Thoughts on a chassis swap for a 40 ford coupe

We're looking at making the rails. I never stopped working on cars, just none of my own. As you know, I have this motorcycle addiction.

 

Hmmmm, this thread has it all - haters hatin' and dickheads being dickheads.
Put a standard style chassis under it - stock, CE or Art Morrison - stop bein' a tight-ass SOB and I couldn't give a shit about how many posts you have or how long you've been a member. Stop pissin' everyone about!
Geez, I feel better now - I may just go and have another one of those nice green pills again.

 

I think Zibo's method would be so much better. If I were given a '40 Ford and the frame was toast, I'd just build one out of tube steel to match it rather than try to make it fit a late model frame. Cheap and more fun. Not to mention you can get it as low as you want that way. I don't get the whole trying to make a old car work on a new car chassis.. Neither one were designed for the other. But I'm pretty sure Henry didn't design his Model A to fit a Hemi either, so.. It's your car and ultimately your decision.

Just my 2 cents.

 

There was a guy I knew in New England that had a 70's (i think, may have been late 60's) chevy pickup chassis under a 39 ford he had. I never looked that close at it to see what had been done, but, it might give you another direction to look.

 

I really hope you are just shittin me.....because, for me....It's ALWAYS been about low-buck builds.....that way I can have multiple toys instead of one "high-dollar,shiny,farmed out paint,upholstery,chassis,motor,everybody has one street-rod" It's so much fun irritating the guys with the big buck builds....when the trophys are given out....and they go home empty handed with their cars in the trailer. Low buck/high impact is for me....(and also the owner of this project)

 

Thanks Hatch!
I hope you can learn from it.

The frame was about a good week of work,
but the whole project has taken about 4 years now!
It has been in hibernation off and on for half of them.

There was a guy a couple miles away who had grafted a 40 pickup onto a late mercedes AMG,
using the engine/tranny and front/rear suspension.
It was a crazy sight but somehow he made it all fit.
Unfortunately he ended up dying about 2 weeks later,
and he was one of the few who could figure it all out.
So anything is possible!

TP

 

An AMG 40 pickup.....now THAT sounds like BIG FUN!!!!

 

Yeah It was a sleeper truck.
Big time farmers patina,
with a low mileage wrecked AMG running gear.
Somehow the track width was perfect with the stock mercedes wheels,
and had a cool street rod look with the crazy brakes.
Underneath looked clean for such a radical swap.
Don't remember if it was stretched or shrunk offhand.
The engine was out of my league with all the electronics,
really in your face as there's alot going on,
but he said it was easy as it's just a huge computer/loom.
He had removed the inner fender pieces and the front suspension was really cool.
The bed also had some depth unlike some of the notched trucks out there.

Alot of his stuff ended up on craigslist but I never saw this one,
so hopefully one of his friends is finishing it.
Of course it was the one time I didn't take pictures!

TP

 

You have no clue..........Hatch, aka BJ Hunnicutt has been around here for a decade. He know his cars, check his post history. Just because he has been a prophet for the last few years in the bike realm does not negate his resume!

 

ok- here's one to check out-1961 to 63 olds f-85 or buick special.the wheelbase is correct for the 40 at 112".the track width is 56" within a 1/4" of the fords.the best part is its a rear steer[steering box mounts behind front crossmember] eliminating problem of the box being out near the front bumper.like all chassis swaps the engine will be too far forward and too high but thats easy to correct.with any luck the donor car could have the aluminum block v-8 which would be cool

 

oops-one listing says the 61 to 63 A-body is perimiter frame,another says its unibody?time to crawl under a couple!

 

It's been awhile since I was under an early f-85, and I think they are unibody. But I certainly don't remember everything!!!

 

Hatch, that series is unibody. If it has a subframe, well that's a start, but I can't raise a right hand to that. Just musing about it, using the front suspension grafted into the rear frame of your own construction would leave a lot of time on the table for the big challenges. You'd have and engineered front end ready to w/out re-inventing your own. Pretty traditional thought, yes?

Frame swaps? Spence Murray did it with the beloved Dream Truck. Dear ol Dad did it with a 49-50 F-1 when I was a little kid (fuck, that was a long time ago!). Haters be damned...

 

It's probably going to be a combination of fabbed perimiter rails with something interesting (and safe)for a front clip. The rear can be much easier...anything from parallel leafs, to IRS. I'm diggin the amg mercedes thought, but it's up to Jim which direction it goes. The end result will be a traditional custom in my eyes. Customs looked great sitting still or heading down the road. The hood stays closed and it will sit so low, you can't see under it. It will be a real driver....radical custom...long haul with some comfort.....but low buck, and home built. Thanks everyone for all the input. I see a plan forming.

