Projects Bought 40 Ford cpe w/Desoto hemi

Got stock 4 bbl manifold from fellow hamber.. thanks. Also picked up new 500 cfm edelbrock carb yesterday. Still chasing parts. Also mounted gauges in dash. Didn't have old gauges that worked so had to resort to new ones. Also have decided to cleanup and paint the engine as best I can without removing it or the frontend. It looks like the fenders have never been off the car. Also working to cleanup around windshield so we can get some glass back in it. Thanks for all the interest in the car.
BTW, I found that an empty beer can sitting on top of the present 2 bbl carb works as a great choke when starting! Had bunch of club members over after meeting the other night and one guy asked how long before I would have it running again as it sat there with no dash, etc. I replied "in a few seconds" and proceeded to get in the car and hook up the elec pump to prime the carb, turn on ign, and then realized dash, with starter button!, was out. I found the starter wires and touched together and it started right up in the rather chilly garage... thanks to the empty beer can on the carb that served as the choke! After it ran a bit, I had a club member remove the beer can and I goosed it one time and shut it off before we all got gassed! You should have seen the many faces when it fired up!! Fun with cars is what it's all about. Al

 

Cool car, great build. looking forward to more pictures.

 

Hooked up wiring harness to new gauges. Also cleaned engine and valve covers and started painting. Charcoal gray engine with satin black valve covers. Still have to remove old manifold and clean rest of engine and paint before installing new manifold and carb. Also plan to use new 60 amp small alternator so can tuck down on front of pass side head. Working and planning (and dirty!) Al

 

a pix of a 40 Ford with open hood is the best reason to install a hemi'

 

I've been cleaning and painting and still gathering parts. Getting ready for when intake gaskets get here. Got to start on engineering location of new small alternator. Opportunities!

 

Purchased new top radiator hose and the intake gaskets arrived today from Hot Heads and I got the intake on tonight. Hope to get the carb mounted tomorrow and make new linkage that still uses the stock 40 Ford gas pedal. Also got my heavy metal fabrication magician to make some pieces that I'll use to make a new alt mount that will be solid. I'm going to have to start filling all the holes in the firewall and fabbing a new floor around the transmission. Opportunities!

 

Make sure you have your sunglasses handy!!

 

It fired right up with the new carb! It was quick! I've braced the new small alt in new location but still need to get belt adjusted, etc. Some dummy had put a 14MM, yep metric!, in water pump idler so I had to rethread it back to 1/2 inch coarse thread. All good now but you have to wonder what they were thinking?! Extra "opportunities!" Pics later. Thanks for you interest. Al

 

Al, I think a lot of us here would love to hear the Hemi! Any vid's???

 

Vids are way above my skill level but I'll check with my pals for video skills. I forgot to mention that I also made up new carb linkage that I think opens throttle fully but need to double check... another opportunity. I think the engine is stock. I don't think it was touched from 1972 until 2010 so it could be a relatively low mileage engine. I'm going to tweak the radiator mounts as it was drained to change the intake. It is tempting to take some short cuts but no point if will only have to rework it later. Of course, what I forget or don't think about the first time can't be helped!

 

Here are some pics. 2nd pic shows revamped carb linkage. 3rd pic shows, if you look closely, the brace I'm fabbing to front of new small alt. The brace slides over the sleeve between the alt mounting legs. Still got to finish the adjustment arm for top and find right fan belt. Opportunities!

 

Nice work!

 

Here's the finished relocation of the alternator. There is a heavy wall tubing sleeve over the mounting bolt that bolts to the head and holds the alternator. There is a supporting bracket made from flatbar with a hole punched in the end of it that matches the outside diameter of the sleeve. Also fabbed the adjustment brace. Used Gates belt 7350.
I'm getting there but not fast enough. Details, details, details... just more opportunities!

 

It's back together with new manifold and carb. Started right up and runs good. Started wiring it today. It only had enough wiring, literally, to start the car and charge the battery when I got it. No light switch or any wires to gauges or to any lights. It was ABSOLUTELY basic. When I get the wiper motor back and installed I can put the new dash in it. Need to start closing up all the holes in the firewall and getting that a little prettier. The floor still needs to be reworked and closed up, too. Opportunities! Determined Al

 

Like a glove ... you would have thought it was done at the factory!! NICE!

