Projects trying to save an oval track 1940 Ford Jalopy

So I have this guy at work and tells me when I first get this old heap delivered to my place..."I have this buddy of mine who has a barn full of 9" Ford rear ends"...6 weeks later I finally get to see the barn full...not really more or less a half a dozen laying around in the woods behind this guys house...hard part was finding the elusive 5 x 5.5 "big" bolt pattern to match the 40 Ford front end...
So yesterday we managed to tip it up and stuff it in the back of my little S10 truck...

I am told it is a 1970 Ford Bronco due to its narrow width...
It will need all new brake parts and special vent bolt that holds the rear brake hose onto the rear end...
thank GOD for the internet...

Had a couple hours tonight...

So I had to smile as I was working on the old heap tonight...here I am putting all these finely engineered parts onto this old lumpy stock car frame...reminds me of the time I was hanging sheet rock in a 100 year old house...it would fit but boy did it looked funny...

Next on the docket...drag the old 9" rear end inside...clean it up as best I can... and hang it on these pretty new leaf springs....

Cant wait to get it rolling again...oh yeah I ordered a new old front axle and spindles for a 1940 Ford from a hot rodder in Wisconsin....

Baby steps kids...

MikeC

 

Had a couple hours tonight...
the old heap has a fancy old 9" Ford rear end...I was gonna put the garage tires and wheels on it but decided I have too much more work to do yet...
seems like someone back in the day they added some wedge to the old chassis as the right rear frame rail is 3/4" lower than the left rear...this is gonna be quite the handful to drive...I remember I offset the rear end in my second 1967 Camaro I built way back in the day (1981)...thought I was gonna be the hot ticket at the track...that old car would turn on a dime but it was such a handful to drive down the straightaways I only drove it like that maybe 2 nights before I went back to the stock configuration...
I love seeing this frame getting wheels to roll on it...also got 2 boxes from a Wisconsin hot rodder who sold me a front axle and spindles...so hoping in the next couple of days to get the front end layed out...the last time I worked on a Ford of this vintage it was 1979...I don't remember anything from that era so wish me luck...
MikeC

 

My 41 ford truck has her "parallel leafs" mounted like yours , not so parallel and no lowering blocks needed.

 

So.... you are doing all that cutting and welding, just straighten the frame while you are at it. Should be simple enough.

I have a soft spot for '40 Fords in any condition. I had a '40 pickup in High School along with a '39 coupe with '40 trim. We have had our '40 Standard Sedan since early 1965.

Dave

 

Agreed, it's not real hard to straighten it at the stage its at right now--especially if it's only off a little.

A porta-power, some chains and some thick wall steel tubing is usually all it takes. I did my T frame. It took a bit as it was really out of wack but I got it straight.

 

Looks like a fun build. They way some of these guys whine about cutting off scab welded stuff and reworking the suspension so you have a safe suspension for the street that you can drive somewhere on you would think they expect you to build a non driving static display rig
It will be an old stock car that ran on local dirt tracks when it is done and if the body changes don't get to far from what it is outside of making it solid some old timers might even recognize it. A fresh paint job in Mikec4193's racing colors with proper number on it and some proper lettering and period and regionally correct decas and done.. Remember no racer worth his salt would have showed up the first of a new season with a "patina" paint job as circle track car usually got fresh paint fairly often.

As far as a definitive book for dirt modified from that period I don't think that will work as every region in the country and track or group of tracks had their own rules and criteria. What worked at the Heart of Texas speedway and Devils bowl in Texas probably wouldn't be the same as the New England area or the south.
Cars in Texas in the early 70's ran a "floater" 8 lug rear and ran the stub off an 8 lug rear fixed on the spindle on the right front as a "floater" hub. Almost every central Texas dirt modified car in the early 70's ran a 55/57 Chevy frame no matter what body or engine they ran.

 

so so so lucky finding an early bronco 9" they are elusive now that the early broncos are worth 10k in need of full resto

 

True that, in fact Hagerty just this last week released their top 50 go to classic purchases, the first gen bronco was numero uno on the list. Even the 2nd and 3rd gens were on the list.

