Thread: 1940 Ford Pickup

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I made a piece to hold up a bare block (non Y block) such as a chev or sbf/chry out of some 6 x 2 in channel iron---cut 3 pieces ,welded middle one reverse of two end pieces----it will set on top of frame and hold block with crank centerline at level with top of frame rails----and get a cheap lazor to put on trans tailshaft tp point at differential--

Cross member is done except for the trans mount and maybe one more cross brace. Shocks will be done tomorrow.

Good help is hard to find so I take any I can get.

does the dog watch you weld??????

Navy,
I'd say you need to add a pair of cross bars at about the point where the side members start angling back. Your tranny mount will only tie the bottom bars together, and you need both the top & bottom connected for rigidity, IMO. You might want to consider a drive shaft loop in the layout, and think about exhaust routing, too.

Originally Posted by jerry clayton

does the dog watch you weld??????

My dog can't weld good at all, Jerry!!! He sez it's because he doesn't have thumbs but I think he just doesn't like welding!!!!!

To be expected, I guess, he's a security dog, and belongs to the security dog's union, I suppose he doesn't see it in his job description so he won't do it!!!!!

Originally Posted by jerry clayton

does the dog watch you weld??????

No she doesn't watch, went I'm welding and grinding she leaves the shop and goes rabbit shopping. She thanks you for your concern.

Originally Posted by rspears

Navy,
I'd say you need to add a pair of cross bars at about the point where the side members start angling back. Your tranny mount will only tie the bottom bars together, and you need both the top & bottom connected for rigidity, IMO. You might want to consider a drive shaft loop in the layout, and think about exhaust routing, too.

Thanks for the input I think I will make all those ideas happen.

Navy,
I went back through my build thread and found this picture of my center cross member, which is similar to yours, done by the guys at N&N. Note that they boxed the center on top, added a tranny mount up front across the bottom with a removable center section, and then added a bottom brace in back that acts to hold up the driveshaft if the front u-joint happens to blow. I think most commercial frames have similar cross bracing.

I'm sure Roger is referring to something like this ...It dose make a difference

Roger got back first

Originally Posted by cffisher

I'm sure Roger is referring to something like this ...It dose make a difference

Roger got back first

Yeah Charlie, something like that but mine's much simpler, made from 1/4" plate steel. About 6"x6" with a 1.5" flap folded down at 45 degrees, welded to each side, bottom tube. Then a mating piece, tapering in to about 4" under the tranny with the 45's folded up. Two holes in the outers, two slots on the inner give fore & aft adjustment, about 2" as I recall. When the bolts are tight it's solid as a rock.

The important thing is for the center section to be removable and wide enough to let the tranny drop for maintenance. Also, I don't like anything riding on the top of the frame where the body sits - just another interference to deal with.

All good stuff coming forward to help you here and some funny comments about the dog too. I personally would like the driveshaft safety hoop mounted towards the front more and incorporating a full hoop which the driveshaft passes through but still has suspension travel space. The safety hoop on my Bucket is made of a light tube which is then bolted to the frame but passed our strict certification laws and means that if the front universal does give up the driveshaft is still retained up of the road.

More work on the Forty brought more questions to my mind. 1st one is about ground clearance with things like the trans oil pan. I blocked the tranny up too about where I think it will sit . It seem to hang low under the frame.


Can't really go any higher without having the motor mounts raised to the upper limits of the front cross member. As it is their 1/2 inch from the top of the Mustang 11 front end {by measurement, not yet welded in}.

The last thing is the help, always goofing off.


How low does your trans and engine hang below your ride ?

Well unless you intend going off roading and having 4 wheel drive, that looks like you have a heap of space between terrafirma and the pan. I think from memory my T Bucket only has 6 " between the ground and the lowest point at the fly wheel cover.

Navy, you really need to get the engine involved as opposed to guessing with the tranny alone. Like Jerry said up in post 106 above, set the crank centerline at about top of frame with motor mounts fabricated as necessary to get that height. If you're running a carb set the intake level with the frame at ride height. If you're running injection then set a downward slope toward the back of two to three degrees, and your rear end pinion angle will be upward at that same angle for proper alignment. That will determine your tailshaft position. You may have to put a bit of bow or fab some angles on that cross member brace you're working on, but you really don't know without the engine in place. You can't see the detail on mine, but I had to cut out a section of that top brace and replace it with 1/4" plate for E-brake cable clearance, something that was totally unexpected, but mandatory once the E-brake was mounted to the floor.

X2, you'll need the motor & trans "package" to set / verify heights and alignments. Even it the motor is empty, you can still calculate the centerlines using a dowel if needed. But you must have the intake, basepan and block with a tranny to get your height(s) and angles correct.

Plus, once you rough in the mounts then you can check header fit with steering linkages and brake master/booster clearances, etc. etc. etc..