Featured Hot Rods 35/37 ford truck chassis thread

Yeah thats where im in between..putting a bunch of work into the old frame and selling the stock frame vs using the stock frame and converting to hydraulic brakes.

I have a couple of pedal sets and i could steal the radious rods from the stock frame.

I think this is where the issue lies,the forum doesnt support fenderless trucks after certain years.
I really dont want to put big money into this truck.

thats a great price,honestly i just need the hydraulic backing plates for the rear and I could keep it on the cheap with the stock frame..
This is the parts that came with the old frame.

 

Those rails are s**** metal. Not worth the price of the grinding disks to clean them up

 

Sad face

 

I would think with a bit of sleuthing and/or swap meeting that you could find a nice 35-40 frame for a couple hundred dollars. I just bought a saveable 40 Merc frame for $100.

 

I have this

 

And the clouds have parted! There’s your huckleberry, get to it. Forget the junk that somebody else practiced there fab skills (unsuccessfully) on. Don’t waste your time on another person’s mistakes.

 

Without a doubt, that rolling ch***is is the base to build on.

 

We’re salvaging this junk

not interested in the rear section. It’s for a 28/9 RPU. The part behind the cab will get stick built.
These will get cut into 4 sections to get what we want. Basically only needing the style line part and cowl foward frame. By the time it’s boxed and an x-brace built, these rails will be fine.
plus a flat front model A style front crossmember and probably flatten the 32 rear crossmember that came with this.
If the spring behind axle doesn’t get it low enough.
It’s a place the axles and cab where we want, modify/build the frame to fit

 

Fair enough,I had a gentleman come by yesterday to buy a 26/27 t roadster subframe from me,we were talking old iron and he mentioned that I'd have to split my wishbone if i want to use the dropped axle, because of the bosses width difference.
I need to learn how to split them but mostly,where to buy the hardware to do this modification.
Like the bracket that has the welded bung that i might weld inside the frame...
Another question is,with the springs on top of the dropped axle, what other modifications am i looking into?

I was thinking of selling it to fund this project but i really don't want to grind that other frame down to bare metal.

I am not wanting to clean this mess up,especially for my neighbors that wouldn't appreciate my grinding noise

 

You have a couple of options, and great advice given......
Ask yourself

-What do want the truck to be?
-Do you have the motivation to make it happen? and follow thru with it.
(It will take longer you think)

The less challenging option is use that roller you have with traditional lowering methods.
There is a lot of work that can be done before spending $$$.
You can sell those misc parts to help.

About splitting the bones, Might consider selling that drop axle and buy one that fits your unsplit bones......a lot depends on your skills

 

I want the truck to be a local driver,not for racing,not for comfort,just a mild little truck.
I've been wanting a flathead powered car for years but my funds have been deciding what kind of trucks I get into,,I could've bought a nice flathead powered car with all the money ive spent on my other cars but I proffered it happened this way.
I have a nice model t I bought that has a nice flat head 4 but I want the v8,.

Do I have the motivation?
I do,I had the motivation to turn a couple of piles of **** into bigger piles

Now im working on a 51 ford school bus,
I tried selling this but there's no takers and I want to dip my toes in prewar V8 suspension...
I've read a lot but most threads are for street rod suspension,traditional full fender trucks..

I've been reading that i can reverse the springs and the rear cross member trick..
I need to do more homework it seems like

I do appreciate everyone's input

 

Cool!!!
You always have HAMB support.

 

Great thank you..im willing to learn..
Question if I split my bones and reverse the main leaf spring,what issues will I encounter?
Also,im thinking of splitting the wishbone to use this drop axle that I need help IDing,I think it's an aftermarket,also are the arms already dropped?
Im thinking of getting rid of the disc brakes,

 

That transmission in one of your pictures that had '39 written on it; doesn't look like a '39 trans. Should have a double detent shift cover. The number stamped above the inspection cover should ID it.

 

I was going to PM you,you seem to have the juice brake kits for these axles,pm me if you do please,
I found this info from the hamb:
"for the tops the ones everyone seems to go on about is the 39 top - there are a couple of things to look for here - the numbers on the top could be 68-7222 which would be an early top with one detent/plug about 1/2" on the left hand side of the top if you were standing looking at the box"

This is from an old thread... I hope that's a 39 trans...I haven't heard from the engine builder about the trans..he only called me to let me know that the block isn't cracked but the heads are bad and whoever put it together ****ed up big time in the ***embly..
If that's not a 39,then back to the drawing board...
The transmission that was hooked up to the flathead seemed to be a big truck trans.

