1957 Ford Fairlane

Sedan

292 Thunderbird

Manual

Clear

OVERVIEW: This UNRESTORED Doeskin Tan and Colonial White ’57 Fairlane Club Sedan (post) is in unbelievable condition considering its age. While imperfections can be found, it’s a fun car to drive and gets plenty of attention at car shows and cruise-ins. I have been in the collision repair industry since 1974, so I will do my best to describe the good and the “not so good” based on my years of automotive experience, but please don’t hesitate to contact me by email or phone (816.305.2864) during this listing if you have any questions. Also, it’s my opinion that cars generally look better in pictures than they do in real life, so an inspection of the car in person is strongly recommended. HISTORY: This is what I know about this very special car. It was built in the Dallas Texas plant on 5/21/57, and purchased new by George Hess in San Antonio Texas on 6/14/57. After George passed away, his sister Pearl registered the car in her name in 1968. When Pearl died at the age of 86 in 2000, I purchased the car through Pearl’s estate in San Antonio. In 2002 I transferred to South Carolina, and in 2004 I transferred here to the Kansas City area and of course took the car with me to both locations. I never drive the car in the rain or snow. ODOMETER: The car is currently showing less than 74,000 miles, which is believed to be correct. The records I have on the car with regard to the odometer readings are as follows: · 1979 – 65,512 miles (oil change) · 1982 – 66,627 miles (oil change) · 2000 – 67,271 miles (the reading when I purchased the car) · 2012 – 73,524 miles (the reading as of this writing) BODY & PAINT: The term “unmolested” is overused in my opinion, but it’s the perfect fit for this car. The body is exceptionally solid, and with the exception of the silver front bumper splash pan being refinished and some long ago spot painting on the header panel and right rocker panel, the car is still in its ORIGINAL PAINT! I have brush touched the chips and light scratches that the car has accumulated over the years. The doors close beautifully with a light touch, as does the trunk lid. The trunk lid weatherstrip needs to be replaced however, and the door weatherstrips are also original. I always clean the car with a spray bottle instead of washing it with a hose to keep the interior and trunk dry. As you can see in the pictures, the floors are pristine and the original jute padding is still in place under the original carpeting and doesn’t appear to have ever been wet. The photos of the trunk floor should be impressive… no spatter paint or anything else covering up the factory paint and trunk mat glue. The mat is original… not a reproduction replacement. The original jack is in place. There are some very superficial dings, and both quarter panels have small dents/scrapes down low behind the wheel openings that were there when I bought the car. The lower right quarter panel and rocker panel have some “zits” and there is also a small area of rust behind the rear bumper (see pics) that hasn’t gotten any worse during the 12+ years I’ve owned the car because I always keep it dry. The factory lead seams are wavy as are some of the sheet metal stampings… but keep in mind, the body and paint are almost 100% original and consistent with Ford’s level of quality back in the day. CHROME & TRIM: All of the chrome and stainless trim is original. The front bumper is as close to perfect as the day it left the factory (keep in mind, factory Ford chrome in the ‘50s wasn’t show quality). The rear bumper has some scratches and other imperfections that most people don’t notice or comment on. The grille is beautiful and the stainless is nearly perfect as well. There is one small ding on the upper back glass stainless however. The exterior and interior door handles show some pitting as do the window cranks. GLASS: All side windows still have the FoMoCo logos and are free of cracks and water spots, but they do show some age around the edges. The windshield appears to be original and looks very good for its age (expect some very light pitting). The back glass is about as perfect as you will find. The rubber windshield and back glass seals are exceptionally nice. The door windows roll up and down just fine, but the quarter windows are a little iffy from non-use, so I leave them up. INTERIOR: Very nice original headliner, but there are some water stains and a small tear on the passenger side (see pics). The factory-padded sunvisors are stiff, but in very good shape for their age. The car’s original padded dash had been removed before I purchased the car, and I’ve replaced it with a new reproduction pad (dyed to match with Sikkens Interior Converter). The rest of the interior paint is original and in very nice shape, although the driver’s windowsill shows wear. The seats are still wearing their original upholstery… but the foam on the front seat bottom has been replaced. The door and quarter trim panels are original and only show light wear. The original package shelf looks almost new. The carpeting is original and not worth replacing in my opinion. In summary, the interior is all original with the exception of the dash pad, front seat padding, rocker panel sill plates and seat belts. I also installed the NOS brake and clutch pedal pads that I found in the car when I bought it. GENERAL MECHANICAL STUFF: The car runs strong, steers and brakes well for a ’57 Ford, and is a pleasure to drive. It does not have power steering or brakes. Because the car had been inoperative for so