46 pickemup in NJ "the Rebuild"

[paintman]

OK some updates! So here's a perfect example of having something get way more involved then I ever wanted it to be. Originally my truck came with your typical V8. I decided to make the change to an inline 6. Well that poses some challenges. First off the inline 6 is about 4-5 inches longe than the V8. when I first put the engine in its hole I had no room to get the radiator in.

So after staring at the problem for a bout 2 months I decided I only had 2 options. Either try and re-work the radiator mount and move it forward. Or cut a hole in the fire wall and slide the engine back a bit. Moving the radiator support around seemed at the time to present much more of a challenge because as most of you know a lot of the front body work mounts to the support. Because of this I decided to leave the mount alone and cut a hole in the firewall.



At the time the fix seemed pretty simple......but now I had to figure out how to re- work the fire wall and not make it look like a hack job. Mind you now I do not have any of the high end tools the hot rod shops have ie....power hammer, english wheel, bead roller, etc etc. So I will have to just wing as best I can. the biggest problem is the stock fire wall has a rounded, stamped recess. So How the hell am I going to make something blend in with that?????????????

first I started off making a new floor. Just a simple piece of plate steel with a lip added to the bottom so it rests nicely in its hole.

[paintman]

Next it was onto the toe board. This wasn't to much of a big deal as the old toe board looked like a piece of Swiss cheese anyway. All I had to do was add a 2 inch kick out to accommodate the engine set back. After a lot of cutting grinding and fitting this is what I came up with.


here it is all in place................

Next it is onto the tranny tunnel

[paintman]

Tranny tunnel Hmmmmmmmm. Templates templates and more templates. that's pretty much how I spent the last couple of hours.
Cut, fit, try it. fail.

Cut it again, try it again, getting closer.

Cut it again, try it again,........

So I guess the plan is fab up the tunnel with some sheet metal some how, weld some tabs to the floor and toe board for mounting points, and either fasten the tunnel with screws and nuts or Dzus buttons.
Seeing as how I don't have anyway to roll a niece tunnel into form. Would I be violating the Hot Rod gospel by copying this idea?

[old yelr]

Noy sure if it's too late or if it's an option for you but check the link below .

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1940-1941-19...9a04f2&vxp=mtr

[paintman]

Originally Posted by old yelr

Noy sure if it's too late or if it's an option for you but check the link below .

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1940-1941-19...9a04f2&vxp=mtr

Thanx Yelr, I have seen them before and had considered it, but I don't think my welding skills are up to cutting out an entire fire wall and trying to weld/stitch a new one in place without warping it. I may just cut out the rounded section of my firewall and build some kind of a square box. At this point though I am still stumped as to how I am going to blend in my toe board with the stock fire wall. if I only had an English wheel and about 20 years experience in metal working I would be all set.

[old yelr]

Yeah, I had the same thoughts about it. I'm sure you will figure something out. LOVE the headers! I think that's an awsome option if you can't find anything to fit. I'm sure they were not easy on the wallet though. Keep up the great work

[CHIZZLER]

lookin good paint.

[KJSR]

I formed my trans hump over a 33 gallon oil drum trash can. Just pushed the metal around it and it ended up being the perfect shape.

[paintman]

So while I ponder what to do about the fire wall and trans tunnel. I figured I would button up the back end of the truck with the new fuel tank and shock mounts.

Whoever originally built the truck put the shocks in staggered (one in front of the rear the other behind) which is fine but they were laid down at almost a 30 degree angle. The guy I bought the truck off of said it rode so stiff he took the shocks out and just drove the truck on the leaf springs. I don't have a pic of the old shocks but its no wonder the truck rode so stiff, there was now way the shocks could compress at 30 degrees.

So the fix was simple enough. the TCI leaf kit came with the shock cross member and shocks, so I just threw in some boxing plates, and burned in the mount.


For the fuel tank, I guess theirs about 100 different ways to mount them. I choose to do everything bolt in. I just used some 1 1/4 square stock bolted to the frame for supports. Of course its never as simple as it seems..... Because the front most cross member sits on the kick up part of the frame over the rear, It wouldn't sit level with the rear cross member so I had to notch it on both sides. At least I am getting a lot of welding practice!
I then bolted the tank to the supports. Instead of just directly bolting the tank to the supports I made up some squish plates to sit on top and sandwich everything together. Once I do the final assembly I'll use some kind of rubber inner tube like material in between the cross member, tank, and the plates to keep everything from chaffing. to remove the tank all I have to do is unbolt the rear most cross member from the frame and slide it back about an inch and the tank just drops down.


