to do this.

[DrKerry]

Kool to hear Roger!! Your version would be stellar but.... lol ? 

[Bucky]

I like your decision. It may take a while, but there will be another one out there, somewhere that will need to be whacked apart.

[Plowboy]

Thanx to Mark B., I found out this model came out in '75-'76. So, it's not that old and it certainly has no historical value. I'm gonna use it for the bed parts, rear glass surround and bumpers on another build.