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Projects 1948 Ford Deluxe Tudor

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by 48Tom, Sep 22, 2011.

  1. pasadenahotrod
    Joined: Feb 13, 2007
    Posts: 11,775

    pasadenahotrod
    Member
    from Texas

    While I doubt the 15" wheels will lower your car any it would reduce the tire cost and allow you to use radials, which, are great and available for budget prices anywhere unlike 16" in particular and bias-plies in general.
    It looks like a great car but pleez get rid of those industrial donkey dick radiator hoses and use stock ones or hose ends and chrome sink drain pipes.
     
  2. 48 mercury, 48-60 ford truck wheels are 15" and have the 5 on 5 1/2" bolt pattern and use the same small hubcaps as your 16"s. Also 49-51 Mercury and Lincoln used 15" 5 on 5 1/2" pattern wheels that are 5.5" wide, but use larger Mercury specific caps. Finally ford trucks, and vans used the 5 on 5 1/2" pattern wheels in 15" for a great number of years, clear into the 90's. I'm using 49 merc wheels on my 46 ford business coupe. It's easier to find 15" tires that 16"s, plus you have more choices.
    Hope this helps,
    Matt
     
  3. tattedfordguy
    Joined: Sep 13, 2006
    Posts: 1,361

    tattedfordguy
    Member

    Awsome i love the dash in these cars
     
  4. Torchie
    Joined: Apr 17, 2011
    Posts: 1,099

    Torchie
    Member

    Good looking car.
    Even though the 15" rim swap is a simple one I like the way with these cars look with the 16" Rims. I would leave them and start to save for the new tires.
    Karl.
     
  5. 48ford
    Joined: Dec 15, 2001
    Posts: 461

    48ford
    Member

    Congrats on the new car.
    I have had a lot of them.
    I had a 48 when I met my wife(I'm retired now)
    Our current one is my daily driver till they start salting the roads here in Ohio.(yes we have an OT geaser mobile for the rest of the time)
    If you are going to realy drive it,go ahead an change it over to 12v.
    The starter will live forever,Pull the heater apart and match the motor up with a 12v one at the parts house.
    Use 2357 bulbs in the tail lights not 1157,they are brighter.Get a licence plate frame with a 3rd break light built in.
    Your vaccume wipers are junk(use rain x and move on to other projects.)
    Use a gm altenater and make or buy a bracket to mount it where the generater is now.
    When is real hot next summer shes going to vapor lock(pump on top of engine)
    Get an electric pump and move on.
    Make sure all the tin is in place around the radiator and she will not overheat.
    Mine has power steeing( with the original axle and disc breaks) but i'm old,you probably will not need them but if you do I can help you out as I remember what junk yard parts you need to put it together.
    Also put some turn signals on her,Enjoy it and wilcome to the fat fender fords life
    Later Russ&Irene
     
  6. 48ford
    Joined: Dec 15, 2001
    Posts: 461

    48ford
    Member

    I just looked at the pics,you are missing the tin that goes from the grill to the top of radiator(you need this) make sure you get one for the V8 as the 6 cyl is not the same.
    Also there should be one under the front end from the front back to the front axle,please try to find them if you don't have them.
    If I can help you send me an message.
    Russ
     
  7. 48Tom
    Joined: Sep 19, 2011
    Posts: 46

    48Tom
    Member

    Well after some searching I found some smoothies that I liked from Summit, so I gave in and ordered 15"x7", and with Summit's speedy shipping (and cheap! $12.00 for all 4 wheels!), they will be waiting for me when I get home from work tomorrow... Guess it's a good time to call the family-friend who does automotive painting and get a quick quote on the wheels... better order the new caps and possibly the rings also... haven't decided if I like the rings or not...

    @pasadenahotrod lol thanks for the feedback on the hoses... I never have liked those and decided to scout some chrome ones, or possibly do a solid pipe instead of the hoses... i really need to get my Photoshop working again so I can play around with some ideas before I blow money...

