new project update (pics)

[phat rat]

here's what it looks like somewhat cleaned up. All trash and mouse nests gone.

[1FATGMC]

   

Jack did you say yours is a '40?  It looks like the one I dug up in the desert that I can't tell if it is a '38 or a '39.  So I'm wondering if yours is a '40 if the cab is the same as the 38/39 with the fenders/grill being different.

 

My top has already been lowered some on the top .  My windows don't roll up.  It was free though .  

 

This is a friend helping me dig it up.

 

When we started to dig the body out I didn't' know there was a grill or fenders there.  It all appeared as we dug.  No mouse nests, but hundreds of pounds of sand.

Post lots of pictures of your build.  I'll be watching.  I hope to get to mine sometime in this lifetime.  

c ya, Sum

[Bib_Overalls]

Looks solid.

When it comes to old cars condition is more important than the price of admission.

Picture shows the firewall in a similar cab a friend fabricated for a customer.

The firewall was pushed out to the front edge of the cab.  And the floor boards were pushed forward 6".  Plenty of room for a big block and floor/frame  mounted brake assembly

Top was chopped 3".   And with the extended toe boards the cab is more comfortable.

I have some pictures of the chop but they need to be downloaded and my camera is at the shop.  It was very straight forward.  Took the fabricator about 16 hours to have it ready for weld grinding and body shop work.  I'll post them later if you are interested

[kb426]

All these are way better than mine. I need a pair of doors that aren't "see through".

[Bib_Overalls]

Pictures.

[phat rat]

Sum, I'm by no means an authority on these just going by what I was told, 38 or 9. FREE IS GOOD. You've got sweat equity in it before you even start to build it. Steve, yes I'm interested in the firewall idea, looks good. I'll have to take a look at mine tomorrow. Worked on it some tonight and got the windshield opening. Now to get the cowl vent freed up.

[Dirk35]

Ill bet you a dollar that if you take a metal detector out there, more parts are not far, Possibly the bed, rear fenders, frame, who knows what.

Reason I say that is the completness of the fenders and grill. All cabs Ive ever seen seperated from the frame, the fenders and grill usually are the 1st to come off, bed last.

Id say that is a 38-39. But beyond 35-37, Im not be any means any sort of reliable info source.

[GPster]

To my eye (I forget which one) those cabs look out of place with the recesses at the sides of the firewall for fenders and hood and nothing there. A flat firewall and clutter free cowl side would make it look different. If this is going to be channeled than you migh consider stretching the firewall foreward a bit to give you some stretch-out room. Now for a completely off-the wall suggestion from someone that is coordination impared. Make the doors "suicide" and re-make the front door edges like '34, '34 Ford car doors. The truck door openings are awful narrow to get out of if you're not sitting upright and if you where to follow the windshield line straight down into the cowl it would give you more room to gat you feet out and on the ground. Dreaming is free. The hard part is deciding how much to do on a fixed income. GPster

[Uncle Bob]

Just to confirm the discussion about the year, the body lines are essentially the same '38-47.  This cab is a '38/9 because of the firewall/cowl side shape (similar to the passenger cars).  The '40 and up firewalls are essentially flat on the same plane as the revised one in Steve's pictures.

[1FATGMC]

Ill bet you a dollar that if you take a metal detector out there, more parts are not far, Possibly the bed, rear fenders, frame, who knows what..

You might be right, but my shovel man is not here .

Id say that is a 38-39. But beyond 35-37, Im not be any means any sort of reliable info source.

   

Because of the grill I'm sure mine is a 38-39.  Problem is there were some different variations on the grill (in the center part of the grill--see picture above) those two years and I've seen some trucks with the grill like mine that are said to be 38's and I seen others like mine that are said to be 39's.  I've also seen the other grill, with the center part different than mine listed as 38's and 39's also.  

