Whoops, I did it again!!

We just got home a few minutes ago from the Turkey Run in Daytona, and man was it cold! It dropped down into the low 40's at night, so we didn't do a whole lot of cruising. However, the swap meet area was great this year and there were a lot of good deals.

For one thing I found a mate to my Edelbrock 600 cfm carb for my 331 Ford. Picked it up from All American Carb. Also found a cool Edelbrock finned aluminum air cleaner for two fours and it fit my engine fine when I got home.

BUT.......................I found something I couldn't pass up. I found a very complete 46 Ford Tudor Sedan body and frame that came from South Dakota. It has only a little surface rust in places and no rust through all. Dan and Don climbed under and over it and kept telling me I HAD to buy that car..........so I did. :D There are no dents and the majority of the trim is still there. It was last licensed in 1964 and was stored inside from 1970, which is why it is so clean.

The guy I bought it from got it for some pieces for his 46 Convertible, so all the running gear is gone, HOWEVER, I just happen to have the complete undercarriage that I bought from Paul (Ratty 46) on here about a year ago. So if I want to go with the original banjo rear and straight axle front end I have those already. Here are some options I kicked around on the way home:

1) Use the banjo rear, torque tube and 3 speed tranny with an adapter to put a small block Chevy in there.

2) Still use the sbc but use a th350 or a Chevy stick setup (which I also have already) and use a Chassis Engineering kit to run parallel rear springs and a later, open rear axle.

3) I also have a 394 Olds that is all built and ready to run that is backed up by a Bendtsens adapter and th350. I could install that with the same Chassis Eng. kit for the rear axle.

Anyway, I have lots of time to figure it out because I am simply going to push it into a corner and get on it once my 27 is done. I have been wanting something with a roof over my head for long trips or maybe even as a daily driver. I had a 47 Fordor years ago that I really regret selling, so this one excites me a lot. Here are some pictures of it. The guy is delivering it here tomorrow night.
Don

Well, actually, there is one area that has a booboo on it, the front passenger fender. But even that is minor.

WOW Don, great find! Wish we had cars here in that kind of shape for year! Hey, what about the Dodge Truck? Keeps getting pushed back and pushed back! You got waaayy too many toys already! Luck Friend. Perley

I know Perley, we don't have them like that here in Florida either. The Dodge is gone. I sold it a few months ago...................to make room! :LOL::LOL: So what do I do? Drag home another one. :confused:

Both of my Sons wanted this one for their own I think, but they were nice enough to step aside and let the old man buy it. Plus, they will get it one of these days anyway when I'm gone.

Don

very nice body make a shine runner

I definately like these 2 options the best Don, but then again I tend to go for the nostalgia drive trains.

1) Use the banjo rear, torque tube and 3 speed tranny with an adapter to put a small block Chevy in there.

3) I also have a 394 Olds that is all built and ready to run that is backed up by a Bendtsens adapter and th350. I could install that with the same Chassis Eng. kit for the rear axle.

Well Pat, there are a couple of strange looking cases in the trunk.....I might find some good old shine in there. :D

Mike, funny but those are my two favorite options too so far. I know the banjo rear and 3 speed might not be the most dependable, but I don't really abuse my cars so a mild 350 engine with an adapter would be fine. I also like putting Olds engines into cars and the one I have is ready to go almost, tripower and all. I love looking into a cars engine room and seeing one of those sitting in there.

Don

I like option 1 the best, it's what I had in my 36. An Offy adapter and a 39 box with Zephyr gears hooked to a 40 pickup rear end with 4.41 gears.

I've got a pic of a sedan that's been lowered just right, but it's in my other computer up north. I'll be back there at the end of the week and will post if you want it. These sedans really look good lowered well. You can get a flatter front crossmember, reversed eye spring, and dropped axle that will do the front proud. In the rear I would point you in another direction than the CE parallel springs (even though I've used three sets in different cars, which is why I'd point elsewhere). It's not a quality issue, they make good stuff, it's just that you can't get the back down with their bracket setup without deep lowering blocks. Makes brake adjustment a pain, and doesn't look as good. I'd steer you toward SAC, though I recently read they've closed their doors. Might be worth trying to find one of their dealers to see if any are on a shelf somewhere. After that Weedetr knows how to get 'em low, worth a check.

