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Projects Burnett's Blown 40 coupe

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by CBurne7, Nov 10, 2016.

  1. CBurne7
    Joined: Nov 27, 2014
    Posts: 188

    CBurne7

    My dad put together his 1940 Coupe Deluxe in '73 in the carport at his parents house. He made his own engine hoist using the crossbeams on the car port to pull out the flathead, swap a sedan body out for a Deluxe coupe, and drop a 351C in. It was his daily driver for a number of years, regularly driving hours on weekends to visit my mother at medical school. No heater, no AC, no power breaks, no power steering and the 351 Cleveland that he stuffed in there (without cutting the firewall, mind you).

    In '89 or '90 someone backed into the car while it was sitting in our garage, which bent the core support, ruined the grill, fan, radiator, and pushed the fenders out. Because of myself and my four siblings being a expensive journey, and money always being tight, my dad was never able to find the means to find the parts (Bob Drake wasn't remanufacturing 40 parts yet) and work on the car. Even if he did, he had no time to drive it because he was always working.

    (Hang in there, pictures below)

    Fast forward a few years. In 2007 my dad spent a little time working on it (a day or two) and was able to start it, but it wouldn't idle well. He swapped the Holley carb out for a new one and it still was having issues overheating because of the fan, radiator, etc. Regardless my brother and I got a ride around the block. This was the first time that I ever had really ridden in the car after seeing it sit in our garage during childhood, other than when we were babies he would take us for rides when we wouldn't go to sleep. It never occurred to me how cool it was, even just sitting in our garage collecting dust (My dad refused to pile things on top of it while it sat). It was normal for a 40 coupe deluxe to sit in my families garage. When he started it up in 07 the exhaust blasted acorns all over the garage floor because chipmunks and packed them in the exhaust. Also, be careful opening up the air vents at speed after sitting for a long time, I got a mouthful of spider webs and dust.

    [​IMG]

    He never wanted to be THAT GUY who had a cool car and always said he was going to "work on it sometime", but never actually got around to it. I know in the back of his mind getting it running and driving again has been a long term goal.

    Now that my siblings and I are all moved out my dad and mom are more financially stable he is beginning work on it again. He ordered a brand new motor from Big Al's Toy Box in CT and we went and picked it up yesterday. It's a 383 stroker with forged rods & crank, aluminum heads, duel QFT carbs. It's pretty rad. Oh yeah, and the Weiand 6-71 blower... Dad has a new transmission to replace the C6, which I can't remember what it is at the moment, as well as fuel tank, lines, pump, motor mounts, cross member, etc. Al recommended using an MSD ignition, but since it's got the original wiring harness (Lol yeah, 1940...) dad's needs to rewire it (Painless wiring?). When we picked up the motor he was all giddy (as giddy as my dad gets, anyways). The car needs some lovin' since it's been sitting so long, but I'm excited for him to finally be back on the road.

    I'm married and work two jobs, but I'm going to try to lend a hand (and learn) as much as I can from my dad through this process as well as take photos and videos which I'll use this thread for.

    P.S. The goal is to be able to close the factory hood. No holes.

    P.S.S. The C351 Cleveland and C6 will be for sale once it's out. Located in Baltimore. PM if you're interested.

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    One of Al's race cars. They were great through the process of ordering and building the engine.

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  2. okiedokie
    Joined: Jul 5, 2005
    Posts: 4,778

    okiedokie
    Member
    from Ok

    Cool story, keep us posted.
     
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  3. Great story! Glad your Dad held onto his dream for all of those years. You guys are right in my backyard (well sort of). Sure would love to see the car someday as I've been a Forty fan since I was a little kid. Good luck with the project, please keep us in the loop......Now, about that part of keeping all of that motor under the hood :rolleyes:;)
     
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  4. CBurne7
    Joined: Nov 27, 2014
    Posts: 188

    CBurne7

    My dad's determined to make it fit. Lol. I texted my wife a picture of it when we picked it up and even she said, "So... You're cutting a hole in the hood?" haha

    Where in Southern MD are you? I grew up in Beltsville, as did both my parents. My dad/grandparents lived off Powder Mill Rd.
     
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  5. The 39 guy
    Joined: Nov 5, 2010
    Posts: 3,524

    The 39 guy
    Member

    Great story! I sold my Forty coupe around 1980 as the family needs overcame my time and budgets. I fortunately found another to build after my sons were grown. I hope you can find some time to spend with your Dad as he builds his dream coupe.

    I would also like to see how he gets that blower to fit under the stock hood. Great looking car and engine BTW! Please keep posting the progress.
     
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  6. 19Eddy30
    Joined: Mar 27, 2011
    Posts: 2,314

    19Eddy30
    Member
    from VA

    Nice HotRod story , I can relate to the childhood !!!
    If you can return the 383 get a 377 it will put BIGGER SIMLE on your face's
    Or a Ford , but anyways You will be happy to see the Coupe alive again with 383 !!!
     
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  7. One of the very few highlights of the Stafford Swap Meet is hearing one of Big Al's motors firing off.
     
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  8. .......................Lothian...........thus the screen name, Don.
     
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  9. ...................I spent a lot of Friday nights at Beltsville Speedway back in the late 60's-early 70's. Was living in P.G. County at the time.
     
