41 Chevy Hotrod Truck (New Project!)

Here is my 41 Chevrolet Truck Project...
This truck was used by the Civil Air Patrol in WW2, and its motor and trans were removed and the truck forgotten about since shortly after the war.
About a year ago, I pulled the truck (and 2 others) from where it sat for 40+ years and brought it home. Shortly after that, I needed the room in the driveway and sold it to my friend Mitch for really cheap. I then bought it back for an eye-gouging price when I "had to have it back" I'm my own worst enemy sometimes hahaha.

The truck looked to be in pretty good shape when I picked it up, and I planned on making a full fenered lowrider out of it. As I got into the teardown, I realized that the only thing holding parts of it together was the paint. I decided to make a radical hotrod out of it instead. Restoring is boring anyways hahaha.
Plans are...
-454 chevy and a saginaw manual trans
-8" angle chop
-Custom 2x4 frame with bagged 4 link rear, and hidden air front.
-34 chevy master grille
-6.00-16 fronts and 8" wide hurst cheater slicks in the rear.
-old school visor
-keeping the long bed! (i think?)
heres chop and initial mockup pics....I'll add more pics as it progresses.

 

Keep us posted my son has one of these and is in the plan stage of chopping. He also owns a 54 ford crestline basically stock except for the drivetrain, but where I am going with this is he has more fun driving and working on the pick-up, he likes the attention and not all of it is good. So enjoy, the build is fun

 

omg dude you are lucky as hell... that truck looks sick, the chop is nice to, i love it.. wish i had a truck like that. one day i hope i will

 

I plan on keeping updated posts on this build. I did the same on my last truck (the one in my avatar) and had alot of good things come out of it.

 

I dig it because it looks like you are going to run a bed on it. At least then it's still a truck! Love the mail slot back window also

 

Hey Danny! Danny, Check This Out!

 

Very cool- I''ve been thinking along the same lines with a derelict flathead '48 F-1 I know of.

Word: YOU'D BETTER KEEP THE CIVIL AIR PATROL LOGOS ON THE DOORS!

 

Yes, the lettering is staying, im not a big fan of rotted out doors, so Im gonna put some patch panels on, and clear the truck with POR-15 non-porous flat clear to keep the paint and door lettering from degrading any further. I'm gonna gray POR-15 the underside and the floor of the cab as well. Theres alot of rust repair needed.

The bed is staying and will be fully functional....not very deep, but functional. The airbags are rated at 2900ibs for the rear and 2600 for the front, so hauling motorcycles will be no problemo. I'm putting 3 front wheel chocks at the front of the bed as well.

 

Yea Scotty,
awesome find and build and the chop came out very nice, congrats.
I like it, looks sweet. I'm sure it's will be better than your last truck since now you've got the experience, talent and motivation to fabricate something even better

wow, your a blessed man!
Keep us updated with your progress for sure.
Hope the ice cream was yummy last night, mine and Rachael's were
peace brother.

 

Looks like an awesome project! Can't wait to see some more pix of it. Good luck Scotty

 

I'm building a 40 chevy with a 440 dodge motor, I am planning on chopping for that look. Pointers would be well appreciated, you did a great job.
I also am planning on running the bed, I am sectioning 1' only

 

Thanks for the compliments guys!

turboroadster.....PM me and ill give you my contact ifo, I'd be glad to help you out with your chop......these cabs are a real bitch to do because of all the curves. especially an 8" chop hahaha

 

I see it, and it looks damn good. You think you can chop mine and make it look that sweet? If only I could find another cab right?

 

hey dude, where did you round up that 34 grille shell? I'm doing a 46 chevy truck along the same lines as this one, maybe not chopped 8" I was think more about 6" Did you have another cab to chop this one with?

 

Nice start, would'nt want to confuse this with some other 40 chevy truck build . I like the direction you chose,love the mail slot, looking forward to more. Thanks for posting.

 

If you put a tiny little chopped down split windshield in that thing you are a ruler.

 

Awesome truck buddy. I think I remember seeing this truck on e-bay when I was looking to buy a 41-46. Great job.

 

Dude! You're like my evil twin! Now I got one more to keep an eye on. I was jealous from the moment you said Civil Air Patrol.

 

I have the original windsheild frame which I am chopping at this very moment haha.

 

Ya....I put it on egay about a year ago, and the dude that bought it flaked. I soldit to a friend, and then bought it back hahaha.

 

beautiful truck...youre a lucky guy.. i like the long bed idea you dont see much of that where im from...

 

Here are some progress pics as I promised....

First, building the frame..

 

4 Link all finished....





cab mounted, and bed final mock up. I'm toying with the idea of using a hood as well.....what do ya think?? Next, I'll be working on the front suspension then the motor/trans mounts. The cab chop is just roughed in for now, I'll finish it up after I get the engine and trans in.

 

I am so glad to see you using the original hood. I am, too but havn't settled on the grille yet. What do you have in mind?

 

Yea Scotty, great progress, she'll be ready in no-time!
I'm diggen the long bed now and the large space in the back for a nice size gas tank
Thanks for the updates.
Great job so far my friend.
Those bags are gonna give this one a way smoother ride.

 

We will see about the hood and grille setup. I'm not 100 percent sold on it yet, but id I do run the hood, i will use two top halves of the stock grille shell all fabbed to look like one part. not sure yet though. I like the hood because it makes it look fast and sleek.....the downfall to that is, you wont be able to see the engine.

 

hahaha...good point stevie, I'll be able to go farther than 60 miles at a time in this one hahaha

 

I wanna drive it to get tacos at El Rancho this time

 

The good lord was definitely on his A-game when he created El Rancho tacos! mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm