Thread: 46-48 Ford..........

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http://www.clubhotrod.com/forums/sho...t=build+server I'm trying to give you a link to My 48 coupe build

A '47 Convertible was my high school car long ago and wish I had it back! That was still in the last gasp of the flathead in the mid '50s. I dechromed it and had it painted "Aztec Red" from the Caddy El Dorado paint scheme. That color is so bright it sort of makes your eyes tired! All I can say is that model can be lowered easily with longer spring shackles, assuming you have the stock rear. However in the '50s you could buy longer shackles from Pep Boys for 53 cents a set! They came in 4", 5" and 6" but the 6" set allowed the body to sway too much sideways to the extent that the end of the shackles would rub on the inside of the tires and rapidly cut up the tire sidewall. I used 5" shackles which did not hit the tires and still gave a noticeable lowering effect. I think some of the '46-'48 models had a sway bar on the rear which limited the side sway but the '41s did not have a sway bar and a set of 6" shackles on a '41 could cut up the tires pretty quick. Fender skirts look pretty good on these models in my opinion but the only ones available at that time were the external type and I am not aware of any skirts that fit up flush with the fender edge which were available on many new GM cars from the later '50s. I had a chance to buy a '42 Merc convertible several years ago and nearly slobbered over it but it had a totally rusted out X-member in the frame and the rest of it was rough so I passed on it but now I have more actual work on my 'glass '29 kit. Note that the '42 model is essentially identical to the '46-'48 models except for the grill and yes there are a few '42s out there! It may be worth noting that the '42-'48 Mercs seem to have been identical to the Fords of the same years except for longer front fenders and hood but the Ford engine bay has enough space for later engines anyway so there is no reason to change to a Merc front end unless that is a question of finding parts. So many older Ford bodies are rusted that it would seem like a good idea to make some cuts here and there and a sunroof insert should be easy to do but a chop on the five window rear window model you have looks like a lot of work, so if it were my coupe I would put in a sunroof since I am a convertible fanatic! Nice car and real steel, neat and it would be a "time machine" for me!

Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder

Originally Posted by Don Shillady

A '47 Convertible was my high school car long ago and wish I had it back!

Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder

Had we just known.....would have kept them all!!!!!!

Well Dave, not only has time passed but the last time I priced a nice '47 convertible the owner wanted $48K, way out of my league. The problem is that they say that as we age the memories of our youth are the most intense, so that is why I remember that convert so well. I can't even remember all the cars I have had since then, but I do remember that one!

Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder

Here's my 48 - 302, C4, 8 inch. Power windows, seats, steering, brakes. License plate set into the trunk lid. Been running it almost 30 years (one redo).