    @48ford I appreciate your pointers as well... I was originally missing the top piece of metal to cover the front of the radiator, I had a co-worker hook me up with those parts (he had recently sold a '46 Ford and just happened to have extra parts he was getting rid of). Also because of him I have a replacement bottom piece also... Needs to be painted (cream! yuck!) but that's no biggie. Will keep you all posted as I make more progress
     
  8. 48Tom
    Joined: Sep 19, 2011
    Posts: 46

    48Tom
    Member

    Well the wheels are in the paint booth this week, new caps (baby moons) have been ordered and look great on the smoothies (minus 1; dented so it's going back), just awaiting the tax return to pay for the tires. Really biting the bullet on this one by going with 215/70R15 BFGoodrich Silvertowns (2.5" WW) from Coker. Will update with pictures when all is well with the wheels and tires.

    Tailpipe is finally ordered also, so i need to get all of that installed, along with replacing motor mounts, and inspect/regrease the fan. I have heard some horror stories about the fan bearing, so i figured while i'm detaching the radiator to lift the engine for motor mounts and exhaust, i might as well check it out....
     
  9. 48Tom
    Joined: Sep 19, 2011
    Posts: 46

    48Tom
    Member

    well for a little update, I finally have something to report:

    The exhaust is not fitting quite as well as i hoped, a quick lesson in "bolt-on parts don't really bolt on".... grrrr.... back to the drawing board on that one...

    but I did give in and order the wide white walls (215/70R15 BF Goodrich Silvertowns with a 2.5" white wall), however due to shortage of funds I only ordered 2. Will have to get the other two when the summer job gives me a few more quarters :D

    got the tires on the wheels, and on the car, and boy do they look sweet (picture attached), but I have hit a bit of a snag: the baby moon caps I got for the wheels don't quite fit due to the large nut and pin holding the hub on (i managed to mar and disfigure one of my caps... grrr, oh well, they are 5 bucks a piece). Anyone know about getting the caps to fit on the rear wheels (short of grinding down that nut and a few threads)?
     

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  10. 48Tom
    Joined: Sep 19, 2011
    Posts: 46

    48Tom
    Member

    Well a little more work has been done over the past few weeks, as I'm starting to scramble to get it road-ready for the Frankenmuth Auto Fest coming up next month. :eek:

    Most recently, I have replaced the tie rods ends & the drag link, re-greased the front bearings, ordered (and mounted) my last 2 tires, and fired her up last night. She sounds a little rough, and if I had to guess, ring-replacement is rising fast on my to-do list.

    I have had a co-worker approach me about a brake system he wants to sell, and after some figuring and measuring (and shopping for bolt pattern adapters) it looks like I will be getting disk brakes for the beast, but that sounds like a project for this winter.

    Oh and did I mention that with the new exhaust system installed, it cleared the way for me to find a crack in BOTH of the exhaust manifolds? :mad: Guess that kills driving her this weekend... now to find a way to get those manifolds off without breaking a lug....

    anywho, for some good news, here's a recent picture with the front suspension completed and wheels installed:
     

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  11. redroaddog
    Joined: Apr 1, 2011
    Posts: 348

    redroaddog
    Member

    great car!!!! just came across ur thread love these things! i drive my forty merc fordor almost every day has a flattie and 15 inch wheels stock brakes that work super so i wouldn't go down the disc brake with adapters road just not worth the change. if u had a big horse power motor then maybe..just saying:D
     
  12. Tim
    Joined: Mar 2, 2001
    Posts: 17,096

    Tim
    Member
    from KCMO

    Cool car :) I don't know if youve figured your rear caps out yet or not but I had seen some one talking on here about fixing just that problem. You may be able to do a search but it came down to turning it over and nocking the center of the cap out a lil further as that's what's always been done to run them. I'd say use some wood or something round to keep your shape consistent and not look like a hammer atacked it.

    Or maybe see if a stock cap will fit as they obviously cleared stock stuff and are the same same as what you want to run? Either way good luck :)
     
  13. 48Tom
    Joined: Sep 19, 2011
    Posts: 46

    48Tom
    Member

    The stock caps will not work for these new wheels (I tried), nor are they the same as the new caps I got. The new caps are smooth baby moons, where the stock caps have the Ford script on them.

