Projects An Exercise in Practicality - 1939 Ford Early Custom

Duntov contributed a great deal to Chevrolet, and Corvette in particular, but he came on board in mid '53, a bit late for the initial design stuff, and worked in a different department. Credit Ed Cole moreso for setting the design parameters of this marvelous lump that reshaped hot rodding.

 

True. I guess I wasn't thinking that the SBC design ball would have already been rolling by the time that Duntov came aboard.

 

Chugging along with the engine swap...



Spent yesterday getting the exhaust piped in. Started with the drivers side...



It just barely misses the steering box and oil filter before turning through the stock hole in the frame. The passenger side proved much easier...





I need to get better flanges for the downpipes (the ones I have work but are so big that they stick out around the sides), but these worked for initial tacking.

There's a few more nickle-n-dime items on the to-get and to-do list but I'm hopeful that the car'll be back on the road soon.

 

I remember that Hot Rod article well, in 1961 I used it to install a 283 into my 1940 Ford.
It worked out great. Wish I still had that car.

 

Just dropped this early Mallory YC distributor in...



The original Chevrolet distributor cap was really close to the firewall, it would touch if turned one way or another. The thinner and shorter Mallory bought me all around clearance.

Getting closer...

 

Buttoning up...





Got the rebuilt 4GC installed and plumbed. Made new plug wires out of the last of my NOS roll of Packard 440 cable. Once again, I'm waiting on a few nickle-n-dime stuff (hoses, new points, etc) but I think noise is imminent.

In the meantime I've finished piecing together the new suite of gauges to keep tabs on the new mill...

 

Damn that tach is sweet!

 

come get that air cleaner and see if it works for you ! @RainierHooker looks great dude ! you buy me a beer on the yacht if it works..

 

The yacht is fresh out of beer @rob-redm

...you’ll have to make do with a cocktail

 

really darn it ! well I guess a weak screwdriver will do the trick ! lol @RainierHooker

 

@rob-redm This one seems pretty weak...

 

man , I sure hope your other tools are in better shape ?

 

Just waiting on some points and a fuel pump (I was sent the wrong one) before I crank over the new mill.

Spent my breaks and lunch hours doing some surgery to this donor dash for the Stewart Warner jewelry...



Stock dash had the original gauge holes en-biggen'd to 5" and where the radio mounts below the louvers was cut out to flush mount the old four-hole gauge panel.

Still haven't decided on woodgraining, paint, chrome, or whatever for the dash itself...

 

Love the Dash Idea! I did the same thing on my 39 sedans dash a few months ago. best way I could come up with to fix the butchered dash. Just make sure you shifter clears, mine was pretty close and had to tweak in a bit. I also added some strap to the back side of the Stuart Warner gauge pod to make it the same depth as the dash itself.

 

And Ive been saving your pics on IG for that exhaust around the steering box, not much longer and i'll be making up some of those too. Thanks for the pointers!!

 

Thanks @Nailhead Jason, glad my postings about this swap will help someone going after me.

I made it so that the gauge panel is set into and flush with the dash...



...I didn't cut the radio mount area away completely, I left enough to make some little tabs that I bent back to mount the panel to. The panel is removable, and I'll make up a little rubber seal to go between it and the dash to close up any gaps. It'll clear the shifter, but just barely.

 

nice!

 

The motor is dropped in, hooked up, wired, plumbed, primped, and primed...



...but I need some electrons.

Went to go ahead and crank her over for the first time and, clunk. My 12v battery only had about 9 volts in it, so on the charger it went. Maybe tomorrow?

 

Looks factory...​

 

It for damn sure looks good!

 

I have a question, I purchased a 39 that has a flatty in it. Was planning to use a y block for an engine upgrade. But after seeing how well the Chevy fits in there I was wondering if you knew if the y block fits in there just as easy? I really can’t believe how well it fit into the engine compartment with the adapters.

Thanks

 

I have no experience with this. However, I do know that the Y block is a longer motor. It won't fit as easy as the Chevy does.

 

It’ll fit but you’ll need a truck timing cover to use the Hurst adapter and you’ll need a T-Bird/Truck (I think the truck pans are rear sump) rear sump oil pan. You’ll also need an Offenhauser or other manufacturer adapter for the Y-block to ‘39 3 speed. If you find a transmission adapter make sure it has the starter cover still on it.
Good luck.

 

Very Kool thread!

 

Nice build, very clean mill. And a great thread from the start.

 

hey Evan ! so any updates on the 39 since last Wednesday when we talked with what was the issue you found.. ! @RainierHooker .. see ya this evening !

 

Nothing since July, ever get it running Rainier????

 

Hmm... if he gets/got stuck... look for the flamed purple 40 out of Roy. Has if I remember correctly a 327 in it. Little white haired lady with glasses driving it? That would be my Aunt Marion. Old guy that looks like Conway Twiddie driving? That would be my Uncle Gary. All they build is 35/40 Ford coupes and 53-56 F100s.

 

Great job on that motor, it looks amazing.

Sent from my SM-N950U using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

I'm looking forward to seeing how that dash turned out... and , of course, the rest of the car!!