COE Salvaging a 1938 Ford COE

Well into the metal work on the cab now. Rebuilding the gas tank area. Cutting out everything rusty and forming new panels out of 19 ga.







I still have to roll some beads in the new flooring and make the other side yet.

Anyone have a picture of this area on their truck that isn't rotted away? I need something to go off of so I can fix this.



The 1949 Ford dash is getting closer.

 

Anyone know what the hell I'm doing here?

 

I did something like that when I was un-chopping a windshield so I could see out of it.
The question shouldn't be whether we know what your doing, it should be do you know what you're doing! LOL
Are you getting ready to work out that "dent from hell" in the roof?

 

That's going to look good Tony, I've always thought these trucks have to much crown and could stand to lose 2-2 1/2 in. especially above the drip rails when looking from the side. I'm really considering doing this on a future build without chopping the windshield opening.

 

I know what I want to do for my truck. But I have more vision than talent. Basically, I am raising the windshield opening 1.5" before I chop it 3.5" these early Ford COEs have big foreheads when chopped. By raising the opening first, I can reduce this forehead. I still may need to pancake the roof as Greg mentioned. They have a lot of crown to them.

I don't know who's truck this is, but you can see how strange it looks when chopped too much. The forehead is almost as big as the windshield.

 

The Holmes wrecker bed is just about finished. The floor will be wood from the bulk head to the end of the tubs. From there the floor slopes down, this part will be stainless diamond plate. The rear fenders will be 1938 Chevy pickup or 1938 Ford pickup.

 

38-41 ford pu are the same . I have a pair that are rough but they are yours if needed . pm me if I can help . Blue

 

Totally *****in!

 

Tony , pictures of fenders on your build site .

 

Chopping the top 3.5" straight down. Which means 3.5 in the rear and 3.75 on the A-pillars because of the angle. Also need to fix the cut up and rusted out roof.



Setting the roof back on to get a look at what is needed to align it all back up.



The roof will need to be split and stretched 1.25" to get the B-pillar re-aligned. It will also need to be split in the rear and widened .75".

N

The A-pillars will need lots of work to get them flowing back together.



Stay tuned as it is getting crazy now with metal work on the cab.

 

Seeing the profile difference on the A pillar, then looking at the chunkiness of the A pillars on the one with the neon green grille, looks like you are going to need to slim down the lower part of the A pillar. (at least it looks that way from my computer screen.
I trust it will be perfect when you get done m***aging it!

Edit: Are you going to find a better roof section, or are you going to patch that one?

 

The A-pillars on the COE cab taper as they go up. This makes it more challenging than say a regular 1938 ford cab. My plan is to get these A-pillars aligned up and tacked together first.

Here is the right hand A-pillar







Now, carefully aligning it back together







It is slowly coming back together.

 

damn....that roof is a wreck.

 

It's going back together well. I'll offer this tip...I would make a heavy flat plywood template of the window frame to fit into the window opening. Then when welding it all back together, put the wood in the opening to see if it is touching all the way around. That way you know it is all aligned in the same plane.

 

If the roof was in good shape I probably would not chop it. But since I have to re skin it, I figured I might as well chop it. 3.5" seemed about ideal to me.

KC, the plywood jig sounds like a great idea.

 

A little more progress on getting the top back on.

 

Coming along nicely . Have you heard from anyone coming to LSR that can pick up fenders >

 

Not yet, I left a message to basicbob. Hopefully he can run the fenders up to Springfield and I could get them from there.

 

Getting the pieces slowly tacked back together.

Profile of the 3.5" chop



Locating a stock 1938 Ford conventional cab back window.



Still need to cut and shape some side panels on each side of the window.

 

Chop is looking good! However, that roll cage needs work...HA!

 

Yeah, the roll cage is kind of cheesy.



Getting the side panels formed and tacked it. Everything is being fitted up for **** welding. No overlapping parts here, even though that would be much easier.

 

Patch panels look good , lots of hammer and dolly work . But you can do it ,looking at past work . Will call your friend from Springfield this weekend and set up meet for fenders . Love the progress , Blue

 

Thanks Blue, the Holmes wrecker bed is just about ready to mount to the ch***is. Just need to fab one more stainless piece for the transition between the level wood floor and the tapered Stainless back.

 

I'm going to raise the windshield 1.75". This will get rid of any big forehead look from chopping the top. So with a 3.5" chop, that means 3.75" chop out of the A-pillar windshield area. And with the windshield raised 1.75", the window opening will only be 2" smaller.

 

One question, on both sides of the cab, just behind the door jamb, I can see 2-1/2? holes. Are they some sort of jigging/alignment holes?

 

Handle holes .

 

Should have thought of that.

 

Are you going fixed windshields or opening? If fixed, maybe mount the wipers down below? I like where this is going.

 

I am totally diggin the windshield raise...wouldnt have thought of that one. Had a '39 Dodge COE that had that very thing, bothered the **** outta me. Really proportions the truck which you can now see with the full shot of it.

 

Mike, I'm going to keep the split opening windshields. As far as wipers, the plan right now is no wipers.