    CBurne7 likes this.
  10. It can be done. This is a 4:71. 10312014_0002 (1).jpg
     
  11. mgtstumpy
    Joined: Jul 20, 2006
    Posts: 9,214

    mgtstumpy
    Member

    Great story, love the history associated with the car and your revival of it. A 426 will fit under the hood with a tunnel ram however the firewall needs slight modification.:D
    Dascoli2.jpg
     
  12. Tim
    Joined: Mar 2, 2001
    Posts: 17,095

    Tim
    Member
    from KCMO

    Yeah you've got room to not have a hole in the hood for sure. Sure looks like a hot rod already in that side profile photo! Looking forward to seeing your updates
     
  13. CBurne7
    Joined: Nov 27, 2014
    Posts: 188

    CBurne7

    Yeah. When he built it he was pretty adamant about a Ford in a Ford, but he says at this point in his life he doesn't care. He just wants to drive his car again.

    Derp derp derp. o_O I get it now.

    Keeping the firewall intact is a big thing for him. Cleveland blocks don't just DROP IN like a sbc will.
     
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  14. CBurne7
    Joined: Nov 27, 2014
    Posts: 188

    CBurne7

    For sure. It's still got the random junkyard parts from stuff from when he built it as a high schooler. Dropped axle. Pinto shifter. Grant steering wheel. Plywood door panels. LoL. Also, the steelies on the front are off his dad's 66 Galaxie. The other two are on the back of my 63 Fairlane pictured <<<<
     
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  15. Tim
    Joined: Mar 2, 2001
    Posts: 17,095

    Tim
    Member
    from KCMO

    Cool man take lots of photos as it comes apart and back together I'd love to see how it was vs what it turns into
     
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  16. David Gersic
    Joined: Feb 15, 2015
    Posts: 2,730

    David Gersic
    Member
    from DeKalb, IL

    Good luck fitting that engine under the hood. Cool car, through. I like 40s. Painless harness are nice, and they're on sale right now.


    Sent from my iPad using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
     
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  17. paul55
    Joined: Dec 1, 2010
    Posts: 3,490

    paul55
    Member
    from michigan

    Great story! He's not fool'in around this time, should get down the road pretty good!
     
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  18. 40FordDeluxe
    Joined: Dec 21, 2010
    Posts: 414

    40FordDeluxe
    Member

    Very nice story, and it's good to hear he kept it all that time. Has he had time to make any progress on it yet?
     
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  19. .................Yes, and if not, please post up more pictures anyway.:D...............Thanks, Don.
     
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  20. i.rant
    Joined: Nov 23, 2009
    Posts: 4,301

    i.rant
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    1. 1940 Ford

    Great story, will be following along.
     
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  21. Nice he was able to keep the car all those years.
    Looking forward to seeing your Dads' 'Old friend' back on the street.
     
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  22. exterminator
    Joined: Apr 21, 2006
    Posts: 1,695

    exterminator
    Member

    Awesome!:)
     
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  23. CBurne7
    Joined: Nov 27, 2014
    Posts: 188

    CBurne7

    Right now we're looking for a place to work on it. The garage at my parent's house is tiny and he's afraid he'll run out of space and have to keep parts of it covered up outside, which he doesn't want. Thankfully he has a ton of connections so he's in the progress of talking to some of the guys he does contract work for about using one of their vacant warehouses. When he starts taking it apart he wants to be able to work on it until it's done. He's going to find someplace that's secure and he can just pick things back up from the last time he was there.

    As soon as progress picks up, I'll be posting pictures. It's been 26 years, what's a few more weeks of planning?
     
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  24. CBurne7
    Joined: Nov 27, 2014
    Posts: 188

    CBurne7

    A work space has been located!

    After hunting for the right place to start tearing apart his car, my dad found a spot. Today I helped him pull it out of the tiny garage in his house onto a trailer we borrowed from a family friend. He's super stoked! I'm excited for him to finally drive his car again.

    First we had to get this junk off the trailer...

    [​IMG]

    There's a 99.999999999% chance this car WASN'T at Bonneville in '54.

    [​IMG]

    This is the first time this car has seen daylight in 9 years, 26 years since it's moved down I-95.

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    Me, power shifting. BRAAAAH BRAAAAAAAAAAAHHH

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    The fun part starts now. Closing up the overhead door at the undisclosed location AKA the Bat Cave.

    [​IMG]

    I'll post up more pictures as the work gets rolling.
     
  25. Cool car, great story!
     
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  26. DOCTOR SATAN
    Joined: Mar 21, 2014
    Posts: 710

    DOCTOR SATAN
    Member
    from okc

    It'll fit, hell I had a fat block Chevy tunnel ram under the hood of a model A coupe....
     
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  27. CBurne7
    Joined: Nov 27, 2014
    Posts: 188

    CBurne7

    I was just looking at the first side picture of it from 2007 and compared it to now. Nothing has changed with the car. Just the people riding in it.
     
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  28. rd martin
    Joined: Nov 14, 2006
    Posts: 2,463

    rd martin
    Member
    from indiana

    very kool, my brother has owned his since 62, driving it for the last 6 years having fun! hope to see pics of your father on the road!
     
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  29. Very cool! Glad to see you've found a suitable place to continue working on the '40. Love the car, looking forward to more pics as things progress.:).......Don.
     
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  30. Kan Kustom
    Joined: Jul 20, 2009
    Posts: 2,739

    Kan Kustom
    Member

    Will be watching.
     
    lothiandon1940 likes this.

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