Projects building a low budget bellybutton 40 ford coupe

Please keep the updates coming! I really enjoy seeing you keep making this car better and better. i also enjoy your writing style. Well done Sir.

 

Zibo, Tube shocks were the thing when I had my fleet of '38-40 Fords in the late 50s to mid 60s and we tossed many of the stockers because they were "old crap". Dumb kids with cars we didn't deserve. Are those double action or single action like the pre tube shock Chevy? I like the links, another bare bones Zibo Engineering design?

 

Six ball, those look like the stockers to me and the links I'm not sure but he probably mentions it on his blog. They look like they'd do the job though !

On that note you mentioned them still being bouncy Travis, have you adjusted them? Mine ride great


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Thanks UNCLECHET for reading!
There are a handful of updates I've got planned.
It's just a big relief to have it on the road.
Unfortunately I'm in that trap,
that since its a driver I'm focusing on the other 40!

Hey Six,
I was lucky to have stashed a replacement shock,
as one side had blown out.
There is resistance both ways so I guess that's double action.
The dogbone connectors were rust welded on to the eyelets,
and I'm way too cheap buy replacements,
until the next car swap meet anyway!
These were just some heim joints that were lying around.
I did the same trick on the RPU and they've lasted 10 years already,
and they aren't the grease fitting type,
but they are one size larger.
I'll still hunt around for some of the rubber cushioned tapered bolt dog bones though,
as they should fit since its all stock stuff.

Hey Tim,
warming up by the computer ehh!?
Since I use the coupe as a work vehicle
the rear spring has sagged much quicker than planned.
I like the height,
but there's a possibility to add one of the removed leaves,
and stiffen it up a bit.
The catch is the 1937 seat that I used,
it is really springy so it exaggerates any bounciness from the rear!
The kids crack up.

On an end note,
since this is a faux late 60's build now,
I may mod some tube shocks into the rear.
There are already tube shocks in the front,
and as I type this,
I'm realizing I'd rather keep those old lever shocks for a hot rod build...

TP

 

Haha iPhone break.

I have tubes in the rear and levers up front. I drove it easily a thousand miles with nothing up front trying to figure some tubes about before I said screw it and put the stock ones back on.

All I did was adjust one of them to be as stiff as the stiffer one if that makes since?

It's on my summer list to flush all the old oil out if them with new fluid and see what it does but I'm very happy so far, bouncy seat and all


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Thanks for the answer. The Chevy levers only work on rebound. The spring was the dampener on the up stroke. I'm going to try them on my '26 Chevy roadster. They look good and may work OK on a light car.
Your kids are lucky!

 

On the road.....Damnit Travis, you're making the rest of us look bad! I'm glad the fender damage was minimal, I think I'd have cried.
I had a friend that had a 64 and a 70 Nova. He pulled the motor out of the 64 and put it in the 70. The next day he was starting a new job and was running late. He jumped in the 70 and forgot the 64 was behind it at the end of the driveway. He hit it so hard it buckled the 1/4s on the 70 and knocked the 64 across the street.
I think he cried.

 

Hey Tim there's this simple bracket that bolts on to the original shock holes on the frame,
its like a pad with a ten or so inch riser that goes up the fender with a big stud on the end.
It made it really easy to mount the front tube shocks.
Unfortunately I cut up the other pair I had to use on the chopped 40,
otherwise I'd send them out to you!

Hey Six the kids think this stuff is normal!

This was the easy one 1/2done!
The chopped one is still a work in progress.
We had a nice 64 nova,
parked in the alley,
and the wife t-boned it when backing out.
Fortunately only busted up the door,
but it got me burnt on the car and we sold it!

TP

 

Yeah I think Pete & jakes down the road from me makes something like that. I was having more trouble figuring out how to mount it to the axel with out drilling a hole thew it for a stud.


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Chassis Engineering has them.

 

Congrats on getting on the road Travis!! Alas I too could entertain you with stories of running into my own cars! Hell I ran into ,knocked over and dragged my Mig across the shop once haha!!

 

good thread .....

its come a long way =)

 

Amen, but I think you mean "a chitload".

Oh my god Travis!! You are a scrounging beast! So fucking cool. Cannot put into words how entertaining your builds are.