In the picture above the owner of those two trucks says the left one is a '38 and the right is a '39, but like I said I've seen them called just the opposite at car shows.  Maybe the two grill variations were offered both years.  I think I have even seen a third variation on the grill where the center vertical bars are more spread in the middle.

Doesn't really make much difference, but if I ever finish it and drive it I would like to be telling people the right year.

c ya, Sum
[/quote]

[Uncle Bob]

My understanding is the same as the person who owns the two trucks, the one with the wider center bars is the '38.  It could be all the confusion over the years is due to grilles being replaced, or casual observation morphs the two in people's minds since they are so similar.

If by any chance you find any part numbers stamped on the pieces, '38's will start with 81C, '39's with 91C.  In the case of the grille it's 81C-8200 or 8203 for the '38

[1FATGMC]

If by any chance you find any part numbers stamped on the pieces, '38's will start with 81C, '39's with 91C.  In the case of the grille it's 81C-8200 or 8203 for the '38

Thanks for that info.  I'll look and see if there are any numbers and if I don't find any I'll go with your feeling that it is a '39.  

The number looking will have to wait a little as it is snowy, windy and cold outside right now and I'm at work.  We needed the moisture.  This is only the second snowfall/rain we have had since last sept/oct.  It is really dry here.  We will probably have lots of wild fires this summer if things don't get wetter real quick.

(edit note:  In the process of saving your ID numbers I found I had the following from the guy who had the two pickups above:

" The '38 and '39 Ford pickups are identical except for a few minor items like the height of
the hood ornament, the trim down the middle of the grill, and the cowl vent knob. And
one BIG difference. Hydraulic brakes first made their appearance on Fords in 1939. "

I don't have any of those things to compare, but think you probably have it ID'ed right  and he also probably has it right as those trucks appear to be original and probably have the original brakes.)


c ya, Sum

[phat rat]

To my eye (I forget which one) those cabs look out of place with the recesses at the sides of the firewall for fenders and hood and nothing there. A flat firewall and clutter free cowl side would make it look different. If this is going to be channeled than you migh consider stretching the firewall foreward a bit to give you some stretch-out room. Now for a completely off-the wall suggestion from someone that is coordination impared. Make the doors "suicide" and re-make the front door edges like '34, '34 Ford car doors. The truck door openings are awful narrow to get out of if you're not sitting upright and if you where to follow the windshield line straight down into the cowl it would give you more room to gat you feet out and on the ground. Dreaming is free. The hard part is deciding how much to do on a fixed income. GPster

Lots of good ideas there Joe. But right now I'm leaning to leaving it as is on the outside. I don't plan on channeling it, the door bottoms are (will be) lower than the frame anyway. As I said at first this isn't going to be a high dollar ride. For want of a better definition it'll be a RAT ROD. Frame and such will get a good coat of paint though.

[Dave]

To my eye (I forget which one) those cabs look out of place with the recesses at the sides of the firewall for fenders and hood and nothing there. A flat firewall and clutter free cowl side would make it look different. If this is going to be channeled than you migh consider stretching the firewall foreward a bit to give you some stretch-out room. Now for a completely off-the wall suggestion from someone that is coordination impared. Make the doors "suicide" and re-make the front door edges like '34, '34 Ford car doors. The truck door openings are awful narrow to get out of if you're not sitting upright and if you where to follow the windshield line straight down into the cowl it would give you more room to gat you feet out and on the ground. Dreaming is free. The hard part is deciding how much to do on a fixed income. GPster

Lots of good ideas there Joe. But right now I'm leaning to leaving it as is on the outside. I don't plan on channeling it, the door bottoms are (will be) lower than the frame anyway. As I said at first this isn't going to be a high dollar ride. For want of a better definition it'll be a RAT ROD. Frame and such will get a good coat of paint though.

Carefull how you say rat rod    :cry:  That could get you in trouble on other boards    
Dave

[phat rat]

Carefull how you say rat rod    :cry:  That could get you in trouble on other boards    
Dave[/quote]

How about PATINA like your bros truck