Thread: 1940 Ford Pickup

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What are you thinking for future access (top or bottom), and what type of box? Are you thinking an enclosed (but vented) box or a tray? Your points of support will depend on the stiffness of the box to some degree. One thing to think about is where you're going to run your fuel lines and wiring from front to back. A big solid box in that location is going to eliminate that frame rail as a routing/support point, and your MC mounting plate totally blocks the driver's side rail for front to back support.

Originally Posted by rspears

What are you thinking for future access (top or bottom), and what type of box? Are you thinking an enclosed (but vented) box or a tray? Your points of support will depend on the stiffness of the box to some degree. One thing to think about is where you're going to run your fuel lines and wiring from front to back. A big solid box in that location is going to eliminate that frame rail as a routing/support point, and your MC mounting plate totally blocks the driver's side rail for front to back support.

The box access will be from the rear, and material can be steel or stainless steel, it will be a box? and vented at the back where a door of sorts will hold the bat in place. If I use stainless for the box than I'll have to bolt it to some kind of brackets welded to the frame.
All my wiring is going inside the frame rail, I thought of the fuel line in there also ( opposite side ) but not to sure about that, it'd have to be rubber all the way to pull it through. The fuel line could also pass just above the box. I plan on using a sealed battery like a optima and laying it on its side.
Speaking of fuel line.
What's best for a hard line running from the tank to the firewall area ? Aluminum, steel, copper ?

I think I'm going to use a small dry cell battery like Odyssey mounted in a weather resistant drop-down box outside the frame rail under the passenger front fender on my 37. There's plenty of room there and it won't interfere with exhaust, fuel lines, master cylinders, etc. plus it will be close to the starter. Even if I had to go with a larger battery, there's still a lot of room under the fender. Just a thought....

I always try to keep the use of rubber fuel line to an absolute minimum. What I'm building depends on the material I use for the line, aluminum line on drag cars and others where weight is a concern, and stainless steel line (with 37 degree single flare and AN fittings, stainless braid hose where necessary). I also never put fuel lines or wiring inside a frame rail, future access and fires being the main concern!

Not to be critical, but looking at those first two pictures above, since you had to put the "dip" in the tail pipes for axle clearance why wouldn't you just go up and over and be done with it, never to worry with it again? Those low points are going to be the first place that rusts through since they will be the collection point for all of the condensation that forms on startup and it won't evaporate away until the whole system gets hot. A pair of mandrel "U's" and some transition bends would be all you need, your support points would all stay the same and you'd never worry about axle to pipe hits.

I recall that Ken Thurm used his frame rails for wiring, and maybe for fuel, too, but he had dedicated tubes welded in for everything along with some access port covers as I recall? Not sure which build it was on, but I remember him jumping some hoops to make it work safely. Sure looked clean on his, but it wasn't as easy as pulling stuff through the frame.

On the battery, do you really want to have to lay down on the ground to connect/disconnect or hook up cables if the need arises? I know it it were mine it would be parked in the mud, or over a puddle any time I needed to check anything. Just an idea....

Originally Posted by rspears

Not to be critical, but looking at those first two pictures above, since you had to put the "dip" in the tail pipes for axle clearance why wouldn't you just go up and over and be done with it, never to worry with it again? Those low points are going to be the first place that rusts through since they will be the collection point for all of the condensation that forms on startup and it won't evaporate away until the whole system gets hot. A pair of mandrel "U's" and some transition bends would be all you need, your support points would all stay the same and you'd never worry about axle to pipe hits.

I recall that Ken Thurm used his frame rails for wiring, and maybe for fuel, too, but he had dedicated tubes welded in for everything along with some access port covers as I recall? Not sure which build it was on, but I remember him jumping some hoops to make it work safely. Sure looked clean on his, but it wasn't as easy as pulling stuff through the frame.

On the battery, do you really want to have to lay down on the ground to connect/disconnect or hook up cables if the need arises? I know it it were mine it would be parked in the mud, or over a puddle any time I needed to check anything. Just an idea....

Roger: The reason I went under the rear axle was a clearance issue with the cross member. The pipe won't hit anything at this point even when lifting the truck by the frame. The rearend could hit the cross member if it ever traveled far enough, with a pipe there I'm certain it would hit the pipe ,but than again maybe not. Now I've got to go back and look at it again, I wasn't crazy about going under but it seemed ok when I did it.
The battery to me has no other place to go. I could put a trap door in the bed but I just don't like the idea.
I for sure will not put it under the hood. I guess this will require more thinking. Thanks for the thoughts .

To me, having the battery under there will be a PITA to do most things with. Unless you can access it from inside the cab easily. Since you have a truck, can you get away with just ahead of the rear axle and access it from a compartment door in the bed floor?

Turn those lower shock mount plates around and switch them rt side to lt side and put a new crossmember forward of the rear housing like it has been on all oems-----------then you can move the one you have back toward the fuel tank-------


did you take a look at the 2 mustang cat back systems I referenced?????????

Originally Posted by jerry clayton

Turn those lower shock mount plates around and switch them rt side to lt side and put a new crossmember forward of the rear housing like it has been on all oems-----------then you can move the one you have back toward the fuel tank-------


did you take a look at the 2 mustang cat back systems I referenced?????????