 

Well Travis I just finished reading another one of your builds now I am going to look for another you do damn good work if you ever move to fl. Look me up I'm thinking of opening a hot rod shop up and could deff use someone like you, you have this stuff called common sense its very rare now a days good job and can't wait to see the rusty 40 get done I'm going to check it for updates now, and I got a hitting a car storey I was driveing my wife's parents s.u.v. checking it for a stinking throttle and pulled up behind her brother's knight rider clone car after a test drive with no problems and then it did it I smashed the tail lights and rear bumper and pushed the tail light pan in about 2" , I felt bad the kid just got the car, but it had a happy ending I replaced the tail lights and bumper cover pushed out the tail pan and repainted the back of the car it looked better then before .

anyways keep up the good work

 

Just read the whole thread! It was fun, interesting and impressive. Go,go go.

 

Just read the whole dang thing. Entertaining and tons of good info. Thanks. A buddy just gave me a 302 for my 31 sedan project. Free is great but i was still kind of on the fence about using it instead of the banger I have. Now I'm getting pretty stoked to un-80's and run it. "Fake late 60's". That's a good one. Cool seeing your kids hanging out in the photos. Brings back good memories of dad's Beetle days.

 

Ok guys here's a quick update.
I've been driving the chit out of it.

Mostly around town,
trying to work on any bugs.
It took a couple months to want to get it on the highway,
and it totally sucked.
I blamed it on the 2.80 gears and the big tires.
Even around town it was a bit gutless,
and with the AOD it shifted a little too early.
Changing the timing had helped a bunch.
I took it to the BIG3 swap and slept in it...
Good times.

At the swap I found an NOS ACCEL dual point distributor.
If you remember I had put a stock points/vacuum distributor in it to get it running.
Well the ACCEL wouldn't fit easily,
so I dug out the 70's DURASPARK/HEI conversion that I had given up on.
Fortunately all the parts were there - hotter coil, the hei box, cap...
It took about an hour to regap the plugs to 45,
and holey chit...
It was like a new car.

Way more power,
totally changed the shift points too.
I'm thinking the early mustang distributor may have had a faulty advance curve.
It still needs some better rear end gears,
but it's not as crucial as I thought it was.
For a freeway car I'd be happy with 3.20 or even 3's,
just a little bit easier.
If anyone is contemplating an electronic ignition in there 289/302/5.0,
go with the HEI/duraspark.
All told there's maybe $80 into it including the module, dizzy and coil,
and all of it is available over the counter if there's a problem.

Months ago I had made a cardboard tranny hump template.
It is still in there.
I even made a custom shift boot.
If there was a magic wand that would make it metal I'd be really happy!
One thing I did miss out on was a complete mustang T-5 bellhousing/s-10 tailshaft package for $500.
It was a drop in,
and the length was only 3/4" shorter so the driveshaft could be reused.
The other thing I'm considering is a 4-barrel intake.
I've found a performer and a 4150 holley carb that I'm going through.
The bummer is making the AOD TV cable holder.
The 2-barrel isn't that bad though so it's not a priority.

Thanks for all who have been keeping up on this!
I've fallen into the trap of once it's running,
not much happens other then little fixes.
Too much fun to drive!
TP

 

keep up the goo0d work

sadsack

 

put in 3.70 and i'll go! i wish i was at where you're at with yours.

 

Good luck with it......

 

They're both great cars
keep up the good work!

 

Ha! So fucking cool. Nobody's build threads entertain as much as yours. Blue tape and all, dig the chit out of it.

 

As long as your running a custom shifter boot we should do a leather one like I did for my Gennie...I suppose we could make it match the cardboard!
I love this build! And your cardboard trans hump is still nicer than my ghetto steel one lol!

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Happened onto this thread and really enjoyed it; great project. It interested me because I did a 302 and AOD in my 36 Ford PU ( 2 yr project) and have been driving it for 3 yrs and have put 20,000 miles on it. Has been very dependable and I love it; drive it anywhere I feel like going, and cruises easily at 75 on the interstate with the overdrive and a 3:45 rearend. Used 92 Ford Ranger front and rearend so have disc's on front with power booster-steering etc.. Really enjoying it ( it's an old man's street rod). Going to look at a 40 coupe in my area on Friday. Would love to do it up; depends on the price. Love your projects, guys, keep up the good work; built this one in my two-car garage and if I can do it, anybody can. Reid Campbell

 

Zibo, Keep on putting on yhat '40 ! It is sure coming along great. Hey could you use a tunnel ram for the '40 ?

Dave

 

Any updates? Been following your two projects for quite awhile now.
I like how you do things.

 

Well done.
It's great to see someone build a basic, no frills Hot Rod again, SO refreshing.