The best “before” photo that I could find of the latest ’40 project.
I don’t know what else to call it, but I just haven’t felt like posting on the website for quite a while. I’m still driving the ’40s darn near every day, but I haven’t been logging the time other than when I stop and fill up the gas tank.
Today, however, I figured I needed to post the latest bit of excitement that has been consuming my hot rod brain.
Back in November, I had contacted a guy to look at a ’40 panel truck that was within a reasonable purchase budget. The thought was that if I could buy it right, I could use up a bunch of “driver quality” parts that I have collected and make a fun beater to drive.
The plan is to use the ’40 Ford Flathead motor that came out of the stake truck, back it with a wide ratio Saginaw 4 speed, and feed that into a 3.0 geared 8″ Granada rear end that I bought a few years ago. Anything else is to be bought on a budget, so whatever scrounging I could do to score inexpensive parts to get it on the road, I was on it!
My buddy, Mike Meeker, has been a HUGE help for me on this one, providing shop and storage space, and helping me with work that would take me a heck of a lot longer to get done if left up to just me.
Loading it up onto the trailer to haul home
Came with a decent set of front fenders
Mike Meeker and me posing for a photo for Dad.
First work day, pulling the motor, transmission, and banjo rear end.
Mike and Quentin, as Mike was getting ready to clean off the old spring saddles and install new ones on the rear end
New Posies parallel leaf springs, with a spring hanger sitting on top for reference.
After bolting on a wheel, we discovered that the “perfect with axle for a ’40” is a little narrow for a panel truck
The decision was made to pull these Chevy bolt pattern US Mags Indy slots out for the project, allowing me to use an 1 1/4″ adapter to space the wheels correctly.
In the meantime, I got a tip on some parts being pulled from a nice ’40 convertible, so I ran to Tulsa to haul home a bed full of goodies
The next “work day” I cut out most of the rusty floorboards to give us some room to work on the X Member and set the engine and transmission without the floorboards in the way.
I ordered some “new” US Mags Indy 15×5’s for the front, cleaned up and polished the “old” 15×7’s, and bought some tires
After a long and dirty day of work, we installed the newly acquired X member and front end parts under the panel truck and put on the new wheels and tires.
Time to put it back in the barn
Next items on the “work list” involve a trip to St Louis to pick up the transmission and some other assorted parts. Hopefully I can get the engine and transmission together and we can set them in to see how the extra weight will have the panel truck sitting and then decide whether to swap the stock axle with a dropped one or run with what I have under it already.
Now you are caught up!