LAW ABIDING CITIZEN – ROD STORAN 1957 FORD RANCHWAGON
In his younger years, Rod Storan danced between blue and red, driving whatever car took his fancy, irrespective of badge.
That was until, of all things, a plain Jane XR Falcon 500 converted him. Hidden down the back of a car yard, the $500 Falcon was not only one of the cheapest cars he’d bought, but also one of the best. Its smooth drive and unwavering reliability converted Rod to a life of Ford faith. His inner automotive individuality came out later in life when he transformed a ’58 Mainline ute into a sweet rig. Still, with many moons between rides, he became increasingly immersed in eBay.
One night, this Ranchwagon appeared on the screen, and Rod was captivated. Now, I’m not sure you believe in love at first sight, or that exit translates to cars. Rod openly admits he’s not a big fan of the ’57 Ford and doesn’t particularly go for scallops. Still, the traditional sixties charisma of this Ranchwagon was enough to overcome his reservations.
Seeking a second opinion, his wife, Kathy, thought it was ‘not bad’ and, sensing his excitement, suggested buying it. They waited to see how the bidding would unfold, but it seems the masses didn’t share Rod’s adoration, for there were no offers. They contacted the New Jersey owner, undertook an independent inspection, and Rod decided to take a punt and seal the deal.
Danny Brock handled the transcontinental logistics, first getting the wagon from one side of America to the other, then from one side of the world to the other. Three months later, Rod got the much-anticipated call, and they were off to Melbourne to bring home their new baby. Funnily enough, getting a permit with VicRoads to drive the fresh-off-the-boat wagon was all done with a phone call, the ironic relevance of which will come to light.
Neither Rod nor Kathy had driven a left-hook car before, so the trip home was an adventurous baptism of fire. Their new ride made it easy on them, Rod recalling that it drove really well. The old 312 Y block and trans were a little tired, but overall pretty good for an old girl in her fifties. The circus began when they sought registration in their home state of South Australia.
For those unfamiliar with the disparity between our states when registering left-hand-drive cars, Rod’s story shows how ridiculous it is. When it arrived on our shores, it would have been a walk-up start for a rego sticker in any state in Oz, except South Australia. Furthermore, from what I have written on these pages over the years, there seems to be almost no limit to the modifications allowable to left-hand drive cars and still maintain registration. But for us Croweaters into Yankee iron, most know it’s gotta be stock, and when I say stock, I mean every nut and bolt stock. Folks, we’re not even allowed to put in a CD player to listen to some tunes. As Rod discovered the basics of these unreasonable regulations, he still thought he’d be ok – it had factory interior, factory running gear, factory chassis and suspension. But no, he got knocked back for the paint.
So there he sat at the crossroads – sell it interstate and look for something else, convert it, or paint it? The wagon’s charm was stronger in person, so they immediately dismissed selling it. Its appeal centred around the paint, so it really did come down to one option. They bit the bullet, opened their wallets, and decided to comply.
Next, he hooked up with local guru Mark Fry and parked the wagon at his Custom Chassis Paint and Panel shop. His research uncovered that in 1957 Ford shipped right-hand-drive Mainlines and Customlines to Australia, while New Zealand got the Fairlanes and Ranchwagons. He soon had a dash on its way to Mt Gambier, and for a little piece of good luck in this pain-in-the-ass scenario – these dashes are a bolt-on operation, therefore reducing time and dollars. To complete the steering switch, Mark utilised an XB Falcon steering column with gear selector mated to a Fairlane steering box.
They also addressed the ageing Y block, which posed the next question: rebuild or replace? Having broken the shackles of left-hook legislation, the latter strategy won out, and they sourced and slotted in a 302 Windsor and four-speed auto. The guys checked out the nine-inch while they were at it, and it was still going strong. For contrast, Rod painted the engine bay gloss black instead of leaving it matt. The lowering blocks were turfed, and the rear springs reset to achieve the same but safer stance. Mark also fitted a new white vinyl roof lining and, apart from the rebuilt dash, it’s as purchased.
Despite having to spend an unexpected and significant wad of cash to comply with SA’s backwards laws, Rod not only has the car he fell in love with, but is free to flaunt it any time he pleases – which he does often. They’ve cruised the Kustom Nationals, Big River Nationals and Cruise On among many other events. The wagon has also cured Rod’s aversion to scallops – he has since rebuilt a matching teardrop camper.
Hats off to Rod and Kathy for going the unnecessary and unreasonable extra mile. Boo to the bureaucrats who impose these illogical regulations upon us!
