1940 Ford Tudor Build Thread

[40FordDeluxe]

Yesterday after work I had a bunch of stuff going on.

I started off by getting the top to my trans tunnel cut out. It's fitting decent. I just have a little more trimming and fitting to do and I can weld it in. I did find a boot to put over the shifter as well. I'll add nut serts to the tunnel to attach it to.

I've had a 2001 2500HD I've been parting out and like a genius I forgot to remove the gas tank and of course the frame is setting on the trailer with the bed full of junk already. The tank can't be in it to get turned into toyotas. I got it out without killing myself. I at first I was just going to cut the bottom of the front strap and as I was I just visioned the thing blowing up as I cut through the plastic tank and sparks flying from the steel strap. Bad idea. Haha

I also had a guy come buy an old chevy pick up step bumper, and I had to get the front cradle/suspension removed from my 72 C10 donor suburban.

I think my high light yesterday was my new air cleaner set up was delivered. I'm not sure why I didn't think of one of these earlier, but I've always loved these finned scoops. I had one years ago and oddly enough it had 392 Hemi hand painted on it. It was just a single carb scoop, but I loved it. When the light bulb went off to get one again, I knew the finned aluminum would set right in place with the rest. Now I think it looks like an old school hot rod.

[Mike P]

".......At first I wasn't happy with the look of it. But you know what, it'll be covered in kill mat......"

Yeah transmission tunnels can be a PIA. I was happy about with the floor/tunnel I did in the 37, but the 87 Ram 50 was a giant pain and there were a couple of places I wasn't real happy with my work (I was using stainless too.). I came to the same conclusion as you, and by the time I added insulation and a rubber floor mat (instead of carpet) you couldn't tell it didn't come from the factory that way.

Of all your air-cleaner options, I definitely like this one the best (the Six Pack comes in second, but I'm prejudice LOL )

The neat thing about the pre-war cars is the amount of height you have for air cleaner clearance.

I'm already wondering what air cleaner issues I'll run into with the HEMI in the Valiant.


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[34_40]

I say the same thing about my running boards. I’ve had people standing on them, and when I walk up I ask where is your car so I can go stand on it?

[rspears]

I say the same thing about my running boards. I’ve had people standing on them, and when I walk up I ask where is your car so I can go stand on it?

LOL with the page change you had me scratching my head, but then I paged back and found the reply about that "Creamsicle" custom valance panel on the '40, and Ryan saying he figured his kids would just be standing on it to look at the engine! That's one of the things about running boards - people think they are meant for standing, even if they're finish painted!

[40FordDeluxe]

Mike, after I put it on I stood back and thought it's going to be close on the front but I think it will fit. The only down side to this scoop is it is a bit more work to get on and off. At least now I can change the looks by switching between the 2 if I want to.

Roger and other Mike, yeah, that's always drove me nuts about pre war cars and running boards. I can't tell you how many times I've seen kids on running boards and you know right away that kid is not related to the owner. The kid means no harm, they are just excited and it's obviously a place to perch and hang off that awesome open window. I always try to keep an eye on my kids because I don't want them doing exactly this. They have done it to this car several times when it was mocked up. That's the biggest reason I left pads on the running boards and didn't smooth them. I really wanted to smooth them out, and notch them and put the side pipes down the edge. Luckily those side pies this car had are stupid expensive so I didn't buy any. Really on this car, you don't even need the running boards. It will be nice to have them back on again.

I didn't get anything done to it last night. My wife took the kids to her brother's house to swim. After work I had to go wait for a guy to come pick up that C10 front suspension. Lucky enough for me he couldn't read a clock and dicked up my whole afternoon. He was supposed to be there at 3:30 but showed up closer to 5. So I ended up leaving after I waited from 2-3 for him, went swimming, came back, helped load the suspension, then back to swimming. We had a storm come through too. It was 85* when I came back from dealing with the suspension. It dropped 12* and poured. Their pool is salt water and heated. It felt so amazing! I heard they had a heater for it but I didn't realize they used it year round. Maybe the water was just that warm from the sun but idk. It sure was nice until a fat guy had to get out and get the umbrella down that was trying to take flight!

[34_40]

I'm reduced to "Other Mike"...! sigh

[40FordDeluxe]

I'm reduced to "Other Mike"...! sigh

I figured other Mike was better than the BMW term M3......

[34_40]

I figured other Mike was better than the BMW term M3......

HAH! I did it to R2... so I guess I would deserve it! Besides, it would keep the riff raff guessing! HAHAHAHAHA......

[rspears]

HAH! I did it to R2... so I guess I would deserve it! Besides, it would keep the riff raff guessing! HAHAHAHAHA......

