Projects Fenderless Hot Rod Build - Floor Questions

Hey Guys,

I hope everyone is staying safe and healthy during these trying times. I am lucky enough to work from home during all this and am getting a little extra time in the garage. My question in concerning the floor on my 1940 Dodge Truck. I've chopped her 3" and I want to be able to have a decent seat bottom and not sit with my legs straight out cause I'm an old fucker ). My floor is rotted out and has to be replaced so I'm thinking that when I build my frame I stay to the far outside of the cab and drop the floor down between the frame rails the depth of the frame rails...3.5 or 4". This will give me 3.5 or 4" of additional floor room / head room. Am I off base thinking this way? Thanks for your thoughts

 

Sounds great if you can keep all the other stuff that usually rides inside the frame down lower. Suspension, exhaust, X members, driveshaft.

 

If you do this, dont forget that your steering column and wheel will now be 4" higher and of course your seat may not fit the same.

 

Thanks for the feedback guys....this is what I need to help me think things thru that I haven't thought about yet. Good stuff. This is going to be a refined fenderless hot rod. I know that other word is not allowed here. If I understand this correctly the drive shaft will run thru the cab in a tunnel I'll need to fab. Exhaust will be either open headers or stacks... I suppose I could go custom headers into side pipes and up to stacks....more to think about. Steering Column will be from scratch so I can position it where needed. Right now I'm working on the cab and have a lot a head of me. If anyone has facebook and would like to see my work so far its at https://www.facebook.com/Bobbys-Rat-Rod-110146923765089/?modal=admin_todo_tour Thanks for your thoughts guys....I'll be back

 

x2. Also since there's no room under the floorboards, you'll need a firewall-mounted brake m/c.

You might consider a two-level floor (like a modern car), which would allow you to bend your knees as you described.

Specifically:
-Keep the portion of the floor that's under the seats and above the X-member level with the *top* of the frame rails.
-Drop the floor thats between the seats and firewall down so it's flush with the *bottom* of the frame rails.

Hope this helps. Be sure to post pictures.

 

This would probably be more appropriate in the "Hot Rod" section of the site rather than the "Custom" section.

 

Not at all. Hudson did that (not as extreme) with a few of their cars in the late '40s early '50s They were called a step down coupe.

I like my seat up a little so I can have a slight bend to my legs too by the way.

 

His Facebook address has Bobbys Rat Rod in the address, need I say more.

 

Oh boy BJR caught me. That was the plan when I bought it but I am a very good body man and painter so the rust bucket is out. I've changed my tune to a refined fender less hot rod. Straight as glass, very classy paint job, very high end leather interior, lots of chrome on the motor, chrome or high polished aluminum wheels. Can I please stay BJR? Can admin move this to the Hot Rod section?

 

Just Gary..... I like that idea a lot. Thanks for your input!

 

Please put fenders on that poor truck...they look terrible without them, just my opinion of course.


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

 

Your straight as glass made me think of a friend who is a body man by trade and very good. He got his rod glass straight, to the point it doesn't look real. Most people think it's glass and pass it by.

 

I hear ya.... on the straight. It's the only way I work.