Projects Street rodded ‘40 Ford pickup freshening

Bought Street rodded ‘40 Ford pickup a few weeks ago. Good advice here got brakes straitened out (portioning valve issues) . Moved to engine 383ci Mopar in storage for 23
Yrs & fired up today. Brings me to now, knowing Engines good now moving on to chassis body issue. I Know chassis is an F1 ‘48 -‘53. Cab & bed sitting higher than stock ( looks like a lifted 4WD) & want to lower. Found 2”X 3”X24” milled oak, (very square & perpendicular all faces)at all mounting features spacing the bed & body on the chassis. Very solid. Could tell it was hard wood so cleaned up a section 2 check & is oak. This was done 25 yrs ago when built? Trying to figure if early attempt at lift for the look or done for some tech reason? All look 2 B fairly easy to remove & use shorter mounting bolts to get lower. Gotta check all clearance going down 2”. Assuming steering u/joint will take it? Anyone have Model A pickup cab/bed F1 tupe chassis? Any insight before I start to remove oak spacers?

 

Pictures?

 

40 pickup with a 48-53 cab & bed? we need photo's. HRP

 

“I Knowchassis is an F1 ‘48 -‘53”
Sorry about that, missed period between ’53 & bed. It’s a ‘48 -‘53 frame under a ‘40 F pickup

 

I'd be pull the body and sell the rolling chassis with the powertrain and get a proper 35-40 chassis and go from there.
In fact that would be the only way I would have even considered buying that truck in the first place, knowing that would be the plan.
Of course the price would have to be right for that to happen.

 

Are you familiar with the factory cab and bed mounting wood?..they may have retained it (check on Bob Drake or Macs website and check them out).
I completely agree with Blue One, locate an original chassis, less head ache in the long run..they aren't that hard to find.
Good luck with your project, and keep us updated.

 

Impractical & too expensive to modify ‘40 frame to accommodate BB Mopar in it.

 

Thx, will check Drake Catalog to check on whether there was stock wood interface between cab, bed & frame. I bought this as modified street rod. Not interested in stock chassis for this project. It has a modified BB Mopar which would rip stock chassis apart. ‘48 & newer frames much stronger & will withstand torque better. I have a mainly stock ‘35 Ford Tudor, different animal. Fun 4 parades & shows but not fun to drive! The only way I’d change frame would be to buy an aftermarket “Fatman” type frame for high Perf. V8 which would be prohibitively expensive. Same holds true 4 stock ‘40 frame by the time U boxed & strenthened, put different rear, Drive shaft, modified the X, modern brakes to accommodate modern V8. Will stay with this & replace wood mounts with rubber body mounts I’m gonna lower suspension after checking all clearance issues.

 

I guess you missed the part where I said sell the rolling chassis with the powertrain and go with something better than the BB Mopar.

 

Having built several 40 Fords I would suggest selling the complete running chassis and find a 35 to 40 Ford frame, there is some work involved but I can't see any way to get the truck to sit low without doing it correctly. HRP

 

Blue One, to each his own. Not what I want as same would hold true for Hi-perf V8 anything in stock frame! Hey U like stock go stock. As soon as U perf up a ‘32-‘41 ford with stock frame w any hi horse power power plant u gotta do a lot (big big buck$’s) to handle it & make it safe enjoyable to drive. Yea U could put a low horse Sb Chev or Ford. Under 200 HP but still have the X frame mod , brakes, rear, on & on. As said I have a stockish ‘35 ford same frame as would be on a stock ‘40. Just juice brakes cost me $4K doing work myself. Mod’s to X & wish bones u need to put any modern V8 even SB chev will be another $3K, then the rear & driveshaft change another $4K. Then there’s suspension change on rear end to accept new differential. Now if u don’t give a shit about handling, safety, or performance just do the X & modify the drive driveshaft to rear mods & ur still at $3K to $5K. I heard U just don’t agree!

 

Can't tell , but would think they stuck the wood in there because the frame contours don't fit the body. I think you'd have to just raise up the body off the mounts , remove wood and see how far off you are at each mounting point.

 

Totally up to you of course but like I said, the only way I would have considered buying that truck would be knowing that the rolling chassis and powertrain would go to a new home.

