Projects 1934 Ford Pickup in England

There is a lot of prep wiring from scratch.
Finding a set of gauges I liked and were the right size took a lot of research - Autometer Old Tyme won that, as I could get a GPS speedo slightly smaller than other options. I also had no need for a tachometer that read to 10,000rpm, or a speedo that went to 160mph, neither of those would barely get off their stops.
Finding a matching set of switches was awkward too. I wanted pull switches, fuel pump on/off was never going to be an issue, a light switch, with a separate switch for dip/main was more of a challenge. But the momentary pull for the horn was really tricky, I'd have preferred a momentary push, but just couldn't get all my ducks in a row.
I ended up with Cole Hersee switches.

Then with gauges, switches, fuseboxes and relays all decided.
Time to put it all down on "Paper"


That stage took ages, but it meant everything pretty much worked first time.
Getting to this stage without a wiring diagram would have been impossible.


That will do for now.

 

This truck is damn nice and you are really doing a great job.

 

Onto the engine bay wiring.
I've got two of these Deutsche DT 12-way plugs on the firewall, so the cab can be removed from the chassis.
But the wires are visible from the back of the connector.
None of the commercial glands etc suited my needs.
So I designed and printed some in a flexible rubber ones with something known as TPU.

These were designed to take glue-lined heatshrink to form the rest of the loom.

All the rest of the engine bay wiring was covered in the same heatshrink.
The 1mm thinwall cables are tiny, and the heatshrink adds a lot of protection.
If splitting a loom, grabbing the Y with a pair of needle nose pliers gives a good effect - just hold them in place for 20sec or so as the glue dries.

Whilst none of this is period correct, it can hardly be seen when it all back together.
More importantly, not a scotchlock, crimp terminal or any tatty electrical tape to be seen.
The 12-way connector is tucked behind the coil on this side, to draw the eye away from it.
On the other side, it is largely behind the steering column, for the same reason.

More in a bit

 

I'm using more of these Deutsche DT multiplugs.
I've got a 4-way multiplug for the lights, and a 2nd 3-way for the horns/indicators.
A factory hole in the front crossmemeber has made a good earth point for all of that.
The plugs will allow me to strip/assemble the front end without disturbing too much re-wiring.

Same deal on the offside, but a bit more of it, as there a spare 2-pin plug for anything needed in the future.
Also a 2nd 2-pin plug for an electric rad fan, again if that is needed.
When the rad shell goes back on that is all pretty well hidden.

Running the wiring through the grille shell to the headlamps and horns has always been an issue.
There are massive holes in the grille shell, so big, that the blingy headlamp conduits I bought from the States don't fit.
Good job I didn't spend a bunch on two pairs of those then.....

Wanted a more low key approach anyway, I put those in the for-sale pile and 3D printed a couple of fittings.
The threads came out quite well, I was impressed.
A bit of heatshrink to hold it all together too.

Couldn't be happier about how this has come out.
I added some braid over the heatshrink for a better look.
The headlamp mounting stud is hollow, and original the wiring just ran through the bottom, and big rusty nuts were used to hold everything in place.
A big stainless acorn nut, now holds everything in place, and the wiring goes straight into the headlamp shell.

Using the old adage, what looks right, is right.
I'd say that was right

To finish off the wiring, one last shot of the fusebox etc before the dash went back into place.
I finished the two layers of sound insulation on the scuttle
Used as much cloth loom tape to hold it all together as I could
The fusebox gained a custom cover - no prizes anymore for how that was constructed.
Just visible under the vent is a "White arm" that allowed me to run the loom and secure it, so that the vent would clear. Clearance between the vent and the speedo wiring is very close, and this helps keep them apart.
The two silver things either side of the vent are just contoured panels with captive threads to hold a USB charger on either side - phone charging is a necessary evil nowadays.
The drivers side also holds the GPS speedo controller.

Rewire.....tick....done

 

Great looking truck but wondering about the indicator bulbs exposure to water infiltration, I know we vintage buffs avoid increment weather like the plague & if ever hosing the bugs off I'm assuming simply being mindful is the solution.

 

I filled the bulb holders with silicon grease when putting them together, that is as good as it is going to get

 

Thanks, with your attention to details & solutions it sounds credible to me.

 

I think most stock marker lights are “weather prepped” by having the bottom
Leak as much as the top so it doesn’t hold water lol

 

Brakes - my pickup had previously been converted to hydraulic brakes.
I wanted to re-pipe them, as I wasn't happy with the routing.
One was under the chassis rail, and had a close encounter with a jack, squashing it.
Should be straight forward, so I bought a load of bits and started. Ohhh how wrong was I ?

I thought I'd be able to re-use the t-pieces, just with fresh unions, but no.
I found joints with ferrules, and there were elbows on the rear brakes that looked like airline fittings.
As they were slathered in PTFE tape - they could well have been.

The front brakes take standard 1940's hoses, no problem, apart from they are 7/16" UNF but at 24TPI which is rare on this side of the pond.
The rear brakes take 7/16" UNF at 20TPI, a bit easier, but I still couldn't find an elbow compact enough to fit.
So, I went to banjo fittings,
Had to modify the banjos, to shorten and a 45degree flare - that is the absolute limit of my machining skills, on my crappy mini-lathe, I can tell you.

