Projects 1940 chevy coupe help

Ok here's the frame, finally got it on lol

 

Use what you got and race what you bring.
Straight axle ain't a bad set up, and a dropped axle gives a perfect stance.


That looks like a good start to something wonderful.
Do you have the rest of the body? Doors, fenders, good etc?

 

Yes I have the doors and fenders but missing all the steering and any interior. The floor needs to be patched up but other than that everything else looks pretty good. I'm really thinking about just sticking with the straight axle and making it work with whatever pieces I throw at it.

 

Would a fox body k member work? Just wondering because the local junkyard has a bunch of them as well as crown vics.

 

I ended up going with a mustang I I front end and I got to thinking, has anyone done an ls swap? If so, was there enough room or is it better to recess the firewall?

 

The "Top Hat" style frame in your car is flimsy and easy to bend. Be careful welding on it. Take careful measurements and keep it square when you put the "K" member back in for the trans mount.

 

Ya I'll be tig welding it so it should go in with more finesse than say stick or mig welding which has a tendency to pull a lot more. The frame itself had no crossmember on it just the rear axle and springs so I'm going to make my own bracing. I'm kinda stuck though on whether to do an LS or a BB swap. The car had absolutely no wiring so the BB would be great. I'm really aiming for 6-700 hp and try to not have a gas pig as well. I know I can add boost to the LS and still have great mileage but what I'm not sure is in the end what's more fun, BB or LS?

 

If your on a budget, your standard 350-350 combo with a 4-barrel carb set up would be the cheapest route. I'd seriously think about setting that body up on some 2 x4's on concrete blocks, and weld in some braces while the body is off the frame. You don't want to take any chances, with the doors and trunk lid off, and it off the frame. Just my 2 cents. Good luck and welcome to the HAMB. Butch's and Ch***is Engineering have engine mounting brackets, and cross members for the transmission.

 

Ya that's what I did removed the body and going to work on the frame first. My biggest problem is figuring out what motor to use lol.

 

Ok I don't want to get flamed for this, I'm just curious on what yalls opinion is. If I keep this car pretty much looking restored, what would yall pick as an engine, 2JZ or turbo LM7/LQ9?

 

2JZ but at that point you're in the wrong forum.

 

Since I don't known those engine types, I wold go with something else.

Chevy 261/292, 265/283 or 301/327.
You can't wrong with any of them.

This is not a restores forum, nor do we care much for bambus/rice burner mills.
But somewhere in between is the gold cut of traditional hot rod.

 

I have a 38 Chevy, It's not exactly the same as a 40 but probably close. If you want to do a cross over steering check out my album. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/media/albums/1938-chevy-with-crossover-steering.45310/
It has some good pics that might help. I have a 327, fender well headers and a Vega steering box. It works great with stock leaf springs and axel but if you want to drop your front end on the ground then I doubt it would work.

 

I'm actually in the middle of doing a mustang 2 front end right now. Oh and the LM7 and LQ4 motors are the 5.3 and 6.0 LS motors that are the iron truck version. Just having trouble on making up my mind.

 

Happy for you but if you've read much of this forum you'll see we're a traditional hotrod/custom car forum. We don't do LS motor swaps here and while there are some cars with mustang II swaps, [I did one under my 40 chevy coupe] we don't really talk about it here. It's possible you may fit in better on the Dogfight forum.
Traditional may be something like a 283 or a hotrod 6 cylinder chevy engine swap with the 40 axle or maybe something like a 53-54 chevy p***enger car complete crossmember switch. As was said earlier in this tread. a 261 chev or 270 GMC motor swap would fit here better.
Best of. luck with the coupe which ever way you go.

 

I have a front end setup off of a '41 that is available. I'm looking the front springs for a '40 myself.

 

The '40 Chevy has a knee action suspension stock not a truck axle. If you want the truck axle just search g***er suspension here on the HAMB and start reading.

here is the stock suspension

 

****** - that's a '35 thru '38 front end.

 

Here's a pic of a 40 Coupe I had gotten back in '67
I think it was a Special Deluxe.
This one sold to a person that will do it justice.
He's already done the MII install.

 

You are absolutely correct.My bad. But they did not go backward to a beam axle. By '40 they had a king pin front end along the same lines as a '49 through '54.

 

Might be irrelevant to what the OP is wanting/trying to do, but 1940 Chevrolet p***enger cars had two different front ends. Lower cost models, (Master 85), had parallel leaf, beam axle front suspension. Higher cost models, (Master Deluxe, Special Deluxe) had the independent front suspension shown by gatz in post #49. Essentially the same front suspension through 1948. '49-'54 was a different design. Based upon picture of the frame shown, if you want to build a g***er, you could go with straight axle, otherwise, Mustang II would provide upgrade suspension, steering, and brakes and is a very straight forward installation.

 

****** - I'm sorry, but they did go back to a beam with parallel leaf springs for '40, then IFS only from '41 onward.

 

I put a heidts in mine now with over 100 thou on it and still going my oldest daughter wants it She uses it now with three kids car seats in the back and she was 6 when I first built it

 

I have a 1940 Business Coupe that I need inf on the frame and other components. It's all there but was involved in an accident so some stuff Is damage. I could use some pictures of the underside of the crossmembers at their connection points. I do have a complete front end of a 41 that is available.

 

Well that makes zero sense. Not that it is not true but makes zero sense at least to me.

 

Looks like i'm a little late too the party here but my dad and i build a '40 Chevy back in the early '90's If your going to use a v8 the stock steering colum runs very close to the heads and the only thing that "might" work is a set of manifolds off of a 265 that dumps out the front because if i recall the box sits right under the center ports. since your a welder and it looks like your font crossmember is gone anyway I'd sugest a Comaro front sub frame, Mustang II front end or any of the other aftermarket IFS kit's. Thats what we ended up doing, and the ride will be so much better.

 

Only the cheap car had the solid axle, the upgrade cars had the independent. But, I have the cheap one, and it had the independent, I have changed it to a solid axle. so it seems GM kinda did both?
If anyone needs one, I have a good frame with the stock independent I don't need.

 

The stock IFS leaves a lot to be desired and is expensive to rebuild. The Must II is the logical choice. The lower level master versions had the parallel leafs and solid beam axle. Those are the easy ones to make straight axle conversion.

My 38 Chevy has a Big Block. It will fit, but is very tight. I have stock firewall, and moved the radiator forward to allow clearance at front of the engine. I went Must II and still required a three U-joint steering shaft. You can't beat big block torque and appearance when you open the hood.

 

A little off topic but I"m installing AC in my 40 an need to know how structurally important the cross bar in front to the radiator core support is. It is in the way of the condenser.