Then I'd start with something like this from Pete and Jakes.

Or something like this from TCI

 

Less than 5 years ago we built a entire rolling frame for a 4o Ford coupe using chassis engineering parts and a salvage yard rear axle, disc brakes and needing noting but a engine and transmission for less than 2 grand.

I would have to say drive it like it is and get use to the 4 wheel drive look. HRP

 

Ewwwwww.

That thing will always look like a turd in a punch bowl unless you get it on the proper frame.

Rich

 

As most have stated without changing chassis etc it will look ........ cartoonish. Save up a few bucks and do it right with a new foundation. You won’t regret it. If body is solid your way ahead of the game.

 

Checked & seems to be exactly what builder did. While I believe it to be a replacement set they R the wood body/Bed mounting blocks & what’s pictured online catalogs, they’re in perfect condition so will leave as is. Ordered aluminum lowering blocks from speedway that lower axles @ shackle leaf mounts. 2 Kits has 8 shackle plate u bolts & different thicknesses aluminum blocks allow 1/2” to 4” lower.

 

Interesting how folks ask for advice, then when they get good advice, they get panties in a wad

 

Normal lowering blocks won't do it. The rear end is underneath the rear springs, I'm pretty sure the fronts will be the same. IF you want to do some fabrication work, you could move the axles to the top of the spring packs, that will get you lower. You'll have to watch for frame clearance, and ensure everything welded and bolted properly and safely.

 

Not sure if this would help but you may want to look at this CL posting in Allentown PA. Looks like a frame that would work. This is not mine, I don't know the person listing it, I am just trying to help the OP !
https://allentown.craigslist.org/pts/d/1937-through-50-ford-truck/6712240470.html

 

Checked & seems to be exactly what builder did. While I believe it to be a replacement set they R what’s pictured online catalogs, they’re in perfect condition so will leave as is. Ordered aluminum lowering blocks from speedway that lower axles @ shackle leaf mounts. Kit looks like different thicknesses allow 2” to

Thinking I don’t want to go extremely low like this one that’s probably 2”-4” lower than stock https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.pinterest.com/amp/pin/496381190154267194/ but right now mine is 4”over stock. Realizing the ‘40 sheet metal onnthe ‘48 chassis sits higher than the ‘48 sheet metal would giving the high appearance. If I could get down to stockish looking height would be fine. 48’s R lowered all the time, this ia ‘48 frame/suspension so why not? Not getting why ppl think it can’t get lower? I’m gonna check clearance see if anything majors in the way (looks like just the exhaust which can be reconfigured). Reversing where the leafs r & putting under rear housing w 1” spacer drops it 4”s & change out front I with 4 “ dropped I should work?

 

OK then
Tkx

 

Well you came to place with an awful lot of knowledge building cars and asked a question then got pissy....if it’s so easy to lower and solve your issue then great go for it, no need to ask questions. It’s never going to look right on that frame but I’m a fan of the big block dodge.


Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.

 

I have to disagree with you on that one. People have been putting bigger engines in '40 Fords since 1940. Mopars, Caddilac, Olds, Pontiac, you name it, they will fit with a minor amount of effort.

I have even heard of some people putting small block Chevvies in 'em.....

That little truck is going to be tall forever with that frame, if you don't mind that then don't worry about it. But, if you want to get it normal hot rod height, an original frame would be the way to go.

Good luck either way and we'll always here to help.

-Abone.

 

I dig the shit out of it as is.

Everyone wants to preserve history of “old hot rods,” well here one is. I don’t get wiping out the history of a car/truck like this just to replace it with the same look thousands of other “traditional” versions have.

 

If your BB Mopar is so hipo that it would tear up a non-boxed 40 frame, arent you worried that it will be too much for a rear end connection that utilizes lowering blocks?

 

I think it's groovy AF as it is!

 

I think you underestimate Henry's little truck frame. That said, roll your own and I'll be along to imbibe if you post your progress.

 

Years past, your anus would be puckering from all the ass chewing you would have received with that statement.
That truck is not an old Hotrod.
It some 1980’s redneck version of getting a truck back on the road.
It’s terrible on top of that frame.
But on a positive note has great potential.