Projects 1940 Ford p/u Back to the future build.

I am getting ready to bring a frame to my garage this week and start to build my chassis. I have only a single stall of a two car garage to work in. This pics represent my solution to a storage/space issue. I hope at least. Hood on the ceiling, fenders on the walls, and running boards ( not pictured) are in the attic.

 

Wow, you made some nice progress on that rear fender. Looks like you have gotten most of the dents smooth. The pics I am sure don't do it justice, just like the front one we did together. I am sure it is smoother than it looks in the pic. Keep it up, practice makes perfect. Wish I could come up and help out, but I have been building a new home for my son two hours west of where I live in Fernie, B.C., so I don't get up your way much. I haven't done a thing on any of my projects for several months now. Itching to get going again. Hope you have heat for the winter now. You're making progress and it looks good.

 

Thanks John. Well.... I'd say the pictures hide a lot but I think I got a basic hammer/dolly idea down.... Thanks to your instruction.
Metal shaping replacement patches are a challenge I haven't caught onto yet. As expected, my first attempt was a big failure. I still have to learn to relax and let the tools do the work. My arms took a beating otherwise.

I did get a natural gas overhead heater installed last November (still paying it off) and I gearing up to keep plugging away. I'm sure I'll have more metal shaping questions for you this winter - Thanks for keeping in touch. Cheers.

 

You are doing good!

Keep workin'
Al

 

Where wont mice build a nest???
Sadly, My 40's frame is to far gone. Here's a few shots of the worst spots.

 

Loaded for a 2.5 hour drive to my garage.

This is monumental moment for me. This is a 1936 frame I've had for 16 or so years. It measured square but now I can check it for twist. I hope it's good.

 

Looks like you have a nice project there, and the frame looks pretty decent. It's amazing how doing a little bit at a time weekly will add up to a finished truck. Nice to see another Edmonton build that I may be able to see one day.


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PKap. Thanks for following along. If you don't have grandchildren now.... you might have by the time I get this done. Haha. Or it seems like that way to me anyways. I'm going to keep plugging. Thanks.

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Well, my kids are all in their 20s, so very possible. My truck was bought in 99, thought it would take me a couple years. We've moved 6 times since and I've finished a few projects with friends. Trying to get some real progress this winter, but we'll see. The journey is what I enjoy.


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This is a minor update but part of the decisions made for this build. The 40's wishbone had a very shotty looking repair I doubted It was safe to use. Pictured in the technical post. Here is the link
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/please-look-at-this-wishbone-repair.1033731/

My old truck wasnt as untouched as I thought. At some point the front cross member, engine mount had been replaced with one of a 1941 model. The deep type used for the 6 cylinder introduced in 1941. Or so Im told by my buddy Gary who is my local go to guy and old friend for 30 years. Gary has two good wishbones for my choosing.

 

Back to the future build.... at a walking pace with a limp.

This past two weeks was spent taking the wishbone and axle apart from both my '40 chassis and the '36 that I plan to use. The '36 parts came apart like a hot knife through butter but the '40s king pins and wishbone points were a beotch. Took a 12 ton shop to pry that rusty grip.

Tonight's project- test the '36 frame for twist.
I followed Westcott's instruction link here: http://www.wescottsauto.com/WebCatalog/Tech/2009_S_217-224_Technical.pdf

As instructed, I leveled the rear on two stands and placed a single stand under the front motor cross member to "float" the frame. The level pictured was level behind and front of the rear spring cross member, level at the rear kick up, level at the transmission, level about where the engine bell housing would be, but off at the front motor mount cross member as seen in the two pictures.

Thoughts??? Is this off enough to worry about??? This will have to pass an government inspection before I can put her on the road but I to sleep at night too.

 

I took to the HAMBers for help. Link here
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/40-ford-p-u-frame-twist-method-and-question.1035385/

One last cross measurement for squareness tomorrow but looking like this is my chassis starting point.

 

Most of those posts confirm what I was thinking. Those frames have a lot of flex in the design. Even if you have it perfect, once its together and on the ground, the frame will flex a bit following the ground inconsistencies. To me it seems a small amount for the age of the frame, and I would be surprised if they were any better when new. It will be interesting to see how it reads with the drivetrain and suspension installed.


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It measures square. 1/16th off at the most. I'm happy with that.

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I'm beginning to clean this frame up of unnecessary odd attachments. Not sure what the brackets near the rear kick up were for. They remind me of parallel leaf spring set up but the frame had a transverse and rear wishbone when I got it.

Just thought I'd show off my carpentry skills **cough* with this fancy stand I made to place the frame into my happy place- work space.

 

I met a guy at the St Albert run that had a flathead powered pickup. He owns an engine shop in Grande Prairie and does flatheads.


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Just found this thread. IMHO 40-41 Ford pickups are the best looking of all prewar trucks. Keep at it, you're on one of those 1000 step journeys don't be discouraged by the backward ones.

 

Thanks. You have a name? I've heard of a guy in Bruderheim Alberta as well. Bill in Saskatoon has advertised that he may retire soon. I'm not at the engine yet and I have not seriously looked around. My buddy Gary has re built flatheads for customers but stopped 10 years ago. He's offered to guide me through the engine but I'm feeling pretty unsure about tackling that job.

Edit - Chuck Skibinsky 780-796-2459 of Bruderhiem- if anyone is interested. I haven't followed up on this lead. Or George Moir at Stony Plain will likely know someone as well.

 

Terry at George Moir definitely would know. Those guys are extremely knowledgeable and helpful. I didn't get the name of the guy in Grande Prairie, but there can't be too many engine builders there that drive a flat head powered pickup!


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It's been awhile but this build still has a pulse. I worked on my frame. Sandblasted and welded up some cracks cut out some rot and it's almost ready for paint.

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Then I brought my cab home plus a 1937 side project.
Then I stripped the cab to ready for media blasting. Also opened the driver door to repair the lower hinge. Random shots.
That's what the inside of a pickup door looks like.

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Thanks for the update. Glad to see you're making progress.

 

nice find on that frame ! gonna be a cool rod...
that is a '40 cab... note the dash's raised rectangle that the ford script pins through...
the '41 to '47 dashes don't have it... they used a block of chromed die-cast with concave ford script that screws to the FLAT dash ...
the dashes are welded into the cabs so very few were ever swapped...

 

Nice work. Good to see this one still moving along.

 

We have progress. Good to see. Looks like you've also been hauling stuff to RMC.

They do a nice job on the old or new metal.
Glad I'm past that stage.

Keep going

 

That bed extender came in handy for that trip and worked perfectly for a Dakota sized truck.
Yes, RMC did a nice job but I am considering/researching wet media blasting with my pressure washer before September. I'm undecided, reading the flash rust controversy but might give it a try on a few pieces. I'll post pictures and results here.

 

Good luck with it, I myself am not a fan of the wet blasting process. Have not heard many good things about it.

 

HAHA when I took my frame to be blasted in my Dakota I just left the tailgate up, stuck the frame in and had it stick up out the back.

 

On the other hand my T frame fit quite comfortably in my 5.5' F150 box with the tailgate down