dutchie

[Pirana]

Just found this forum and after looking around i think this is something I'm gonna like.

I am a guy from the netherlands /Europe and am the owner of two cars:
a 1979 Ford Ranchero and a 1962 mercury monterey wagon.

the first car is built 15 years ago on a budget (sort of, 25 k) the second one is udergoing construction while trying to keep it rolling.

if you guys like me to post some pictures and some additional info i'll be happy to.
I''m in the process of starting my own business called "gravity kustoms" overhere.

I hope you guys will help me out a little and don't be to hard on me:fingersx:

Louis

[Bandit]

Hey Louis,
Welcome to the site...this is a great website with a ton of good info for gearheads like yourself. Enjoy and let's see some pics of your rides!!

Paul

[hdesign]

Wow, cool projects Louis! I'm a big fan of Merc wagons!

[Pirana]

I bought the Ranchero 15 years ago as a solid stock running car with a 351 engine.
i immediatly painted it pearlred excluding the engineroom wich was kept stock and put some chrome wheels on it.
Aftre driving it for 6 years i decide to throw in a 460 from a salvage.
i bought a complete Lincoln with reardiscs and plaaned on just made the engine running,nothing more nothing less.
i ended with the car pictured below.

A build 466 with forged 10.5 pistons,stock massaged heads with manley race valves three angle job,crane gold race rockers,align bored,balanced weight everything(stock crank,rods)edelbrock rpm intake,holley 750 dp,hooker supercomp headers,stainless homemade exhaust with flowmasters,polished waterpump,alt and more.
crane cam:556-563 lift,dur 244@050, adv dur 296-300.
MSD distributor and hvc coil and 6AL.
after completing it 3 years ago i also put some new wheels on it:
centerline mojave 17*8 and 17*9,5 with BFG G-force KDW 235-45-17 and 275-40-17.
front and back are lowered 2,5-3 inches with new springs.
this time everything upfront was taken apart,blasted,handsanded and straightend and painted bodycolor as wel as complete front and back suspension and rearaxle.
rearaxle has posi with 3.55 gears.
new rotors,rebuild calipers with parkingbrake.
build C6 from Torino.

On the shelf for this winter:polished alu rad,ceramic coated headers.
Engine made 457 horses on dyno.
Tried it ones on nonprepped track (Formula 1 track)with these tyres and did 14 sec on 1/4 mile.
With good tyres and losing some weight this could be in the 12's.
Car alone weighs with Bigblock almost 4500 pounds.

Last winter I made two functioning hoodscoops and painted them bodycolor.
I also addee a front from a '79 T-bird on it and had to cut out a large portion of the upper part to even close the hood.
After that i had to raise the eyebrows above the headlights and had to find a way to make the lines of the hood pointing to the grill match the narrower lines of the t-bird grill.I had to fiil and sand and try to find some angles to make it match,and i think i did it.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2006/09/DSCN1241-1.jpg
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2006/09/M5110117-1.jpg
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2006/09/DSCN1261-1.jpg
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2006/09/DSCN1269-1.jpg
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2006/09/M5110511-1.jpg
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2006/09/M5110541165x124-1.jpg
rerouted all wiring below engine or behind innerfender.

[CliffS]

Welcome my friend, you made a good choice coming to this forum (finally). Lot of good people & info!

[Pirana]

Thanks cliff,hope talking to you more often than on the other forum....


now that i have some sparetime again i 'd like to tell you about the mercury.

i bought it 6 years ago,so i could drive something while working on the ford and because i always loved wagons the choice was easy when i came across this one.
Except for the wheels it's almost stock.
the wheels are centerline sahara 17*7 and 17*8 with Bridgestone potenza s-02 size 225-45-17 and 255-40-17.
because of the smaller total diameter it automatically lowered the car almost 2 inches.
i just did a discbrakeconversion using the complete spindle and rotor set from a '79 t-bird,and mounting a booster.
for now its adeguate enough but polished versions of everything are ordered.
apart from some minor grinding this a bolt-on thing.
on the shelf already are a complete airride set wich consist of 15 mm valves and slambags so it should lay frame when done this winter.
i'm already in the process of cleaning up the engineroom by mounting several components in the sparetyre area and rerouting the wiring.
on the wish list is a "FE" engine from a "TLI racing engines" wich is a 406 with 460 horses to replace the stock 352.
on the shelf for this motor are a polished alu rad,ceramic coated custom made headers and a 19" electric fan.
monted already due to some problems are a Edelbrock 120 gph fuelpump,holley carb and powermaster starter.
When replacing the engine the complete frontend will be taken apart and get the same trteatment as the Ranchero.........only better:headbang:
Also the rearend will be done making it a polished 4 -link and completely grinding and sanding the rearaxle and paint it.
discbrake conversion is also a pre.
frontend steering can use an upgrade but in what way is something i'm still thining about.

this car should be a showcase of the things i can do for my customers in my new business...

thanks for reading..

[Pirana]

oh sorry,some pics ofcourse :hammer:

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2006/09/M5110017-1.jpg

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2006/09/M5110016-1.jpg

[neki67]

Kzou wel m'n nummerplaat onherkenbaar maken . . . .

Leuk om er weer een Nederlander bij te hebben.

René

[Ralph LoGrasso]

Welcome to the site, Louis. Nice cars.

[formula98]

Great projects! I love the detail on the Ranchero! do you have pictures of the build? Welcome!

[CliffS]

Thanks cliff,hope talking to you more often than on the other forum....


now that i have some sparetime again i 'd like to tell you about the mercury.

i bought it 6 years ago,so i could drive something while working on the ford and because i always loved wagons the choice was easy when i came across this one.
Except for the wheels it's almost stock.
the wheels are centerline sahara 17*7 and 17*8 with Bridgestone potenza s-02 size 225-45-17 and 255-40-17.
because of the smaller total diameter it automatically lowered the car almost 2 inches.
i just did a discbrakeconversion using the complete spindle and rotor set from a '79 t-bird,and mounting a booster.
for now its adeguate enough but polished versions of everything are ordered.
apart from some minor grinding this a bolt-on thing.
on the shelf already are a complete airride set wich consist of 15 mm valves and slambags so it should lay frame when done this winter.
i'm already in the process of cleaning up the engineroom by mounting several components in the sparetyre area and rerouting the wiring.
on the wish list is a "FE" engine from a "TLI racing engines" wich is a 406 with 460 horses to replace the stock 352.
on the shelf for this motor are a polished alu rad,ceramic coated custom made headers and a 19" electric fan.
monted already due to some problems are a Edelbrock 120 gph fuelpump,holley carb and powermaster starter.
When replacing the engine the complete frontend will be taken apart and get the same trteatment as the Ranchero.........only better:headbang:
Also the rearend will be done making it a polished 4 -link and completely grinding and sanding the rearaxle and paint it.
discbrake conversion is also a pre.
frontend steering can use an upgrade but in what way is something i'm still thining about.

this car should be a showcase of the things i can do for my customers in my new business...

thanks for reading..

We sure will, Louis. Don't you just love that wagon!