Projects 1934 Ford Pickup in England

About 8-9 years ago, this 1934 Ford Pickup was in New Jersey.
Does anyone recognise it, I'd love to know the history.

11816196_10207122640042176_671804560838479037_o by moglite posted Oct 5, 2023 at 11:04 AM

It was exported to England, and went through a couple of owners, and ended up for sale about 20 minutes away from house.
I didn't even dream I could net a proper hot rod, I was in the market for a utility vehicle, something I could take to the hardware shop etc, and do all the things my daily driver was rubbish at.

I went to look at it half-heartedly, expecting rust and glassfibre and all kinds of horrors.
But I didn't find them, so I bought it.

The previous owner repainted it over lock down with yacht enamel. The colour scheme suit the vehicle really well IMHO.

1934-ford-model-b-pickup_crop by moglite posted Oct 5, 2023 at 11:04 AM

It had a later V8, 3-speed manual and juice brakes.

Engine_3 by moglite posted Oct 5, 2023 at 11:04 AM

It wasn't running great, but suttered through a 2 mile pre-sale test drive.

Interior is tidy enough for me.

Interior by moglite posted Oct 5, 2023 at 11:04 AM

I thought if it can do the 2 mile test drive, then it can make it the 12 miles to my house.
Nope - fuel issues, and I won a flat bed taxi ride home.

2023-04-29 13.02.09 (Medium) by moglite posted Oct 5, 2023 at 11:04 AM

...and so it starts.....

 

I dig it. The new color suits it better, IMO.

 

First job was obviously to get it running again.
The fuel pump was showing symptoms of losing its prime.
First step was to take the farmer spec plate off the tank feed, and blow out the fuel line. That didn't do any harm, and the inside of the tank looked decent.

2023-04-29 18.32.43 (Medium) by moglite posted Oct 5, 2023 at 12:22 PM

So I added a cheap inline pump as a belt'n'braces which connected to a dash switch, for whenever I needed it.
Chassis isn't great in this area, and will need some attention in the future.
Dodgy picture, but I was laying on my back - best I could do.

2023-05-06 16.13.22 (M) by moglite posted Oct 5, 2023 at 12:22 PM

But something still didn't ring true, I think a vacuum may have been forming in the tank. There is no breather on the tank, and filling it with fuel is very tedious. So I changed the fuel cap to a vented one for now.

Much better - starts and runs, still not well, but well enough for run around the block.

The old girl was running very rich and had very little power. I wasn't getting full throttle or anything like it.
So, a rebuild of the Stomberg 97 and adjust the linkages, and we are there.

2023-08-04 18.18.56 (Large) by moglite posted Oct 5, 2023 at 12:22 PM

Final touch for now was a K&N element into the air filter.
This fuel pipe makes my teeth itch and needs to get sorted.
But it is so much better to drive already.

2023-08-05 15.18.27 (Large) by moglite posted Oct 5, 2023 at 12:22 PM

Thanks for looking

 

What’s going on with the frame there? It looks like the x frame as well as the main rails have some rough issues.

 

Cool truck, looks like you'll do it right. Keep us updated.

 

I've no idea to be honest - looks like some repairs to the main rails and a hacked about X-frame.
Master cylinder install is a hack job too, and one of the front chassis irons has taken a whack, so it'll need some chassis work in the future, but I can't take that on just yet.

 

I couldn’t zoom in well enough on my old phone.
Thanks.

 

Cute pickup. When you are underneath doing the fixing, also put a proper bracket on the end of the steel brake line.

 

I like the black and white look better than the blue on that one. PO had good taste. Very nice truck and it beats an OT anyday!

 

I think I remember that truck being on sale. Must have been ebay . I can remember lusting over it, saving pictures on my old computer.

 

Great looking truck! Congrats!

 

Thanks for the kind comments

The previous owner left me with a couple of other niggly problems.
A weep from a waterpump.
Dunno why he didn't fix that, it was pretty straightforward.
The pump was yucky, but the coolant I drained was clean.
I must do the other one at some point, just in case.

2023-05-07%2013.52.32%20%28Medium%29 by moglite posted Oct 12, 2023 at 9:06 PM

The other one, which was a bit trickier was the starter solenoid. The spring had gone, and therefore it wouldn't release more often than not.
Taking the solenoid apart, revealed the contacts were not long for this world too.
Foot room is cramped in these pickups. So I decided to ditch the original solenoid and foot starter button, and fit a modern solenoid pack under the seat.
With a semi hidden starter button, I've got more reliability and security, and a pretty invisible mod.

