Projects Rancho Deluxe '32 pick up shop truck build.

hello all,

I wanted to start a thread on a project that has been rattling around for about five years in my head, and has had a few fitful starts and stops, but thanks to a bulk buy of 32 parts from a great bloke an hour or so north of me, I can now put together a frame, to go under the body I have been saving for a shop truck for a long time. I nearly sold it a few times, and actually stole the chassis to put under my roadster, but now I'll have a truck to drive and signwrite it up to promote my little shop.
The Body was a 1932 Oregon forest services Truck (probably a big truck) and all the other panels are bits from here and there, I finally got the elusive 32 rear pickup fenders this year, so the sheetmetal is all there for a full fendered truck, the running boards are the only non 32 part, they re 33-34,I'll have to chop them down a little.
heres an old shot of the body, its actually packed away at the moment, as space is tight in my shop, but once the chassis is rolling I will bring it in piece by piece, do the required body work and bolt it onto the rolling frame.



Some specs for the chassis..
genuine australian delivered 32 frame
Raised front and rear crossmembers
undropped heavy axle
lincoln repro brakes all round
32 banjo converted to push in axles
15x3.5 and 16x4.5 early solids
excelsior racing comp Vs(bias ply type)
rear chassis K member legs and front chassis doublers to stiffen chassis
39 Merc 3speed, rebuilt
32 steering, and spindles converted to large brake pattern
The engine will be a 99A merc block , with a 4 1/4 Scat rotating assembly, .125 over,heavily ported and relieved, Hogan heads, twin 97s on a hexagon tool manifold, stainless headers and exhaust.

Im trying to do a usable truck, but also keep as many early components as possible, the main chassis upgrades are strengthening and better brakes and stance .

heres some shots of the first weeks progress, all pretty self explanatory..fire away with any questions..





32 front crossmember reshaped to sit 2.5" higher.will require a custom bottom tank on radiator.






Hydraulic brake conversion.


spindles modded to suit late brake backing plate.



Hot Rod Works axle conversion.


'40 rear bones modified to fit 32 diff.





This week Ill mount the mockup block, make front mounts (Im using the 32 style of mount on the crossmember) ,get the clutch,brake and handbrake working, and then start making the rear K member legs and front chassis section doublers (like a 34 chassis ) It should be pretty quick to build as its all stock locations for most parts, so hopefully avoiding all the fabrication headaches that come from gearbox/pedal/diff swappping.. looking forward to having it rolling!!

 

While the chopping tools are in your hands....

Yea, it's all in the builders wishes, but there are 2 full fendered ones in the tri state area, and they really caught my eye: Chop, and just a bit out of the bed length.

I sure do like to see fenders once in a while

 

Oh yeh! forgot to mention that, it will be getting a four (or maybe five, if my engineer okays it!) inch haircut, standard length bed.The Larry monreal pickup that I have been building is a big influence on this truck! heres a pic.. This has a five inch chop.

 

Gonna be Kool...

 

Your project looks sweet to me!!, I know your steering wheel and pedals are on the right hand side, Where as here in the US ours is on the left......But I have always wondered what is the shift pattern on your trans? are they the same as the US trans? or are they reversed from what we have over here.

 

Gotta keep us up to date on this one. Every time one of these '32-'34 Pu threads come around it pisses me off that I let loose of the one I had hanging around here for almost 20 years. Oh well. live and learn.

Frank

 

Awesome, been a long time in the making, be great to see it come together....!

 

Probably too much work, but I'd lower the bottom edge of the windshield 1". Does it look odd in this pic? Maybe if the frame was chromed it would not look like this.


That look goes away with a lesser chop. IMO

Lovin the wheel covers.

 

It does look bulky in that pic, but that truck is sitting behind me as I type, and in the flesh it seems much less obvious. It would be a big job to drop it as the dash and everything else references off that height. Its something to look into though, I agree.

Oh and cowtown, its the same H pattern, and our clutch pedal is still the left pedal. you just change gears with your left hand .

 

Frank is a card carrying member of the Shoulda, Woulda, Coulda Club...

 

Great stuff Ben, looking forward to watching the project unfold.

 

Looking great so far!

 

Nice Ben.

Can you tell me again where that new '32 gearbox mount/plate comes from?

 

Just found two old shots when I first mocked it up on another chassis, This was 2006! time sure flies.





This is with a chassis engineering dropped axle, I hope to get it this height with the undropped axle, through mucking around with the crossmember , and spring pack, and smaller tyres (5.50x 15 fronts)

the front wheels have a bit of a story.. they were 15x5 early merc rims, I got three of them for twenty bucks at the Roundup swap in Texas the other month, Blake the Yay-hoo kindly let me drill out the centres on two of them at his garage, and I carried them back to australia in my luggage. The third wheel? Last i saw it was propped against a tree in the Texas hill country, keeping a watchful eye on the mountain lions' comings and goings, at the Jalopy Journal world headquarters!
I had some Dodge 4.5" rims narrowed to 3.5" and the Merc centres dropped right in.They're the ones in the top photos, all powdercoated and pretty now.
Thanks to my Texas pals!

 

hey Dave,

CW Moss have them in stock, I think Macs sells them too. I have the inner ring/bearing retainer if you need one. I Dont think that bit is reproduced.

 

Man that's gonna be a killer truck!!! I can't wait to see this one come together since I know it'll be top notch. Love the inspiration!

 

Ben, make sure you check the rolling diameter of those Excelsiors if they are the cross ply ones. I had a set for the roadster, and there was over 1" difference betwwen the height on both front tyres. Antiques fully refunded me, but by the time I noticed it, Coker had discontinued production.

 

Looking cool as Ben, can I paint the logos on the doors when your done?

 

cool truck!!!!

 

Very kool Ben...looking forward to seeing it come together.

Rat

 

Thanks Jimbob,
just checked them, about 1.5mm difference at 30 psi, should be ok.yes they are the crossplys, I got the fronts cheap, as they are discontinued.Hope I never get a bad puncture..new set of tyres! This was a a bit of an issue I had to weigh up,but at the price I thought it a reasonable risk. Ive done over 20,000 miles in my roadster on bias plys..no punctures yet ,touch wood!

 

Sure can Kyle, you designed it, after all !

 

Kick ass Ben.. Looking forward to seeing the progress..

 

hurry up and finish it!! very cool pick up

 

Gonna be keeping an eye on this project.... Very Nice.

 

This is going to be awesome..

 

Looks good so far.
i'll keep watching,
I love those trucks.

 

Thanks for sharing, I really like your style and approach.

 

Cheers! heres the latest.. gearbox bolted up, clutch linkage done. I had to lengthen the 39 lever on the clutch shaft about 1 1/2" .dressed it after welding a section in so it looks like an untouched forging. The clevis is a Ford branded one, I think it was a Model A brake rod end? drilled and tapped it to take the 3/8 NF eye bolt.Next is the handbrake, will do that tonight.