4WD under '30 Ford PU -- anybody done it?

Hey Hackerbill. At the end of your nonproductive rant, you said "sorry...". I doubt the sincerity in that comment. Got off on a tangent there did'nt you? Wer're talking about a custom cab pickup truck, Bill, built onto the frame. The rear fenders and box on a custom pickup truck serve the same function as on something you might build. The side aprons on an "A" or Chevy, or Pontiac, or Rolls, for that matter will fit on the outside of the frame rails on ANY chassis, when the body is built onto it. Not talking about standing back and throwing a Model A body at a chassis.

The cab will fit the chassis wherever you want to put it, shit-fire, how about putting the raditor in the back! I hadn't thought of that, but your hog-shit has got me to thinkin'.

The firewall always goes in last, just before wirning and such, no matter what I'm building. It might be a surprise to you but we're talking about something that's already been done, That reasonable sensible car lovers gather around and discuss. This is not about your derogatory theory, it's about something that works already and looks Bitchin'...
Don't know anybody that goes around laughing at other people's handwork, but I guess it's guys like you. You might think your opinion is worth something, but be careful. People eventually pick up on to a blowhard attitude, then even the opinions of best friends diminish.

The final goal? It's what the guy building it wants, not your thumbsucking opinion.

 

HEy OFT. Welcome on. Ever been to Bruce's in Severence?

 

A guy I know did a '32 truck quite a few years ago. He used Early Bronco running gear. He is a very talented builder and did a very good job on it. When it was done,even though it was really nice ,he regretted doing thr 4X4 conversion. No one liked it much and it wasn't really of any use.

 

Now there's a true Ford Enthusiast; I wonder what Henry would think if he heard one of his early '30s cars described as, Elegant?

 

If you are going to do this, you want it to look right. This picture has the rad way tto far out front. It should be just about even with the front axle.






If you could make it fit like this 2nd picture, I would say, go for it.

 

Looks like I managed to kick over a log this time -- lots of interesting stuff has crawled out!

Your comments have raised some things I do need to think about -- thanks for the help! I do want this to be a nice truck (the old "domestic tranquility" routine) and will be my daily driver.

And that means I will need some haul/tow capacity LOML has horses ( she coaches Special Olympics riders) and I sometimes need to pull them or a load of hay

That's why I mentioned "half ton chevy axles" -- I'm also debating between a 292 inline or an ittybitty BBC ( stroked 366 -- yeah, I like TORQUE! ) with a 5 or 6 speed tranny. (or maybe one of those overdrives on a TH400, etc )

But I also know where there's a Jeep Gladiator PU in the back row of a junk yard

Yes, I am hopeing to make it a good looking truck. I would love it if I could pull it off and get that "I didn't know they made 4x4's" comment.

I also need to insure domestic tranquility -- if it doesn't look good I'll know it! Over and Over I'll know it

Here's a pix of the extended cab from "Independent Technologies" that got all this started!

 

Well written B29!

Count on the sincerity of my apology...it was directed at the other HAMBers having to read about S10 swaps under early bodies...AGAIN. Not to you.

Wild Turkey didn't even say he wanted to use an S10 frame. He said he was using an S10 as a daily and liked having 4 wheel drive. He mentioned using 1/2T running gear under the Model A extended cab.

Once again...
An S10 frame is very bulky up front and WILL look bad under the open front of an A. It will drive good but the thing will look ugly. I appreciate that people try to use what they have and all...but WT doesn't HAVE an S10 frame. He HAS 1/2T solid axles from what I understand.

How wide is an A at the bottom of the firewall? Is an S10 frame a good fit for that area? How about at the floor of the bed? How about out back where the frame drops down to meet up with the springs? Will that look good hanging down where a normal A has nothing? The engine will need relocating to put it in position where the A cab (extended or not) will look right and the fenders will fit over the front wheels properly. The steering box will be right out in front, fully exposed on wide set frame rails. It will not look good...

I've built S10 4x4 V8's...S10 plow frames...repaired frame damaged stock Blazers. Been around them quite a bit...didn't see one yet I'd want under a Model A.
Those frames deserve to be hidden under full fenders! They are u g l y!

Sure you can disguise all these..."little"(?) issues, but once you finish it off, will it look like it should or will it look like its "hiding" something under the huge skirts you had to add? What about the fenders up front? Think they will bolt directly to the S10 frame?

The frame I described in my 1st post would have NO "hiding" issues. Everything "A" would bolt on as stock. NO skirts, no cutting, no headscratching. Building an A frame isn't that hard.
In my opinion you need to address the issues BEFORE you go into "hide mode."

If it doesn't fit...well...it just doesn't fit.

Start with something you know will work AND look good. Who the hell wants to invest mega hours and $$$ into something that won't look right no matter how you hide or disguise the scary parts?

Certain factory frames you COULD make work...Early Bronco is one I'd bet on.
BUT...your gonna need to lengthen it for an extended cab A, so wheres the advantage?
Personally, since he's going with a full buildup on a custom body truck, I'd use a custom frame DESIGNED to go under an A, but tough enough to make a solid axle 4x4 configuration useable. I'd use axles that are designed to have no suspension bits beyond the rad shell in front or poking past the frame on the rear. (Like an original A)
It can be done to look like someone THOUGHT about how it should be done...or it can be done to look like you HAD to use something that you had lying around. There isn't much middle ground in this case.

S10's ARE good, solid frames, but you can't put them under EVERYTHING and get a good LOOKING vehicle just because you might have one lying around.

I think that was a reasonable response. No drama. I say we let it go at that and just agree to disagree. Fair enough?

 

Fair enough hackerbill.
You must have assumed I was talking about a truck without fenders...........or without a box on the rear. An extended cab makes for putting the box back past the, "stuff poking out the back". Actually I don't worry about hiding anything, fenders ain't for hiding stuff, they are to keep mud from flying up. A chassis is a chassis, and like I said before, "like Henry built it", with full fenders and bumpers, of course.
It would make no sense at all to make it look exactly like a Model A; How boring......On second thought, I might make it look like a Chivvy, I wouldn't mind to have two.
I don't think it would be necessary to leave the steering box exposed, but maybe I would just for kicks to generate, "wy did you leave it"?

I'm not advocating a squeaky clean, billet, candy coated street rod, which it sounds kind of like you are.

1/2 ton solid axles? good, that'll work okay too.

Okay, I'm done. No point beating a dead horse.

By the way; Since when do two grown men have to "agree to disagree", that goes without saying................
No hard feelings, keep on trukin'. B.

 

Me too...
Could use just a little more wheelbase maybe but it really isn't too bad!
The height really works and the tire and wheel como is dead on.

I was thinking something along those lines for Wild Turkeys extended cab but with fenders, a full bed and a roof of course!

That little R/pu doesn't look any higher than a stock Model A and even with the Jeep springs looks in proportion framewise. The springs are short and that really helps.

Man, you could have FUN in that.

(Edit)...Just hit me! If you primed that it would look like our own "El Mosquito"!!!
Very cool!

 

I have a 53 willys pu 4x4 on a late model chevy frame and running gear. If i could have found an early chevy it would be there. Only thing i could find at the time was the willys. Need any pic's pm me and i wll take anything you want.