1957 Ford Del Rio "Shooting Brake" Ranch Wagon

[BespokeHotRodsInc]

Love this car, one of my favorites. Great job executing all the subtle mods into your kit ? Can't wait to see this progress further.

[Bills72sj]

That ridge really adds a nice touch.

[customline]

Shaping up nice, Len. You really do know what you're doing ?

Edited October 23, 2024 by customline

[LennyB]

21 hours ago, BespokeHotRodsInc said:

Love this car, one of my favorites. Great job executing all the subtle mods into your kit ? Can't wait to see this progress further.

My feelings exactly when I first saw the real one.

20 hours ago, Bills72sj said:

That ridge really adds a nice touch.

Thanks, these little adjustments make such a big difference. Hopefully I can get thru he whole thing without messing something up.

10 hours ago, customline said:

Shaping up nice, Len. You really do know what you're doing ?

If I make it thru this one maybe I need to build an Edsel....

[Steve H]

Hi Len, I love your methodical approach to the modifications. Honestly, when I first looked at what changes were to be made, I prioritized them in the same order you did. That said, you have done a better job than I would have. Excellent work on the new side molding over the door handles. I agree with Jim, you really do know what you’re doing ??. I also really like builds like this with several subtle changes, that you really have to have your game face on to see them. You know something is different, but exactly what has been changed, and how…. Love it!

[David G.]

Watching this project develop is both fun and educational. 

Thanks for taking the time to share it with us Len.

David G.

[LennyB]

On 10/23/2024 at 9:26 PM, Steve H said:

Hi Len, I love your methodical approach to the modifications. Honestly, when I first looked at what changes were to be made, I prioritized them in the same order you did. That said, you have done a better job than I would have. Excellent work on the new side molding over the door handles. I agree with Jim, you really do know what you’re doing ??. I also really like builds like this with several subtle changes, that you really have to have your game face on to see them. You know something is different, but exactly what has been changed, and how…. Love it!

Thanks Steve, I appreciate your kind words. I think the headlights and tail lights are next on the list. I'm still on the fence about changing the side trim. Don't want to go and mess that up and ruin all the other work that's gone before. ?

On 10/24/2024 at 7:13 AM, David G. said:

Watching this project develop is both fun and educational. 

Thanks for taking the time to share it with us Len.

David G.

David, glad I can provide some fun and entertainment here. I just need this as a stress reliever at the end of the work day. Although with this one I'm not sure if it isn't creating more stress.?

[LennyB]

This is definitely a project where I make it up as I go along.  Decided to start work on the hood scoop which PV took from a '61 T-Bird. Thought I would do the same until I pulled out a hood from an AMT Bird and found that the scoop was a lot longer than expected. You can see a faint pencil mark on the '57 hood showing where the scoop  should start and as you can see the scoop is about 25% too long.

 

Thought I would just fabricate the scoop from scratch so I used some tape to make a template of the front of the scoop and transferred that to a flat piece of styrene that I cut to the width of the scoop.

I made a bend down the center of the scoop and got ready to cut open the hood for it.

I

 

But as I was doing this I thought twice about it and decided to just cut out the opening of the scoop on the front and two sides and then push that section up in the front to  form the scoop. I stuck a loose piece of styrene into the mouth to hold it up in position while I glued the sides into the new location. Here I have taped the hood to the body before I got ready to glue the flap into place. This was so the hood would retain it's shape and sit square. I also put a crease down the center of the scoop section as the T-Bird scoop has.

After this dried for a bit I ran two pieces of .040 square stock down either side for added strength. I will allow this to dry completely and then shape the opening and the sides of the scoop.

PV eliminated the chrome trim on the front edge of the scoop which made this an easier conversion.

 

'nuff for now, see ya next time.

[Moparman18064]

Nice piece of ingenuity on the hood Len. 

[DJMar]

Good call on the hood, that's some smart work! ??

[espo]

Structurally this maybe a better way to do the hood scoop. 

[LennyB]

14 hours ago, Moparman18064 said:

Nice piece of ingenuity on the hood Len. 

Rich, sometimes I come up with a good idea ?

12 hours ago, DJMar said:

Good call on the hood, that's some smart work! ??

Thanks DJ, so far so good.

48 minutes ago, espo said:

Structurally this maybe a better way to do the hood scoop. 

That's what my brain kept screaming at me David while I was doing this.

 

Thanks for checking in everyone.?

[dino246gt]

I love the way you're doing that scoop, awesome bit of real modelling!

[LennyB]

4 hours ago, dino246gt said:

I love the way you're doing that scoop, awesome bit of real modelling!

Thanks Dennis, it's coming along better then expected.

[LennyB]

Got home tonight and did some cleanup work on the scoop and carved a body line to mirror the front edge. Looks quite finished aside from needing to fill in the divot from the hood ornament and now I see sink marks in the leading edge of the fenders.

 

[BespokeHotRodsInc]

Wow, that looks so good. I love the way you think the modifications through, and the results are great ? 

[Bills72sj]

1 hour ago, LennyB said:

Got home tonight and did some cleanup work on the scoop and carved a body line to mirror the front edge. Looks quite finished aside from needing to fill in the divot from the hood ornament and now I see sink marks in the leading edge of the fenders.

That looks great. Very creative.

The last pick shows you have a dimple to deal with above the passenger side headlight.

[LennyB]

17 hours ago, Bills72sj said:

The last pick shows you have a dimple to deal with above the passenger side headlight.

Yes, that’s the sink mark I was talking about on the front fender.  There is one on each side.  

[customline]

Nice work on the scoop, Len. When you're done with this one, have a look at this. ??

 

[LennyB]

2 hours ago, customline said:

Nice work on the scoop, Len. When you're done with this one, have a look at this. ??

 

I can't get intro that, it has no door handles.? And what do those hubcaps have on them???

[customline]

6 hours ago, LennyB said:

I can't get intro that, it has no door handles.? And what do those hubcaps have on them???

Nipples??.... 

[Zippi]

Nice job on the 57 hood scoop there Len.  

[David G.]

A great idea for the hood scoop Len! 

Well executed too.

David G.

[BDSchindler]

On 10/22/2024 at 9:20 PM, BespokeHotRodsInc said:

Love this car, one of my favorites. Great job executing all the subtle mods into your kit ? Can't wait to see this progress further.

I have to agree...this is one of my favorites, as well.  That said, after seeing the talented work that Len is doing, I could never do this car that amount of justice.

I'll probably still build the Del Rio at some point but I'll have to use some imagination in another direction.

[LennyB]

On 10/30/2024 at 6:30 AM, Zippi said:

Nice job on the 57 hood scoop there Len.  

 

On 10/31/2024 at 7:32 AM, David G. said:

A great idea for the hood scoop Len! 

Well executed too.

David G.

 

18 hours ago, BDSchindler said:

I have to agree...this is one of my favorites, as well.  That said, after seeing the talented work that Len is doing, I could never do this car that amount of justice.

I'll probably still build the Del Rio at some point but I'll have to use some imagination in another direction.

Thanks guys, and no T-Bird hoods were harmed in the creation of this scoop.?