1940 Ford Tudor Build Thread

[34_40]

Secure door latches are a MUST HAVE! Even more so than the 3rd brake light imo.

[rspears]

The more I think about it the more I agree, just go shiny and be done with it. I'm going to have my friend with the mopar collection price me some paint and see what he can do. Since the glass will be out and it is already prepped, might as well make it shiny.

Check out The Coating Store. Jim Robinson recommended them, and he's been shooting paint for nearly 60 years!!

https://www.thecoatingstore.com/

[40FordDeluxe]

Secure door latches are a MUST HAVE! Even more so than the 3rd brake light imo.

For sure. I can't tell you how many times some one pulled the door handle back all the way when getting out and that is how you lock the door. Kind of annoying when both sides are shut and the keys are in it. Just another aggravation of the stock latch and operator. This is the kit i'm looking at. They offer large ones and the small ones. I'm leaning towards the small ones.

https://www.autoloc.com/catalog/Bear...w--Install-Kit

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[40FordDeluxe]

Check out The Coating Store. Jim Robinson recommended them, and he's been shooting paint for nearly 60 years!!

https://www.thecoatingstore.com/

Thanks Roger! I think I may give them a shot! If it is good enough for Jim, it is definitely good enough for me. I'm going to talk to Steve today about when he can put it in the booth so I have a time frame to get it ready. This is the color I'm looking at from the coating store.

https://shop.thecoatingstore.com/Bla...254-BCCKIT.htm

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[Hotrod46]

I'm late to this discussion, but agree with the simple, but shiny comments. FWIW - on my Healey project, I'm looking to do just that. A simple straight color, no tri-coats or even metallics. I want something that looks good, but not so good that I don't want to drive it. I also want something that is easy to repair and blend.

I have seen some of the modern tri-coats that look beautiful (especially in the sun), but my paint guy says they can be a bear to match and blend. These paints almost look as good as some of the House of Color paints, but apparently are as difficult to repair.

I will most likely just primer my car when it is done and put the shiny stuff on a little later after I have made sure the mechanicals are sorted. Of course, my car's body is much simpler to strip for painting than a 40 Ford.

As to the gauges, I'm using Speed Hut gauges in the Healey. They are custom stepper motor drive parts. All their gauges are custom made to your order and are as modern as you can get in an analog gauge. They look traditional and are available in many different sizes and face layouts. Their backlighting is very modern looking with the numbers appearing to float on the background. They are also available with programable warning lights and shift lights on the tachs. You can even supply your own art work to be added to your gauges. I haven't actually fired them up yet, but 53Chevy used them in his truck. Maybe he will comment on how well they work.

[rspears]

For sure. I can't tell you how many times some one pulled the door handle back all the way when getting out and that is how you lock the door. Kind of annoying when both sides are shut and the keys are in it. Just another aggravation of the stock latch and operator. This is the kit i'm looking at. They offer large ones and the small ones. I'm leaning towards the small ones.

https://www.autoloc.com/catalog/Bear...w--Install-Kit

Another option - https://www.rockyhinge.com/bear-claw...on-kits-1.html

Family business, Dad started making hinges and then expanded to other products when the son finished engineering school, as I recall. I used their suicide door safety latches, trunk support and front drive system on the '33.

That's a great color choice, too! I used Midnight Blue Pearl.

[40FordDeluxe]

I'm late to this discussion, but agree with the simple, but shiny comments. FWIW - on my Healey project, I'm looking to do just that. A simple straight color, no tri-coats or even metallics. I want something that looks good, but not so good that I don't want to drive it. I also want something that is easy to repair and blend.

I have seen some of the modern tri-coats that look beautiful (especially in the sun), but my paint guy says they can be a bear to match and blend. These paints almost look as good as some of the House of Color paints, but apparently are as difficult to repair.

I will most likely just primer my car when it is done and put the shiny stuff on a little later after I have made sure the mechanicals are sorted. Of course, my car's body is much simpler to strip for painting than a 40 Ford.

As to the gauges, I'm using Speed Hut gauges in the Healey. They are custom stepper motor drive parts. All their gauges are custom made to your order and are as modern as you can get in an analog gauge. They look traditional and are available in many different sizes and face layouts. Their backlighting is very modern looking with the numbers appearing to float on the background. They are also available with programable warning lights and shift lights on the tachs. You can even supply your own art work to be added to your gauges. I haven't actually fired them up yet, but 53Chevy used them in his truck. Maybe he will comment on how well they work.

You make a lot of good points. I wasn't going to go metallic but I decided I might as well since it is going to be shiny. I could still change my mind on that. I looked at the speed hut gauges and I do like them and the ability to have them customized. I'm just going to make mine work and use that money to buy other things the car needs.

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[40FordDeluxe]

Another option - https://www.rockyhinge.com/bear-claw...on-kits-1.html

Family business, Dad started making hinges and then expanded to other products when the son finished engineering school, as I recall. I used their suicide door safety latches, trunk support and front drive system on the '33.

