Technical Yeah, Its got a Hemi/41 shop truck

Factory was fully welded.

Sent from my SM-G965U using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

Working on the inside of the firewall, mounting all of the crap that goes into one, trying not to forget anything important that will require a hole in my neat firewall or new floors. The brackets that came with the Air Vintique AC system were a joke...

I say were because they are in the garbage by now. Now this is how you mount an under dash AC system if you don't like rattles and shakes. That's the rear bracket that attaches to a stud I welded in earlier. This is the front.

I picked up the same holes that mount the AC vent I built and it had to move around the vent hoses, thus the jog. It is over built and will be powder coated semi-flat black when finished. Here it is mounted.

And a close up so you can see the issue with the vent hoses. Overbuilt is built right! Of course it would cost about 20K to have an AC system like this installed... but that is why we build them ourselves!

 

Are you filling the cowl vent, or just leaving it inoperable and sealed?

 

Funny you ask young Jedi. I like cowl vents and there is just no room for the handle so I am retaining it and it's functionality via an electric cowl vent from Julianos. The switch will be hidden of course and what you don't know won't hurt the mods feelings. I am in the middle of replacing the dash brace so my defroster vents clear and the vent motor has an attachment point. Plus a new mount for the Newport wipers.

 

I could have chopped out the truck dash and replaced it with a deluxe car dash but it has been done...a lot. I wanted something a bit more "me" and hide some OT stuff while giving the dash an original"ish" appearance.
I started by filling every hole on it and then attacked the lower bar. On a 40/41 they have a break in the middle that looks unfinished. I bought 4 feet of 2" exhaust pipe and rather than trying to blend in the center section I just overlaid it.

I boxed the ends and the Wizzard stopped by to see how I was fairing and he suggested losing those ends and rounding the tube over a 2" trailer ball. So I cut them open and followed his advice.

Much more better! You can see I also have been working on a center fill to add some dimension to the dash rather just being flat all the way across. That took some time and Crown to figure out but I like it.
Ass I mentioned in a post above, there are switches and such that I need access to but do not want to look at them all the time, plus they would just ruin the dash. A 41 (different from the 40) has a rectangular dash emblem that on its own was not quite big enough to conceal my OT items. So I crafted a plate to attach the emblem to and it will hinge from the dash.

Not bad if you saw how I did that. I still have to source a small zero clearance hinge and a magnetic catch to make this functional but it will be cool and very discreet.
So next step is weld the center section up, grind it smooth and cut the access hole under the emblem.

And with the emblem just sitting there for now to get the look.


I think I am going to weld studs inside the lower tube and bolt this to the dash rather than weld it and make a mess. If it was a removable dash I would weld it but this is a welded in piece so the nut and bolt method is a go. The seams are tight! But I will still finish them with sealer and paint.

 

Next up was the required controls, this is the layout I decided on and I am happy with hit.

All of the switches are mount and there is plenty of room to wire and service things in the future.
GM style headlight switch is on top, fog light switch middle and a New port Wiper switch bottom. Those things are massive behind the dash so I chose this location. The keyed ignition is on the left. I mounted it high enough and with nothing below it so the keys could dangle without interference.
The knobs are cool, black 40 style from SoCal but I really want to add three silver stripes to them like this

I tried on the wiper switch but that took forever with a file and I am not satisfied with the result. Anyone have any hot ideas on how I can pull this off on 7 Knobs? A lathe and a fine braided wire? Any advice is appreciated.

 

Chuck them in a drill and a straight pick scrapes the groove clean?

 

Continuing on my fancy-schmancy truck dash idea, I decided to add a glove box clock. I found this one here on the HAMB classifieds, Merc (41?), It is wind up, has a light and it still works! Bonus! It is also rectangular, very important as I am playing off the diagonal gauges, glove box and "ford" emblem.
The mounting required the plasma cutter and then I welded some studs to the back of the door

This is the result.

I am thinking about making the glove box door open off a magnetic catch as well to keep this as clean as possible.
The gauges are not here yet but they are Classic Industries set with tach, turn idicators, high beam indicator, all built in so no more holes other than the fog light indicator. Tradition face on those gauges. I could use the hole above the cluster for that but I am leaning toward welding that one shut and adding the indicator next to the switch itself.
All of this will be painted black like the exterior and a couple of off-white center sections between the pipes and the new waterfall (the main reason I wanted that flat area filled in the middle was to 2 tone it). The steering wheel has a white rim and the sift knob will be white as well.
Remember all of the AC controls, fan, defroster, are located below the vent I made. They get a brushed aluminum panel with more of those black SoCal knobs. All of the other controls are in the seat base. Your thoughts?

There's just enough room right of the glove box for maybe a HAMB tag. I used all the black ones and this years was red...that will have to go on later in 2021 when I renew.

 

A small lathe would do the trick somewhat precisely to add the silver lines on the knobs as well! Love the work you're putting in the truck!

 

I'd paint that rectangular Ford emblem's blue script black or white to go with your paint scheme.
Nice usage of the exhaust tubing.

 

Oh for sure! Not only is that blue paint not where I am going but it is very poorly done!

 

Billy, my '40 will be pretty much standard issue, your's is the "Lincoln" model !

 

Digging the dash mods, especially the clock.

 

Opening your thread is like picking up a book by one of my favorite authors wondering what interesting exploits I will have the joy of reading about in the next few minutes.

 

That's funny Marty! It's a "Super Deluxe" version. Did you ever get your truck in paint?

Thanks! I had to come up with something a bit unique but within my limits as far as tools and talent are concerned.