many years when Pearl had it, I did a ton of mechanical work to it to make it roadworthy back in 2001. ELECTRICAL: I’m not aware of any electrical issues. All gauges and idiot lights work, as do the radio and heater, but the clock only keeps accurate time twice a day (currently 6 pm and 6 am). I replaced the generator, coil, voltage regulator, distributor, starter, ballast resistor, plugs, points, condenser, plug wires, cables etc. The battery is a correct size sealed Interstate and less than 2 years old. ENGINE, BRAKES, SUSPENSION & EXHAUST: I had the original 292 rebuilt in 2001 utilizing hardened valve seats, new water pump, fuel pump, four row radiator, fuel tank, rebuilt 2 bbl carb etc. and it runs beautifully. I painted all of the cast iron and steel engine parts with Sikkens self-etching primer and urethane paint and it’s holding up very well. I’ve kept meticulous oil change records since putting the car back on the road. The flywheel was resurfaced; the clutch and throw out bearing were replaced along with the u-joints and the differential was rebuilt. The only thing I did to the transmission was drain and re-fill it and it shifts fine and does not pop out of gear. Brakes were all redone in 2001 also, including a new master cylinder, wheel cylinders, shoes, wheel bearings etc. In recent years, the idler arm and ball joints have been replaced, and I had 2” drop coil springs from Jamco and gas shocks installed up front. The alignment is right on the money and the steering is decent considering it’s 56-year-old technology. My brother also has a ’57 Fairlane and has upgraded to power rack and pinion steering and loves it. I’ve considered doing that to this car as well… but never got to that point on my “roundtuit” list. I believe the spare tire is one of the 5 original tires, and the four that the car is rolling on are an exact reproduction of the spare with less than 100 miles on them. I had the original wheels media blasted and powder coated before having the tires mounted and balanced. The wheel covers are original and in near-mint condition. For bias-ply tires, the car handles surprisingly well. With the torque-thrust mags and Goodyear Eagles… the car goes down the highway at 80+ very nicely. I did stray from stock by adding dual exhaust with Smithy glass packs and it sounds very nice. The finned aluminum Thunderbird valve covers are reproduction. The stock valve covers go with the car. KNOWN ISSUES: Beyond what I’ve already mentioned, the car does drip some oil, and the differential pinion seal has begun to leak. The radio has become finicky, but I have a new speaker for it that goes with the car. Not sure if that’s all it needs or what. The front suspension is a bit creaky. I have new sway bar bushings for it, and those also go with the car. I had always wanted to ditch the points in favor of Pertonix ignition, but the car runs so good the way it is that I never made it a priority. I sometimes get an exhaust smell in the car. Although it doesn’t sound to me like there’s an exhaust leak, it may have one. The fresh air vent cables are a little stiff. I’ve never detailed the engine bay, underside of the hood and body etc. The clutch and brakes are due for an adjustment. The vacuum windshield wipers could use an upgrade to electric. The rear shocks are old. SUMMARY: This ’57 is just a super nice original unrestored virgin that is museum quality in my opinion. It certainly has imperfections, but it’s my hope that the next owner will value its originality and leave the body and paint alone. The car has never had exterior rear view mirrors and I’ve never been able to bring myself to the point of punching holes in the sheet metal to install any (it was hard enough to drill holes in the floor pans to install the seat belts). The car has the right old car smell inside. There is no evidence of rodent damage or inhabitation. The owner’s manual pictured is original and not a reprint, and the original key code tag is included with the original keys. Door and trunk locks all work fine. I did stray from stock in a number of areas that I’ve already mentioned, but a diehard enthusiast could put the car back to factory specs pretty easily. I’m planning on retiring in 2013 and looking to downsize. I love this car, however, and if it doesn’t bring the price I believe it should bring, I’ll keep it… so please don’t bother with low-ball offers. I don’t have to sell it, and I won’t give it away. I’m sure a common question will be whether or not the car can be driven across the country after the sale. I can make no guarantees, but I have had no problems with the car on the highway, and it’s a lot of fun to drive. NOTE: THE TORQUE-THRUST MAGS AND GOODYEAR EAGLE RADIAL TIRES PICTURED ARE NOT INCLUDED WITH THIS LISTING, BUT CAN BE PURCHASED FOR AN ADDITONAL PRICE. I reserve the right to end this auction at any time, for any reason. There are no warranties or guarantees expressed or implied, and the car will be sold as-is, where-is. The description of the vehicle contained in this listing is based on what is believed to be correct by the seller, but should be confirmed by the buyer prior to the close of this auction. Shipping or any other transportation expenses are the responsibility of the buyer. Pick up by the buyer at the seller’s residence is preferred. U.S. buyers only please. Payment must clear before the car and title are released. Please contact seller prior to the close of this listing to discuss payment requirements. Those with Ebay feedback of 10 or less must contact the seller before bidding. Thank you.