Projects 1940 Ford p/u Back to the future build.

Hey
This will be the start of my build thread for this 1940 pickup. I'm still in the planning stage for a traditional pre 1965 hot rod. I'm thinking hot rod as I want to make it a driver as I feel I wouldn't enjoy driving a factory original configuration. Heck what am I saying... it will be close to original i think. Lowered, maybe a 51 Merc flathead.
As you can see from the picture... it's rough. I found it in a farmer's yard in Saskatchewan Canada about 2001. Word of mouth- I knew a guy who knew a guy. When I found it, it was just 20 feet from a barn. If only, if only they had parked it in the barn. The key was in the ignition still, like they parked it, pulled the battery and walked away. It had sat parked outside since the late 60's, early 70's. Very few parts are missing. The interior is complete less a heater but I'm not sure it had one from the start, but the mice have turned the cab into a whorehouse.

Oddly, the hood hinges were taken and no surprise the grill. The headlight trim was inside the cab, broken in pieces. The box sides are incredibly straight. Was a very lightly used farm truck. I am the third owner.



In planning this build, I'd like to hear from you guys. What would a pre 65 truck been hot rodded into, if at all. If you have pictures of a 40 truck pre 65, I'd appreciate seeing them and know what engine/transmission you've used?

For now, I am learning to weld and have plans to learn body work from member JVO. I need to get the truck disassembled and will start on the chassis. Progress will be slow but thanks for following along.
Cheers

 

Another pic

 

Engine look almost all there. Plugs still have wires.

 

Somebody call OverHaulin'. Please.

 

Not much work here. Right.

 

Oh baby, that's a nice one. These old trucks don't take much. Reverse eye spring, dropped front axle, maybe a nice little flathead and you are set.

Good luck, -Abone.

 

Great looking project truck. These trucks are pretty well supported by the aftermarket so parts should be fairly easy to source. Not so surprising that the hood hinges have been pirated. They tended to wear out relatively quickly and someone found a solid set on your truck possibly indicating that your truck is a solid, not abused example. My vote is for an early push truck or shop/parts hauler.

 

Gonna make a good one, have fun.

 

Cool truck

 

Nice candidate for a build.
I built mine with a late 50's, early 60's time period as my theme.
My interpretation of that era was hopped up flathead, louvered hood, lowered with rake, full wheel covers, wide whites, aftermarket gauges hung below dash, tach on dash, steering wheel from some 50's car (I used '55 olds), white rolled and pleated interior (yet to be done), probably forgetting something but you get the idea.
Good luck with your build, I'll be following.

 

That's a great chunk of raw material for a rod truck, I like your direction. Use as much of what's there that you can, clean, rebuild and give is a very slight altitude adjustment. Keep the updates coming as it progresses..

 

I feel like we are related (car wise). I am about to start a tear down of my 40 Standard, since the frame is so bad that it cannot be plated. (Note to self - never buy another old Canadian car.)
I have a replacement frame and new rear suspension to convert to parallel leafs.
My plan is to add to the frame first - disc brakes, reverse front spring, using as many original parts as possible. (Car drives so there should be lots of salvageable parts.)
Then add the 3x2 Edelbrock manifold and Stromberg 97s to the original flattty, teamed with a 5 speed and Ford light duty rear end.
Since the interior was done previously, I will reinstall it.
I'm sure there will be lots of cursing and crying in the process, but I have been wanting to do this for the last 20 years.
Now that I have the time and space, let the games begin.

 

A FRIEND MADE THIS NUGGET OUT OF A TRUCK SIMILAR TO WHAT YOU ARE STARTING WITH/BEST OF LUCK.
OWEN SEES

 

Only concession to a later year would be to include a 5 speed trans as they really wake up those flatheads.
I'm sure the shifter could be "tweaked" such that most folks would think it was working a more traditional trans.
Keep workin'
Al

 

Like this:
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/blacksmith-forged-shift-shaft.988539/

 

Looks like you have a nice truck to start with. I wish you a happy journey with your build. Please keep on posting as progress.

 

Push truck/shop parts hauler exactly what I'm thinking. No streetrod and it's definitely to pure to become a rat rod. Judging from the condition of the box alone, it didn't haul much in it's day but every fender has some sort of damage to them. Thanks for your comments.

 

I think it was around 1967 or so, a guy in my town put a Pontiac 389 with a 3x2 setup in one of those trucks. He liked to show off a little bit - that thing could scoot!

 

Did you start a build thread? I'd like to see it if so.

 

No, but there are several pictures in various stages in "my albums"

 

My truck sat in a barn since 62 . Looked a lot like yours . I tried to shoot for 1959-62 build.
Good luck with the build

Mike

 

Thanks everyone. This will be a slow build so thanks for sticking with me. I am new to this era of hot rods. I leave the 60 muscle cars behind, an era I'm much more familiar with but thankfully, you guys through, the HAMB forum, can guide me. I've a '51 Merc flathead, yet to be inspected, that I want to build my plan around. At this point I hope to keep a banjo rear diff, transverse spring and choose a suitable transmission but I am open to hearing options.
Are there any acceptable deviation from the pre 65 period? Would running a T5 and parallel rear suspension put this into the streetrod category?? Many guys will tell me to build whatever I want but my questions come from trying to learn.

I've crossed my fingers the frame will be ok or repairable but in case it wasn't, back in 2001, I found a frame from a 1936 Sedan. That car had seen more garage time so the frame still had some original paint on it. It measured square, has a small crack, has a small amount of rust through at the rear kick up. Very repairable in my mind. I've read, besides mounting holes, the frame between 1935 and 1940 were the same for car and truck.

I hope to use as many 40 truck chassis parts as I can but would the 36 sedan leafs be better to work with?? Were they lighter duty springs in the car.
I still don't know what condition the 40 Banjo diff is in but is that 36 Sedan diff a possible swap into a truck? Was the car gearing the same?

 

That is beautiful. Exactly what I am shooting for. Do you mind giving build details?

 

Looking at that frame picture- is it not missing the car body mounts?? I've always wondered if this wasn't a 36 truck frame and not a sedan.

 

Wow. Gorgeous. Not trying to copy your truck but It has many details I've envisioned. Do you mind describing the components of your green 40? Thank you.

 

Looks like a great starting point. Nice to see another traditional truck being built locally. Not sure if you know or not but George Moir out in Stony Plain is a good guy for Ford stuff out here. http://georgemoir.ca/ There is a guy in Regina that rebuilds flatheads as well.

 

Thanks, it has a '49 8BA bored .080, balanced, Fenton dual carb intake, Fenton cast iron headers, Edelbrock heads, Isky Max 1 Cam, Cherry Bombs, MSD distributor w/MSD6 ignition, Ford 9" rear, on parallel leafs (Chassis Engineering), Heidts MII, 2" drop spindles w/disc brks, and a C4 a/t with Flat-o-matic adaptor (the MII, alt, and C4, are a few reasons, why I never posted a build thread). Built/painted by me, in my 2 car garage.

 

it's a shame not to post the rest of the truck that is on topic... I'm sure I'm not the only one who would like to see the interior, steering wheel setup, and outside views of the truck and the color.
.

 

I don't see any body mounts either?
Maybe get the s/n off the frame, as it looks like it's well preserved, might give us a hint as to what you have...you can look at www.vanpeltsales.com for s/n identification

 

K13 Thanks for checking in. Do you belong to a club or any regular meets you attend? I picked up Moir's catalog a while back and have spoke to Bill in Saskatchewan. I am surprised there's no flat head builders in Edmonton or area.