My 57 Fleetwood restorations photos with questions.

[Walter Youshock]

I'll take a stab at it...  I've autopsied my car enough times.

First of all, in what order did you take it apart?

I'd probably start with the wiring and its grommets.  Then the duct work, outer door hardware, window REGULATORS, inner door hardware, stainless/chrome trim, gaskets and then glass and electrical accessories.  I cracked a window while I was messing around in the door.  Had I removed it, it would have been fine.

Make sure you are happy with the paint first.  Do all the wet sanding and polishing before bothering to put anything back on.

You may want to test all the electrical components before final assembly.  The radio is not fun to install in a '57 when the whole car is back together.

[57flw]

Walter,

Many thanks for your input.

When I purchased the vehicle all the door components had already been removed and everything was lying loosely in the bottom of the door wells so unfortunately I do not know the take apart order.
I have tested all the electric windows but to avoid them only working for a short time I have decided to strip them, clean them up and replace brushes etc.
I did not think of making the glass instillation one of the last tasks. This is why I have asked the question.

I will take a lot of care with the glass when it is time to fit the windows.
Thanks for the tip.

Ken

Ken

[Roger Zimmermann]

Ken, I saw your question long ago but cannot answer it because I should see physically the parts. At a distance things are either very easy of completely obscure!
Try to imagine the function of the parts you have; maybe you can figure if this part should be installed before that one.
Walter gave a good road map; I would add: install first all the exterior trim parts, especially at the doors, before you begin to install window lifters; then all parts needed to open the doors from inside....

Good luck!

Roger

[57flw]

Roger,

Your advise, as always, is well received.

I will work my way through it and hopefully not make too many errors.

As usual I am currently waiting on some parts to arrive.

I will show more progress photo's soon.

Ken

[57flw]

I thought I would share my experiences with the front door seals on my car which may help someone else with the same car.

I ordered new seals through Rubber the Right Way and the part came from Steele Rubber. Part number is  70-0805-72 - NORMAL

The part did not fit. If I lined the holes up as in photo 3218 the top end did not reach where it was supposed to go as in photo 3217.

Apparently there was two different seals made for this one year only car. Go figure. I needed part number 70-0805-72 - SPECIAL. See attached Schematic.

Hope this helps someone.

Both Rubber the Right Way and Steele Rubber worked through my problem with me and found the solution. Their help was excellent and they covered all associated costs including postage to Australia.

Ken

[57flw]

I am cleaning up the wiper/washer switch and want to make sure I am putting it back correctly.

Please check out photo 0982 and let me know if I am correct.

I am not real sure if the order of item number 3 and 4 is right.

Item 3 is soft and 4 is a hard disc.

Ken

[Roger Zimmermann]

Ken, if you look well at your picture, you will notice that the rubber disc (#3) had the inprint of the #5. Therefore, the order is wrong for items 3 and 4. A more logical approach: the spring must not push of a soft surface but on a hard one; the vacuum circuit cannot be closed by a hard disc but with a soft one. Very logical!

[57flw]

Roger,

I agree totally. That is why I posted this.

The order that I have laid the pieces out is the order they were in when I stripped it down.
Obviously someone else had pulled it to pieces in the past and got it wrong.

It always pays to check.
I am sure this little exercise will assist someone else along the way.

That is what this forum is all about.

Once again Roger, many thanks.

Ken

[57flw]

Polishing and more polishing. What a great job that is.

Here is a couple of photo's with me at work with the polishing cloth and a beer or is that a couple of beers and a bit of polishing.

More work to go. A lot more.

Ken

Please check out the next post.

[57flw]

There is no way I could use the 1/4 vent windows in their current condition so I had to strip them for repair.

I have got new seals for this window but there is one small part I do not have.

Please check out the photo's.

Who supplies this bit?

Ken

[Roger Zimmermann]

Steele Rubber or Rubber the right way, your choice! This will be anyway a product of Steele Rubber...

[tozerco]

Ken,

Coupla Crownies beats elbow grease any day!

[57flw]

Hey John,

It sure does.

In fact I think it helps.

Ken

[57flw]

More polishing. Now what do I do with these bits.

The pieces were really grubby to start with and they didn't clean up too badly.

I have no idea where they go.
Can someone help out with a location description or even better, explain with a photo.

Ken

[57flw]

Any one know where these pieces fit?

[57flw]

Come on Roger, you must know where these bits go!

Ken

[Roger Zimmermann]

Well, I'm afraid, I don't know. On the first picture, one part was dirty. Was that grease/road dirt or engine compartment dirt? Are the parts chromed or stainless steel?
Can I have a picture from the section?
Did you buy the car complete and remove all the parts yourself or did you buy it already more or less "naked" with parts in boxes?
I have the impression that the parts does not belong to your car, but I could be wrong...

[57flw]

Hi Roger,
Thanks for the quick reply.

The dirty parts wiped off fairly easily. I think it was road grime but am not real sure.

The parts are stainless steel.

If you remember I got the car partly naked with these parts in the big box that came with the car.

I have provided  a couple of more photo's for you.
I have circled the pieces in red to show the section that had been polished in the past.

Perhaps you are correct and the pieces do not belong with the car.
I wonder how many spare bits I will end up with.

Ken

[Walter Youshock]

I don't have a sedan, but I think they might be part of the rain gutter that runs from the windshield to the back window just above the doors.  That profile looks the same as the stationary window moldings on the rear quarter windows of a coupe.  It should screw into the roof from below.  It should also have some sort of weatherstrip like the fuzzy mohair-covered strip.

I'd guess that piece goes right above the front door vent window.

Actually, I now think they may go on facing the INTERIOR of the car at the corner of the windshield and vent window.  That taper on the end looks like it should fit against the interior windshield molding.

[Roger Zimmermann]

Unfortunately, I still don't know. My '57 Brougham is totally different than your Fleetwood; however, most of the parts still have a "family" look. The parts you have don't look like something I know.