COE Salvaging a 1938 Ford COE

I'm going to use a booster. I have a 4:1 pedal. If I was using a 5:1 pedal, I could get away without a booster.

 

My first setback today. I want to move the column to the left between 3/4" and 1". This will move the column out of center with the gauges, but move it more in center with the seat and floor space.

Since I'm starting with just a cab, I don't know how these truck original came. Does anyone know if the column was centered with the gauges? If so, it would be too far to the right on the floor to have a pedal there.

If centered with the gauges, it would have to be out of center with the seat.

 

Not sure how they came, but a guy with your talent should just widen the cab 2 inches to bring everything in line

 

iwanaflattie... why in the world would you want to get rid of the booster? In a big truck (anything over a half ton) it's just additional safety and convenience in your favor!

 

Hey 65, I just remembered that my column is still in the truck so I snapped a couple pics for you with the cell phone, not the greatest, but you can see that the column is offset to the left side of the gauge cluster. Let me know if you want any other pics.

 

Thanks b-bop, I was thinking that is what Ford had to do. I will move the column over about 1" and see if that feels better. Then I may move the cluster over to recenter it with the column. I'm trying to get this truck as comfortable for me as possible.





You can see I'm running out of room as I start to fabricate the floors and doghouse.

 

Good morning 65,
The only issue I see you might have is location of the brake pedal. If you R. foot brake when you cross over from the gas to brake the toe of your shoe could hang up on the colume. When you move the colume will this eliminate this issue? Installing the dog house might give you a better idea of actual foot room. (plus we get to see it )
Rob

 

It is the best location for me. Yes, I will have to drive with two feet. If I move the brake pedal to the right of the column like original, the only location for the throttle is in front of the brake. That is how is was originally. But it is very uncomfortable with the throttle there. Puts my knee too close the the steering wheel. It just feels wrong.

 

I've driven cars that didn't have the steering wheel centered with the seat, if it is only an inch or two you'll never notice. Getting the angle right in relation to your seating position IMO is more important. My 37 Dodge isn't right and on long trips my wrists start to hurt, then my hands fall asleep.

 

Okay, I decided to move the column over 1 - 1/16" over to the left. Since I wanted the column centered with the gauges, it was time to cut.

Here is the cluster tacked back in with a filler piece added to the right side.



Now, I am happy. I have enough room for my right foot even with boots on.





I still need to metal finish the welds, but it is getting more comfortable with every tweek.



Now, I am thinking I need room for my left foot to rest while driving. Need more room on the left of the brake pedal. I don't want to rest my foot in front of the brake. It just isn't natural feeling. Let's see what I can do about this.

 

Here are my plans for the bed, a 1938-1939 Holmes wrecker bed without the boom. Very similar to the HAMB members truck bed.



My plans are for a 60" wide, 90" long, and 36" tall bed with rolled front corners. Here are my drawings.



Since I don't have the proper tools to roll the 12ga. sheets, I am having one of the company's we deal with at work to fab the three pieces for me.

 

Tony,
That steering looks a lot better now you have moved it over.
I had a left foot rest problem in my Coupe. I made a foot rest which was mounted to the side at an angle shown in picture and it work really well. Not sure if you have that much room ?

 

straighter pedals and column than a 911 from the 70s or 80s Go for it.

 

Was the 911 the one where the steering column didn't sit square with the car? Something I've driven had the lower end of the column closer to the car center line than the upper end, so you had to reach further with your left hand than your right to put your hands on the wheel.

 

Some minor issues with mounting a power steering pump. The original Ford setup mounts the large older style pump too low. I can't even bolt it up. Even if a modify the frame for clearance, the pulley will be well into the center drag link. It just isn't going to work.



I looked into some early ford P/S brackets that mount the pump up higher. These still won't work as they will not clear the floor/toe board opening.



So I decided to use a smaller and better P/S pump from a 1970 Chevy 454. This Saginaw pump is more efficient at idle and is much smaller than the Ford pump. I ***essed where the pump needed to be in relation to the motor and the trucks body and fabricated a bracket.



With the pump mounted in this location, I will need a double groove water pump pulley or a triple groove crank pulley to make a belt work. I'm going to try and locate a double groove W/P pulley first and see it that works.

Anyone know which line on the steering box is the high pressure side? I connected the power steering hose to the steering box, but not sure which side is what.

 

The smaller of the two is usually the pressure side.

 

Back to fabricating a replica of the 1938 Holmes wrecker bed/box. Here is the start.









I am going to match the bulk head to the body line curve on the back of the cab. I made a soft template and taped it to the bed.





I am still playing with the bed sides radius cut. I do know that I don't like this. Still thinking here.




Still not sure on the rear fenders. Either 1935-1937 Ford pickup rear fenders or the 1940-1942 Ford pickup rear fenders.

 

The bed is looking very nice! Care to tell a newbie how you made the rounded corners?

 

What gauge steel are you using on the bed?
wetskier2000, I wrapped 20 gauge around an oxygen bottle to make my sleeper cab, this looks thicker

 

12ga steel done on a plate roller. I had this done at another shop. We just don't have the right equipment to do this.

 

The box is cut and shaped. The bulkhead is curve to follow the body line on the back of the cab. A whole bunch of 5/16 holes punch in along the top edge. This is for plug welding a 3/16 x 3/4 bar on the outer edge.

 

Fabulous

 

Added the 3/16 x 3/4 bar along the top edge.







And it basically looks like this bed. You can see the bar I'm talking about here.

 

That is bad***! Didnt notice the curved front panel in the first posts but absolutely love the look.

 

Slowly making progress on the wrecker bed. Working on the top bar.

 

Nice!!!

 

So did you get your bed sides straightened out, or start over, or ????. Looks good.

 

I'm watching with interest, as I will probably end up with the same style bed. I have no luck when it comes to welding thin stuff, it always warps.

 

I'm going to straighten it after all the welding is done. Not too bad after I cut out the wheel well.

 

Still pecking away at the wrecker bed. Got the top bar on the other side now. Came out perfect.



Converted the 3/4-ton front brakes to 1-ton and then converted the 3/4-ton coil springs to light duty 1/2-ton stuff. I went with the lightest Moog springs for these trucks. Now I have a 3/4-ton frame with 1/2-ton suspension and 1-ton brakes.

Make sure to get the pigtail on the spring lined up with the cup on the upper frame pocket. You don't want the spring rubbing the frame or moving around. And you surely don't want to use coils without the pigtail like F-100 springs.



Here you can see the 1-ton brakes compared to the 3/4-ton stuff. Diameter the same, but now have bigger piston calipers and pads. Also, the rotors have built-in spacers to work with the dually rims.







And now I'm thinking about using this early 1949 Ford dash.