So that's where i am at as of now. The truck is real close to being mocked up.
Before I tear everything down for sand blasting theirs just a couple of things I want to do. I bought a set of 2" drop spindles from Justin, and some 2" lowering blocks from speedway. I want to throw them at the truck and see what it looks like lowered a bit more. The other thing is, I am still trying to find a trans cross member that I like. I am trying to find one with a 1" drop but it looks like the only ones made start at 2" and go from there. I currently have the tranny temporarily finagled in with a 6" drop but that interferes with the brake booster/master cylinder. I guess I may just have to make one.

[paintman]

I almost forgot to ask the experts.....do you guys think I should put some strapping under the fuel tank to support the bottom when the tank is full of fuel?
I am thinking that a full tank of fuel may cause the tank to deform a bit and cause stress on the seems. Maybe I just over thinking it.

[Cape Codder]

I just found you build thread and love the project. I especially like the return to the inline 6. The Mustang tanks in their original use sat into the trunk from the top and all four sides were supported on the seams without straps underneath. As long as you are supporting the longer sides I would think you would be ok , but a couple pieces of angle supporting both sides wouldn't be tough to engineer.


Bob

[paintman]

So the ole girl got her nose and back side lowered 2" thanx to a set of drop spindles from Justin out at Scott's Hot Rods and some lowering blocks from Speedway. I think she looks pretty good although here I go again opening up a can of worms. When I dropped the rear it puts the tires a little bit to close to the fenders for my comfort. So its either widen the fenders, raise the fenders, get a rear that's about 2" narrower, smaller width wheels, or keep the same width wheels but use a different back space.



Heres a shot showing the new fuel tank. It doesn't look to bad but maybe a rear roll pan to hide it is in order.

I am so close to being able to tear this thing apart for sandblasting!

[solidaxel]

Originally Posted by paintman

So the ole girl got her nose and back side lowered 2" thanx to a set of drop spindles from Justin out at Scott's Hot Rods and some lowering blocks from Speedway. I think she looks pretty good although here I go again opening up a can of worms. When I dropped the rear it puts the tires a little bit to close to the fenders for my comfort. So its either widen the fenders, raise the fenders, get a rear that's about 2" narrower, smaller width wheels, or keep the same width wheels but use a different back space.



Heres a shot showing the new fuel tank. It doesn't look to bad but maybe a rear roll pan to hide it is in order.

I am so close to being able to tear this thing apart for sandblasting!

Paintman,
Can you get some measurements from the bottom of the frame at the spindle and the bottom of the cross member (front) to the ground.
Are you going to have any trouble clearing "speed bumps" or maybe you do not have any where you live!
What size front tires are you using?
Thank for the help

[paintman]

Originally Posted by solidaxel

Paintman,
Can you get some measurements from the bottom of the frame at the spindle and the bottom of the cross member (front) to the ground.
Are you going to have any trouble clearing "speed bumps" or maybe you do not have any where you live!
What size front tires are you using?
Thank for the help

Hey Solid! Unfortunately I can't give you any measurements because the frame is still all striped down and leaning up against the wall in my garage. Its definitely going to be close but this truck is just for putting around the back roads on a Sunday afternoon. If It becomes a problem I can always ditch the 2" inch drop spindles and take the blocks out from the rear to pick the truck up a little. All the pics I have posted of the truck are with the tires that came with the truck. Fronts-195/75R15 Rears-235/70R15

My wife and I have had the winter from hell here in NJ. First off every week we were getting dumped on with snow which necessitated getting my work truck into the garage so we could get our driveway plowed. 10 times at $65 a plow kind of takes the spirit out of you. The only way I could do that was to lean my 46 frame against the wall and squeeze my truck in.

Then came a February that we would like to forget.....First off my Mother In-law died on the 3rd of Feb. and then 10 days later my Father gave up the fight. So the entire month of February was consumed by going to Virginia to take care of all the usual things, and then no sooner getting home and having to go up to Northern Maine. UGHHHH!!!!!!!!

The good news is I finally got back out into the garage and set the frame back on jack stands, and finished up welding the pin holes. I am now waiting on some warm weather to start painting the frame.

[CHIZZLER]

lookin real good paint.

[Scottshotrods]

looking good !!!