As to which drive train, I'd say it depends on how you plan to use the car. If it's going to be a mostly "local" car the original trans and rear would be neat. If you're going to want to do some long runs to distant events, a full drive train swap would probably be more to your liking.

That is what my first 47 had. It was a Fordor but it had been turned into a 60's custom years ago. The fenders were leaded to the body, it was painted dark green, had a black diamond tufted interior and real Rader mags with skinny white walls. It only had 50,000 miles on it when I got it because the kid who owned it kept blowing Chevy small blocks up and it would sit for a few more years until he would build a new one, which he would also blow up.

When I got it the engine and adapter were gone but the rest of the drivetrain was there. I never got it finished because we decided to move to Florida and I couldn't bring it with me, plus I needed the money. :( It is the one car I really wish I had back, but this one might take some of that ache away. :)

Whatever I do, I plan to keep all the stock trim and just drop it down a little in back and more in the front. Some mags or even flipper caps and whitewalls should finish it off. Actually I'm pretty stoked about this one.

Don

Bob, good info on the Chassis Eng kit, I wondered if blocks would get it low enough. I also agree about the intended usage deciding the drivetrain. No question a sbc and accompanying transmission and rear (or 8 or 9 inch Ford) would make a bulletproof setup. This past weekend I drove my T to and from Daytona, about 600 miles total, and it never missed a beat with essentially the same setup. Something to be said about reliability. And I can add a/c, cruise control, etc.

I'll do some research on the SAC setups. Thanks,


Don

Don, Very cool find. Those old Fat Fendered Fords are my personal favorite and I drive mine "EVERY" day. Sometimes only to the store but at least once a day I go somewhere in it. They are also are very cool highway cars when set up right.

As boring as Small blocks are getting to be---- Mine has one and I'm pretty boring---- In these Fords it is not only the easy way, but the most reliable way too. But with your choices I dont see you going wrong. Man you could always talk to your buddy Gastrick and get a Hemi !!!

Good Luck with this one waaaaay cool

RS

Very nice 46 you have there. I know what you mean about sbc's being somewhat boring, but I also understand why so many cars have them. They are a really well designed engine and as dependable as they come. Like I said, the one in my T just purred all the way to Turkey Run and all the way back home. Even that little carboned up fiasco didn't hurt it and once I got the fuel mix and temp right it cleared right up. :o

I looked at a 46 in the HAMB area at TR and it had a sbc in there. Looked liked it belonged there and was easy to work on because of all the space around it. My Son's are trying to talk me into putting my 331 Ford stroker in it, but that already has a home in my 27 and I really want to get that one running soon.

Don

Oh ..... that is soooooo kewl Don. Now you get to use some of those parts.

It took me till Sat. afternoon to get over the issue about not being able to get down. Figures ... first time I have some xtra cash to p/u a few "deals" and presto ...... it has to be spent on the wifes daily driver - SHIT.

Go with the SBC Don.

REGS aka/ RATTY 46

Paul, we were really sorry to see you miss out, but to be honest the weather was really not perfect. The days were ok but as soon as the sun went down it got darned cold, like 40 degree cold. :eek: We got to do very little cruising at night and last night I let Dan and Don go to BelAir Plaza alone while I went to bed by 8. I just didn't want to get sick for work this week.

Weird about me buying your 46 parts and now finding a 46 huh? I was going to use them for a little modified, but now I'm not so sure.

Billetproof is right around the corner, so we will look forward to seeing you there.:)

Don

Wow Don :eek: that thing is real nice. Great score!

Thomas

Wow Don great find, looks like your plate will be full for a while. Kurt

That is one VERY nice body...I wish we had tudors down here,only got four door sedans,and any tudors were private imports,so there are not too many around.Good score..:cool:

Thanks guys. The seller showed up tonight and we got it off of his trailer and into the shop. I was worried how we were going to lift it off, but our gantry picked up the back and we used floor jacks under the front, then the engine lift to pick up the front until he drove the trailer away. Actually went pretty smoothly.

Later this week I'll push it back into a stall and store it there until I can get to it. Want to get Xmas out of the way and then start hitting on the 27. The 46 will be something I get started on maybe in the next 6 months or so.

Here are some pictures of it after we got done unloading it.

