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750 hp Shotgun-Powered ’57 Ford Del Rio Ranch Wagon Part 2: The Feature

September 2020 • Tony Thacker • Photos Nestor Cabrera & Tony Thacker
Presented by Mick's Paint

A few weeks ago we posted a story about the build of Bob Florine’s stunning Jon Kaase Racing Boss Nine Shotgun-Powered ’57 Ford Del Rio Ranch Wagon. Built by Steve Strope’s Pure Vision Design with body and paint by Mick’s Paint, you can read the build feature here: Part 1—The Build Story

Ford’s Del Rio was a reasonably successful station wagon that sold 46,000 units compared to the Chevy Nomad at just 6,000 units. Based on the utilitarian, two-door Ranch Wagon the Del Rio was intended to be a Nomad beater but it didn’t quite live up to the hype. Yes, there was optional 312 ci ‘Thunderbird’ Y-block delivering 215 hp but somehow it didn’t have the cache of the 283 Chevy with optional fuel injection producing the legendary one horsepower per cubic inch.

Sadly, neither wagon was exceptional and both were axed for the ’58 model year, all but forgotten until Steve Strope of PureVisonDesign.com suggested to his friend Bob Florine, VP Sales & Marketing at ARP-Bolts.com, that they do what Ford didn’t and build a real Del Rio Ranch Wagon that hauled ass rather than groceries.

Talented artist Steve Stanford penned the concept before Strope ordered a full custom Art Morrison (AME) chassis complete with their Corvette C6 ZR1-derived IFS and Baer’s monoblock six-piston brakes, JRI coil-over shocks and Detroit Speed power-assisted rack-and-pinion. Speedway Engineering supplied the 9-inch axle suspended on coil-overs and located by a Mike Maier torque arm.

Between the AME rails resides a Jon Kaase Boss Nine ‘Shotgun’ engine (full spec below) fed by a Borla-Kaase stack injection eight-pack controlled by a FAST EFI management system. And, naturally, every nut and bolt is an ARP fastener.

There’s no doubt the powertrain of Bob’s wagon is impressive, however, it’s in the body department where the mods are far more subtle yet nonetheless impressive. Joey at MicksPaint.com, Pomona, CA, handled all of the bodywork.

From the fab shop at Mick’s Paint the wagon moved across to the paint department where Mick’s amazing team of craftsmen headed by Poncho Contreras massaged the steel until it was perfect. Only then was Juan Carrillo able to apply the contrasting PPG Ferrari Avorio and Aston Martin Bridgewater Bronze. The body and paint on this car is the main subject of a book by Mick Jenkins called How To Paint Muscle Cars and Show Cars Like a Pro.

Meanwhile, Rick Lefever who had meticulously reconfigured and extended the side trim to match the lengthened doors painstakingly extended the paper-thin aluminum sill plates while retaining their stamped pattern. Amazingly delicate, intricate work.

From the paint shop the wagon went to Gabe’s Custom Upholstery to be trimmed in Italian leather before returning to Pure Vision in Simi Valley for wiring and final assembly by Kelly Cox, Troy Bray and Peter Harksell.  Details include the ’57-only MagicAire system coupled to Vintage Air air conditioning, Bluetooth-enabled iPad, a custom instrument cluster by Redline, custom dash trim by Scott Sullivan and a downsized steering wheel by Dennis Crooks.

Bob’s wagon is a rolling work of art that he says, “is a dream to drive. Its first real road trip was from the Museum of American Speed in Lincoln, NE, to Louisville, KY. Scott Sullivan and I put screen door mesh over the grille, 3M film over the paint and drove 1,100 miles without a single issue. All we did was put gas and oil in it, turn the key and go. And, I’ve continued to drive it around southern California without a problem. It’s a great driver and a testament to all the work by Pure Vision and Mick’s’ Paint.”

Vehicle: ’57 Ford Del Rio Ranch wagon
Owner: Bob Florine, ARP-Bolts.com
Builder: Steve Strope’s PureVisionDesign.com

Powertrain:
Engine: 521 ci Boss Nine
Builder: JonKaaseRacingEngines.com
Compression ratio: 9.8:1 for pump gas
Horsepower: 750. Max hp at 6,500 rpm but produces 700 hp @ 5600 rpm with a really flat curve for great throttle response
Torque: 690 ft-lb. Max torque is right at 4,700 rpm  
Block: Performance.Ford.com
Crankshaft: Forged Lunati 4.300 stroke
Bearings: Calico coated rod, main and cam bearings
Pistons: Diamond pistons / Custom Boss Nine with H13 wrist pins
Piston rings: TotalSeal.com
Rods: Lunati steel 6.700
Cam: CompCams.com hydraulic roller
Pushrods: TrendPerform.com
Rocker arms: TDMach.com
Timing gear: Performance.Ford.com
Cylinder heads: Kaase Boss Nine
Valve covers: Kaase Boss Nine
Distributor: MSD distributor / cam sync with bronze gear
Gaskets: Cometic and Fel Pro gaskets
Injection: Borla-Kaase stack with FuelAirSpark.com management
Fuel supply: VaporWorx.com PWM
Wet sump: Aviaid.com
Serpentine drive: BilletSpecialties.com Tru Trac
Cooling: CRRacing.com aluminum four-core radiator with dual SPAL fans
Exhaust: Aced headers and system with Magnaflow mufflers
Fasteners: ARP-Bolts.com
Trans: HughesPerformance.com 4L80E, Gear Vendors overdrive unit

Chassis: ArtMorrison.com, Corvette C6 ZR1-derived IFS
Axle: 1Speedway.com 9-inch
Rear suspension: MikeMaierInc.com
Steering: DetroitSpeed.com power-assisted rack-and-pinion
Shocks: JRIshock.com
Brakes: Baer’s monoblock six-piston
Wheels: BilletSpecialties.com custom design
Tires: Pirelli P-Zero 255/40R-18 front, 305/35-ZR19 rear

Interior
Upholstery: Gabe’s Custom Upholstery
Material: Italian leather
Instruments: RedlineGaugeWorks.com
Dash trim: Scott Sullivan
Steering wheel: QualityRestorations.com

Paint: MicksPaint.com
Materials: PPG, Ferrari Avorio and Aston Martin Bridgewater Bronze
Striping: Brad King