I return you to your thread viewing enjoyment.

 

So it is fathersday weekend here in the Mechanicville hood....had a hankering to do some grinding and welding...and dont you know...this not so cheap 9" Ford rear end....well I got out the chipping hammer out and well...pictures speak for me....

Looks like this old upstate NY 9" Ford rear end assembly has some high tech vent holes...extra ones at that...

So I did the old build a bead and grind it method...

All better...even order a new special 9" Ford vent bolt and flex line from some Bronco website...so hoping by weeks end to have the new vent bolt and flex line in place...

today was really rainy out so what better time than a little mock up time...looks pretty spiffy I would say...

baby steps....

MikeC

 

Had sometime this week to fiddle with the old heap...remounted this bracket...still not sure what is goes too...but it looks important...
it was full of holes...so we did the ole grind...wire brush...and bead a weld over the thin parts...
$55.00 for these 2 parts from the Bronco Barn...a 9" Ford vent tube / brake hose holder downer...and brake hose too... The "brown clown" showed up with period correct hanging pedals...found them on Ebay and had them shipped from the Carolina's or Georgia...they are off of a 1958-1960 F100...even came with the push rods and the return springs...happy dance being done here...
So I kept looking at this saying to myself...this crossmember is way too close to the top of the rear end housing...thank GOD for the internet....I had it 180 degrees out of place...so glad I did not weld it except just a couple of tacks... Still just tacked in place but it looks way better from this angle...

...waiting on a email back from Jason at Pete and Jakes for the correct front spring to run in this old heap...the front end originally was a 1946-48 version....the new old axle I got was a 1940 axle...and we also split the wish bones (my first one...still not done but close)....

Cant wait to get it so it rolls again...then we can drop the body back on it and figure out a plan there too...

Baby steps...

 

So this first picture reminds me fondly of my Willys Jeep flat fender days....looks like the old 9" Ford rear end is marking its spot...just like those old Willys Jeeps do...use to drive me crazy too...

So I have never ever split any wish bones but I guess I finally figured it out...

Not if if it came right or not but I spent the better part of a day taking my new "Posies Super Slider" front buggy spring apart and together and apart and then together and apart and then together again...finally 5 hours later...I have to make a huge shout out to Jason at Pete and Jakes Hot Rod Shop..he took 20 minutes on a busy Friday after noon to talk with me on the phone and explain how to take the "Super Slider" leaf spring apart so I could get it to bolt up to the 1940 Ford front axle I have in the car....
I finally got it so it all fits...I did learn that split wish bones will go on the axle upside down...and then when you try to bolt it all up into the chassis the axle had a major caster issue like I have never seen before....so we pulled every back apart...so now the only issue is it look like the shocks are about 3" too short... hmmm...so I am thinking maybe when I get a motor and tranny and body on it maybe they will fit...only time will tell......when I bolted these back on I made sure I used all old fasteners and none of them matched just like the way old stock was built...no two bolts on the same part matched...gotta love hodge-podge engineering for sure...

I am so thankful for the internet and all these guys building these bolt on parts...I would be lost if I had to figure out how to make all this stuff work together...probably take twice as long to build this old heap...

MikeC

 

No posts in a while...order parts...wait for the USPS or the brown clown or the fed ex folks...add parts...and repeat...I was told the rear end was out of a 1970 Ford Bronco...so as I order parts to make it better again....well some of the stuff fits and some it not so much....
I found a place called I think it is Toms Bronco Barn...they sell alot of the little trinkets you need to make it stop... this guy would not fit...so thank GOD for angle grinders...we gotter all trimed up...it was too wide and too long...but we fixed it right up...

