Featured Projects '32 Ford Pickup, my 1st Hotrod

Thank you on the clarification for the torque tube.

 

Put your general location into your profile, you never know how and when it will pay off. I have had my AVATAR for 50 years and it has gone through a flathead V8, a Model B, and now has a 181 cubic inch Mercruiser marine (a big Chevy II banger).

Chalrie Stephens

 

I did some measuring and it looks like the overall length of the B and it’s trans and the V8 and its are about the same. So holding the very rear of the trans in the same spot the front of the V8 should be pretty close to where the front of the B is.
I got some pics of the shift forks off the trans that’s bolted up to the V8 right now. I’ll see if I can load them up off my phone…..

 

Thanks for sharing this with us, Jay.
To day was are real bust for me.
Your good fortune has been a welcome event here.
Here's hoping that block has no cracks.
You've a perfect combo..
Welcome

 

Thanks again

 

Thanks for all the positive comments!
I’m petty excited about this truck. I really like my wife’s ‘46 international but it’s her’s….. and off limits to mods.
I’m hoping to just get it together, then lowered a bit, then the T5 and quick change, then maybe try to make it pretty.
When my little guy is of driving age this truck will be 103 years old. He’ll probably have the oldest truck in the high school parking lot!

 

Since Ford used the same frame for the 4 and the V8 it should be exact. Don't get carried away with modifications. There is nothing that bad about the original transmission (or better yet with '39 transmission gears). At one point I considered a quick change for my AVATAR (just because it looked "neat"). I gave up when I found out that there were more changes than I wanted to make. The stock '32 spring passes behind the rear end and on a bump the rear spring would hit the quickchange .

Charlie Stephens

 

The large fork is under 3”, so it has the 1938 and older style innards. You will have folks tell you that the 1939 and newer style are better, but it’s only a little. Since you plan a lot of cutting in the future, just use the 38 gears for now and enjoy the old trans for what it is. Actually, you might enjoy it so much that you just keep it and can experience an old Ford hot rod every time you drive it.

 

I just checked that other loose transmission and the fork was also about 2 3/4”.
So I guess it’s just a spare

 

I will continue to work on getting the banger free’d up and can probably use it on another project at some point, but the V8 is already free and the bores look good, etc.
I am not really looking for a high performance build, but I think those Offy parts look cool.
What’s my best course of action for that motor? I was thinking I could pop it off the transmission and onto a stand, pull the pistons out to make sure the rings are all free, plastigage the bearings, and call it a day. Is there anything else I should be thinking about while I’m in there?
Would it make sense to block off the center carb and run on the outer two? In my lurking it seems three 97’s are a bit much for what is essentially a stock motor…

 

Deja vu. Twenty years ago we pulled an ok but not running B motor out of my sedan and installed a V8 that we hadn’t opened up. Also installed a 38 trans that looked good to the eye when I popped the top. We used two Strombergs on a Weiand intake. Everything worked just fine.

Granted, after a few years we pulled the engine and rebuilt it. I installed a 39 trans I rebuilt at the same time (not a lot of difference I could feel between the 38 and 39). Then a couple more years later I had Uncle Max rebuild the Strombergs as I couldn’t get a stumble out.

 

Good evening gents,
I have some more pics of parts that came in my kit. This front axle looks to have the drag link attached to the passenger side.
Any ideas what it might be?

 

Not a great picture, but I also came home with 22 assorted wheels. Looks like I will be able to choose between big-n-little or whatever.

 

I am going to start with the assumption that the assembly is as it left the factory and individual parts have not been swapped. Since the bolt pattern looks like 5 on 5 1/2 it is 1940 or later. Earlier ones were 5 on 10 1/4 1936-39. After the war Ford went to hubs on the outside of the drum so that makes it prewar. It looks "different", like it is a stamped steel center and maybe a cast iron ring? Maybe aftermarket or foreign production? The real question is how far oversize is it? 12.060 is generally considered max and that may also be a legal max. The post war brake drums and hubs had the hubs on the outside of the drum so it is not post war. The drums and hubs as an assembly fit 1940-48 while the backing plates and other hardware are pre or post war.

Charlie Stephens

 

I would run the stock '32 18 inch wheels (but you probably could have guessed that looking at my AVATAR). Second choice would be bent spoke Kelseys if there are any in there. If you run the solid rims you won't need a spacer on the hydraulic drums (but that would only save less than $100).

Charlie Stephens

 

I really need to sort out the wheels to see what I have. The ones on the truck are all 16” I believe. And all the same size tires, but I think they’re mismatched brands.
I think there are 17” and 18” wires in the pile. And some wide 5’s?
Quite an assortment

 

Yes, a 40 front end. Swap the spindles and brakes over to the 32 axle.

 

That wide five looks like it could be one of the hard to find 3.5" wide V8-60 ones

 

Another perk about what someone else suggested on swapping to a 33/34 truck firewall is they're fairly cheap. And you can turn around and sell the 32 firewall for a really good profit

 

What is the advantage to using a '33-'34 truck firewall? Clearance?

Charlie Stephens

 

What is the advantage of using the '40 spindles versus using the '32 spindles with the inexpensive adapter to mount the hydraulic brakes?

Charlie Stephens

 

Yes Charlie.
It provides an extra 2-3” or maybe 4”.
That’s a lot when you’re tall at over 6’ and if you chop the cab it’s even tighter.
Primarily, the needed areas are the knee and belly from the steering wheel when using your pedals. Here’s some dimensions I found to be comfortable on my 34 that I have posted previously.

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...to-1934-pickups-vs-1928-to-1932-cars.1260430/

 

Thanks Charlie & Pete!
Is the '33/'34 firewall something I'm going to find at a swap meet?
Do I specifically need a truck firewall, or are all the versions of those years equally advantageous?

 

A reproduction “original style” is not available. But the smooth firewalls are being made.
Here’s one on eBay. Sometimes one pops up on the ads here on the hamb too.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/164161563434

 

If I were to use the 33/34 firewall would I also be able to use a steel floor pan insert like this one?
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1445335129...2003940805&itmmeta=01JSCC3K9C8E9ARYVPNC1X36WW

 

These guys may be still making the original styles.
This is a Facebook account.

 

Sorry not familiar with an aftermarket floorpan.

 

....and I didn't know they didn't use steel in 33/34!

 

Actually I made a wood one, that is a better sound proofer.