The 1940 Ford Cutaway
 

http://www.fordbarn.com/wp-content/u...015/01/TFB.jpg

What you see before you is something so incredibly rare that there doesn't seem to be anyone alive that can actually tell us why it was made or for whom. It's a 1940 Ford cutaway ... To read the rest of this blog entry from The Ford Barn, click here.

Re: The 1940 Ford Cutaway
 

Re: The 1940 Ford Cutaway
 

I would start looking at material on the '39-40 World's fair, where Ford had a major pavilion, as a possible origin...donating the thing to a major engineering university would seem to be a sensible thing for Ford to have done when the fair closed and the 1941 models came out.

Re: The 1940 Ford Cutaway
 

That's what my thoughts were too. Possibly a display from the 1940 Worlds Fair in NY.

Sal

Re: The 1940 Ford Cutaway
 

It's spectacular to us, but was just so much junk to Ford once they were no longer selling '40's!
Ford made spectacular cutaways and display parts, at least from the early 1930's into the '60's...they made production parts look like jewelry.

Re: The 1940 Ford Cutaway
 

It is shown in Lorin Sorensen's book "The Ford Shows" in his Fordiana series. The notation on the page is for the 1940 Michigan State Fair. Would also think it was shown at the 1940 New York world's far.
There were also cutaway 1937,1938 and 1939 chassis for the respective shows and fairs.

Re: The 1940 Ford Cutaway
 

It looks great - the fella did a fantastic job of restoring it. My guess would be that it would have been a promotional piece for motor shows and then offered as an educational aid. It may have been produced by an apprentice school at Ford or some training school, ford or otherwise.

I served my apprenticeship at "The Austin" at Longbridge. there was a similarly prepared Austin A40 chassis and I saw it at Bromsgrove college. I was told that it was prepared by Austin apprentices and loaned to the college. I wouldn't be surprised if the Ford chassis has a similar history.

Mart.

Re: The 1940 Ford Cutaway
 

I went to ISU in the late 80's/early 90's and remember that chassis well. I myself tried to buy it (and had Loren Muench as a professor) but couldn't get anyone that had any authority to sell it. It was never used in any of my classes and was just a dusty relic in an old storage section of the Industrial Tech department. Besides the chassis, there was also a cutaway of a 40's-50's Chevy 6 engine and some transmissions. All of these items certainly were from the factory because they were way too detailed with chromed parts that a college class couldn't afford to do. I always wondered what became of the chassis since the building it was stored in has since been torn down. Good to see it's still alive and wasn't parted out.

Re: The 1940 Ford Cutaway
 

Would make a great display at the Early Ford V-8 Foundation Museum in Auburn, IN.

Re: The 1940 Ford Cutaway
 

Hi Everyone; That would be a big hit at any V8 Club National Meet.

I'm sure I could look at it for hours.

First I've seen a chrome Ring & Pinion set! Maybe I don't get out much!?!

Here's some shots of a cutaway engine is in Don Garlits' museum in Ocala. http://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showth...hlight=cutaway

Re: The 1940 Ford Cutaway
 

Those cut-a-ways are really interesting. I was in charge of restoring a cut-a-way engine and transmission that our Regional Group donated to Jerry Windle for the museum and is now in the Auburn In museum. It was displayed at the California museum in Sacramento before the EFV8 club had their own building. Our particular engine/trans was a 21 stud block but it had 24 stud heads with dummy studs in all the holes except 2 that lined up and held the head on, the trans was a 40. It had parts from many years, the intake was a 46-48 so it must have been updated. I will dig up pictures and make an album.

Re: The 1940 Ford Cutaway
 

That 1940 Ford Cutaway is a thing of real beauty. The restorer has done a marvelous job restoring it back to how it was when Ford made it for displaying, and is to be congratulated on doing such a fine job on this rare piece of Ford History.
The attached photo is of a 1940 Mercury Chassis that is on display at the Early Ford V8 Foundation Museum is Auburn, Indiana. While this is a great exhibit also, it is not a cutaway like the 1940 Ford Chassis.
I hope that his 1940 Ford Cutaway Chassis is going to be displayed in a museum where people can appreciate it for what it is.
Thanks for sharing these great photos of this masterpiece.

Re: The 1940 Ford Cutaway
 

I too believe I have seen it in a picture mounted on a chrome tube frame that rotated and was built for the shows.

Re: The 1940 Ford Cutaway
 

I would have to agree with Bruce. It has to be specially made for exhibit in an auto show. Just looking at the cutaways and the chrome treatments lead me to that conclusion.
Rog

Re: The 1940 Ford Cutaway
 

I don't know if the Ford chassis was exhibited at the 1939-'40 NYWF, but Sorensen's "The Ford Shows" does have a picture of a 1940 Mercury Fordor with both cutaway chassis and body. The photo does not show much, the car is too far away, so I didn't scan and post it.