Jerry: Thanks for the input. Yes I looked at the Mustang system. I already had the pipe so I used what I had. My whole trouble with this build is that I do things that come back to haunt me later, ie cross member and shock set up. One of the reasons I put the cross member there was so I'd have enough travel in the shocks. That's the highest point on the frame. All this is just costing me more time and money to go back and fix my mistakes, I need a crystal ball.

Originally Posted by Navy7797

Jerry: Thanks for the input. Yes I looked at the Mustang system. I already had the pipe so I used what I had. My whole trouble with this build is that I do things that come back to haunt me later, ie cross member and shock set up. One of the reasons I put the cross member there was so I'd have enough travel in the shocks. That's the highest point on the frame. All this is just costing me more time and money to go back and fix my mistakes, I need a crystal ball.

I've read this post a half dozen times and felt compelled to say "something".. but what???

First is your concern about some of your choices coming back to haunt you. Things like the tailpipes going under the axle vs. over is im-material in my opinion, as far as collecting condensate at the bottom of the "U" is no different than condensate collecting in front of the "U" when going over the axle... And using what's on hand is the key to hot rodding! "We" are the original recyclers! Being creative and finding uses for things that were never intended go hand in hand with rodders.

Take a step back, breathe deep and realize we all can't be Chip Foose and have a budget like they do. I for one think your doing great work and if I see something terribly un-safe, I know I and everyone here, will not hesitate to say so.

Sometimes our rods, like life, is a series of compromises... will the car ever be done? If you're like me? probably not.. I no sooner get a part of it completed and then am un-happy with something or see something I can "improve"... and there I go again.. my wife says I'm a consumate "tinker-er"..

But, if you're like me, don't let it get you down, use what's on-hand.. use your knowledge.. your doing great work and most of all... consider the replies that are given and decide what works best for you!

Stepping off the soapbox now... sorry for the rant.

Originally Posted by 34_40

I've read this post a half dozen times and felt compelled to say "something".. but what???

First is your concern about some of your choices coming back to haunt you. Things like the tailpipes going under the axle vs. over is im-material in my opinion, as far as collecting condensate at the bottom of the "U" is no different than condensate collecting in front of the "U" when going over the axle... And using what's on hand is the key to hot rodding! "We" are the original recyclers! Being creative and finding uses for things that were never intended go hand in hand with rodders.

Take a step back, breathe deep and realize we all can't be Chip Foose and have a budget like they do. I for one think your doing great work and if I see something terribly un-safe, I know I and everyone here, will not hesitate to say so.

Sometimes our rods, like life, is a series of compromises... will the car ever be done? If you're like me? probably not.. I no sooner get a part of it completed and then am un-happy with something or see something I can "improve"... and there I go again.. my wife says I'm a consumate "tinker-er"..

But, if you're like me, don't let it get you down, use what's on-hand.. use your knowledge.. your doing great work and most of all... consider the replies that are given and decide what works best for you!

Stepping off the soapbox now... sorry for the rant.

Thanks for your kind words. I'm not to worried about the pipes rusting out at this point, the money has been spent and they can be fixed when they do. Now that I understand the reason for the shocks being mounted in the front of the axle is different an I'll have to take a good look at that. Yes it seems like I'm never going to get this ride done so every set back seems like a mountain and most likely is just a hill. Thanks for your input.

Navy,
Catching up with a backlog of monthly magazines earlier, and noted a simple battery mount for one of the small Odyssey batteries, the PC680 using their optional aluminum mounting bracket. It's in the December 2013 Rod & Custom, Page 69 in their Tribute T build - a simple fabricated angle that sits atop the frame, bolted to the outside and extending over the top away from the frame rail. The Odyssey bracket bolts to that plate, with a pair of angle gusset plates picking up the torque load. Looks slick, very simple access. I scanned the page but the color PDF is almost 7MB. If you want it PM me your e-mail address and I'll send it to you. No big deal if you're not interested, it's an open installation not a box, but it's kind of neat.

Originally Posted by rspears

Navy,
Catching up with a backlog of monthly magazines earlier, and noted a simple battery mount for one of the small Odyssey batteries, the PC680 using their optional aluminum mounting bracket. It's in the December 2013 Rod & Custom, Page 69 in their Tribute T build - a simple fabricated angle that sits atop the frame, bolted to the outside and extending over the top away from the frame rail. The Odyssey bracket bolts to that plate, with a pair of angle gusset plates picking up the torque load. Looks slick, very simple access. I scanned the page but the color PDF is almost 7MB. If you want it PM me your e-mail address and I'll send it to you. No big deal if you're not interested, it's an open installation not a box, but it's kind of neat.

Here it is: Speedway Motors Tribute T - Interior Install- Rod & Custom Magazine

Originally Posted by randyr

Here it is: Speedway Motors Tribute T - Interior Install- Rod & Custom Magazine

Sweet!! I looked at that on-line issue, but couldn't get the pictures to come up. Thanks, Randy!

THANKS Randyr and Roger for the post. Its that kind of post that keeps me going in the right direction, THANKS again !

gordy