2023-05-12%2013.16.14%20%28Medium%29 by moglite posted Oct 12, 2023 at 9:06 PM

 

With the reliability issues out of the way, it was time to start using the vehicle as intended.

A run to the dump with loads of household rubbish.

2023-06-10%2012.08.35%20%28Large%29 by moglite posted Oct 12, 2023 at 9:20 PM

That worked, then I persuaded the missus for a run out to the local pub - she approves.

2023-05-26%2019.18.55_RR by moglite posted Oct 12, 2023 at 9:20 PM

One thing that quickly became obvious to me, is these pickups have no storage space.
The previous owner had built a hinged tonneau from 3/4" ply. But that had a big sheet of building insulation on top of it, to stop water pooling on the vinyl ]!!
Nope, that is not for me.
But I was able to harvest the sheet of ply.
Together with an old military trunk and some rivnuts - I could make something work.

2023-06-04%2015.28.57%20%28Medium%29 by moglite posted Oct 12, 2023 at 9:08 PM

Some tie downs and Danish oil, and I've got a much more usable pickup bed.

2023-06-04%2016.37.27%20%28Medium%29 by moglite posted Oct 12, 2023 at 9:08 PM

Just gravity is holding that in for now. I'm relutant to start drilling holes until I really have to.

Thanks for looking - more soon

 

Nice work! Keep going! Now that I look at it again on my laptop (bigger pictures are better for old eyes) I think your truck is a '33. The '34 cab has one extra "wide" belt over the top of the other two. My '34 was originally titled as a '35 because that's the year it was purchased new by my uncle. I had it changed to '34 since that's the year it was built (verified by VIN number research). If you can find the VIN, you could look it up.
Of course, I could be wrong. Please feel free to let me know if I am...
Cheers!

 

what a great ride! Good to see it getting used

 

Jeff - I was only pondering this the other evening, and I think you are right.
The back of the cab is for sure '33. I think the hood side - with no V8 emblems are '33 too. I got lost down a rabbit hole trying to find out what year the grille shell was

I've not seen the VIN on the chassis, but on the UK registration document, it decodes as a 1934 V8. It isn't a particularly early VIN, so I don't think it is a transition model.

Here in the UK, the VIN number is king. You can have whatever body you like, it is the chassis which has the identity.

I just need to be a little careful when buying parts.

 

Nice pickup and I also think that the new colour is a better choice than the blue !

I would bolt it down before driving it. (free unsolicited advice)
- when you are driving down the road at speed and the uplift from the wind surpasses the downward force of gravity - it will be too late for bolts.
(A far younger ‘me’ has lost far heavier items that that).

 

Clem - speed isn't something that troubles me currently. I think I may have hit 40mph once
The steering is so wayward - that is when my nerve gives out.
So this weekend I decided to see if I've got a bent chassis.
My eyes tell me I do, and some of the panel/bumper fit say the same.
But I tried to get slightly more scientific.

Maybe over complicated but it works, a little 3D print, to hold my plumb-bob, and get a mark on the garage floor.
It assumes that my wheels are identical, and my axles are in good shape, but I'm happy with those assumptions.

2023-10-15 15.31.23_small by moglite posted Oct 15, 2023 at 7:39 PM

Going round the pickup, I got a mark from each wheel.
I measured them, and cruicially the diagonals, and I put them into a CAD program along with true/square dimensions.
In green are those true/square measurement.
In red underneath are the measurements from my vehicle.

Bent Chassis V2 by moglite posted Oct 15, 2023 at 7:39 PM

It confirms what I though, in that the front left has been pushed over. But this little excercise gave me the amount of deformation - almost 30mm or 1 1/8"

That seems bad to me, but I've no idea what tolerance I could expect from a 90 year old vehicle.

 

Lots has been going on since I last posted here, with the holidays looming, I've got a little chance to make ammends and post some content.
Going back to, is my chassis intolerance, and why does it steer so bad.
I took the car to my local hot rod guys, for a bit of a tug, and an experienced pairs of eyes.


We weren't really sure, that made a far right lot of difference.
But they did spot the drag link was mounted poorly - which would give lots of bump steer.
Here it is flipped, so the ball-joint is under the steering arm.


A quick test drive revealed a huge improvement. Not perfect, but if you'll excuse the pun going the right way.

On the drive home I found my left elbow resting on the open window, in true hot rodders fashion, rather than gripping the wheel for grim death.

 

Next on the list was steering box, alas that was at max adjustment, but was very low on 140W oil, so that got topped up.

