The roadrunner that you spoke of is actually a 70 SUPERBIRD-and dominated nascar for yrs. I had 2 at one time and yes---they are big-bucks. The brother to the Superbird is the DAYTONA-which is a dodge charger and the ''winged cars'' are very collectable.
Mine had 440 6pacs but they also came with the 426 hemi--and were unbeatable.....Bill

Is a chevy cameo worth more because of the fiberglass bed---than a big-window 56? I have been in many attacks over the years and usually the cameo is said to be rare , ore than the 56 bigwindow.
Bill

 

Man that's a SWEET 57, thanks Bob for sharing, as always you're the man!! I remember the Dodge that started the thread but have not seen the Ford until today.

 

Bill,

Yup, the first winged car was the 69 Dodge Charger Daytona. In 1970 they changed over to the Plymouth Roadrunner body and called it the Superbird. The Daytonas are extremely rare and worth a mint. Both cars dominated the big ovals for several years.

My mom's grocery getter was a 1966 Dodge Charger (big block) and my first car was a 1967 Charger (mine was just a small block)

Cool history
Bobby

 

Here's the story I have on the truck:



It's a 1957 Ford Chero, it is one of 39 concept trucks made to go against the Chevy Cameo. These trucks were hand crafted using the rear quarter panels and modified trim of a '57 Ford Del Rio two door station wagon, just like Dodge did with the Sweptside. Each truck was equipped with the hi-performance 312 Y-block Police Interceptor engine, top of the line transmission-3 speed with overdrive, and high geared rear axle along with a heavy duty suspension consisting of parts from the Lincoln Continental car, heavy duty limousine class. Ford also borrowed many interior features from the new Thunderbird including center console and factory air conditioning. Ford only made the 39 concept trucks after finding out that both the Cameo and the Sweptside trucks were experiencing low sales figures and it wasn't worth doing the cost of full production.

This truck was 1 of 5, number 16 in production, bought new by Fred Usinger II, of the Usinger Sausage company in Milwaukee, for his sales staff. Fred was a very close friend of Henry Ford II. While visiting Henry II in October of 1956 Mr. Usinger took a tour of the Ford plant where the Chero was designed and being built. When he saw the truck with it's new streamlined cab and flashy rear quarter panels he told Henry they were "the coolest thing since sliced bread". He also told Ford he would like to give one of these trucks to each of his five top salesmen as an incentive. Henry II offered to sale Usinger the remaining trucks in production at a special price. A deal was struck for Usinger to get a special deal but he had to order the trucks though a local dealer using a secretive ordering system.

This Chero is owned by Evian Ruoy of Chenequa, Wisconsin. He got the truck from his father, Rodger, the original owner and top sausage salesman of 1957. This Chero was bought from the Beau Ogus Ford dealership in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin. The truck has less than 13,000 original miles. It received a complete frame off restoration in 2006 at a cost of over $35,000. One of the most expensive items, and hardest to find, was the "Chero" emblem fastened to the rear most of the rear quarter panels (As seen in above photos). Fortunately, an duplicate was made using the remaining original emblem as a form. The original was sent to a metal caster, John Thomas in Burnt Corn, Alabama. Mr. Thomas is a world renowned metal caster and does everything by hand, no modern machinery. The recasting cost $3200 alone but Mr. Thomas did a superb job.

Evian knows of two other Cheros still in existence. One is in Owanka, SD still being used by the original owner's family on their emu farm to haul farm supplies and the second was just sold on the Barret Jacket auction to a California proctologist for $885,000.

Fred Usinger gave each of his top salesmen a Chero for their great work for being able to sale the baloney, just like I am doing now in telling you that this is an actual truck. I actually photo shopped images of this truck using images of a '57 truck and two different '57 station wagons. I originally posted the first picture as a little joke, I didn't think anyone would believe it was a real truck, but I got a couple of bites and I had to set the hook and real 'em in. Just havin' a little fun.

<a href="http://www.fatfenderedtrucks.com/temp/57fordcherocompare.jpg" target="0">Click here</a> to see the original pictures.

 

Both stories are very interesting you have mad skills on hoto shop...

 

The part that bugs me is that I remember these things as a kid I saw them occasionally. I don 't know why, but at that time I thought they were cool. Dang I'm old...

Later...

 

Bob - Once again your skills, both with Photoshop and as a story teller, are amazing. Well done. Stu

 

Bob--you know your stuff!! I had a 56 f100 that was Dad's shop truck and when I got it in 73-realized my older sister's 66charger would not pass Pa. inspection,and so I bought it from her and merged the 2 together. It had the 383 and 4 barrel and ran like all get-out. I put the drivetrain in the 56.
Looking back---I should have restored the charger and kept the 56 stock....Bill

 

Bob,
Let me just say:

1. You have a warped sense of humor. I like it.

2. Your Photoshop skills are outstanding.

3. Someone really needs to build this truck. It is beyond cool.

 

I thought this sounded a little funny... Beau Ogus Ford dealership.
Great Bologna job...
Jeff

 

I believe it was sausage...

OK Bob, now you've done it... No one will ever believe you again...

 

i bit HARD on that one....had me all the way. Hilarious. I've been looking for a '57 project for awhile now, and if I find something solid to start with, I'm going to seriously consider building this very thing. That design is titsintheface, Bob.

 

Wooohooooo!!!

Atta boy Bob, what a great tale!

Bobby