So I have another new Panel- 1939 Ford panel

Ok, so a week ago I had a thread going on a 1946 Ford panel I had bought for a new project. It was missing the rear doors and the panel that goes below the doors. I found a set of doors but still needed the body side hinges. I was looking on Craigslist and 150 miles south of me there was a 1939 Panel listed for 1000.00. It looked rough, the pics where horrible (and black and white) and no description. I did see it had the panel below the doors and the hinges. So I called and made an offer over the phone of 500.00. They accepted and last Sunday I went to get it. I was delighted that it was actually in very decent shape. With no axles under it the fenders and running boards are banged up, but the body itself is very strait and being from the desert area it had very little rot in it.

Craigslist pic:





What I saw:












It is missing one back door, no transmission (although the engine is there) and no drive train. The 39 pedals are still in it however. I cleaned two FULL garbage cans worth of dirt, possum poo and other junk out of it. It had another floor over the original and I tore that out as well. The original wood floor is still in tach, a little too far gone but will make great patterns. The only rot is in the wheel wells, and even that is not too bad. I thought it was tan in color, but once a I did a good scrubbing, found it is actually the original grey paint with black primer, and even some of the red pinstriping is there! The tab on the license plate is 1953. If the axles where still under it, it would probably be pretty dang nice.


You can see the "tan" paint on the front half and how it turned a nice grey twards the back












My Brother also has the panel bug so the 46 I had went to him. My plan strays a little bit away from my typical style cars, but I am stoked! I want to use this thing- swap meets, car shows, camping, etc. I think it may get an early Chev engine or a Y block. I am actually leaning twards a 283 or 327 as I want to keep the stock steering and Y block oil filters run right into the box if I remember. Transmission is undecided, but will be a stick and will lead to a 9" with parallel leafs. Stock front end with a dropped axle and other tricks to get it low.
I want to keep the patina on this thing but want to get it straitened out best I can. I am going to fix the windows that where cut in the sides and have my logo that JeffreyJames did for me painted on the side.

I am in need of a p***enger side rear door and decent front sheet metal if anyone has anything.


So here it is with some tires/wheels mocked under it...what a prize

 

Cool,I want one.

 

wow congrats,
pretty soon ryan's going to have to add your own section....

 

I like this one better, you?

 

i first thought those side windows were cut in , but from the inside pictures it looks factory..... what is it? i think it would look better without them

 

That's a great buy. And half the work is done!

 

Either you are a closet "flipper", or you have a very serious problem. I honestly never knew about the other panel from just a week ago..

Maybe YOU need a sticky, so we can keep track of all these.

 

Man that thing is *****in. It needs a overdrive stick transmission behind a 327 for the pleasurable freeway experience hauling lots of awesome.....or a 350 made to look like a older motor....Or a diesel...which is what I would do since I have Waste vegetable oil.....but that is a topic for another forum....

Just curious, are those things parallel or transverse sprung in the rear?

 

....and you also have a problem..

 

I don't know how you do it man, but good on ya. Guess I might as well subscribe now, based on past experience with your stuff. Guaranteed to be cool.

 

Yeah, I really do love 42-47's, but this thing is just oozing deco!

 

Not factory. These where cut with a torch. There is a framework screwed to the inside that the gl*** slides into.

 

When is the pickup going for sale???

 

The '42-'47's are cool but I dig the '30's much better. I think they look less industrial compared to the later models. This one is cool too!

What will you be doing for the wheels and brakes? Gonna hunt down the wide five stuff or going with the '40's juice brakes and steel wheels?

 

Chevy huh.... If you use a Hurst mount and 265 exhaust manifolds its a bolt in deal and looks like it was done in the 60s. take a look at mine at the Flathead run. Chris

 

Never

 

Can't go with wide 5 because of the rear end I wanna run...so will probably just run 16" steelies.

 

Good to know. Those mounts are cake to find...how hard are early manifolds to find? I want a simple engine that looks late 50's.

 

I LIKE it. I have a 39 pickup. Everybody use to p*** over this year. They are very
art deco. I really like the direction you are taking this.

 

can I go back to my last statement. I can not keep up with all the cars you buy and sell....... LOL

 

39' panels rock but i like 38' grilles better! that thing rocks!

 

Chris,
Speedway sells adapters that go from 5-on 4 1/2" to wide 5, they would work if you want the OG look!

 

Thats no ****!!!! he needs to start his own forum,,Chris do ever sleep?

 

Both panels are cool. My grandparents had several behind their place full of stuff in the late 60's/early 70's when I was a kid. I remember the double doors on one and the single door on the other one (later found out it was a 40 sedan delivery). They were all s****ped when my uncle cleaned the place out in about 72. I am amazed at the condition of stuff in eastern Washington everytime I travel there, if it were in Michigan those would be so rotted out sitting like that.

 

Is it weird I'm lusting over that clean Powerstroke?

 

Maybe, but I kinda am too. They're all rusty like hell 'round here.

 

here we go again...

 

Hey Chris, I think I have an extra set of 265 manifolds I'll make ya a good deal on if you're serious. I'll check and make sure. Sam

 

You know, my New years resolution was to not buy any projects this year. Up until this past week that was the case! I guess I did fall off the wagon, but at least I made it to late August

 

Its a 460 truck, not a diesel. I bought it from the original owner about a year ago. It has 212,000 miles on it and I paid 2800.00 for it. I had a 96 powerstroke identical to this one, but I only ran it about once a month (if that), and could not deem owning an 8,000.00 truck I never drive so I sold it and bought this one. The guy took care of it, you would never know the mileage it has and it runs/drives like it has under 100k on it.