Hot Rods Latest find/project - 1933 Ford Pickup

Well there just can never be any empty space in the garage. I have completed my O/T 68 C10 project and my grandfather has sold off the 64 Chevelle he took in trade on another flipper, we have both had our eyes on the lookout for something else to tinker on. While driving to go look at a 31 Model A coupe we game to a red light at a intersection in this little neighborhood. I just happened to look around the intersection and a garage door was open at first I thought I saw a 32 Ford grille at the front of the open door. I pointed it out to my grandfather and we decided we would drive by after looking at this Model A. The A was a nice car, but needed everything as it was a bone stock coupe. As we left we pulled over to see if that garage door was still open and it was. A better glance showed that it not a 32 ford but a 33/34 pickup. The door started closing and people were leaving so we just kept on driving, but my grandpa said he was going to drive by later in the week and knock on the door. A week goes by and he stops by and knocks on the door and asks if the pickup might be for sale and just so happens they were about ready to sell it as they were never going to fix it up. So we arranged to look at later in the week and for them to come up with a price to see if it was even worth really looking at. Went back yesterday and looked the truck over. Made a counter offer, they accepted and we hauled this beauty home.

Its a 34 grille shell, but everything else is 33. All henry steel, bed has been shortened, spare tire well has been filled, the firewall has never been messed with. We still haven't found any rust or rust repair patches, just some minor dents and dings that will not be too hard to work out. The motor/trans is a 70s Toyota 4 banger and matching 5 speed. We already have that lined up to trade off as we have a 56 Chevy 265 ready to drop in and a F1 3 speed (think 39 box but open driveline), the front end is a 35-48 setup as it a suicide setup, still has a wishbone. It does have juice brakes. The interior is old school tuck and roll with diamonds.

The only thing we are not sure of is the rear end. We think its 9" out of a truck, if anyone has an idea let me know. The bolt patter is 5x5.5"

 

Nice find, with the changes you have in mind it’ll be a neat truck. The bumpers look to be either early Bronco or Scout, should be able to sell them off for something more appropriate.


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Man, that's a nice truck.

The 5.5 x 5 bolt pattern is late 50's ford wagon or possibly a Bronco rear axle. HRP

 

Awesome find and bumpers are 1967 to 77 bumpers 1966 are different and rearend is a 1966 bronco and I bet it’s a 4:10 as early bronco had a 170ci 6cy plus the only year to have a drain plug in the rear

 

Yeah we were guessing Bronco, those will be sold off. Probably wont run a rear bumper, but will put a 32 car bumper on the front like I have on my 33 pickup.

 

Thanks for the info, I was thinking it might be a bronco, the previous owner must have parted out a bronco for the rear end and the bumpers.

the drain plug is directly on the bottom of the axle housing, so that was a 66 only thing?

 

Yes 1966 only awesome truck and would love to have one like it

 

That's a peach, CJ's still got the radar out I see, good for you guys.

 

Nice truck! You and your Grampa should feel lucky.

 

Wasn't the 'smooth' face 9 inch rears from '56-7 ford cars? I'm probably wrong but my old Anglia had a smooth face & I was told it was a '56

 

it has two dimples on the back side

 

thanks! we are stoked to score this. Its as nice of sheet metal as my 33 Ford pickup that I have. Going to be fun to redo this truck and have one for each of us to cruise in.

 

Should be a great project, keep us updated.

 

63-65 Pickups had 2 dimples, and from the width of the welds on the axle tubes, it was probably narrowed at that point. Good luck, I am sure you and CJ, will make a nice truck out of it. BTW, I sold CJ a 34 Pickup back in the 70's !

 

Thanks Marty. Yeah CJ has had quite a few of these pickups. Him and I were going through old photo's and think this is pickup #13 or 14. Still got the teal/green one he built in the early 90's. I have be slowly gathering stuff to restore that one.

 

The rear end being welded up in that location also caught my eye Marty, never have narrowed one in that location but on many occasions I have given it some thought! Seems like cheating!

 

That is a great find! Can't wait to see the changes you all make to fix what is needed.

 

Wow quite a project. Good and solid.
Good find.

 

Nice truck. I would just change the wheels and drive it as is. That engine, while not traditional, is a pretty good little engine.

 

That 4 cylinder looks like a Hemi. I know, it's not traditional. Great find.
Phil

 

Sweet !

 

Yeah, but we already have it traded off for a early F1 3 speed (the 39 looking unit, but open driveline) and a 57 Chevy rear end with choice of gears. Plus we have been looking for something to dump this 265 into. The dual quads are going to go on my 33 pickup and this engine is going to be getting 6x2's. We actually took it out of another 34 pickup, got the Hurst motor mounts and everything to drop in into another 33/34 Ford frame.

 

Well tear down began today. Got the front end apart, also got the Toyota motor and trans pulled out. Looks much better now to not have that oddball motor in there.

 

Great score! I love those trucks.
Keep the pics coming.

 

Nice truck! Waaay better than two rust buckets I’m trying to resurrect. Great find.
How did they incorporate the later axle and spring in front and not kick the wheels forward too much?


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Real nice find
Vic

 

The still used the stock cross member and just relieved it enough to fit the spring. The axle actually sits a little bit back as its a suicide setup with the axle behind the spring. As for the wishbone they cut the end joining part off like you would to split the bones, and then just welded to the side of the cut tube end. Its pretty crude and we plan on going to hair pins, we could probably save the bones and just split them, but we are going to go back to a correct spring/axle setup.

 

Making some progress on the pickup. Got the 265 and 3 speed sitting in the frame now and seeing whats needed to make it fully work. Might go and install side mounts and go with a 327 and th350 still figuring out and making decisions. I like the 265 sitting in there, pretty nice setup for a traditional build.

 

Cool truck, nice score.