39 stretch Ford pickup

[dabckid]

Picked this truck up a few years ago semi complete,(no engine) came with a most of a second cab And A 3rd door, a spare rear end and front end and a pile of spare sheetmetal. Also a 64ish Chevy rear end.

Needing an power plant I opted for a 472 Cadillac engine I had sitting in the shop. I put feelers out to see about a turbo 400 transmission to bolt to it. A guy ended up trading me a 1970 500 Cadillac engine and turbo 400 for two rear ends and the stock 1939 transmission.(WIN)

I decided to keep the original frame for a later build. So started looking for a suitable modern frame. I took some measurements of my daily driver(89 Nissan) and found the body would fit on with very little effort. Picked up A 93 Nissan hardbody for $300 running. Brought it home and stripped it down, sold most of the parts and made money.( another win)

The local old car guys told me the body wouldn't fit and the engine definitely would not fit.(Ilove a challenge) with a little cutting and a bit of shaving everything fits great. They also said no one was going to like it.(wrong. I love the idea)

Now I am 6'2" tall and don't fit in this era cab so well,(drivin a buddies 40 Ford pickup) so stretching the cab 6" is in order and since I am cutting the cab may as well chop it 6" too.(am I right?) I have seen a bunch of rods stretched behind the doors but not too many through the doors, so I sourced a fourth door for the impending surgery.

As it sits now the cab is awaiting a few days worth of welding, I need to weld in engine and transmission mounts. Set up and finalize 4 link rear end(6 bolt chevy rearend). Mount and widen fenders, and all the extra.

Should give you all a vague idea of where I am going.
Progress is slow right now, work out of town and only home 5 day at a time. That and I am building a proper shop out back.

Anyways sorry for the longwinded story.

 

[skull]

in

[P[[P[[P[cl

Later

 

[05snopro440]

I'm 6'2" and I've got 27,000 KM's on my 46 GMC in about 5 years and it's very comfy. I find a lot of people don't put nearly enough thought in when they place pedals, the seat (height and position), steering column, etc. Then again I prefer stock dimensions, but good on you for taking on stretching that cab! Looks like you're getting there.

 

[eyesore]

Love it! [cl

iSore

 

[Tripper]

Now I am 6'2" tall and don't fit in this era cab so well,(drivin a buddies 40 Ford pickup) so stretching the cab 6" is in order and since I am cutting the cab may as well chop it 6" too.(am I right?) I have seen a bunch of rods stretched behind the doors but not too many through the doors, so I sourced a fourth door for the impending surgery.

I'm 6'1" & 225 & my '41 Ford PU was a lil tight after I chopped & channeled it. It wasn't all that bad on short drives around town but longer trips outta town was where it was a pain.... one of the main reasons I decided to sell it & build a coupe! Love your idea... you're definitely on the right track. [cl[

P.S.:That is my fav truck body!!!

BoB

 

[Skip]

Welcome to UDS.

It looks like you are well on your way with your plan. So, I will not give any suggestions that require undoing anything you have done. I'm 6'3" and 300+ now. I no longer fit in my 39. It makes it difficult to get motivated to finish it. I like your stretch a lot. I think you will be happy you did it. I was considering doing it to mine, but I found other methods of gaining space. Sadly, I need more now. Or I guess I could lose about 80 pounds.

Feel free to take a peak at my build thread for a few ideas that I like.

 

[dabckid]

I'm 6'2" and I've got 27,000 KM's on my 46 GMC in about 5 years and it's very comfy. I find a lot of people don't put nearly enough thought in when they place pedals, the seat (height and position), steering column, etc. Then again I prefer stock dimensions, but good on you for taking on stretching that cab! Looks like you're getting there.

I am mostly legs so it doesn't matter where the pedals are or the seat. I drive my full size dodge 3500 with the seat all the way back and it is just right. I put different seats in my Nissan king cab and set them back further than stock. Now my wife can't drive it.

 

[dabckid]

I'm 6'1" & 225 & my '41 Ford PU was a lil tight after I chopped & channeled it. It wasn't all that bad on short drives around town but longer trips outta town was where it was a pain.... one of the main reasons I decided to sell it & build a coupe! Love your idea... you're definitely on the right track. [cl[

P.S.:That is my fav truck body!!!