That's a great color choice, too! I used Midnight Blue Pearl.

Thanks again Roger. I called and spoke with them. They recommend the slim line version for the 40. I will be going this route now.

https://www.rockyhinge.com/slim-line...w-latches.html

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[rspears]

Thanks again Roger. I called and spoke with them. They recommend the slim line version for the 40. I will be going this route now.

From my dealing with them they're good folks with top quality products. Brad helped me through several questions during the installation of my front drive stuff. I think you'll be happy with their stuff.

[40FordDeluxe]

Here are my gauges I have to use. They are brand new, never been opened until yesterday. I've had them for probably 10 years setting in dry storage. I have 6 2 5/8" smaller gauges for the other vitals as well. This is half of the reason I decided not to buy new gauges. I seriously have to keep my mind on the right track to get this car actually done. I'm trying hard to buy what it needs and not what I want. If I keep going by what I want, the thing will continue to set while I save the money to get these things. If I just get it together with a good base and get the chassis/body done, then I can always add better/want/need stuff later on.

They actually don't set to bad in the gauge panel opening. I'm going to make an adapter/bezel out of mild steel to adapt them in place. I will not weld this to the dash so the dash will still be stock in case I change my mind later and want a stock size cluster.

The last pic is of my signs I finally got around to putting up. I have a bunch of tractor ones but I might donate those to the boys' new bed room. But we'll see about that.

[34_40]

Love the signs! The gauges are NOT terrible, I was expecting a whole lot worse LOL..

Great choice on the latches. Nothing would be worse to hear than a family member fell out the door, even at a low speed.
You'd never forgive yourself.

[johnboy]

Re the third brake light...Bob Drake had the trunk trim for the '46-'48 Ford sedan with led lights in the letters F O R D that you could set up as brake lights.
I looked on his site but couldn't find them.
I know he did have them at one stage, as we've got them on the back of our bus as our high brake lights which are mandatory in NZ.

Edit: I found it. I knew it had to be there somewhere.

https://www.bobdrake.com/FordItem.as...d-60105c2da03a

[36 sedan]

Metallics look COOL! But, be sure to sand to 800 grit before you spray them, metallics like to settle in scratches and show lines.

[40FordDeluxe]

Re the third brake light...Bob Drake had the trunk trim for the '46-'48 Ford sedan with led lights in the letters F O R D that you could set up as brake lights.
I looked on his site but couldn't find them.
I know he did have them at one stage, as we've got them on the back of our bus as our high brake lights which are mandatory in NZ.

Edit: I found it. I knew it had to be there somewhere.

https://www.bobdrake.com/FordItem.as...d-60105c2da03a

JB, that is pretty cool! I have been re thinking the 3rd brake light. I remember a lot of the hot rods in the late 80s through mid 90s having them on top of the package tray pointing out of the back window. I don't think they would be very visible through my tinted back windows.

I do have LED rear tail lights which are much brighter than the originals. I just have some concerns now and that is why I want a 3rd brake light. First is too many distracted drivers and I know a couple of people that have been rear ended in old cars. The fault was not deemed by the person doing the rear ending due to a technicality of the old cars lighting not meeting modern appearances. I swear lawyers find every angle they can these days.

That brings me to another thing. Bumpers. Originally I was going to shave the bumpers from this car. They're really not going to protect anything being so low except from me bumping something like a curb. The more I thought about it, the more I decided I should probably put something in place there. That's when I decided to go with the nerf type bars. Will they protect everything, no, but at least there is some thing there. Either way, If the car is ever hit, it won't be good. Luckily the only thing I've hit have been deer in the last 20 plus years or so, so hopefully that streak continues.

Back to the 3rd brake light. I had a plan to french the license plate into the tail pan. I'm up in the air about that now. Originally I wanted the deck lid smooth and naked. Now I am re thinking that. I can't remember where the license plate was originally when Uncle Jerry owned it. I strongly remember it on the RH fender below the tail light. I don't ever remember it being on the deck lid so I may go back to that. I doubt I put it on the fender but in the tail pan would be nice. I'm hoping an old friend of Uncle Jerry's can dig up some pics of them from way back when.

If I move the license plate, I can put a light in place of the original license plate light and have it be the 3rd brake light. I have not came up with a good option for that yet. I did see a cool vintage light on an early 40s Dodge pick up at cruise to the woods this past fall. It was a round light that was red and had stop illuminated when it lit up. If I could find something like that it might be neat.

Another option is a license plate frame with a 3rd brake light. But if I relocate the plate in the tail pan, the extra light will still be low.

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[40FordDeluxe]

Metallics look COOL! But, be sure to sand to 800 grit before you spray them, metallics like to settle in scratches and show lines.

I don't believe I will spray this one. My friend Steve said he would paint it no problem. So now I just have to get the work done. Time is running out. Haha

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