Projects 1940 Ford Tudor Deluxe Rebuild

It's been a while since I could work on this car. I had to build my wife a vehicle to haul our family in, and we have had some customer trucks to do too. I had the poor car stored in my almost enclosed trailer and it had some un wanted tenants I found a couple of weeks ago.

Well guys, I have some good news. I have some good progress on the 40!!! I didn't get nearly as much done as I hoped, but none the less, it's getting worked on again.
First off, I got lucky and the rac**** and her family left on their own so I didn't have to deal with anything other than their phesis. The weather wasn't the greatest last week, but I managed to get around that.
Ok, first off I started by making a dolly to put my body on so I can move it around. Lifting the body up was kind of sketch as the only thing I felt safe using was 2 cherry pickers. I think I'll be borrowing an A-frame to set it back on with. I had to use a floor jack and a block of wood to steady the body but we got it worked out.




I started removing un needed stuff and taking a lot of measurements. Then I braced it and removed the original X member.



Another of the frame dolly. I made it from things I had laying in my steel rack. I've been saving some of this heavy stuff for a while and it paid off.

Next I started boxing the frame.






I'm going to get the frame rails boxed to just about half way up the rear swoop up the frame rail, and then build my new X member. Then I will remove the original leaf spring cross member and box the rest. My triangulated 4 link showed up as well. I'm still trying to decide on coil overs or air bags. I'm really leaning towards air bags though. I know that's frowned upon here, but the ride is so much better. I also went to Torque Fest last weekend and picked up a set of headers for the 354. I'll share some pics as I get them uploaded as there are a lt of them.

 

I found some nice holes in the frame that I never noticed before either. Apparently when who ever hacked off the old spring hanger brackets they also cut into the frame. I cleaned that all up and welded the holes from the inside. I also welded the holes shut on the inside for the un needed hanger bracket since my new mounts will be welded on. Then I cleaned up my boxing plates and the frame some more and started weldong them in. I try to weld a little and then go away so I don't get the frame too hot. It's hard to do that when you're trying to get something done.


Tomorrow hopefully I can get the LH rail done this far back and then I can start on the new X member. I'm trying to decide if I want to C notch the frame or not right now. I'm thinking I might as well so it's done. We shall see.

 

I found some more small holes from a torch, and one patch that was put in the frame. They did a pretty decent job on the patch. I went ahead and welded it from the back and filled in the torch holes. I also tacked what is left of the X member to the rail so there wouldn't be any weird noises later down the road.

Last year I purchased a Nu-tech welder and I never have been satisfied with how it welded small material. I finally got a hold of them and they alluded that the lower ground on the welder is for thinner materials. I had looked in the owner's manual but never read that. I switched it and holly cow. Night and day difference.

Here's where it's at now. Tomorrow my plan is to start on the X member.

 

I didn't get as much done this weekend as I wanted to, but I took my time and tried not to ruin too much tube. In the pics you can see my first bent tube and yep, it was not right. I ended up getting the 4 main tubes bent for the X member center bent. I have to cut them and fit them next. Settign the bars in there was kind of a pain because my jack stand was in the way, but you get the idea.



Lower tubes, got them bent right with each other.

 

Getting the bars set just right on this I thought was going to be cake. But, turns out not so much. I've got the LH one welded on and will now move to the RH side. Then do the lowers and remove the engine and trans and get ready to flip the frame to do the bottom.


I also ordered air bags for it too. I got to 2500 duals for the front, and 2 2600 duals for the rear. It should ride pretty nice. (I know, not traditional. But this is the best option for my car and my budget.)

I only had about an hour and a half to work on the car the last 2 days. I did get the RH bar on and I'm thinking I'm going to add some stiffners to help make it even stronger.

 

I managed to get some decent progress done over the weekend. Saturday I got rid of all of the junk tires we had and hopefully by next year I have some parts trucks gone and can get rid of them as well. After that we did some yard clean up and mowing. Had to do some repairs on our JD 317, and rake a bunch of gravel out of the yard from snow plowing. Big fun.
I got started on the frame in early afternoon. Getting the lower bar in there was real fun..... I finally had my brother come help me hold it while I tacked it in place. I then started making my cross bar stiffners and the pieces to tie the upper and lower bars together. Unfortanately, I decided to bring my X member so far forward. I didn't give it a thought that the frame getting smaller the farther you go forward would limit my space for exhaust to p*** through. So, I'm going to have to go below the X member first bar and then up inside of it.




My brother and I had to go pick up an old entertainment center for my wife. She's going to make a kitchen play set for my daughter. Sunday I tilled our garden and it was very wet and whipped me pretty good. Then I went to my parent's place and we put my mom in a new side walk. Today I got the LH lower tube fitted in and tacked in place.


It's starting to look like a frame again. My air bags also showed up and I sat one in the front suspension to get an idea if they would fit.

Mounting plates


This leads me to two new questions. I see a lot of IFS air ride set ups with the air bag at an angle instead of straight up and down. Is this to help with laying the frame? I'm ***uming the straighter, the better ride and longer life of the bag? Also, is there an affordable properly valved shock for running air bags?

 

Today I got the bar stiffners made and in place. Last night I ordered a power booster master cylinder kit that came with a proportioning valve and residual valves. I also ordered some new body mount bushings. I need to get a gas tank sending unit and figure out what I want to do for fuel and brake lines. I'm trying to get everything together so I can get the body back on the ch***is as I want to take this to Good Guys here in Des Moines July 4th weekend........


I have been trying to figure out how I want to incorporate the trans mount into the X member and I think I decided on this. I think I'm going to take some 3/8"x1 1/4" flat stock and weld it along just below center of the lower X member tubes. I will take a 1/4" plate and bolt it below the pieces welded on the x member and the trans mount will bolt there. The center plate I plan to cut triangles out so it looks like an x from below. This is where I'm at with it as of today.

 

Today's progress included a design change in the trans mount/cross member. I decided the 1/4" plate and my mounting pieces may be excessive. I decided I'm going to use my 1 5/8" tubing and cut it in half. I'll weld 4 or these pieces on the top of the outside lower X member tubes. I made an X out of some s**** tubes I had. I will bolt the little X to the big X and at the back of the little X I will have a piece of 1/4" plate welded and my trans mount will bolt there. Should be strong enough and still look nice too. Plus it should be easy to service.



I have the material to make my front air bag mounting cups. Now I need to remove my inner mounts on the tubular control arms so I can make new ones for it. I need to put the spindles on and my brakes to see if my 14" wheels will clear. I'm hoping they will so I can save a little money to get the car driving and worry about buying different wheels later.