I recently picked up a 40 Ford pickup and would like to put on a 40 Ford car deluxe hood and grill. So far the info I gathered says it wont fit. Has anyone done this and whats involved thanks.
The Truck Cowl Is Designed For The 40/41 Pickup Hood Which Has A Different Design (Dog Leg) Than The Passenger Car Of 39/40...Compare Side View Of Both...
I believe the truck fenders are a little longer at the rear bottom of the fender, so 40 deluxe car fenders wont meet the running boards, and I believe the rear mounting holes for the fender at the cowl are all different on a truck a cowl as well.
I did this once and it is alot of work, you have to cut both hoods and blend them together and it's like chopping a cone the Delux hood is much longer, the truck hood has the spear on the side. I kept the truck back with the spear still attached, slipped the Delux hood inside it slid it back until I found the front matching the Delux grill, which has to be installed first closed and latched. My truck was chopped 2 in. so when I was finished it looked like a Delux car from the front. Did this around 1985 so I might have forgotten a detail or two. JW
If I were to build another pickup, I would use a complete Deluxe car front end. Cut the windshield posts at about center and use the car cowl, firewall and hood. The windshield moldings are the same on the inside and leads me to believe they are the same width. You would end up with a Deluxe car dash as well in a pickup and dual wipers. That way you are eliminating the problem of matching a Deluxe hood to the cowl of the pickup. Just my thoughts.
I had a car fender on a 40 truck I bought. It fit fine at the running board but mounted different at the cowl and left about a 1/2" gap. Truck fenders are not bolted down the cowl like cars and the flange is flat and not curved as the car fender is. Other than that the rest is the same and fit both hoods.
I have thought about the possibility of doing this and discussed it with my now deceased friend Jimmy Bedford, who was obcessed with anything and everything Forty Ford. Our conclusion was to graft a 1939 - 1940 Ford passenger car firewall to the pickup body. Since the frames of all Ford pickups and passenger car frames from 1935 until 1940 (and 1941 for the pickup) are essentially the same, with the exception of frame holes and brackets, bolting the complete hood, fenders, grill, radiator, and beackets would then be a simple matter of assembly. As to running boards, fitting those of a passenger car should be a matter of creating and adding a sheet metal extension to the bottom of the cab; And, if necessary to the rear fender. I will confess to not having done this, yet. But, the first rule to any endeavor is to have a good plan 'A'. That is mine. Plan 'B' would be something like a Forty Deluxe Ute.
thanks for all the advice and pics. I think ill leave stock front end. replacing the whole cowl seems like way to go .
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