Don

it would not be hard to put that mark 6 bbc in there .hell looks about 10 feet from home:D

Nice score, Don. Thanks for sharing the pics.:toocool:

Was gonna post over on RRR the other night, but then I hadn't been here for a looong while, so....**)

Dependable would be good. Just don't chop it up, low and original looking outside is nice on those. I had a buddy in High School whose Dad had a rodded '47 Monarch (Canadian Mercury) fordor, smallblock, 4-speed, wire wheels, black paint,yadda yadda yadda. was one comfy cruiser. His younger sister inhereited it when their Dad passed on from cancer a few years back.

Looking forward to seeing more of "Dons Rods" as progress continues.:3dSMILE:

Regards,
Shea:)

Nice score Don .... Looking good & right at home.

REGS

Funny you should mention that Pat........the thought had crossed my mind.:LOL:

Shea, I agree. I like them with most of the original trim intact and just a nice drop all around but more in front. I've seen them with everything from American Torque Thrusts to spinner hubcaps and they all look good if they sit right...........oh, and white walls for sure, not necessarily wide though. I think I am going to go with Diamondback radials on this one. Had a long conversation with the vendor at Turkey Run and looked the tires over. They look good and I bet the handling is really good.

Paul, what's funny is that I could actually turn this into a stocker with the parts I bought from you. :) I still think it's strange you had exactly the same year underpinnings that you weren't going to use.

Don

Hmm...maybe chrome reverse with chrome lugs and skinny stripe whitewalls?

Forgot to mention last night, one of my other buddies' Dads has a rodded '47 Merc coupe (COOPAY, if you're Gastrick:3dSMILE:)...except for about a ten year hiatus futzing around rebuilding a poorly built '40 Ford coupe, he's owned this Merc since the seventies-he bought it back after he sold the Ford;). Clipped, SBC, coils out back (I believe) and quite low. Another nice ridin' car.

If this one turns out as nice as all the other projects you and your boys have, well then it'll be one gorgeous macheen!

Regards,
Shea:)

Karma & living well ....... that is how that happened Don.

It "pay back time" in Fla.

Now I can ball bust you on your '46 ...

Paul

Okay, here's the pic I referenced earlier............just a little inspiration;

That's unreal, Don. You could damn near keep the original paint if you wanted to. Did you get a title with it, too?

Shea, thanks. I've seen them with chrome wheels and skinny whites and they look great. The one thing I know for sure is that it will have whitewalls. :)

Paul, oh oh. Now you're going to pay me back for all those snide remarks I made about you moving too slow on your 46. I think that was someone else..............yeah, that's it, it was someone else using my name. :D

Bob, that car is EXACTLY what I have in mind. Very stock outsides, cleaned up a little, dropped some, and modern power and accessories. Very nice Tudor there.

Falcon, yep, I did get the paperwork. And the original color is not bad at all. I wouldn't mind at all keeping it that shade.

BTW, here are the goodies I bought from Paul last year..........actually I stole them. Paul is that kind of guy. He knew he could have gotten more by parting them out, but he wanted me to get them and held them until I got there to pick them up. I consider him one of the good friends I have made from these forums.:) Here is the load I got from him, almost too much for my little trailer to hold. There was so much weight there that it actually bent the axle on the trailer and the wheels lean to one side now.........but it was worth it.

Don

Oh ya Don ....... Unpack all those parts & get buzy.

Funny thing Don ...... the guy & his wife that I ended up giving my room to for the TRR, aside from being super folks, happen to be snappen some pix at the run & they sent me a set of those pix. I almost felt like I was there ..... almost. But getting back on track ... the pix ...... I've got two pix of your "new" car on the trailer with the 50's cab & 40"s cab in front of it. I'll have to send it to you.

They also sent me a TRR '09 t-shirt ...... really. Just busten'm Don.

PM me you addy & I'll get the pix off.

Paul

Hey, I'll get this T shirt to you some day! :D Actually, I'd like to hand it to you in person if you ever get to Billetproof or something. I'll PM you my address.

Don

Don, I'm sure glad you got another project. You just don't have enough to do and I was afraid you were getting bored...:rolleyes::LOL::LOL: Seriously, nice find!