    I still haven't figured them out yet, and I'm not sure I trust my hands enough to get the bends right in the caps. I figured the easiest way would be to take a grinder to the last few threads on the hub, as it's just a thread or two too long for the caps to fit over.
     
  14. Tim
    Joined: Mar 2, 2001
    Posts: 17,096

    Tim
    Member
    from KCMO

    i want to say ive heard of people using a ball peen hammer or sitting a ball hitch in it and then smacking that?

    i also think there are some other caps out there that have more of a "cone" to them, just enough to clear but not be super obvious. maybe thatd work? its going to take a shit load of effort to get a few threads off that hub if its anything like the rest of the metal on the car. just trying to save you some trouble
     
  15. 48Tom
    Joined: Sep 19, 2011
    Posts: 46

    48Tom
    Member

    hmm... i could probably take my jacked-up cap and try that one first...
     
  16. I just bought a 47 with chrome reverse 15's and baby moons. I haven't got it home yet, hopefully this w/e, but I will ask the p/o how he did it.
     
  17. Tim
    Joined: Mar 2, 2001
    Posts: 17,096

    Tim
    Member
    from KCMO

    May e do a search for cone caps or cone moon caps? I'd do it and post the thread they were discussing this in but I'm on my iPod and it won't let me do a search on the Hamb :p
     
  18. 48Tom
    Joined: Sep 19, 2011
    Posts: 46

    48Tom
    Member

    Forgot to mention last week, but I noticed (what seems like) smoke/exhaust pouring up thru the oil-fill... oh joy, blow-by...

    I spoke to a local car guru I've known for most of my life, and he recommended that I put a tablespoon of baking soda in the cylinder heads (thru the spark plug hole) and run it for a while, which may re-seat the rings... anyone know if there's truth to this?
     
  19. 48Tom
    Joined: Sep 19, 2011
    Posts: 46

    48Tom
    Member

    well after spraying all of the exhaust manifold bolts with PB Blaster every day for the past 2 weeks, I finally decided to take a crack at them. Lo and behold, 8 of 11 (and I say 11 because 1 is missing) have been safely removed and not broken off in the block :D. Gonna get those cracks welded soon....

    Bumping for anyone who knows any information on re-seating piston rings with baking soda in the cylinder?
     
  20. You have one nice original Ford there.....;) They don't come along very often in that conditon. I like your approach to get it running so you can enjoy it.......:) It's a lot cheaper that way too. :) And I didn't see a word like chop or bag mentioned !!! That really is refreshing...:) I like the looks too of a chopped/bagged car, just not every one of them should get that treatment.
    I too have always liked the 46-48 Fords. I think it's because the neighbor a mile away had some old cars sitting in his pasture. They had one that I would play in (back in the '50s) plus some older ones too. Today we have a '48 coupe in process of a frame-off restoration with a warmed up flatty....:cool: Plus we just aquired a '47 mordr. last wk. from a gentleman in NC....:)

     
    Last edited: Aug 23, 2012
  21. 48Tom
    Joined: Sep 19, 2011
    Posts: 46

    48Tom
    Member

    Here's a pic i took about 2 weeks ago. Decided to get her outta the garage and into the fresh air while I attempt to remove the cracked (and holey) exhaust manifolds. I will get pictures on them as soon as the email comes thru from my phone.
     

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  22. 48Tom
    Joined: Sep 19, 2011
    Posts: 46

    48Tom
    Member

    well the pictures came thru quicker than I thought they would, and I gotta say it is not good news on these things. Have some buddies who sort-of specialize in repairing these things, so I'm going to have them take a crack at it (no pun intended, thanks Mike Britton haha) and see what they can do. Looks like some money shall be spent on pizza and beer if they can get it together for me. :D

    Now you can see why I said the exhaust has more leaks than the Iraqi Navy!
     

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    Last edited: Aug 31, 2012
  23. "so I'm going to have them take a crack at it"
    Take a crack at it !!??!! HAHAHAHAH Sorry, Tom, I couldn't resist......
     
  24. hemifalcon
    Joined: Mar 20, 2008
    Posts: 380

    hemifalcon
    Member

    Mike--is this car all finished up?? I'm reading through some of the threads on here and building upon my own inspiration base..
     

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