Bought some hose and fittings, and ended up with rear flexi's that look like this.
That is AN3 tubing, if I'd have been more knowledgable, I'd have used AN4 to match my 1/4" brake lines, but for the rear, but it all seems to work okay.

Even the 24TPI unions I bought needed modifying on the lathe.
Everything has fought me all of the way.

I spent a bunch of money trying to do the pipes around the front crossmember in AN4 braided hose with banjo fittings, but one leaked.
I thought if one leaks inexplicably - I don't trust the other.
I remade them in tube, which wasn't easy, but they don't appear to leak, so I call that good.

Even bleeding them was an absolte PITA.
I had to cut a hole in the wooden floor panel, and add brake fluid via a syringe.
I hate brake lines on old vehicles
But they seem to work - which is the main thing.

 

Something a little easier than brakes - gearknobs.
I hated the gearknob, it was blue and white, and didn't tell you the shift pattern.
Knobs for a 3-speed are a little scarce.

So I needed an adapter, 5/16UNF on the car M10x1.25 (fine) on the knob.
Easiest way for me to get this, was to buy a fine pitch bolt, and drill and tap for 5/16UNF

Cut to length (but obviously before I chamfered the end after the picture)

Yep happy with that - much better.

If anyone with a 3-speed wants to copy that, it is a Toyota LandCruiser part !!
Still easy to find NOS - the part no is 33504-60021
Thanks for looking

 

Seat belts, in 2024 I went to Pendine Sands for the beach event. Seatbelts were a requirement.
Take a piece of angle iron, drill it, and weld on some spacers in appropriate locations.
Then paint it grey - because there are alternatives to black paint.

Crack out the air-tools, because there is no space to get anything else in here, behind the seat, and by the cab rear bulkhead.

That piece of angle iron picks up on two factory holes in the cab corners.
Alas nothing in the middle - hence the drilling, but it all for a good cause.

Add some nice simple lap belts, and a job done

If only they were all that easy - yes brake pipes - I'm talking about you.
Thanks for looking.

 

I admire folks that don’t dwell on the problem but rather the solution. Love your car, love the way you work ….

 

Some smaller repairs - checkstraps
The brackets in the A-pillar were long gone....

Drill out the spotwelds, and generally make a bit of a mess getting out the remains of the brackets.

Make a couple of L-shaped brackets out of some 2mm stainless I had in the scrap bin, and tack them into place.
Luckily I'd found the spare check-strap floating around the bottom of the drivers door !!

Fully welded into place.

A quick bit of primer, and a UNF bolt makes it functional.
I left it in primer until I had a bit more cream paint to touch up.
Thanks for looking.

 

Broken cab mount.
Raid the scrap bin to find a suitable piece of steel.

Clean up the broken mount, and shape the offcut to suit.
Nick the chassis, just enough to provoke swearing.

Welded up, ground back and ready for a lick of paint.
I've put a dot of weld in the chassis nick, and ground that back too.

I've spaced the mount off the chassis by a couple of washers.
There is a webbing that goes between the chassis and the body. But the current stuff looks suspiciously like 5ton ratchet strap, but I may be wrong with that.

Thanks for loking.

 

Last one for now.
The rad shell needed a couple of repairs.
The bottom corner was tweaked, by the time I'd straightened it out it was split and wafer thin.

No point making a panel, I just built it up with weld and ground it back.

One of the mounting holes had ceased to be a hole.

A washer badly cut to size formed the recessed repair section.

But it all came good in the end.

I was able to get the black paint matched to a modern Fiat colour, and touching in small areas like this is working well.
Thanks for looking

 

To be fair this is an old ford not a space ship. The difference between a five ton ratchet strap belt and old ford webbing is probably negligible

 

One thing that was bugging me was the storage chest, I'd bought it with no key.
I reluctantly took out the original lock. It was held in place with an aluminium tray that was spot welded to the chest.
But I managed to get it out without butchering anything of consequence.
Pulled of the cover plate, and took a look at the workings.

I couldn't find a replacement lock of the right size with keys.
So, I made a couple of 3d printed prototype keys, which kinda worked, but were in no way strong enough.

With limited machining resources, I set about making a key from a chunk of 6mm steel.
First step was to drill a 3.5mm hole through the edge.
With nothing more than a cordless drill available. I drilled the hole at whatever angle, and then marked up the design using the hole as the datum.
I cut the key to a working, but ugly thing first.

Took some of the excess off, and made it look key-shaped.

Not jewelry quality, but fit for purpose, and works.
I reinstalled the lock, checked everywhere for my aluminium spot welding gear, couldn't find it.
Had to use pop-rivets.

A dab of black paint on the rivets at some point, and we are done.
I don't think I've got OCD, but a chest that doesn't lock pushes my buttons, so I was glad to get this one done.
Thanks for looking.

