1940 Ford Tudor Build Thread

[randyr]

Quick look at Greyhound, 2 packages under 62inches, Albuquerque NM to Des Moines Iowa = $171 =Is that too much for you?
Seats each one around 40 lbs

Oddly enough, you might also check with FedEX...a buddy of mine shipped a 37 Chevy fender a couple of months ago and FedEX was cheaper than Greyhound by 50 bucks or so. Worth a shot.

[rspears]

Oddly enough, you might also check with FedEX...a buddy of mine shipped a 37 Chevy fender a couple of months ago and FedEX was cheaper than Greyhound by 50 bucks or so. Worth a shot.

I would check with your local Fastenal store, too, like Ryan mentioned, if Covid19 hasn't ended the process. They don't advertise it, but they'll take big stuff, using their store to store transfer process and in the past were pretty cheap.

[40FordDeluxe]

I've been super busy lately with everything going on. I did manage to get some good progress made on the 40. The last few weeks winter appeared and that killed my progress.

I used 16ga to make the new back seat area. I was going to put beads in it but the bead roller I have wasn't up to the task. Instead I have some braces to put under the back seat. These are also going to be supports for seat belts to tie into.

I got all the rear suspension bridge done and I just have to finish weld things underneath. I also fixed my upper link mounts on the rear end housing. They were angled before and now are parallel with the rest of the joints.

[v8nutz]

Good progress!

[randyr]

Hey Ryan, it's great to see you making progress! I'm curious what kind of back seat you're going to put in there given the height of the new platform you added...did you notch the frame rails for the axles?

[40FordDeluxe]

I was trying to get it to a point so I could take it to our town's car show but that didn't happen. I've been trying to get the body closed back up so I can put it back in storage as the customer work load is pretty high.

I still hadn't finished the toe board area from when I replaced the fire wall. I welded the inside of the firewall to the cowl on the inside and made some pieces to tie the floor and firewall back in. I also installed the body bushings I didn't have in and bolted them all down. I had to remove the front body bushings to install the floor pieces. Now I have the doors shutting like they were before I tore the car apart. Not great but they shut and latch. I think I'm going to have to cut the hinges off the a pillar to get them better as the hinges are welded to the a pillars.

Since home schooling is in session Clint has been coming out helping in the garage. First I had him work on cleaning up the engine some more because I was going to put some color on it. Then I showed him how to sand and he has been sanding where he can. I had him using blocks but they hurt his hands. I kept telling him it's character building.

[40FordDeluxe]

It's nice to see the front clip back on this thing. I've moved the fenders many times and it is nerve wracking each time trying not to tear them up. Izzy loves this car and was glad to finally be able to set in it again.

[40FordDeluxe]

I really can't wait to get this car operational again. It's starting to look like I was hoping it would. I ordered some fake plates while I wait for the personalized Iowa plates. Hopefully I get my first choice.

[40FordDeluxe]

Hey Ryan, it's great to see you making progress! I'm curious what kind of back seat you're going to put in there given the height of the new platform you added...did you notch the frame rails for the axles?

Randy, I did notch the rear frame rails and C notched them. The back seat will be coming from a newer Camry or something from a u pull it. A stock seat wasn't going to work due to the suspension coming through the floor when it is aired out.

[40FordDeluxe]

I had been searching for a while to figure out where Uncle Jerry's original license plates went. No one knew or remembered them the last 10 years. Last summer I ran into Aunt Nancy's son Mike and I drilled him about them. He claimed he didn't have them but I know they raided their house. That's how I got Uncle Jerry's gas pump.

One day I just decided to call Jerry's old friend Gene to ask him where the rear license plate was at on Sooner. Gene is the man who spear headed the "restoration" of Sooner in the late 90s. For some reason I remember it being above the tail light on the RH fender but Gene says it was always on the trunk lid. So I asked him if he knew where the original plates were and he said he couldn't remember who ended up with them. He called me back in a little while and said, "Did you mean the FSBS plates?" I said yes of course. He laughed and said he knew where 1 was but couldn't remember who had the other.

He told me back in the day Gene and 3 others started a club/group and they always cruised together etc. These 4 guys all had black sedans. One thing lead to another and they called themselves the FSBS gang. Friendly strangers in a black sedan. Not long after that my uncle joined and was always one of the main members. He was a long time member of the ISRA too. Gene said over the years the name got different meanings too. I knew of a couple of them. Full of *hit and bull *hit, Fat slob in a black sled, Fn stupid bastard in a laid out sled, and some others I don't remember. He said the group came up with the name from an old song and I can not remember the name of it or the artist.

Then he shut the door that led you into his paint booth. This door is never closed so I never knew Sooner's original plate was hiding there. He said he has a lot of sentimental value in that plate so you can have it when I kick the bucket. I'll put your name on it. Well, at least I got to see it and I know where it is at. Jerry's license plate frame is still with it too. I showed him pics of the car now and he loves it. I'm hoping that I can drive it over there next spring and maybe he'll feel bad enough to hand over the plate.

Iowa recently came out with black and white plates that are special request. I put in for FSBS so hopefully I get it. Then at least it will be one more step to how it used to be.

Here are some pics Gene has on his shop wall of Sooner after they finished it in around 01. He said he wished they would have done some stuff differently. I thanked him for just doing it but then told him he could have saved me a lot of money and head ache if he wouldn't have. I could have just got it from my aunt and carried on. He just laughed.

The next to last pic is Gene with his last project he says he's going to do. He did sell Later before Covid came about. He has a 40 standard project I'd like to buy for my daughter but I'm a little shy on the bank account for it.

The last pic is the seats back in the 40. I made some quick brackets out of some 1x2 but might change them out for something else.

[johnboy]

A good story.
You already know the history of the car; but to have original 'attachments' (as in the plate,) returned to it would really be the icing on the cake.

Good luck with getting the actual original!

[40FordDeluxe]

Another thing I have been working on is the air cleaner. I originally made a lower but I didn't like how un even it was. I adopted a trick from Robert, but only half way the first time. I only used one buck before. This time I made 2 bucks and sandwiched the 16ga in between them. I also screwed it all together. This one is much nicer. It's more consistent, flat, and thicker.

I cut out the centers of 2 air cleaner lids. One is crowned and one is flat so it is eating at me to find another crowned or flat one to make them the same. OCD?

Currently I have the air cleaner centered with the body and some what centered over the engine. I'm still having bad thoughts of adapting that TA scoop to the top of it and have it go through the hood.....

[34_40]

Ryan.... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0EL7fjfeE8 listen to the beginning! You'll figure it out! LOL

[34_40]

And a lot of very nice work there, great progress! Love the air cleaner so far, some times more is less?

[v8nutz]

Air cleaner looks good. That hemi looks perfect in there, every hot rod should have one.