Projects 40 Ford Sedan "The Varmit" IS DONE! Successfully completed a Reliability Run

Going to do this swap someday; so I have been watching your thread for ideas. Looked at a '40 with SBC and '39 trans the other day. He had a Speedway "Hurst" mount without any spacers and plenty of clearance over the U-bolts (more than then it appears to have in the picture). Took a couple of pictures for reference.

 

Dan good job so far. Check hood to radiator clearance before you raise it too much. Ask me how I know...

 

Neat job.
Like others here I am also watching to refresh my memory for when I get to work on getting my '40 back on the road with a fresh 283.
I ran the fan off the water pump and built a shroud for it all. Worked OK. Next time I am thinking of adapting a 6 bladed Ford fan onto the crank like stock. Someone used to offer such an animal, Mr. '40's, Weedeater? Anyway, wondering if any other '39/'40 owners had done such a thing and their success.
I've got 2 of Henry's 6 bladed fans mounted in their stock positions behind a couple of flatheads and those things really move some air. Combined with a shroud I think it might work well. Thoughts?

 

Thanks dude. Do you have a build thread somewhere?

That's weird. I went ahead and bought CE rubber mounts because I saw some collapsed speedway ones the other day. If the rubber biscuits collapse any, the motor will high center on the U bolts. Also, Was the radiator in that 39 raised up from stock?

Good to know, thanks.

I thought about a crank mounted fan, but I'm not crafty enough to make that happen. If someone makes something, let me know.

 

I had some Speedway rubber pucks that kinda squished down, so I put some large washers in the hollow underneath. I figured there was still rubber above the washer and under the mount to provide cush. I just didn't want them flattening out because I had a tach drive mounted to the front of the crank that was a quarter inch above the spring clamp.

 

My uncle Dave from Iowa came down to Texas after the Hot Rod Hundred, and we went to work on the rusty floor. In removing the rocker on the driver's side I discovered some rust in the frame. A 6x6" square patch should do the trick. I guess I must have been in wonderlust when I bought this car because it gets rustier every time I look at it!


I bought a relatively cheap floorboard from ebay, and the rocker is from Dennis Carpenter. after lots of trimming, we got the floor screwed in. I need to patch the frame and do a few other things before the floor and rocker is welded. But this feels like a big step forward. I still need a front seat brace. Anyone repop those?


Here's uncle Dave's 40 PU, Flathead with a T5.

 

On my '40 tudor I moved the seat back a couple inches for more legroom, and also to clear the Hurst shifter on the Muncie. I think I remember making my own seat bracketry under the floor. It might just be an extension of the original braces. Check your "fit" before you finalize your seat position. Don't worry about stealing space from the back passengers as there is a full acre back there.

 

These guys reproduce the floor stiffeners.

http://precisioncoachworks.com/ford-parts-catalog.html

 

Looking Good-Great progress!

 

"Floor stiffeners"? Are you talking about the "frame" stiffener, the piece between outer frame to the X-member? If so, you might call TCI and ask about theirs. (I tried to find it for you on their website, but could not do it. They have always been hard to find as they stick them in the catalog like an afterthought.) Their frame stiffeners have ample holes for exhaust routing and they are super heavy duty.

 

These. The front of the front seat bolts to those cage nuts. This pic is from precision coachworks website that @40LUV mentioned above. The are spot welded to the floorboard.

 

Good to see uncle Dave made it down for the Hot Rod Hundred ,he's been putting miles on the old pick/up. and a nice bonus for you to have his expert help on your 40, looking good .

 

David texted me, from Joplin, on his way back, telling me he was at Popeye's Lou'siana Kitchen, asking if he needed to wait for me to get there. I had to tell him to eat without me.

I always have fun hanging out with David! Floor looks great, Dan.

 

My build thread
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/my-new-project-40-ford-coupe-60s-style.749812/
and
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/...one-finally-big-thanks-to-olscrounger.924462/

 

Sorry to hijack your thread Dan, but I'm really glad to hear that David finally got to stop at Popeyes

 

Great progress on your car. That stinks about the rust in the frame, but at least you're getting it fixed now.

 

Thanks man. The car has gone untouched for about 6 weeks, God and family needed some attention. I hope to get back on it soon.


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Sometimes that's just how it goes. My 40 is on the back burner too. I have some other projects I'm trying to get finished. Plus there just isn't ever enough time. Haha

 

On my 40 STD, I can raise the radiator 1 1/2 in; I would guess you could go at least an inch. Check your frame where the rear of the X meets the side rails; that's usually the worst spot. You're headed in the right direction.

 

At the HAMB Drags, my uncle let me drive his 40 Tudor back from the racetrack to the hotel.. wow, what a neat car. Flathead, Columbia rear, what a nice drive. There's actually a thread on this car here on the Hamb, it was a survivor out of Colorado. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/1940-ford-been-sitting-since-1957.741994/

That got me fired up about working on mine, so I spend several hours all three days of the long weekend tearing into this thing.
I bought the suggested spacers from Speedway for my hurst mount. Turns out I didn't need them, but they make great radiator spacers. This puts the fan it a more central part of the radiator core.

Next up, I blasted and painted the pedal assembly. The clutch adjustment rod was bent, and broken, so I got a new one, along with bushings for the clutch fork. Brake and clutch pedal pads also, all from the Early Ford Store. Other than the rust and old grease, this is another nice piece to come out of this car. NO play whatsoever in the pedal shaft bushings. The more I tear into this thing, the more the 49,000 miles on the odometer seem right.

A friend and HAMBer here in DFW gave me this rear end. I took it because it was free, and I thought I might be able to use some parts for my rear end. I got it home and decided to check the stamping on it.... 11 39! It's a 3:54. So, I spent Saturday tearing into the donor rear end to retrieve the 3:54 center section.

I'm hoping that my rear end is a nicer inside than this one. It wasn't bad, but it definitely needs a few bearings and races replaced. This is also a 41?-48 rear, so it's too wide. I plan to use the 3:54 center section with my 40 bells and axles. I know I'll need to replace the differential bearings and races in the bells, to make sure I'm not mating old bearings to their non-original races. Other than that, it should be an easy swap according to the research that I've done. Next weekend I'll yank and tear into the 40 rear end and assess the condition. I'm praying the rear is as nice as other components on the car. It doesn't look like it's ever been removed, but I know condensation inside can cause trouble.
To refresh your memory, here's what it looked like when I drug it home in August of 2012

And now, as it sits two years later... I know, I'm slow.

 

I posted earlier that I could raise the radiator 1 1/2 in and I thought I'd let you know that I changed and raised it 2 in. However, I will probably have to make baffles to keep the air from going under the radiator core. I'm determined to use a stock 17 in fan.. no electric. BTW you're going as fast as I am, if that's any consolation.

 

Hi Dan, after reading your complete thread here, I was just wondering why you sent off so far for some of the Ford items that are avaiable right in your backyard..Stacy Browns Antique Auto over in Arlington has an inventory to kill for,,,Check him out

 

That's a good point. I've never been over there, so I don't think about it. I need to cruise over there and have a look see.

 

Dan, the motor looks awesome in there. Keep after it you'll be driving it to Joplin next year.

 

Thanks man. I'll keep plugging away and we'll see what happens next August.


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Dude that is looking so good. Makes me want to get moving on my 35.

 

Get going on that thing! HRH 2016?

 

Shooting for it……….

 

Dan - just cranked through this thread. I'm slow too - so don't feel alone! Keep it up brother, the reward is in the end!

 

Thanks man, chipping away at it... I've got the rear end out and I'm starting to clean and go through it.


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