Tracking.....
I've got a bit of a reputation as a serial 3D printer, so a home-brew tracking gauge was constructed.


With some conduit, I've got the makings of a tracking gauge.


I was aiming for 1/8" toe in, but it was 13/16".
Wow, just wow.
But easily fixed.
Whilst I was in a measuring mood, I thought I'd check the castor/king-pin angle too.
I measured it taking the slight slope of the garage floor into account at 5.6 degrees on one side...
The consensus is that needs to be between 7 and 8 degrees.

Ho hum, not as bad as the tracking, but not easily adjustable.

 

Castor. First thing is to measure what I have.
5.5 degrees on the offside, 4.8 on the nearside. Explains a lot.
When the vehicle was lowered, somebody put in this spacer block under the gearbox crossmember to get some castor back. That needs to go in the bin pronto.....
Please ignore the chassis/pedal installation, that needs to be attended to another day.


As I wanted a plan B - I managed to pick up a pair of previously cut, but unmodified bones.


Laid out on the bench along with a Speedway kit, I could see what needed doing.



To get the track rods to sit where I wanted them, I had to adjust the angles of the wishbones, with a V-cut.



Those had a damn good root weld, and then a second pass over the top.



Those ground back nicely, and I added a bracket for my steering stabiliser too.



I spent a lot of time getting the axle in the right position, I used ratchet straps to hold it at the correct wheelbase.
But I couldn't use the brackets as they were supplied.
They would interfere with the fitment of the front wings.

So I cut them up to go under the chassis rail, and added some gussets for good measure.
Grease nipple has since been fitted.



Actually measuring the castor was a pain.
First i had to level the car to take into account the slight slope of the garage floor.
Because of the brake hose, there is very little space to get a reading off of the kingpin.
After a couple of iterations, I ended up with this 3D printed bracket to take my inclinometer.

All bolted up, and settled, I ended up with 8.5 degrees on the nearside.



On the offside it is 8.2 degrees, but that difference IMHO is nothing in reality.

Currently my "stance" is very level, it has 6.50x16 tyres on the rear. I do plan on a 2nd set of wheels running radials for safety, and fatter rear tyres.
That rake will drop the castor back to 7 -7.5 degrees according to my calculations, so hopefully futureproofed.

Thanks for looking.

 

Now that you split the bones, do you need to add a panhard bar?

 

I haven't and I don't plan too.
But for Old Fords, this is my first rodeo, no doubt some kind soul will chip in if I'm wrong.

 

Your shackles are rather flat. You might not feel any more sway than before.

 

Future me wants to fit a powered steering coloumn, which will probably hook into a Vega box.
But for now, the last piece of the steering saga is the tyres.
The old (very old) Goodridge Silvertowns had been worn into a strange pattern by the tracking.
I don't like the whitewalls, so I built up a second set of wheels and tyres for a different look.

A set of 1940's steels were sent off to the powdercoaters.
4 1/2" x 16 for the rear
4" x 16 for the front and spare


They have done a superb job.
First zinc coat after blasting was sanded back, before being zinced and powdered.


Originally on the back I had 7.00x16 crossplies. I wanted to go to radials, and a little larger.
Finding the right size with the right look, at the right budget, was quite a challenge.
I settled on these 7.50x16 because they had 100% sidewall and a nice "Vintage" tread pattern - Nanking light truck tyres.


The fronts were to replace 6.00x16 crossplies, and I went with 175R16 - taxi tyres made by Austone, who I'd never heard of, but again they had the look and size I was seeking.
I only bought two initially because I wasn't sure the spare would fit in the wheel well, being fractionally wider, but it does, so I ordered up another tyre for the spare, and a fifth hubcab.


A few trips around the county trying get them fitted with the correct sized tubes took a little while.
But I ended up with this - which I was very happy with.

I sat on my hands for a while debating trim rings.
I managed to get a set at reasonable cost on a business trip to the US.
But I knew if I fitted them, I'd be trashing the powdercoat, and couldn't easily go back.
But fit them I did - and they made me swear - a lot.

I'm certainly a fan of how they emphasize how much sidewall I've got on the rear tyres.

Many more jobs have been done under the skin, and I'll post some of those up soon, but that draws a line under the iffy steering for now.

Thanks for looking

 

Great Truck!!!

 

Very nice looking pickup and your well thought out approach to fix the front alignment issues is stellar.

 

WOW!!
Your efforts have resulted in some serious improvements!
It’s looking great! Well done.

What is the load range or ply rating on the rear tires? I looked on their site and it shows 12 PR.
If so, what are you running for air pressure to soften the ride?