Re: The 1940 Ford Cutaway
 

There is a 33/34 cutaway chassis here in Australia,its at the birdwood mill museum in SA,
It looks the same with eng ,trans etc all sectioned.
Lawrie

Re: The 1940 Ford Cutaway
 

I really enjoy stuff like this. Thanks for posting.

Re: The 1940 Ford Cutaway
 

http://www.fordbarn.com/forum/attach...3&d=1421878688
Here he lies Broken Hearted, spent all weekend trying to get that Mercury Started!

Re: The 1940 Ford Cutaway
 

There are some pictures of a 33-34 "exploded" cut-a-way chassis on the "The Old Motor" website. It was at the Worlds Fair in 1934. There is an amazing amount of work and terrific workmanship in those things.

Re: The 1940 Ford Cutaway
 

That chassis is astonishing! Never heard of Rick Rennebohm of Whidbey Island, WA. but he definitely did a excellent job restoring that piece of automotive history!
Perfect for the 75th birthday of the 40 Ford.

Re: The 1940 Ford Cutaway
 

How about this display from the 1934 edition of the Century of Progress, Tony? As I mentioned here before Henry dragged his feet and didn't go to Chicago in 1933; but in 1934 this complete Fordor was displayed in cabinets for all to see. The series of photos show everything, for example a lower seat spring assembly was broken down to individual pieces, the radiator as tubes and plates (for the fins) etc. Those were the days!

Re: The 1940 Ford Cutaway
 

Thanks Larry. I have seen that. That is really something.

Re: The 1940 Ford Cutaway
 

Here is a picture of the engine and trans we restored. If you go to my public albums you can see other pics of this.

http://www.fordbarn.com/forum/pictur...ictureid=30003

Re: The 1940 Ford Cutaway
 

When I went to the University of Minnesota in 1961-62, there was a cutaway V8-60 of about this same quality in a hallway in the second floor of the Mechanical Engineering building. What ever happened to it, I have no idea. I would expect Ford made these for various exhibitions, etc. and when they were done with them, donated them to various educational institutions. When I was in high school, we had a beautiful set of folio size full color presentation books donated to the school by the local Chevrolet dealer. The one for 1957 had a very informative section on the new fuel-injected 283. These had clear plastic colored overlays that worked sort of like the cutouts on these Fords.

Re: The 1940 Ford Cutaway
 

There could have been more than one of these 40 chassis. In '39 and '40 there were two World's Fairs. One in New York and one at Treasure Island in California. Ford may have made one for each exhibition?

Re: The 1940 Ford Cutaway
 

corn fed - i think Dick Pearson got that chassis . he has some stuff in Randle but i didnt see it when i got a flathead motor from his son a couple years ago. last time i heard hes in Texas? he took the 32 cabro with him- the 39 is in Randle STEVE

Re: The 1940 Ford Cutaway
 

Hate to burst you guys bubble, BUT when I was in High School 1951-55, In the auto shop lab was a 1936 Ford Chassis cut-a-way much the same as the posted 1940. The cut-a-way background colors on that chassis were medium green and the chassis had ALL White tires. After graduation never visited the school again, and don't know where the chassis originated from but after I became interested in old Fords, later checked to find that the chassis and the Auto Shop classes had not been at the school in years. Guess - this was a Ford promotion to schools for educational purposes. Funny so little is known of such chassis. Best regards, Jim Langley...

Re: The 1940 Ford Cutaway
 

Forgot to state, this was Jordan Vocational High School in Columbus, GA...

Re: The 1940 Ford Cutaway
 

The Rest of the Story: 40 Ford Cutaway Chassis
I congratulate Rick Rennebohm on his magnificent restoration of the above 1940 Ford Cutaway Chassis and also to Ryan on his initial write-up on this piece.Mycorrespondence with Rick R during his restoration dealt mainly with the history of the piece during it’s time at ISU as I was the person who ‘discovered’ it as a significant Ford Motor artifact in 1994 when it was ultimately sold to Dick Pearson.There is however indeed, much that is known about the history of these Cutaway Chassis and why they were built, which I will outline very briefly below.
Based on information in the ‘V8 Times’ the bi-monthly publication of the Early Ford V8 Club of America and also the ‘Famous Ford V-8’s‘ book ( part of a series of books) by Lorin Sorensen, the Ford Motor Company built many of these Cutaways (engines, drive line components, and entire chassis), from Model T days through the early Ford V8 years for use in ‘Ford Mechanic’ schools as training devices.They were also used in various major shows, and also displayed at Ford dealers during the 1930’s. Some of these units migrated to various educational institutions following their usefulness to the Ford Motor Company. In the two sources mentioned above there are at least 20 photos with descriptions of such chassis or cutaway driveline units in the USA (also includes a 1932 Cutaway chassis unit shown in London with RH drive)! Although these Cutaway Chassis are considered ‘rare’ they are in fact well known to ‘Old Ford Guys’ who have an interest in this aspect of Ford Motor Company history.
So, thanks to the efforts of Rick Rennebohm, these beautifully crafted pieces of history are getting the recognition and exposure they deserve!Thanks.
Richard Grieve, President, Iowa Regional Group #145 EFV8 Club of America

