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