Robert Mitchum starred in a movie called ‘Thunder Road’ back in 1958.
Mitchum may have been the human star, but for car guys, the real star was the rum runner 1957 Ford he drove in the movie, because it was built to outrun federal agents.
That ‘57 Fairlane was built for speed 67 years ago, but today’s technology can take an old car to performance levels never seen in the 1950s.
Jerry Sutherland
Brent Groome’s 1957 Ford Custom may be a step-down model on Mitchum’s Fairlane, but he would thump it in a road race.
Brent didn’t have brute force in mind when he was looking for an old car that could run like a new car. His old Ford started life as a barebones, three-on-the-tree, six-cylinder two-door sedan. The kind of guy who bought a car like that only had one number in mind—the cheapest price.
This car “should have been crushed” —in Brent’s opinion, but fortunately a 1957 Ford guru spotted it and saved it from a grim future. He was the right guy at the right time, so Brent gave him a game plan for what he wanted.
The biggest goal was to make the Ford a solid car that could give him a modern driving experience. Brent loves the lines of 50s cars, but he wanted a car that handled more like a new car.
They found a 1996 Mustang GT and the plan went into motion. This was a 4.6L car, because the Ford-in-Ford concept was an absolute must for the build. The Mustang donated its powertrain and front end to its older cousin—and its fender badges.
The interior is also heavily influenced by the 1996 Mustang GT, but the front seats are Nissan, and the rear seat is 100% 1957 Ford. The power windows look like manual cranks but they’re electric. It’s a combination that really works because the interior says newer, but the look over the hood says Elvis Presley.
The Ford-only theme continued to the paint. This is a Ford Glacier Blue combined with a Ford Stealth Grey roof. That was a brilliant choice because the theme behind this ’57 Ford is sleeper/performance so low-key paint works really well to build a low-key look.
Brent didn’t wait very long to road test his old Ford. The car was only a few days completed when Brent took it on a major road trip to a car show in Sandpoint, Idaho. That’s confidence in a project.
He said he ran it about 60-65 miles per hour to get the feel behind the wheel and not push the newly built ’57 Ford. The car did the road trip with no issues, so Brent is very confident behind the wheel of his resto-modded 50s road warrior.
Brent said it’s not a 100% modern road feel, but the Ford handles light years better than a stock ’57 Ford Custom. It has power, it’s comfortable on the road, and it handles more like a 1996 Mustang GT than a 67-year-old Ford.
Call it ‘Thunder Road’ on steroids.
Jerry Suitherland
By: Jerry Sutherland
Jerry Sutherland is a veteran automotive writer with a primary focus on the collector car hobby. His work has been published in many outlets and publications, including the National Post, Calgary Herald, Edmonton Journal, Ottawa Citizen, Montreal Gazette, Saskatoon StarPhoenix, Regina Leader-Post, Vancouver Sun and The Truth About Cars. He is also a regular contributor to Auto Roundup Publications.
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