Re: The 1940 Ford Cutaway
 

The Rest of the Story: 40 Ford Cutaway Chassis
I congratulate Rick Rennebohm on his magnificent restoration of the above 1940 Ford Cutaway Chassis and also to Ryan on his initial write-up on this piece.Mycorrespondence with Rick R during his restoration dealt mainly with the history of the piece during it’s time at ISU as I was the person who ‘discovered’ it as a significant Ford Motor artifact in 1994 when it was ultimately sold to Dick Pearson.There is however indeed, much that is known about the history of these Cutaway Chassis and why they were built, which I will outline very briefly below.
Based on information in the ‘V8 Times’ the bi-monthly publication of the Early Ford V8 Club of America and also the ‘Famous Ford V-8’s‘ book ( part of a series of books) by Lorin Sorensen, the Ford Motor Company built many of these Cutaways (engines, drive line components, and entire chassis), from Model T days through the early Ford V8 years for use in ‘Ford Mechanic’ schools as training devices.They were also used in various major shows, and also displayed at Ford dealers during the 1930’s. Some of these units migrated to various educational institutions following their usefulness to the Ford Motor Company. In the two sources mentioned above there are at least 20 photos with descriptions of such chassis or cutaway driveline units in the USA (also includes a 1932 Cutaway chassis unit shown in London with RH drive)! Although these Cutaway Chassis are considered ‘rare’ they are in fact well known to ‘Old Ford Guys’ who have an interest in this aspect of Ford Motor Company history.
So, thanks to the efforts of Rick Rennebohm, these beautifully crafted pieces of history are getting the recognition and exposure they deserve!Thanks.
Richard Grieve, President, Iowa Regional Group #145 EFV8 Club of America

Re: The 1940 Ford Cutaway
 

To refresh this post this chassis was on display at the Grand National Roadster Show in L.A. this past weekend. Unfortunately I was not there! The display claimed it was chassis #1 produced for the 1939 World's Fair. I got this info from a blog that appears three times a week written by rodder Lynn Pew. Visit his site www.pewsplace.com Visit his 1/26 blog and scroll down till you see the chassis. Always something of interest as Lynn has lived the dream for 65 years. Funny how these things keep showing up ain't it! Bill in Fl. for awhile....

Re: The 1940 Ford Cutaway
 

Got to see this at the GNRS last weekend, it was stunning.

Re: The 1940 Ford Cutaway
 

Amen. A rare piece of eye candy!!!! My hats off to Rick Rennebohm for preserving that artifact with such a quality restoration. Well done......

Re: The 1940 Ford Cutaway
 

Here are some close-ups from the GNRS.
What a great show.

Re: The 1940 Ford Cutaway
 

To bend this thread a little...assuming you could locate a decent rolling chassis in the 5K range what would it cost to duplicate a similar example? Would the process used be much different than 1939? Would modern technology make it simpler. Have I been sitting out in the sun too long.... Bill in Fl.

Re: The 1940 Ford Cutaway
 

Is there a way to save the full size pics to my computer??

Re: The 1940 Ford Cutaway
 

Sort of. If you right click on the image and select "inspect element" then look at the code (normally near or above the highlighted line) for a link that ends in ".jpeg" or ".jpg". If you right click on that and select "Open link in new tab", the image should appear as a separate entity. Then you can right click on that image and save it to your computer.

As your request is for personal use only, not reposting, hopefully Ryan should have no objections.

Mart.

Re: The 1940 Ford Cutaway
 

That's interesting, all I have to do is right click and select save as.

Re: The 1940 Ford Cutaway
 

As JSeery states.......RIGHT click and "Save As" will save it.

BUT, if you first LEFT click on the image to enlarge it, and then RIGHT click and "Save As", the "saved" image will have been saved in a larger format. DD

Re: The 1940 Ford Cutaway
 

Our computers must be set up differently.

When I click on the first image in the blog page, it comes up with a nice big image, but I can't save that. it's part of a set of pictures and clicking on it takes you to the next pic.

As the poster was asking about saving the image, I assumed his must be like mine, and an obvious method of saving wasn't available.

It must be easier with some computer setups than others.

Mart.