Just like brandy new....made in China and everything...
so while we wait for the one for the delivery services to drop off parts...I figured I better get some more welding done...the ole running boards we a little humble...
so a little grinding and cutting again...

top side...

bottom side...

outside edge before I mounted the angle iron "nerf bar" back on...

just like it was when it showed up at my place minus all the rot...
So I am fiddling with the trinkets for the ebrake...bought a bunch of stuff from Toms Bronco Barn...don't
think I can make it work tho...

so Lokar is going to be getting some of my money and I will be done with it...I am thinking about waiting for the mounting of the body before I address this issue again...
Big BIG BIG news...

the old heap is a roller again...so thankful for that...(been 2 months without wheels on it)

I hate tearing stuff apart...I love putting bolts and nuts and stuff back on....working on the driver's side running board next...some front end parts so I can get it to turn again too...waiting for the delivery trucks again...

Ordered 4 steel wheels from MEG wheels in NJ...

MikeC

 

It will all be worth it when you have it out and about! Nice work and a cool build.

 

Been grinding....cutting...welding....and repeating....the driver side running board has been off and on a 1/2 dozen times...hoping it is on for a little while...well at least until I get the covers for them...
this is what was left after the initial grinding and hammering...broken bolts too...she is a light weight racer now...
and this stuff is what we cut out of it...still needs one small little patch on the top side yet...(maybe tomorrow)...

all cut and fit and ready for the angle iron "Nerf Bar"...

"Nerf Bar" is installed...only took taking it off and putting it back on 1 /2 dozen times...

tomorrow...we attack the front end....
MikeC

 

So we had another hot one roll into the hood today...got back from church and figured it was time to get that body out of the weather and onto the old chassis....I work alone so we be sweating alone too...

I was smiling the whole time....

I even took the ole heap for a little bit of a walk...lined everything up too....
so the ole coupe is happy now...the body and chassis have been together for 79 years....well except the last 2 months...they back together...the rear suspension looks like is will line with the body...so I will be welding all the various brackets in the next day or so...
I have another set of holes in the front leaf spring mount...think I might drop it down to the lower set of holes...low and slow is the way we wanna travel right??...no frame draggin but lower should make it look like it fast even when it is sitting still right???

MikeC

 

The Mopars of the 1960's with torsion bars, heck.. even the late 1950's cars.. the hot trick was to bias the chassis up front and then weld in the long bar (Petty bar?) than ran from the main cage horizontal down to behind the RF chassis kick. I forgot the formula, but either the RF or LF was elevated for welding that bar in place.

 

Another smoker hot one in the hood tonight...2 nights ago I found out that the "Hodge Podge" garage guys did something with the steering column and it was offset about 4" over from the stock position...not sure how they did it but they did it...I couldn't sleep all that night and I tossed and turned and thought about how and why they would do it but then the light bulb moment came on... does it really matter????...nope at all...I thinking about cutting the stock steering column then I thought...why???...it doesn't really matter...????...nope...
So I did what the "Hodge Podge" guys would have done...
Came up with this "Hodge Podge" bracket...had to remove this little stew wacker...still not sure what it was... almost looks like some sort of switch...
three hours later...we had everything bolted back together just like the "Hodge Podge" guys did before me...
and we have a steering column sorta in the place it was for the 55 to 60 years ago when "Hodge and Podge" built it...
I was really thinking about how and what I wanted to do with this ole Jalopy and as of right now....get it back together and send it...it has been fun rebuilding it but putting it back on the street ...well I just don't think would not be a good thing to do...get the motor and trans installed...get the cage installed in it and send it...

Just thinking out loud...maybe go get another old AD style truck to fiddle with....

MikeC

 

Something like a switch, is a dimmer switch for the instrument panel lights.

 

42 Merc said it. It's a gauge panel dimmer switch.

 

Got the running boards back in the car again...first had to do a little "Hodge Podge Garage" work first...thankful for Lowes and their vinyl covering...


Took me 2 weeks to get this done...pretty lame I know but stuff kept happening with my daily driver and family showed up too...


doesn't look too bad now does it??? Drivers side here is shown above...


passenger side here is shown above...

Next stop will be brake lines on the rear end and off to the roll cage kids...they are going to replicate what was in it back in the day...minus the huge gaps those "Hodge Podge Garage" guys did...like this beauty here...shown below...


hoping to have it back at my place before spring of 2020...