Although I never could tell the difference between '46, '47, & 48, I have always liked that body style. There was a bright metallic blue one here in town a few years back. It had trunk, fenders, and rocker panels dechromed and was lowered, had chrome reverse rims with baby moon caps. Very nice ride.:cool: After all these years of driving roadsters, you'll like having a roof when the weather turns cold or wet.:3dSMILE:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by J. Robinson

Although I never could tell the difference between '46, '47, & 48, ........

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Always like to help you young guys out.....:LOL:
Telling a '46 from a '47-8 at a glance is pretty easy. If you look at Pop's pictures compared to the one I put up you'll note the front parking lights are above the grill on the '46, under the head lamps on the '47-8, along with rectangular vs. round. If you look at the side trim you'll see some differences, the '46 has a "ring" of trim around the window area, and some thin trim on the fenders above the crease, the '47-8 doesn't have the same setup. From the rear the '46 has trim the later ones don't. There are more differences (mostly trim), too subtle for other than the most committed enthusiast to recognize with a quick view.

Wow missed another thread! Been so busy with work and sleep, I haven't perused the forum much lately. Very cool score. The fact that you have alot of the parts for it already is a big bonus. I have to say I like option 3 with the 394 Olds only because it's unique, and cool to use what you have. Heck this could become a new thread like Project 5k!:3dSMILE:

That is real sweet !!!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bob Parmenter

Okay, here's the pic I referenced earlier............just a little inspiration;

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Nice score there Don, didn't make Daytona again this year, havn't worked more that 12 days since July. You know speedway has a kit that does away with the torque tube.
Bradc

Don ...... did you get those pix?

Paul

Jim, yep I needed another project like another hole in my head. But this one was just too good to pass up, and I really miss the 47 Fordor I had years ago.

Bob, yes, there are subtle differences between the 3 years and I'm just starting to learn them. There were also early and late 46 cars and those had some differences too. Mine seems to be an early 46 as it has the tool box tray in the trunk. I think the later 46's didn't have one.

Steve, every time I look at that Olds sitting on the garage floor I can see it sitting down in there. The other option is if I do score that Camaro I have dibs on I could tame it down a bit (I'm sure there is a radical solid cam in it and probably some ungodly compression) I could put the whole drivetrain in too. I'll change my mind once a week until I get started on it, knowing me.:o

Steve (English Steve:D) You might see some progress on this one next holiday that you spend over here. I think the 5 of us still have a couple of drinks to share.

Brad, I fully expected to see a note on my seat again this year from you......sorry you didn't make it and sorry to hear about the 12 day thing. Hope you are ok?

Paul, no pictures yet. When did you send them? I'll check the mailbox tomorrow night, I didn't stop tonight.

BTW, I found what I want my 46 to look like. I am really in love with this car. Just what I want.......stock appearing with a little drop and some cool hubcaps. If I cloned this one I would be happy.

Don

Well Don ....... you have the underpinnings to get to your goal. Pix went out thur. or fri. - not sure - welding gas getting to me ......

Paul

Thats a lovely car Don but i can't help thinking it needs to go a little lower, not a massive amount but just enough.

We might be back over sooner than you think so you had better get on with it :D

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Itoldyouso

Jim, yep I needed another project like another hole in my head. But this one was just too good to pass up, and I really miss the 47 Fordor I had years ago.


Steve, every time I look at that Olds sitting on the garage floor I can see it sitting down in there. The other option is if I do score that Camaro I have dibs on I could tame it down a bit (I'm sure there is a radical solid cam in it and probably some ungodly compression) I could put the whole drivetrain in too. I'll change my mind once a week until I get started on it, knowing me.:o

Steve (English Steve:D) You might see some progress on this one next holiday that you spend over here. I think the 5 of us still have a couple of drinks to share.

Brad, I fully expected to see a note on my seat again this year from you......sorry you didn't make it and sorry to hear about the 12 day thing. Hope you are ok?

Paul, no pictures yet. When did you send them? I'll check the mailbox tomorrow night, I didn't stop tonight.

BTW, I found what I want my 46 to look like. I am really in love with this car. Just what I want.......stock appearing with a little drop and some cool hubcaps. If I cloned this one I would be happy.

Don

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Paul, I'll head to the mailbox on the way home from work tonight.

Steve, Florida is kind of addicting, isn't it? It certainly has it's flaws but overall I like it here. I know Sue liked the sunshine aspect. Hope to see you guys back soon.

Don