 

Hi,Hatch - you still in Florida or in Michigan ??

61-63 F-85/Skylark definitely unibody, with a bolt-in front suspension crossmember including steering and suspension.

I guess I'd be in the build-it-yourself rectangular frame camp. Put 2 x 4 tubes as far outboard as you can and sit between them - then use the front and rear suspension of your choice. To me, a lot faster/easier than modifying a production frame - but then, I've done it a lot........

 

i think that if you wana put your 40 on a tractor chassis is your damn business, and as far as these traditional police, there usually young d- bags thinking that thats the way it was done in the old days, truth is the skill level might not be there.....true traditional lovers would just roll there eyes and move on....this traditional phrase is just about as worn out as the rat rod phrase....build your car the way you want, ur dreams are what matter

 

The title of this thread instantly sparks debate/controversy.
A lot of people flat out hate and can't understand why a frame swap, regardless of the car (and in this case a beloved highly sought after Ford).
From what I've read, it seems you're not opposed to fabrication, desire low cost, and feel it is traditional to use whatever is available, or what you can create.
That being said, it seems logical to create your own project specific frame, similar to what zibo posted.
We all will want to see this come together, regardless of the route you take.
Good luck.

 

There is a 46 Ford pick up running around here with a last gen Ranger front clip ,r&p regular shocks springs (no I beams!)...I saw another 47 Chevy pick up that had an aerostar front clip...that was really interesting and it was a pretty simple install from what he told me...I think either one might be a good fit with a set of hom-made rails ala Zibo !

 

I had a 40 coupe back around 1970 that was mounted on a 53 buick frame. The frame rails were under the running boards. It was black and had white pinstriping by the Mad Striper. It floated down the road like a 53 buick for some reason. Anybody remember it in the Atlanta area?

 

Well....here's an update. No chassis work yet, but Jim got started with the slicing of the body. As you can see, the chop is about done.... Still no plan on the chassis. The front clip is 1937


image search

 

I like your style.

 

Had friend in our club use a late 80's toyota p-u frame under a 39 p-u and worked out great,also with old style hemi...every-one was confused ,truck drove everywhere still has it ...with caps nobody knows.

 

Hot Rod Mechanix did a story on a 40 also on an 80's Toyota pickup frame. Pretty tidy setup. I would never do it on my 40's, but it might fit your needs. I probably have the mag if you need.

 

I have never seen it. Told it's stashed in a barn somewhere. But a buddy of mine swears there is a '40 Ford pick-up around here on a '54 Chevy car chassis. I have been told it has a 383/auto out of a wrecked '64 Plymouth and even has the Plymouth dash in it. Pretty cool. But with todays choices don't know if the chassis swap would be considered an up-grade. Been trying to search this thing out for a few years now.

 

Very well said, Tman..............

 

The toyota swap sounds interesting. Gotta check on whats in the local scrapyards. Thanks for the tips everybody!

 

Chops looking good.
I kinda like the slanted pillars.
Let's see from the front!
TP

 

I will try to swing by his place in a couple days and get some update pics.

 

LOL...LOL...WOW...cant belive the squares that cant think outside the box, and there bashing comments. HATCH ,lookin at the tinwork and shape(SHAAAAPE) OF YOUR 39....YOU KNOW WHAT YOUR DOIN. LOVE THE AMG IDEA,BUT MAY NOT BE LOW BUCK ,BUT CERTAINLY AWESOME ,CONTEMPORY,AND EXQUISITE RIDE N HANDLING. no cheap ass s10 or ranger deal for a car like this. good gawd, farmtrucks.....I have used the gm metric Malibu's front and rear conjoined with box tube rails before. but this isn't what your trying to do. this is gonna be awesome. the jag stuff conjoined with box tube is ok too. but baby AMG , or those Holden GTO DRIVETRAINS N CHASSIS...NOW YOUR TALKIN. WIDTH CERTAINLY A FACTOR , but with the metal skills n vision you have, keep exploring, you'll find it. hasnt got be rear wheel drive either. ....yeeebouy....that'll start a sh@it storm.

 

i have a mid 80's mazda truck frame that i picked up cause it looked just right for a hot rod build. Jag front & rear would work real well, i could also see an A type frt. crossmember and transverse spring, it's already a leaf spring rear.