Thread: Can you help me identify this truck please

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I recently became employed at the local community college assisting my professor.
We've been kicking around the notion of building a low budget Street Rod to attract attention to our ATAP (Applied Technology Advanced Processes)program.
We've been offered this old Ford Pick Up to kick start the build.
We've unearthed it and the frame appears to be in very good condition, along with the straight axle and rear differential. The springs are another story though.

I trust you you guys inexplicably and therefore come to you for input and guidance.

So if you would, could you please give me your best shot at identifying this ride?
Also any input as to, if it is worth to try and salvage it.
We're not looking to build a Ken Thurm class beauty, just something safe and unique.

Thanks in advance,
Tom

PS. The key word here is: LOW BUDGET as funding for the build is going to be mostly contributions (read:Gary and I at this point are the only contributors).

That is the 40-47 cab style. The 40-41 are slightly different where the front fenders bolted on and would still have a single cross spring in front. The 42-47 used parallel front leafs, if the chassis is even original. It appears someone has hung pedals as it has a firewall master cylinder.
Who named your program, the pentagon?
P.S. if you need any bits and pieces for the cab I have a little stuff around from junking one.

Thanks Willowbilly!
We'll humbly take you up on your offer as things progress.
It certainly has parallel leafs on the front axle.
The Cab has been dropped about 8" best I can tell, and the rear axle looks like it's been moved forward about a foot!
Also the drum brakes are still intact.
The bed has been shortened as well.

I don't know about the Pentagon naming the program, does sound like it though.
The program is for CAD CAM and bunch of other techy stuff (Reverse Engineering, CNC Machining, Rapid Prototyping etc.)

Guess somebody liked it better than SRWPC (Shop Rats with PC's)

it looks like a pretty solid body other than above the windshield there.

i don't really have any valuable input here, but i just wanted to post about how cool I think it would have been to build any kind of car at "school". the best I did was in high school with the new temporary shop teacher (after ours "left" after being accused of molesting a student) we successfully tore apart a mid 90's v6 mustang and roughly the same year mark viii. the plan was to put the mark viii engine in the mustang and put the 3.8 in a van...why im not sure because the mark viii was very low mileage and could have been made into a pretty cool car . instead we destroyed two running cars

good luck...i think that could be a cool low buck truck and with the program name on the doors would attract attention to the program. one thing you might want to watch is how low budget the truck appears...from the name it sounds like you do a lot of high tech stuff and may want it a step up from a rat rod covered in rust...

Thanks 35fordcoupe
We're not really shooting for a specific genre, just want we can afford, make it look presentable and mostly safe!
We do have some really Cool toys to play with and we intend to use them to make alot of parts that would kill a budget.
We'll use Catia, Unigraphics, MasterCam, Cimatron for designing and modeling.
Machines at our disposal include several Haas (5 axis) Mills and lathes, EDM Ram, Wire EDM, Fast hole EDM, manual lathes, mills, surface grinders, OD and ID grinders and a new 3 camera stereo scanner.
Our welding lab just went through a MAJOR upgrade as well.

It's my hope to start a build thread in the Hot Rod section and post our progress.

I'll be asking a TON of questions and looking for input, that is, if you guys don't mind.

Thanks to all,
Tom

[QUOTE=Supa Roosta]

I'll be asking a TON of questions and looking for input, that is, if you guys don't mind.
_____________________________________________________________________________________

Of course we mind!! What do you think this is, a car forum or something??

Hey Tom, that thing looks pretty cool, especially with the shortened bed and all. It was someones early hot rod from the looks of it. I think most of it looks savable.

I know someone who has a brand new Hemi in a crate that lives VERY close to you...........maybe that would fit in there.

Don

That is one short bed, hope you don't have to haul anything big...LOL
Keep updating with pictures , we like pictures.
Bradc

That looks like my old 41. We chopped about 14" off the bed. Can't seee much from this picture

40- 47 cab for sure. You need to measure the box width and frame width to determine the year. A tag should also be inside the glove box door. Numbers are also stamped on top of the frame rail towards the front wheels. Get me the numbers and I may be able to help. You are in for a lot of work. I am a student also. A student of a hot rod builder. I was invited into a shop over 3 years ago to build my truck. I show up one day a week and build it. Greatest experience of my life. I have hundreds of pictures to help you out. Scrap that frame and start with a stock frame. Show your students how to box a frame.

looks like a 40something ford truck.choptopjimmy had a front clip for sale recently that would have helped you out a ton.hell make a ratrod out of it and drive it and have some fun!!!!!!!!

Looks like a good one to start with.

You don't have a chunk of 1 1/4" aluminum about a foot square laying around there do you? I have been trying to find some stock to build my transmission adapter and have came up dry out here where the antelope play.

Thanks for all the replies and narrowing down the year of the truck.
There is a plate on the firewall that looks like it could be a VIN, we couldn't make out any info other than the Ford logo.
Next time we head out I'll look at the glove box door and see if it reveals more clues.
We still have to get the truck out of the woodlot where it has been sitting for the past 40+ years.

This is what I know of it so far.
It belonged to the owner of the farm it was found on.
He is the second owner.
He purchased it in 1966 from his H.S. science teacher who was the original owner.
That's the extent of the information I have.
We are making plans to meet with gentleman who donated to us to express our thanks, and to gather information of both owners and the history of the truck.

Look for a "Build" thread in the near future.

I thought a lot about this post today. Measure the box width. If you feel it was the one that came with the truck originally it will measure 46 inches if it is a 40 or 41. A jailbar( 42-47) will be 49 inches. I sure would like to see pictures of all of your equipment and the welding shop. It sounds like a fantastic place. I wish I had learned how to run mills and lathes and perhaps a waterjet cutter.I love this stuff.