PACO

 

Got word today the old wiper is history so buying NOS wiper. Got wiring panels mounted on driver side kick panel. Loooooong way to go with wiring! Also fabbed custom plugs for 3 major holes in firewall; a few more to go. Also have to somehow mend what looks like a single axe slice into the firewall behind the distributor, too.

 

Looking good Al!

 

I'm really enjoying this read! nice looking coupe, you're certainly making progress!

 

It's got a Hemi! I always think of this guy...

 

IT looks to me like the coupe had 9174 stamped on the firewall. The space in the pic between the 9 and 1 was a hole that I welded up. Anybody want to chime in on what the numbers mean? I'm guessing it was the 9174th coupe body built but don't know. Might ask the fellows on the Fordbarn.
All the holes are welded up in these pics. Then I wiped a little bondo and am waiting for it to cure. Pretty full day. It got interesting when I set the sheet covering the engine on fire! Did you know air cleaner elements will burn pretty easily?
Anyway, I got it out pretty quickly once I took my welding helmet off and saw it. Talk about an opportunity!!

 

Well, the holes are filled and it's got some paint. I like yellow. Can you tell?
Anyway, I'm now working on closing up the floorboard.

 

Spent most of yesterday figuring out and starting to put together the transmission hump and floor to cover the 5 spd. I think I've got plenty of clearance. I think I've got it figured out. Thank the good Lord for my heavy metal fabricator magician! He's making up the building blocks that I'm cutting and splicing to get the job done. Hope to have some pics soon. Got the NOS wiper motor from Mr. Ficken so that aspect is now covered. Got to go see the magician again tomorrow. I also have made some progress on wiring the engine and making up loom for the rear of the car. Thanks for the continued interest. Working Al

 

Transmission hump and cover complete. Now working on firewall and floor insulation. Hope to take glass to glass shop tomorrow. Windshield install next week maybe. Then can install chrome dash and connect wiring harness to gauges. I drove it out of garage yesterday to clean garage and blow out all fabrication residue. Dang shop floor was dirty! I had forgotten all the junk I scrapped off engine, chassis, firewall, and inner fenders! Working Al

 

Here's the pics. Housing around trans is welded together but welded housing bolts to the body. The trans cover attaches to the housing, or transmission "hump."

 

WOW..............that's yellow!!


Check to see if the number on the firewall matches the vin #. The vin #'s on those cars weren't very long. I know they have the # on the frame in a few places, but I'm not familiar with their location on the body.

 

New wiper motor installed. Cowl vent removed, cleaned and repaired; painted and new vent rubber installed and painted vent reinstalled. Still waiting on getting the windshield installed. Doing body work while I wait. Most of firewall detailing now complete. Now working on improving the trunk.

 

Very nice progress! I'm getting excited, in a couple weeks I get to pick up the 56 Imperial I purchased that houses my new power plant for my 40. A 354. LOL

 

Looking great Al, keep up the good work! Very impressive.

 

Glass man showed and installed windshield yesterday. I then installed the dash and checked gauges only to find I wasn't getting fire to gauges. Found out my 70 year old ignition switch didn't think anybody needed the accessories side of the switch to work anymore. So... pulled old ignition switch from parts pile and reamed out hole under dash so key not evident and installed new switch. Then I had to redo the starter button I had just finished to now work off the new switch! Do and redo! Anyway, I sealed the patch panels on the floor and put the insulation back down. Now ready to put the front seat in the car. Had planned to go to Charlotte Fri and Sat but glass man was later than expected Friday and then.. and then... so I never got to Charlotte but my pal, Bad Bob, did find a fella with some parts I might need. It's good to have pals to cover for you when your plans come unraveled. Good news is I got allot done on the coupe. Since more fellas are buying old hemis for their 40s I better hurry and get on the road before all my efforts are already old hat! I don't really worry about that kind of thing. I will be very pleased if my meager efforts to share my experiences with this old Ford and its Desoto engine end up inspiring others to keep at it. Sharing and having fun is what it's all about.
Tired Al

 

Forgot to mention that I ran two small wires to the new small alternator and now it actually charges! Also installed a tach and hooked that up, too. Under the dash still looks somewhat like spaghetti but it will cleans up nice... I hope!