Justin

[Cape Codder]

I like the look of the front bumper maybe a matching one for the rear? I would weld the bolts to the backside and smooth the bumper too.

[egarage]

I have a 46 1/2 ton chevy and I have a 69 chevy 292 that I want to install and would like to know if you made your moter mount brackets or did you buy them. Also would you still rework the fire wall or would you move the radiator forword if you had to do it again?

[paintman]

Originally Posted by egarage

I have a 46 1/2 ton chevy and I have a 69 chevy 292 that I want to install and would like to know if you made your moter mount brackets or did you buy them. Also would you still rework the fire wall or would you move the radiator forword if you had to do it again?

As far as the motor mounts, .....the pieces you see bolted to the motor are from chassis engineering. the brackets on the frame I made myself and just used the standard rubber pucks you can buy for any motor. Actually I think the pucks came with the motor mounts from CE.

As far as the 292 situation, I don't know yet. I don't have all the fancy fabrication equipment that I really need so I am struggling right now with the fire wall. I think what I am going to do is have Scott's Hot Rods make me a box for the set back and just bolt it in place.

I guess if I had thought it out better I could have left the radiator bracket in its stock location and somehow welded different flanges on the radiator to move it more forward towards the front of the truck. If I remember correctly though I needed almost 2" more clearance for the fan not to hit the radiator. I definitely didn't want to be bothered with moving the whole radiator support around because then I would have re-hang the entire nose of the truck with all new, different brackets.

I don't think I'll have to many updates for awhile because the wife and I are in the process of having a patio installed off the back of our house. Plus having to throw $800 at my work truck yesterday didn't help. DAMN CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS! Probably won't get a chance to get back to the 46 for 2-3 weeks.

[Scottshotrods]

Originally Posted by paintman

As far as the motor mounts, .....the pieces you see bolted to the motor are from chassis engineering. the brackets on the frame I made myself and just used the standard rubber pucks you can buy for any motor. Actually I think the pucks came with the motor mounts from CE.

As far as the 292 situation, I don't know yet. I don't have all the fancy fabrication equipment that I really need so I am struggling right now with the fire wall. I think what I am going to do is have Scott's Hot Rods make me a box for the set back and just bolt it in place.

I guess if I had thought it out better I could have left the radiator bracket in its stock location and somehow welded different flanges on the radiator to move it more forward towards the front of the truck. If I remember correctly though I needed almost 2" more clearance for the fan not to hit the radiator. I definitely didn't want to be bothered with moving the whole radiator support around because then I would have re-hang the entire nose of the truck with all new, different brackets.

I don't think I'll have to many updates for awhile because the wife and I are in the process of having a patio installed off the back of our house. Plus having to throw $800 at my work truck yesterday didn't help. DAMN CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS! Probably won't get a chance to get back to the 46 for 2-3 weeks.

We are ready when you are !!!

Justin

[Tx Firefighter]

Wow. No one will ever accuse you of living in the hood. That's some place.
Posted via Mobile Device

[paintman]

Ok guys, I'm back! sorry for the lack of updates but this has been the Summer from hell around the Paintman's place. As most of you know from my perevious posts, the wife and I had a patio installed off the back of our house which severely curtailed me from working on the 46.

To save money we didn't have our patio crew put our yard back together. that meant the paintman had to do a lot of grunt work during the summer months. Unfortunately, moving 15 ton of red dress stone, and 20 ton of top soil, with a nothing but a shovel and wheel, is a recipe for for being laid up for about 2 weeks with some serious back issues. And of course after recuperating from my back problems I had to throw in a visit to the emergency room for a bout of diverticulitis.

but it looks as if all those issues are behind me and the patio is completely done and I can get back to the 46.

Sausage and peppers anyone????

[paintman]

Ok so this is how the paintman gets his motor into the back of his wife's car when he's to cheap to buy or rent an engine hoist, and doesn't want to ask his next door neighbor if he can borrow his.


Two 2x12's and a big push and up it goes!!!!!

[paintman]

Ok guys so here's a brain teaser...........What do you get when you add together....................

A motor and a bunch of parts in the back of the Wife's car +

A trip to Mystic Connecticut leaving first thing Friday morning +

And a room reserved for Friday and Saturday night at Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville Connecticut?

A free ata boy to the first one who answers correctly. Stay tuned!

[Cape Codder]

For me it would be grief except Mohegan Sun might cancel out some of that. I would be at the Seaport while she would be at the casino.