Projects Bought 40 Ford cpe w/Desoto hemi

Great car

 

This is the same car skidmarks spoke of being at York this year. A friend and I had about resolved to go try to buy the car Sunday morning when the daughter, a friend of ours, came by and said she was trying to get it for her Dad. We backed off. They got the car and her Dad made some good improvements but decided a lack of inside work area and storage would be too much of a burden this winter so he called me to see if I still wanted the car. I took it at his asking price and thanked him for remembering me. Car was exactly as described. We need more folks with his integrity and honesty.

 

That car was on Philly Craigslist last spring. Here's what it looked like when for sale at York.

 

Love it. Thro some plates on and drive it.!

 

Who needs HP when you got torque.
With those 4:11 gears you can really get lost.
Great score.

 

lots of transmissions around to choose from, and also open drives for fords plentiful. the 9 inch rear is tough and easy to change diffrentials so if you set it up for open drive you can have your choice of gearing. automatics you might need to do some frame work. Ford Top loader 4 speed and 9 inch is perfect, and your car is all Ford driveline

 

Well, I made it around the block in the new bomb! Had to add 2 qts of gas to top off the tank! Chirped the tires in all my bucking and jumping but I got her going and did pretty well, all things considered. Of course as I was rounding one corner I saw the town chief of police going by on the street I was approaching! I let him get in the house before I drove by on way back to my house! Another adventure successfully accomplished. Life is good. Al
PS The trans wasn't too bad in 1st and 2nd but it was roaring in 3rd but not clinking! Probably should see if has any trans grease! Details, details!
Also, I chirped the tires in one of my initial efforts to get the car moving and up the slight grade in front of the house. Unbeknownst to me, my wife was watching the whole show from inside the house and thoroughly enjoying see me go!

 

That is awesome

 

Man I am loving this car. I love that it's a hemi, I love that it's a old ford tranny, I love that you chirped the tires!!! Great find!!!!

 

I'm no expert but the front engine mounts look a little fragile to me.
Otherwise it's a great car that don't need much more.

 

You can't tell from the pics but the flat surface you see from the top is actually one side of a very stout piece of angle iron that seems to have been fitted to the crossmember. I'll get better pics when it's on a lift. It might look more scary from the bottom but I don't expect it. Thanks for your interest and sharing your concerns. It was a hoot to drive it around the block! I'm still grinnin'! Al

 

Man, that thing is beautiful! I am happy for you ( I'd be happier for me, but whatever )

Enjoy it!

-mikethegreek-

 

First off, congrats on getting the car. Second, if it were mine I'd "restore" it. By restore, I mean take it apart and detail the engine conversion, clean and paint the chassis and do the same with the body. Next I'd do simple roll and pleat interior and proceed to drive it everywhere. I'd shoot for what would appear in a little pages coverage in B&W.
as far as the shift tower is concerned I'd look for a replacement, shouldn't be too hard.

Frank

 

thats pretty awesome , enjoy your new ride

 

Here's an update. I've prepped and treated and then painted with satin black paint most of the car. Backed it out and washed it off and cleaned the garage that was really getting bad. The hood is coming off soon and then focus will move to mechanical revisions.

BTW, keeping it patina was not an option as the pass side had already been treated with zinc chromate and thus the red primer could not be "aged" to get back to a more patina appearance. Also, there was alot of bare metal showing as the paint was quite thin and there were serious rust pitting issues in alot of places.

Enjoy,
Tired Al

 

Should be a fun project. You will get very good at rebuilding transmissions and replaceing axle keys.

 

Not exactly... I stopped by Chassis Engineering on my recent trip to Minnesota and got complete parallel rear spg settup for a Maverick rearend. Already had an old Ford floorshift trans with an OPEN rear. I'm hoping to find a 5 spd trans sometime or other but think I can get by fine with later rearend as long as I don't get TOO heavy footed!

 

I'm kinda bummed about the paint. I really liked that color/colors . I understand why it had to be done though. Are you going to repaint it eventually?

 

just finished my brothers 40, 60 tbird 9 inch fits perfect with 8 inch wide wheels, i believe that 57 ford 9 inch is a perfect fit also, i believe thats what is in my 40. kool car ya got!

 

The car is probably going to stay in the satin black color, which BTW highlights any body flaws, until I get the bodywork complete. I use this paint on purpose to help me find and fix as many body flaws as possible BEFORE I start using serious paint products($). I've got enough epoxy primer left from my pkp that this cpe might become a twin to the pkpl

I'm thinking of running it without the hood for awhile and deciding later about whether to keep it a standard or change to a deluxe as I have pretty good hoods and grilles for either option. It's nice to have options; especially when I don't have to spend additional money to get them!

 

Updates of a sort. I took the hood off and took a before pic of the firewall with about ALL of the wiring on the car visible! Later pic shows firewall with batt box hole patch panel fabricated from fwall from a 36 ford pkp. It's ready to weld up. The panel clamps work well.
Still working, Al

 

...........Great car.........keep us posted.....Big Bad John

 

Love your car and what you are doing with it. Keep us posted! I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of my new 40 Ford...a car originally hot rodded in 1954 in LA...more on that later!

 

looks like a great find - good luck with it

 

welcome to the firedome in a ford coupe club. i have a 291 in my 46. i have a 700r4 and an 8 inch from a granada with 2.70 something gears. i average 23 mpg if i keep it at 60 mph.
they're a good little motor and they really fill the engine compartment up nicely, almost like they belong there. good luck with yours and keep us posted on the progress.

 

I thought I remembered seeing that car somewhere!!

 

naw you don,t need it ill gladly take it off your hands

 

bad ass

 

I look forward to your updates; I was hoping you'd move the battery and fix the firewall.

 

Getting there as shown in the following before and after pics. Still a few "opportunities" in completing the firewall update but it should be downhill from here... famous last words! Sweating Al