BoB

Yeah I am good for about 1/2 hour then I start cramping up. I like to sit low and stretched out. Both my buddies 40 Ford pickup and 33 Plymouth coupe are a blast to roll around in but not for too long.

 

[Old Iron]

I like the stretched cab, it's right down my alley for custom work

 

[Torchie]

Do what you got to do to make it work for you.
Nothing more frustrating then building a vehicle you can't drive around in..
With 2 cabs I would have been tempted to make it into a 4 door cab.[ddd
[P [P [P
Torchie

 

[hansgoudzwaard]

Old Post...

Extended his firewall.

http://ratrodsrule.com/forum/showthread.php?t=14791&highlight=extend+firewall&page=2

 

[dabckid]

Welcome to UDS.

It looks like you are well on your way with your plan. So, I will not give any suggestions that require undoing anything you have done. I'm 6'3" and 300+ now. I no longer fit in my 39. It makes it difficult to get motivated to finish it. I like your stretch a lot. I think you will be happy you did it. I was considering doing it to mine, but I found other methods of gaining space. Sadly, I need more now. Or I guess I could lose about 80 pounds.

Feel free to take a peak at my build thread for a few ideas that I like.

Great build there Skip just finished reading through it.
I am always open to suggestions. Especially considering this is my first chop. I had one of the local hotrodders over for 2 hours just to figure out the proper sequence of events. He kept second guessing himself. At the end of are conversation he said "you're crazy to do this for your first chop". I am confident I am on the right track...mostly...maybe...I don't know.
I take any and all pointers.

 

[dabckid]

Do what you got to do to make it work for you.
Nothing more frustrating then building a vehicle you can't drive around in..
With 2 cabs I would have been tempted to make it into a 4 door cab.[ddd
[P [P [P
Torchie

Building this to be my daily. So it needs to be as comfortable as possible. Or if it is like my current daily, as close to a street legal gokart as I can get.
The two pig is four door. That's good enough.

 

[Skip]

Great build there Skip just finished reading through it.
I am always open to suggestions. Especially considering this is my first chop. I had one of the local hotrodders over for 2 hours just to figure out the proper sequence of events. He kept second guessing himself. At the end of are conversation he said "you're crazy to do this for your first chop". I am confident I am on the right track...mostly...maybe...I don't know.
I take any and all pointers.

It looks to me like you are on target. With your 6" top chop, and your height, I an assuming you are going to forgo much in the way of channeling the cab. I suspect that seeing street lights will already be challenging. And, yes, there is no doubt that you are crazy. But that is part of the fun. When I showed a friend up by Mt Ranier my stretch through the doors idea, he added 11" to his 41 Chevy PU doors. Crazy long!

So, ask away if you have any questions. There are lots of helpful people here.

 

[Dr Crankenstein]

The two pig is four door. That's good enough.

I said, pardon?

.

 

[smallfoot]

This bunch around here will show you there is nothing that can't be done. They'll have several different ways of accomplishing the impossible...[P

 

[dabckid]

Extended his firewall.

http://ratrodsrule.com/forum/showthread.php?t=14791&highlight=extend+firewall&page=2

I will keep this in mind for the Pontiac. Thanks

 

[dabckid]

I said, pardon?

.

Haha. tow pig(3500 dodge)

 

[dabckid]

Wife just found me the rear end I was looking for, for $200 and the guy is pulling it for me. 2000 chevy 6 bolt with disc brakes and 3.08 and he thinks posi.

Here is a better shot of a door too. Think it lines up pretty good.

 

[animal]

This is an interesting concept, and I think it'll work pretty well. I also think you should forego any channel over the frame. I'm 6'2" and my '26 Dodge Brothers coupe had been chopped 4", channeled another 4". I moved the seats against the back of the body, tilted them, did everything I could, but in the end it came down to either raising the body back up and re-doing everything inside to make it work, or sell the car and build one I'm comfortable in. I sold the car, and it was a favorite of mine, but I just couldn't get comfortable in it. Make sure you think twice or six times before making any irreversible decisions. That's my $.02 worth.