1957 Ford Ranch Wagon

Owner(s): Ken and Lisa Stek

City / State: Ottumwa, IA

Club:

Builder(s): Ken Stek, fabricator/builder

Steve Garrett, Painter

Brett Wattertor, Upholstry

Engine displacement: 4.6L

Engine year and make: 2008 Ford Mustang GT

fuel injection: Stock 2008 Mustang GT

Headers: Stock 2008 Mustang GT manifolds

Exhaust / mufflers: Roush Mustang exhaust system

Transmission: 5R55 overdrive automatic

Rear-end / ratio: Ford Lincoln Versailles 9-in. / Richmond 3.50 ratio

Front suspension: Stek -lo Rodz Fox platform (Thunderbird lower control arms, Chrysler lower ball joints, aftermarket Mustang II-style drop spindles and upper control arms, Cordova front shocks, Chassis Engineering 1 1/8-inch front sway bar)

Front Brakes: Heidts 11in. disc system, master cylinder: Corvette dual reservoir

Rear suspension: Leaf springs with RideTech air springs

Rear brakes: Speedway Motors 10in. disc brake kit with parking brake

Wheels: Wheelsmith 15x7 in and Diamondback Classic whitewall radials

Body modifications: Corrected door gaps, modern hood latch

Hood: Stock

Paint type / color and Upholstry: PPG custom mix basecoat / clear coat (Stek-lo-Garrett Green). Upholstry is sage green and winter white

Gauges: Dakota Digital

Interior goodies: Vintage Air system, 1997 Lincoln front seats and custom rear seats, Kenwood stereo, Specialty Power Windows

Custom pieces: Dash swap to 1964 Galaxie, Custom console, custom CON2R steering wheel

Awards: Goodguys BASF Nashville Builder’s Choice awarded by Alloway’s Hot Rod Shop, Goodguys Heartland Nationals Des Moines Fuel Curve Pick, Goodguys Colorado Nationals Builder’s Choice awarded by Pinkee’s Rod Shop, Goodguys Texas Lonestar Builder’s Choice awarded by Customs and Hot Rods of Andice, Goodguys Ohio Nationals Builders Choice Award.

Mid American Nationals NSRA Pro’s Pick and Street Rod Nationals NSRA West Central Division Award and Outstanding Vehicle.

Shades of the Past Best Ford in a Ford. Along with numerous local car show awards.

Cool story:

As with any car projects they start in one direction and veers off in another. This Wagon was supposed to be a daily driver that Lisa and I could drive on road trips such as touring the old route 66.

I found this wagon in a fence row near our home. The owner was 94 years old and had a field full of cars/trucks that he was going to fix up. He never would sell anything but would trade if he needed what you had. A year later he passed away and his great nephew reached out to me and understood that I was interested in the 57 Ford 2 door wagon on his uncles farm. From the picture in the window of the wagon you can see what he delivered to my shop…I added the wheels and tires so the car could be moved around.

I always begin a project from the inside out with the steering wheel picked first and the car built around it. Lisa and I designed the steering wheel from Con2R and she picked the color.

Steve Garrett the painter of this wagon had to custom mix the paint to match the green on the steering wheel, for which the name StekloGarrett Green came to light.

I removed the original dash out of the 57 and installed a dash out of a 64 Ford Galaxie which had to be modified immensely to fit into this Wagon.

The center console was fabricated and designed in my shop Steklo Rodz Shop to fit into this wagon with the aide from our machinist Marty Roberts.

There are so many modifications done to this wagon but my original intent was to keep the body looking original as if Grandma bought it today and the suspension so she could take her friends (hefty girls) to church on Sunday.