Whoops, I did it again!!

[Itoldyouso]

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. 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

[Itoldyouso]

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

[oldrodder43]

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

[Itoldyouso]

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! So what do I do? Drag home another one.

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

[pat mccarthy]

very nice body make a shine runner

[Mike P]

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.

[Itoldyouso]

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

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

[NTFDAY]

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.

[Bob Parmenter]

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.

[Itoldyouso]

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

[Itoldyouso]

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

[Hombre259]

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

[Itoldyouso]

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.

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

[REGs]

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

[Itoldyouso]

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. 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