Oh yeah...I might even have a buyer for it too...I put some feelers out and there is some interest in it so that is a good thing...so only time will tell....I have had fun with it...but it is time for someone else to have fun with it...

Baby steps again...

MikeC

 

Get any buyer to keep updated this site so we can all see the finished product - hopefully back on the street & with the name “hodge podge racing”

 

Youve come this far, keep on truckin, I would have painted that frame for a much cleaner look.
(spray bomb black rustoleum if nothing else)
It wont hurt to paint and preserve all that stuff no matter what you decide on the rest, will it? and I think It might look better than you think it does after black paint.
I would Just do it!
I think you will be glad that you did and will have more of a feeling of accomplishment on that milestone.
(frame done=Check)
Some cleaned up wheels and tires might be next if it were me

 

I to saw it on C/L and was ? about it Hmmm maybe use it for Y / art good to see you are Doing something with it Looks like you are Haven Fun N bring the Dead alive again Good Luck with your New Toy Soon you will be ZOOM down the road

 

So I have been tinkering with the Hodge Podge garage 1940 Ford coupe...

All summer I kept thinking about how and why I was doing this build why would I want to put an old race car back on the road....I don't know...maybe something crawled in my ear at night burrowed down in my brain....I have decided to keep it like has been for the past 50 to 60 years....I felt a sudden calm come across me consciousness...why would someone try and take an old stock car and try to put back in the road???...what was I smoking???
My kids will get rid of it as soon as I am gone...my wife could care less about it...

I will continue to toil on it and feed it copious amounts of money but I think come spring...it will have to leave the Hodge Podge Garage for another garage to hang out in...
I did have some 3/16" brake line hanging around so I figured I should try and stabilize the rear window opening...


cant wait to get the new old roll cage into it...1 1/4" black iron pipe just like it had for the past 55 to 60 years...only hopefully no gaps like it had back then...

Waiting on some new 8" steel old school racing wheels from a fellow in NJ...Meg Wheels..

Come this spring it should be in a little better shape than it is now...

It would make nice addition to someone who collects old stock cars...

MikeC

 

As always, most of us would love to see a project through and the final result. But if your heart is not in it to get there, well, that just happens sometimes. Great job on what you have done so far. As you said, maybe someone can enjoy it and finish it. Unless you really feel obligated to keep it till spring, put it in the classifieds to see if there is any interest now.

 

So I had a couple nights to tinker with the old heap...about 3 hours total...
before shown here:
after shown here:

all four of them are in...probably another 4 to 6 before it is a little tighter on the bottom side....

It is funny now that I don't plan to ever drive it...I am having fun with it...all my other projects, I would have been all worried about how the welds look and then I would grind them down so they look better but this is an old Jalopy and back in the day they probably would have either pop riveted it or maybe brazed the holes shut...so I cheated with the wire feed...but it looks almost like it should be there...

old and smelly we are...just like what they would have done back in the day...sorta...

MikeC

 

So I finally got the old jalopy off to the roll cage kids...they are going to try and replicate this mess...except the gaps...

Loaded the old guy up for a ride to the next town over...


so it has been raining and the old deck lid was still asking to be banged on...so I obliged...
this little fiasco is and was a gas tank filler access hole....I had some 3/8" brake line kicking around...I flattened it on 2 sides...and commence on trying to get MIG welding wire to stick to rust....it did...
I also noticed the inner panel on the deck lid was a little crusty...I had some really thin aged sheet metal I hacked up and welded it in pieces to help stabilize the bottom of the deck lid...
I am so thankful this an old stock car...I dont have to worry about making anything pretty..this kinda of cobbing is right up my alley...nothing like lap welding rusty metal...
I can remember as a kid watching all the race cars from a far and then one day I was able to up close to 1954 or 55 Ford late model stock car...this was about 1967 or 68...wow...from the stands they look awesome...get up close and you can see all the bubble gum welds and pop rivets an sheet metal screws holding stuff together...
makes me proud to carry that on with this rebuild...

MikeC

 

You should name this car "Chupacabra".

 

I'm going to part out a '40 Ford convertible rolling chassis unless some one buys the whole thing soon. What do U need??