But R2 is double R, Randy Ross, not the second Randy, unless I missed something.... And R2's F100 is nearing completion, and it's AWESOME!!

[40FordDeluxe]

Yesterday was a humid one but I got the trans tunnel fit and welded up. Now to drill some holes, and add some nutserts to the floor. I'll clean up some of the welds, but it's pretty much done. Now I can put the dash in and decide how I want to do my center console.

I also cut and modified the brake pedal lever. Since my floor is no longer angled and is flat, I had to modify the lever one, so it is closer to the same height as the gas pedal, and 2, so the pedal pad is closer to the orientation of your foot compared to the stock one. I took roughly 2.5" out of it. I have to run a tap down the threads to get the pad to set flush in the arm and then it'll be where it needs to be. It's as close as it can be and have full travel of the arm.

I still have to add nutserts to retain my shift boot as well. At least there isn't a huge hole in the floor now.

[rspears]

Whew! A good milestone met on the tunnel, and getting the brake pad optimized too! We're getting a bit of a break from the heat here the past few days. Had some HORRIBLE humidity, but the past two days that's been better, too but this morning's thunderstorm dumped 1/2" of rain so I expect the humidity will be through the roof later today....

[34_40]

Progress! And yes, I agree, a milestone was reached. I was figuring you'd say the console could be a winter time job.. September is almost here ! LOL.. You guys talking about the weather - we had a small tornado go by us in the next town over. EF1 tearing up some trees and homes, for us it was 4 to 6 inches of rain in about 40 to 45 minutes!! At my house my dirt & stone drive look like the grand canyon now.

[Mike P]

Tunnel looks good Ryan, dress the welds a bit and and call it good.

I ended up going thru 3 iterations on the brake pedal in the 37 Dodge before I was happy.

Good progress.


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[rspears]

It's good you got the tunnel covered! You could've lost a kid in there, and not discovered him/her missing 'till dinner time, or worse 'till bedtime!! But if it was your parts thief that might have been his access/egress point, so still good to have it closed!

[40FordDeluxe]

Whew! A good milestone met on the tunnel, and getting the brake pad optimized too! We're getting a bit of a break from the heat here the past few days. Had some HORRIBLE humidity, but the past two days that's been better, too but this morning's thunderstorm dumped 1/2" of rain so I expect the humidity will be through the roof later today....

I've always had bad dreams of other people driving this thing and wrecking it because you would have had to drive it with 2 feet. I wanted to eliminate that the best I could. The weather has been crazy lately. Finally we're getting rain, but it sure can't be normal.

Progress! And yes, I agree, a milestone was reached. I was figuring you'd say the console could be a winter time job.. September is almost here ! LOL.. You guys talking about the weather - we had a small tornado go by us in the next town over. EF1 tearing up some trees and homes, for us it was 4 to 6 inches of rain in about 40 to 45 minutes!! At my house my dirt & stone drive look like the grand canyon now.

I really wanted to not do it now but I want to hide my fuse panel in there and hopefully make the car a little more friendly to work on. We'll see how that turns out. I'm sorry to hear about the nader but glad you didn't get much damage and no one was hurt. I love a good storm but you can't out run a nader.

Tunnel looks good Ryan, dress the welds a bit and and call it good.

I ended up going thru 3 iterations on the brake pedal in the 37 Dodge before I was happy.

Good progress.


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Thanks Mike, everything else has been 3x on this so I guess 2x on this is a good changing point.

It's good you got the tunnel covered! You could've lost a kid in there, and not discovered him/her missing 'till dinner time, or worse 'till bedtime!! But if it was your parts thief that might have been his access/egress point, so still good to have it closed!

Oh yeah, little Cody would definitely be hiding stuff from the bottom up. I've got to take a pic of him kneeling down under this thing acting like he is working on it. What a little stink.

Ok, yesterday afternoon I got some disturbing news so I was in a crap mood. On top of that Cody wasn't feeling well. He climbed up on my leg and wanted me to hold him when I got home from work. I sat with him for a while and then when he was asleep I decided it would be a good idea to go put my dash in and start getting on this console. I should have stayed inside....... I got the dash sat up and in place with 1 bolt in it. I went to go to the other side and bam! The dash fell down and smacked the shifter on the way down. Man I was irate. I'm still mad. I'd really like to say to heck with this thing and put it back in the barn but I know if I do, it'll be another year before I can work on it due to everything I have setting waiting to get done. That's how my day went, how'd yours go?

pS My friend sent me this and I had to share it. Yeah, I'm a lefty.