 

I bought these bezels a while back, ford truck stuff, 50's? Anyhoo, i had to tenderly shave the back of them flat which took some doing. I left a locator pin (that was the thickness of the metal I cut away) that prevents them from turning in the dash.

I drilled the dash at 6 o'clock for the pins and added the headlight switch recess to lock it in place.

And when it it is said and done it will look like this

Somewhere in the boxes of parts is an amber indicator which i will add alongside the middle fog light switch.
The wiper switch is that huge Newport unit and the post is add shaped so I had to drill out a SS washer to make the fit nice and snug, you can see it there in that pic. Black knobs with silver stripes against those bezels...cool. I will bevel and polish the ignition switch bezel to match.

That doesn't look like it took all evening...BUT IT DID!

 

This was fun. Time to work on the fenders, which are round and don't sit still well for hammering, welding, grinding, etc. Enter the frame rotisserie...again. I love these engine stands! The only issue is they needed to be taller, the fender doesn't quite have room to rotate 360 so you have to pull it out (careful) turn it over and reinsert (I said careful!).
I went to Home Despot (LOL) and had them rip a sheet of plywood into 2 foot chunks. Laid the fender on top of one and outlined the fender and marked the holes, then bolted it up.

To the other side I bolted the engine receiver/head/whatchamacallit. Then slip it into the stand.

Note to self, make them taller next time!

Seriously, how easy is that? They roll around, spin easily and let you weld in position!

I may go on shark tank with this one!

 

You're going to score well with that one. Good idea.

 

And while we are on the topic of welding in position (segue) the holes for the passenger car tail lights were already cut. One by the PO and I matched the height on the right fender. But they needed the inner support to bolt to and reinforce them. I had asked a HAMB buddy up north for some pics of these things and he sent them to me that showed what I needed to do. I followed the pictures but added my own twist a bit.
Disregard the surface rust, it is headed to the blaster soon. I sketched out the basics using the gasket as a template

And clamped it to the fender and hit it with the plasma cutter just any craftsman would do...

I did the middle first so I didn't burn my hands trying to hang onto it and cut (I really need a steel table)

I did pirty it up a bit but here is where I deviated slightly. I wanted more depth to the mounting holes so the tail light would be held firmly against the fender so I bent the new support bracket to create a cavity.

Then I welded in. This will all be Rhino lined soon!

OH CRAP! IT"S UPSIDE DOWN!

Ok, the fender I upside down in the picture. But had ya going!

 

.
It will make body work/blocking easier and I am going to use them to paint the fenders as well

 

That fender holder upper idea calls for some Crown.

 

Hey!! @Bandit Billy, I just was snooping Amazon and there it was...The "BB Goodwood Engine Stand Part Rotisserie Kit"...saying it will revolutionize and ease access to what you want to repair...

Note: does not include Engine Stand...

This could be you...

...Fore!!

Mechanical Inclination is a beautiful thing...thanks for sharing your genius Bandit...

 

Thanks guys! I may have toasted the evening accomplishments with my good buddy Walker and his brothers Black and Red.

 

That fender rotisserie is a great idea!

 

Another day, another fender mounted on the "Fender Bandit"...(just trying it out).

This one has a welded nut and bolt for infinite adjustability (and the long bolts make a handy place to hang the metric panel bender I use to adjust it.
This fender had been previously "repaired"

I am not a professional (but I play one on TV) but this isn't quite right

The word "filler" should never be confused with the word "construction material".

Anyway, I had purchased a lower fender extension for this side since it was a later model fender and had a different running board mount. So I tackled it last night.
Made in Detroit USA. What a coincidence. Since there was no damage on the fender after all of the mud was removed I cut this panel off just below that indentation so I didn't have to mess with it.

Cutoff wheel was deployed on the fender next.

I saved the inside corner where I had bumped it out to match the lower bed filler panel.

Clampy, clampy, weldy, weldy.

And once tacked I moved to that inside corner, the metal slightly overlapped so I made a cut through both panels so they would match perfectly. Then some welding and grinding. I do this different than most probably, I like to take my gloves off so I can feel the heat on the fender for 2 reasons; first it is fricken cold in my garage and second I can tell if I am getting the metal too hot
Now isn't that better? And it weighs less!

Today I will roll the fender around, weld up the fender lip and tidy up inside and then move to the tail light support bracket.

 

Billy, those dash bezels are the same as the ones on my '53 COE. As far as my '40, everything is ready to paint, and I have a friend with a 44' deep spray booth, so we can get everything painted in one day. The "Hired Gun" lives east of the mountains, so it will get done around February. Happy New Year !

 

@Marty Strode I thought that was about the right vintage on those bezels, couldn't remember. I am afraid I have to paint my hood last. I didn't get a change to fit it to my truck before I tore it apart. I hate the thought of the paint not matching but the fit is more important I suppose.

Happy New Year! Maybe there will be a Portland Transmission Show this year.

 

"I don't need no stinkin' spare"
Like that you eliminated the spare tire mount..gives it a much cleaner look.
You're making good progress..there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

 

Yeah, the spare tire is cool on the right truck as are fender skirts (I lied on that last one).
I started work on the right front fender today and I will be working on it again tomorrow. It had several cracks in front that I had welded up prior to pulling it off the truck but now I am going in from behind and making reinforcement panels that will strengthen it up dramatically.

 

I've learned that fixing a crack by welding and metal finishing it on both sides is all that's needed. I believe it let's the Fender flex and shake like it should while going down the road. When I've added a metal patch on the inside and welded it in solid sooner or later (usually pretty soon) the crack shows back up right on one of the edges of the patch. I don't add them anymore.