 

Have you measured your front axles? measure both, make a note for comparison
King pin center to center?
Perch center to center?

 

Im measuring the drop axle at 34 1/2"
And stock 37 axle at 38" roughly

I've been reading a few tech threads too
I pulled the truck fwd and I feel like the bed has been channeled already.

 

You can split the bones and use a narrow spring.
Did you measure Kp to Kp?

 

Your spindles are 48, arms look like Ch***is Engineering, and axle looks like a Magnum or Super Bell. If you rework or build your own front crossmember for the overhead spring, you can adjust the height and wheelbase all over the place. Splitting the wishbones and making their rear mounts will depend on a lot of factors.

 

One more tid-bit here and apologies if this has already been addressed: while 35 - 40 ch***is are very similar there are some differences. When looking at front axle dimensions for KP to KP and perch mount center to center, 35-36 are 51 & 37.25 inches while 37-40 changed to 49 & 38.5 inches. Keep point being that wishbones are also different to accommodate the perch differences. This will come into play if you split them and will need to alter the attack angle of the front spring mount to make up for the change that arises from splitting the wishbone.

My measurements may be off a bit as it was kind of dark when I went check and I worked alone
Other ch***is differences can be seen in the center box where the x member meets as these changed to adapt to different rear transmission mounts over the years.

 

I believe by using a stock '35- '36 wishbone that dropped axle would work with the '37 frame. No need to split..
The well used frame rails & many of the parts are s**** iron.

 

Wow so much information to absorbe.
I just went to SoCal speed shop,I tried to piece a kit to split the wishbone,it was more expensive than speedway but at least bought the mounts...im going to take the front end apart,,if I need to find a dropped 37 axle,then let it be

 

I got 47 3/4" on the ' 37
And 34 '3/4 on the Magnum axle

 

** I misread an earlier post about the axle perch boss centers as being stock width. So the info on a '35-'36 wishbone is wrong.
A '35-'36 wishbone would be a good way to go with that axle. No need to split the wishbone and the existing '37 spring will work. Shackles will work too. That axle looks like it has 2-1/4" perch bosses which would need to be cut-down to 2" for the '35-'36 wishbone.

Might have to fool around with the steering arms to get the tie rod in a happy place.

If built on the '37 frame you could also add fenders in the future if your tastes change. I've seen truck front clips (other than the grille) priced pretty cheap on Marketplace. If it comes to that; there is no shame in gl*** rear fenders.

 

I also bought 2 wide 5 wheels that came with hubcaps,,I can use them if they are rollers and I need rollers for my welding trailer btw the welder has a flathead..
Weird..all these wide 5 stuff just followed me home around the same time

 

I as thinking 35-36 was 36.5" at the perch, could be mistaken....
That would be the way to go if it fits.

 

Im trying to get a 35-36 locally i hope to find it soon, the wishbone split kit is supposed to arrive tomorrow.
I had this truck for a minute now but I had it in the back burner,my buddy asked me to pick some model t quarter panels in Salt Lake city and im going to help him get them to Argentina,it was a sign to go see a flathead builder there so I pulled the engine and trans so he can work on them...I have 2 days off this weekend and 5 next weekend im trying to get the truck ready so when the flathead is ready I can put it in and maybe have at least a drive and start with the year with a flathead..that will give me so much steam I need .

 

You are right, I thought I had read the axle had stock width perch bosses; not the actual 34-3/4" of the Magnum axle. I edited my earlier post

 

I edited my earlier post. I somehow misread the axle perch boss width as being stock 36-1/2" dimensions. Sorry about the spring info; a special width spring will be needed and the bones split or shortened slightly if not split. In the case of the Magnum axle check that the spring hangers on '35-'36 bones don't get too close at full lock on the steering. '37-'40 bones will allow more room.

 

Again, sorry about spurious info before.

Here are split '40 bones and Posies narrow spring on a non-stock width I-beam on my '35.



Also another picture showing how I set up the front end with main leaf only (to mimic ride height) on the frame to get everything square and the wishbone mounts welded in the right place.