Projects 1951 Ford Shoebox build

did some cutting today on a old oil pan to check tie rod clearance... BINGO, i can run the stock 400 oil pump by notching about a inch deep and high. gave my self some extra clearance just in case. i even have enough clearance for the crossmember to oil pan, which with the chevy pan i would have had to notch the crossmember
now to clean up the pan, start welding it up

 

Double checked the clearance on oil pump now that I know it cleared the tierods, yay it will work, now to get the oil pan cleaned up and welded. Pan is pretty grundgy.

 

just in case

Here is a thread about dropped center links, with pictures.
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/shoebox-ford-dropped-center-link-help.695301/

 

ill check it out, thank you.

 

Well……. It’s a start!!

 

Ended up having to add 1/2 back in to bottom of pan, the plate I tacked in was hitting the pump,
Not sure if I want to continue with this pan or go to the swapmeet and guy another now that I know the measurements I need to make it work.

 

If you need some parts I have bought a donor car just for the dash and kept quite a bit of other stuff I couldn’t seem to throw to the scrapyard . Let me know
Ray

 

Well I'm far from needing seats, but I was bored (waiting on parts to come in) and decided to see if the back seat I was given would fit.... mmmm I'm going with no... need backseat ideas now.

 

Just use the dropped center link suggestion above. Forget slicing the pan it will probably leak anyway. And your backseat isn't even close. What is that silly term I have seen lately? SMH?

 

yup, i got a drop link done, and yeah. seat is a no go. maybe i can find someone who wants it for the box spring

 

The curved back seats from the old T-Birds fit those cars pretty well. IF you can find a decent one.

 

I was told the seats I have where from a t bird. Maybe these where from the older 50s ones

 

Good point, maybe as far back as 1958.

 

Mystery has been solved, backs are from a 60s third. The seat is unknown.

 

Well.. picked up a intake with The oil filler tube, BUT a few threads are stripped out like the 3/4 pipe thread for teh coolant passenge... can you heili coul these?

 

I could be mistaken, but I would think that thread would be a pipe thread. How in the heck would anybody strip a pipe thread? Just thinking out loud if it is a pipe thread, retap it to the next size and find an adapter to get back to your hose size... Oh, and get the adapter first..

 

Since the thread is tapered, just run the same size tap in deeper until it cleans up. Most of those male fittings have "extra" thread that does not engage. Just an idea.

 

When I put a 350 in my '49 (in '87) I notched the pan & flipped the piece over, welded it in and had no clearance issue.
Also, the tapping a bit deeper might just work... but go slow & a little @ a time.
'49/'51 Fords are great cars, keep going it'll all be worth it!

 

New issue on the 51... transmission mount isn't working I used the stock th350 one original but I couldn't get the motor back far enough for clearance and a friend told me to try one of the speedway adjustable mounts, now a new problem... hits the pan area plus still isnt back far enough. any ideas?

 

Yeah... build your own.

 

Word. I had to do an adapter-mount on my car. Holes at the transmission mount and slots at the crossmember end. I had a large bar of 1/2" x 4" HRS that a customer gifted me with a job.

 

How much further does it need to go back

 

about a inch

 

Make up a prototype from plywood and see how it fits. I do that quite a bit and plywood mills really well. You could do it with a drill press, but milling slots is not recommended on one.

 

What about if you turned the top plate around the other way, I see one of the pictures site they show a picture of the top plate the other way around. You might have to move the slider bolt forward. For trans sump clearance cut the front of the bottom plate off and weld a plate across the front of it as per blue line on picture

 

I used a '65 Chevelle trans mount.

 

So what i did was flip the whole thing around, Raised the trans mount bracket even with original mount, cut about 3" out of the firewall to give me clearance and i think i got it to fix now, will double check next day off

 

Any pictures of what you have just done.

 

Haven't been keeping anything up to date. Life's been busy but I have gotten some work done.
Motor and trans is in.
Radiator in.
Front glass.
Working on welding package tray. Gas door.
Need to figure out how to cut and fit the wing windows.

 

Good progress!
When I put a S.B.C. in my '49 sedan, (1984) I cut the pan like you did, but just flipped the piece and welded it back in.
That's gonna be a cool cruiser!!