46-8 ford body manual?

Hey Guys,

I did some light searching and didn't really come up with what I'm looking for.

I am trying to find either online or in print what I would call a body manual for the 1946 threw 48 ford cars, something that would cover adjusting doors, removing fenders, replacing licenese plate lights.

That sort of stuff.

I have a great big chiltons book on the 36-48 american cars but its more in the line of a shop manual and thus only really covers mechanicals such as the drive train and brakes and the closest it gets to body stuff is how to replace to front and rear gl***.

Short of making a post for every new question I have there has got to be some recommended reading I can pick up right?

Thanks in advance
timm

 

Hey Tim,

I can't help with a body manual for a '46-'48, but I'll offer a word of advise Most body manuals don't cover trouble shooting when it comes to panel alignment or fit up problems. They're usually good for fasterer location and very general body information however.
Most of the post war vehicles I've worked on over the years all had one thing in common- most of the body panels fit very poorly, and did so from the factory! These vehicles were all built in a big hurry to answer for a public need that hadn't been able to buy a new car during the war years.
I'd sceck the various '46-'48 build post over the years for some answers to your questions on fit up problems on body panels.

Good luck & p.s. having to cut sheetmetal and add / subtract metal to a panel for dead on fit isn't unheard of on these


" Spending a nation into generational debt is not an act of comp***ion "

 

Yeah that's actualy why I want a manual, to see how it comes apart. I know they put it together realy fast so it's gotta have some way to come off as well.

Right now I'm trying to figure out where all the bolts the hold the drivers front fender on are, how to get my drivers door that seems to line up to latch with out a wince inducing slam and how the ***embly for the license plate light on the back of the Tudor goes together/comes apart.

I come up with a new question every time I dig into it hah

 

Ford Body Parts books have some ***embly pictures and exploded views but no adjustment/repair stuff. I've not seen a Ford factory manual with body and other adjustments, instructions and illustrations.

 

Thanks guys, I guess adjusting things shouldn't be to hard to figure out but I would love to see any exploded views I can get my hands on. Those always help me wrap my head around how something works.

The book I have now has lots of exploded views of engines and trans it's pretty cool.

Do you have a particular name or ***le I should be looking for while searching for these books or should "1946-8 ford body manual" more or less get me there?

 

Bolts for the fenders are on the underside/inside of the fender. Easiest way to learn is to start doing, get underneath and start looking, you'll find them . The rear fenders come off the same way

 

You are looking for the Green Book. 1928-48 Parts Manual. It shows exploded views of most everything except the body itself. Available at most Ford parts store, still being printed.

 

Body and ch***is (which includes fenders and grill) are different parts manuals...
There is some very minor body stuff in the 1946 service manual and a bit on gl*** in the service bulletins, but not much...
the 1942 Shop Manual (Army publication, reprinted now by Portrayal press) has some info, probably not enough. The canadian 1946 shop manual, also reprinted, may have a little.
No comprehensive source exists, though.
Some of the tricks are very counter intuitive on these things...like if rear of hood is sticking up, you loosen bolts inside cowl and move them up!

 

That does seem backwards haha. Odd to think this stuff isn't in some book somewhere but I guess it goes that way sometimes. I'm sure when it all thaws out it'll make since coming apart... I hope haha.

Something I would like to see though is how the rear license plate light that is in the trunk handle is held together.

I opened it up yesterday and the actual socket came lose and dropped out and the gl*** lense stayed in place. It looks as though you put the socket in the hole in the back of the deck lid and twist it tight but it doesn't seem to get snug at all that way.

It's been in there tight since forever so it must have just vibrated out recently, any one have a tip on this?

 

I think you are missing a cork gasket, just a ring, I think between the gl*** and the casting that holds the socket.. The gl*** is just stuck---you can extract it from inside.

 

Ok I think I saw something like that while I messed with it.

With the cork in place it would make it tight enough to put the socket in and twist it tight then? I never wired the light because I couldnt figure out how to get it out. So with it out now I guess I'll wire it up and stick it back together