1940 Plymouth Truck

[bob w]

Not much of an update cuz I'm not concentrating on this project this summer. In Feb. I gave the seat backs to an upholstry guy to shorten the backs and make them thinner at the top. By making the changes the seats would move back farther providing more leg room for normal size people (I'm short and really didn't need this for me). Well, the seats returned a few days ago, only 5 months to do the job. Thankfully, I didn't need them quickly. The room in the cab is very close to my S-10.

I'm now thinking of using a 5.3 or 6.0 "L" series engine. Replacing the injection with a carb and using a MSD ignition controller. If anyone has experience with this arrangement, let me know what you think.[S Currently I have a very low compression 406 sbc in it. But I don't have a good set of heads. That's why I'm considering the 5.3/6.0 option.

 

[Motorhead]

Why do you not want to run fuel injection? If my engine compartment was covered, I wouldn't even think twice about going with fuel injection. It's a lot more efficient.

The truck looks great by the way! [cl

 

[earthman]

Any update is a good update. This truck will be a pleasure to drive and "make the scene in" I would love to pull the cab and bed off my S10 dd and put an old cab on in a weekend. Life is too short to have to drive a boring car/truck every day.

 

[bob w]

I need the experienced help of RRR members. It's time to figure out windshield wipers. The truck has one vacuum wiper that is in the header. I've used the cheap hot rod wiper motors and don't like how noisy they are.
Has anyone looked at wiper assemblies from the back windows of hatchbacks and minivans? If so, is there a nice, compact unit that I could stuff in the header area above the windshield without too much trouble?
In answer to the fuel injection question: I want to be able to make roadside repairs to this truck with a few tools and a box of spare parts that will always be along for the ride. That's the part about my S-10 that makes me nervous. I could be 500 miles from home on a Sunday morning and have an electronic item fail and I'd be stuck until a shop could fix it the following week. I've had the thing towed home twice, luckily from short distances.

 

[Todd]

I ordered a kit from another board that will use an S10 rear wiper motor for my Chevy AD. I think it is compact enough for your application. If I recall you can stuff an old oil can in that hole.

 

[bob w]

Plymouth truck tailgates are pretty rare. So when a guy in Missouri had a trailer made out of a pickup box for sale I offered him way too much money for just the tailgate. The thing is very bent and twisted. After staring at it for months I decided to make a new tailgate.

 

[bob w]

Went to the steel yard today and got a chunk of 1 1/4" tubing and a piece of 14 ga. sheet metal all for $13.00. Did all the sheet metal cutting with an angle grinder.

 

[bob w]

The only tricky part was making the angles that run top to bottom on the ends. I have no way to get a straight, sharp bend in 14 ga. so I cut half way through the material with a cut off wheel on an angle grinder, made the bend, welded the edge and ground it smooth.
If I can straighten the original Plymouth tail gate well enough the plan is to cut out the center portion just outside the bead and "transplant" the piece into the new tailgate.
That way, I'll have a nice tailgate and the "Plymouth" name on it.

 

[Pookie Bros]

Love it!!!! Nice work Bob W. [cl[cl[cl

 

[CORPO]

nice work on the gate bob

I just recently saw a plymouth bed for sale in my searching for a bed for my truck and man, he definitely thought he had gold...

 

[bob w]

The tailgate is finished and mounted. Even made the hooks for the chains. A pervious picture shows how mangled the Plymouth tailgate was. I cut out the important part, had it sandblasted and bolted it to the home made gate. The bolts will be changed to allen button heads for a better appearance.
It was surprising how much time this little sub project took.

 

[Gastrick]

That tailgate looks spiffy Bob W.

 

[Todd]

Wow Bob, I looked at the pic and thought button heads would look better. Then I read you were already thinking that. Thumbs up, its looking super.

 

[42chevy]

Excellent work! I love those truck's.

 

[international rat]

Very good looking truck and good job on it so far! Keep up on the good work and keep those pics comming!

 

[hotrod preacher]

well i guess i'd missed these "fall" updates.... looking good bob w...[cl

and i agree w/ gastrick the tailgate is "spiffy"

 

[bob w]

Here's an update that will beg the question, "Why did he bother to post?" Just wanted to show that I am working diligently on the Plymmie.
Earlier this week I took the box to the sandblaster to blast and shoot with epoxy primer. Then, I took the cab and everything off the frame. Today I rotated the frame every which way and completed all the welding. So, I took the frame to the sandblaster.
Incidently, the box was in primer but not fully dry when I got there. It looks TERRIBLE! It is full of inside out dents that weren't very visible when it was rusty. Should have made new box sides. Now, I'll have to beat on that 16 gauge metal with a hammer and dolly. Or, I could put wood overlays on it like a Dodge Warlock or Little Red Truck.
The frame is upside down in the pic.

 

[bob w]

The cab is in very good shape. No patch panels needed for the exterior sheet metal. Not looking forward to the many hours it will take to smooth the firewall. Many holes were welded.

 

[earthman]

Bob,if the dents appear as overlooked and poor craftsmanship just get out your big hammer and give the bed some CHARACTER!

 

[Todd]

I like bob w updates.