Projects Little hot rod truck

I know there is a lot of controversy about late 30’s-early 40’s trucks being ran fenderless and called every name under the sun. 90% of these trucks are (in my opinion) not good... wether they have bad proportions, ugly styling, etc etc etc, they’re just not anything I like. BUT that 10% of proper ones are killer, bitchen hot rods.

Anyways, here’s mine.

I’ve had this 40 GMC cab and floating around for over 1/2 my life, I originally got it when I was 15 from my old neighbor. It’s changed hands a few times over the years, but it’s always came back to me.



I have built this truck 1,000 times and 200 different ways in my head over the years.

Last year my wife and I bought a house and I finally got a garage. I decided it was time to start stacking parts I’ve collected into the garage and see what I can come up with. Try to make a truck out of parts that don’t really go together.









The plan is simple:

40 GMC Cab/doors
35 Chevy grill
46 Chevy truck hood, cut down
51 F1 dash
34 Ford frame
41 Ford front axle
59 Ford 9” rear
Pontiac V8
Automatic (I don’t like this part... but I gotta keep the wife happy)
46 Chevy bed, cut down to 5’
Etc
Etc

More pics to follow, trying to get caught up to current


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I knew that the Ford frame under the GMC cab was going to work, I just wasn’t sure what it was going to take. Once I got a motor/tranny somewhat in place I was able to set the cab on and really see what I was dealing with





At this point I knew what I had to do so I started cutting. I cut enough of the floor out to be able to drop the cab down flush with the bottom on the frame.





Once I was happy with how that was looking I wanted to get a visual of the rest of the truck, proportions are VERY important to me so I started working on the grill/hood



Started by lowering the grill 2” and setting the hoods in place. I was then able to mark and cut about 13” off of the front of the hood and make them match the contour of the grill







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At this point there was still nothing permanently mounted. I needed to get the rear axle moved back and the bed sides cut down so I could finalize wheelbase and axle placement.







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Oh I like this! So far I like the proportions you have going. I'll be watching!

 

I’ve had this 51-52 Ford F1 dashboard for years. It was always just a wall hanger and a “maybe someday I’ll need it” piece. Well, now it finally found a home.





I really didn’t have to do much, it was a very easy dash to get in there, had to trim a little fat off the sides and eventually I’ll have to make a small filler panel to tie the back edge into the cab.


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thank you. These trucks look awesome fenderless... when they’re done right. It really sucks that there are sooooo many bad examples. Makes it that much more important for me to get it right.


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Cant wait to see how this turns out. Thanks for posting!

 

Looks great so far! Believe it or not, this is based on a '41 Chevy pickup...

 

What "not" to do...

 

I'm not a fan of the fenderless later model trucks but so far your build is looking like it's gonna fall in the 10% approval rate. HRP

 

Eventual plans are a 4”-5” chop, keeping a full size rear window and lowering it 5”-7” depending on how it looks. I have to rework the rear frame rails, right now the rear spring crossmember is sitting right on top of the axle (which is why it’s sitting so tall on the jack stands)

 

That hood and belt line really match nice.
Don't over chop it so it looks like a cartoon.

 

I like the F-1 dash idea......if you need a glove box lid or ashtray I have some extras.

 

I do need a glovebox door and ashtray, ill PM you, literally all i have is the dashboard itself and the 2 gauges. I'd like to track down the dash trim to. I'm not a huge fan of chrome but simple little touches make a huge difference in the final outcome.

 

Honestly, I might not chop it at all. It will be the last thing i do, I want to get everything mounted and the suspension work done, then ill decide for sure. It has to have the "right look", if i do end up chopping it, ill cut super small and keep checking it as i cut more.

 

In 60 years of interest in hot rodding, I have yet to see one of the "10 %" ...

 

^^^ you must not get out much...

 

Maybe I’ll hit your “10%” with mine, who knows... we all have our own likes and dislikes.


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Btt

 

I think it'll look good without the chop. Definitely not too much if you do.

 

I like the looks with a chop, but those old cabs are so cramped at stock height that a chop, especially a severe one, makes the truck all but useless for anything but art, unless you’re a runt.

 

When I was a kid (late 60's early 70's) there was a fenderless late 1930's to early 1940's truck cab running around my town...channelled too...short box on the back...and I think I remember a beer keg fuel tank...wish I had gotten pics of it...I have tried to build one of these before and what it ended up not looking right...still not sure what happened....

Yours looks like you got the look down for sure...

Good luck and thanks for posting on here.

MikeC

 

That’s my problem, I’m 6’3 and 275lbs haha no runt here. The cab is channeled about 5” so I’m already loosing valuable real estate.


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I like fender less trucks.... I have two of them....lol..... They don't really look good when people move the front axle forward to extend the wheel base .... The proportions on yours is looking pretty good... I'm 6'3" and my 33 is a little of a tight fit ...lol

 

looking good. F1 dash fits pretty good in that GMC cab.

 

Awesome, was talking to my mate today in Perth about his current build and ran through his plans and the parts he has collected. 40's Chevy cab, 34 radiator, 35 frame 46 hood etc. Started to sound very familiar. I chucked up your thread and your vision is identical to his apart from the motor. Now I just need you to get a move on so I can hurry him up with his. Lol.

 

*side note*

If anyone has a lead on a 39-46 Chevy/GMC truck windshield frame I would be very interested. That’s one of the big pieces I’m missing still. I don’t care about glass, as long as the frames not bent in half or completely rotten


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Sounds very familiar haha share some pictures of he has any!

I’ve hit a small hold up on mine, I’m ready to build the subfloor in the cab and rework the rear frame rails, just waiting on the metal to show up... I hate having to wait!


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Pretty neat the way you have it set up, nice proportions. I lived in Santa Cruz (then Aptos) for years...
Really like your club name...
The movie was intense. Keifer asked:
"So, how far are you willing to go?" (Love that one, used it on a couple of local dipshits that had too much to drink...got right in one's face, asked him. They left. LOL)

 

Looking good though I would have left the box 6-12" longer. Now you do know that ratrods are frowned on by some on this forum, I just noticed you user name... LOL