 

This update dates back to the summer, and I was just about to enter an event, and didn't want a hole in the floor.
The fixing for the tunnel cover have long since been lost.
Taking it onto the bench for a proper look and it seems it is battered and posses no symmetry.

Welded in a few bits, and all the original mounting holes up
Added a piece of angle iron, with a plastic buffer, so the handbrake can slide against it, and not wobble around.
A couple of UNC captives for the handbrake gaitor too.

I did a little filler work on it, but nothing too crazy, as I knew I was going to use this finish.
Which is aerosol truck bed liner, which is great, but sometimes doesn't dry to an even finish, so a dusting of satin black over the top.
UNC allen screws go through the wooden floor into t-nuts to secure it.
I don't like using wood screws for something like this, which has to come apart occasionally.

3D printed and painted a little surround for the handbrake gaitor, which I'm very happy with.
Also did a cup-holder, I'm less happy with the design of this, but as it a separate piece, I can remove it with two of the fixing bolts and try something else.

All told a little bit neater and no holes in the floor to freak out any passengers.
But I did those changes 7-8 months ago, and I've sinced decided I hate the gearbox.
Well to be honest I've always hated the gearbox, but now it steers so much better, the gearbox is now the thing that lets the driving experience down.
I don't have the skill to change down from 2nd into a non-syncro 1st in traffic, whilst executing a turn, whilst wondering if anyone else around me is going to crash into me.
I would have loved to go to an overdrive auto box, but space constraints and trying to hook one up to a 59A seem almost impossible.
I'm currently investigating/parts gathering for a Volvo M46 4-speed +O/D box. But that is a long way off.
Thanks for looking.

 

shouldn't that be a guinness?

 

That plastic rubbing block is very clever, just like everything else you’ve done.

I think most people don’t down shift to first and just bring the revs up and make second pull it. I see this sort of thing discussed in flathead threads when considering a lightened flywheel. Something to chew on I guess

something that might be worth looking into is a deeper gear set for the rear with a Columbia two speed to get your highway rom back down

 

The sloped junction at the end of my road is the problem. If it is clear I can just about chug through in 2nd. But if there is anything else around, I have to make a downshift to first, which isn't pretty/quiet.
A two-speed rear would be cool, but old obscure parts, aren't that common on this side of the pond......manual Volvos on the other hand are.
A lightened flywheel is on the wishlist, we haven't got that far yet, but the engine is currently out for a refresh, so it'll almost certainly happen.

 

I enjoy reading your thread, you build great things,
I like it a lot.
The Volvo gearboxes are cool,
I installed the M40 in my 31 coupe together with the torque tube,
I'm excited to see how it works.
Greetings Harald

 

I love threads like this. Fixing things as you go along using ingenuity and available resources. Thanks for documenting and sharing! Keep up the great work!

 

Have just read the thread right through. Awesome stuff.

 

I really have enjoyed your thread and your innovations and improvements.
I have the same downshift issue. In my 32 with 32 trans I have to make a 180 left u-turn from a fast two lane and immediately climb a hill, while watching my mirror for some clown coming around the preceding curve. If there’s traffic it can be a challenge.

 

Thanks all for the kind words, I need to go back and read other peoples threads, and return the compliment.
Harald, I did speed read yours, as I would love to keep the torque tube. But with zero machining skills, I'm not sure if that is going to be possible with my setup.

 

You need to make friends with Mart, who recently installed a Volvo overdrive in his 32, keeping the torquetube. Look for him on Fordbarn. He lives in England, too. AH

 

You will surely find a solution for yourself.
Greetings Harald

 

The event I eluded to was the VHRA 2024 Pendine Sands beach "Race".
My pickup had been there with a previous owner, and I had been there as a spectator, but now it was time to fill in the gaps.
Team up with a mate with a suitable tow vehicle and trailer, and set off on a 4-hour drive that took 7 !!

Scrutinering that evening was straightforward.
Then early on Saturday morning head down to the beach.
Before too long we were directed / funnelled into the pits area which is fenced off from the general public

Then to the start line for my first (and only) run of the day.

Everything went fine, but I lifted before the finish line for some inexplicable reason.
My top speed was 64.76mph.
That is about 25mph faster than I have ever been in that vehicle !!
To my knowledge there are no speed parts, bar an air-filter and a points replacement on the engine, so I was pretty happy with that.
My co-driver 64.30mph later in the day.
Due to the number of cars, and the unstoppable tides, those were the only two runs we got on Saturday.
But there was still time for some poseur shots on the beach.




Enjoy a couple of videos from Saturday, if you so choose.





With Saturday sucessful, it was time to see what Sunday would bring.
The answer was fog - all day - for a summers day in June



When you can't see down the track, of course it isn't safe.
After much waiting, the day was eventually called with no more timed runs.
A huge disappointment, but of course nobody can control British weather.

Still it a big tick in the box.
Not sure I'm willing to put the crossplies back on and drive all that way to do it again - but we'll see.
Thanks for looking.

 

It was watching Mart's videos on YouTube that sent me down this path, but he has much more machining experience/equipment than I have. But I'll take a close look when I get the original garbox out.