Follow along to see a total NOOB work on a 65 'Chero with her dad

I've always loved classic cars (my dad has been restoring a 50s Windsor for 30+ years, lol), and I knew that I'd eventually want a project car myself one day, but never knew what that would be until the first time I saw a picture of a Ranchero. I was in love!! I'm sure you all understand that feeling. We just picked up a 1965 Ranchero this week and I wanted to start this thread to track our progress and hold myself accountable so we keep up momentum on the build. .

I have very minimal knowledge (hence the "total noob" in the title) and am looking at this as an opportunity to learn AND bond with my pops. Aside from knowledge, experience, and fun, here are the goals I'm hoping to achieve with the build:

• Daily driver, more function than fancy (I want to use it as a truck & not worry about scratched paint, etc.)
• I live in Arizona so I'd like it to handle freeway speeds, and I'll probably add A/C at some point
• Occasional pop-ins to local Cars & Coffee meetups, just for fun
• I plan on keeping this for many many moons, so I want to do things the right way even if it takes a while
• I'm OK with elements not being stock or true to the period, as long as it doesn't look too modern or crazy anywhere other than under the hood.

It was originally a 3 on the tree and at some point was converted to 3 on the floor. I'm thinking of switching out to a 4 or 5 speed manual trans (still doing some research on that). The first things we're planning to tackle are:

1. Fix the exhaust (right now we have to keep the windows down if we drive it anywhere, and I want to keep it moving while we're working on the rest of the truck)
2. Dig in and clean up any rust spots
3. Patch up any bad areas (don't see any yet thank goodness, but not sure what we'll uncover)
4. Put down a rust protectant - I purchased some POR15 based on several recommendations I've seen here on the forum, so thanks to everyone who brought that up!
5. Then I have no idea!! It will be an adventure

Lots of pics attached so you can see my handsome beast in his current status. He smells like metal and motor oil and I love him. I'm open to any advice or words of wisdom / things we should keep in mind as we move forward! I purchased the big ole "1965 Comet, Falcon, Fairlane and Mustang Shop Manual" with the red cover, along with a Chilton's manual from that period, and have been trying to watch as many videos as I can and read stuff online, but nothing beats hearing from owners who have been there & done that.

~Jen in AZ

 

From the pictures, she looks to be in pretty good shape.

 

Love your enthusiasm!good luck with your build,nice your making memories with your dad,keep us in the loop!

 

Hey, you're holding out on us. I see an earlier Ranchero in the background, and a round body Falcon, and a T-bucket. Somebody's got some toys.
And by the way, yours looks like a great start !! Enjoy the madness we all love.

 

Yes, I’m VERY grateful to have such a solid place to start from!

 

I’ve already heard some awesome stories that he DEFINITELY didn’t share with me when I was little. Apparently car stuff brings back memories of his hooligan past

 

Holy hell I WISH that was our garage / driveway! Those beauties belong to the gentleman we bought the 65 from. Seeing those in the ad made me even MORE excited to go check it out

 

Since you got the Chilton manual, it should have sections with instructions for basic things, like setting points and reading spark plugs' colors to determine if the engine is running efficiently. Study those, and always remember, the only stupid question is the one not asked.

 

Best of luck in you bonding adventure
We are here for you.
Most repro parts are available and engine is cake to work on.

 

The "Troubleshooting" section at the beginning of the book alone was worth buying it! It's crazy - sometimes I feel like I'm spoiled rotten because there is so much information online and so many "how to" videos out there, pretty much anything you want to figure out is on the internet. BUT it's really overwhelming, and any yahoo with a cell phone can record a video, so the books and owner groups have been so helpful.

(I just had to look up "repro" Told ya I was a noob!) I'm grateful for the support. Excited to embark on the adventure!

 

Well, at first impression, it sounds like you have the mind for mechanical and spatial thinking. Anyway, we're here for our rigs, and just remember, have fun!

 

If you really want the true scoop on how your 65 is repaired, try going to swap meets and look for the Ford factory shop manuals. Don't be afraid to ask if the folks there have other manuals displayed. Another way is to look for a Ford dealer who has been in business for many years. Often they had multiple copies of the manuals and might be willing to part with a complete set. If you get lucky and catch them in a good mood they might just give you a set no charge.

 

Also go to Ebay there are plenty of them lots of reprints out there
and on USB( if your are into that) I prefer having the written page.

Also Google 1965 falcon service manual

 

• "Daily driver, more function than fancy (I want to use it as a truck & not worry about scratched paint, etc.)"

Perfect! Myself and a few others here have the same idea. Make sure it's safe & reliable, and you'll have a ton of fun. Here's a few photos of mine in action, plus check out this 4-part road trip from 2018:
http://www.ranchero.us/forum/index.php?threads/beerbellys-reunion-road-trip-photos-part-1.24499/

 

First pic I saw, I thought someone had popped a few caps in it...it was just flowers.

 

Being a NOOB means nothing around here... This was my first restoration, before (2014) and after (2018)... about to get the interior trim and dash back from Instrument Specialties.

 

Looks like it already has 5 lug wheels on it.

 

Looks like a great starting point...nice color interior