The Ford Barn

bchrismer · 05-18-2015, 02:54 PM

I've not posted much, over here in the Ford Barn, but I have done a TON of reading, since I picked up my '40 1/2 ton stake truck. I greatly appreciate the wealth of knowledge shared on the Ford Barn.

I picked it up from my aunt, who was the 2nd owner, back in February 2012. The truck is "mostly stock", with what appears to be a war era 221, with the intake area that "looks" raised. I rewired it to 12v, put a reversed eye Posies spring under the front, and the stock spring out of my '40 coupe out back. A set of tall 16" radials out back and some 15's up front, to get it to sit good. Last fall, I also put a set of Red's dual exhaust extensions and some 14" Walker glasspacks on it to help it sound cool.

Since getting it back on the road, I've put almost 14,000 miles on it.

Last July, I hauled home the flathead that had once been in my coupe. It's a 59Y casting, 3.375" bore, 4" stroke. It's got some relieving that's been done to the block, and has a set of Offy 400 heads. The valves are 1.5" and appear to only open about .3125, so it doesn't appear to have any cam worth bragging about in it. I have a little concern about the amount of compression that the bore and stroke, with the Offy heads may generate, but it was obviously ran like this before, due to all the grime on the motor.

I'm currently just cleaning up the old motor and preparing it for a test run on a stand. If it appears to be decent, and have no real issues, it'll more than likely find it's way under the hood of the '40 stake truck sometime this winter. If I find that I have compression issues, I'll mothball it until I can tear it apart for a proper rebuild.

In the meantime, I am installing a Pertronix ignition in the '42 style distributor and am going to use an adapter plate to "test it out" on the 221.

WestCoast · 05-18-2015, 04:43 PM

4" stroke is a mercury crank, no 4" cranks till 1949 when merc installed them, but heck I maybe wrong

Charlie ny · 05-18-2015, 08:43 PM

WC,
Careful !
Charlie ny

41panelmark · 05-18-2015, 09:20 PM

Nice truck!!

markivpedalpusher · 05-18-2015, 11:16 PM

This such a cool truck would love I see lots more pics!

bchrismer · 05-19-2015, 07:15 AM

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Thanks for the compliments on the truck, guys. I've been chasing my great aunt for years, trying to get her to sell it to me, but she kept saying no. Finally, in 2011, we had a discussion where she agreed to let me become the current caretaker.

I'm sure that my coupe is jealous, because in the past 3 years, I've put WAY more miles on the truck than the coupe. The coupe got out for some long reach events, but the truck seems to be the "go to" vehicle for any time I leave the house.

Here's a link to some of my adventures in the '40 stake truck. http://streetrodder.net/category/my_.../40_stake_bed/

05-18-2015, 02:54 PM	#1
bchrismer Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Springfield, MO Posts: 77	The '40 1/2 ton stake truck and the "Forgotten Flathead" I've not posted much, over here in the Ford Barn, but I have done a TON of reading, since I picked up my '40 1/2 ton stake truck. I greatly appreciate the wealth of knowledge shared on the Ford Barn. I picked it up from my aunt, who was the 2nd owner, back in February 2012. The truck is "mostly stock", with what appears to be a war era 221, with the intake area that "looks" raised. I rewired it to 12v, put a reversed eye Posies spring under the front, and the stock spring out of my '40 coupe out back. A set of tall 16" radials out back and some 15's up front, to get it to sit good. Last fall, I also put a set of Red's dual exhaust extensions and some 14" Walker glasspacks on it to help it sound cool. Since getting it back on the road, I've put almost 14,000 miles on it. Last July, I hauled home the flathead that had once been in my coupe. It's a 59Y casting, 3.375" bore, 4" stroke. It's got some relieving that's been done to the block, and has a set of Offy 400 heads. The valves are 1.5" and appear to only open about .3125, so it doesn't appear to have any cam worth bragging about in it. I have a little concern about the amount of compression that the bore and stroke, with the Offy heads may generate, but it was obviously ran like this before, due to all the grime on the motor. I'm currently just cleaning up the old motor and preparing it for a test run on a stand. If it appears to be decent, and have no real issues, it'll more than likely find it's way under the hood of the '40 stake truck sometime this winter. If I find that I have compression issues, I'll mothball it until I can tear it apart for a proper rebuild. In the meantime, I am installing a Pertronix ignition in the '42 style distributor and am going to use an adapter plate to "test it out" on the 221. __________________ HotRodHundred.com Reliability Runs It's about the drive!!! StreetRodder.Net The FUN is in the RUN!!!

05-18-2015, 04:43 PM	#2
WestCoast Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: oroville calif Posts: 893	Re: The '40 1/2 ton stake truck and the "Forgotten Flathead" 4" stroke is a mercury crank, no 4" cranks till 1949 when merc installed them, but heck I maybe wrong Last edited by WestCoast; 05-18-2015 at 04:55 PM.

05-18-2015, 08:43 PM	#3
Charlie ny BANNED Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 3,019	Re: The '40 1/2 ton stake truck and the "Forgotten Flathead" WC, Careful ! Charlie ny

05-18-2015, 09:20 PM	#4
41panelmark Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Colorado Posts: 1,264	Re: The '40 1/2 ton stake truck and the "Forgotten Flathead" Nice truck!!

05-18-2015, 11:16 PM	#5
markivpedalpusher Member Join Date: May 2015 Location: Mission Viejo, CA Posts: 88	Re: The '40 1/2 ton stake truck and the "Forgotten Flathead" This such a cool truck would love I see lots more pics!

05-19-2015, 07:15 AM	#6
bchrismer Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Springfield, MO Posts: 77	Re: The '40 1/2 ton stake truck and the "Forgotten Flathead" Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) Thanks for the compliments on the truck, guys. I've been chasing my great aunt for years, trying to get her to sell it to me, but she kept saying no. Finally, in 2011, we had a discussion where she agreed to let me become the current caretaker. I'm sure that my coupe is jealous, because in the past 3 years, I've put WAY more miles on the truck than the coupe. The coupe got out for some long reach events, but the truck seems to be the "go to" vehicle for any time I leave the house. Here's a link to some of my adventures in the '40 stake truck. http://streetrodder.net/category/my_.../40_stake_bed/ __________________ HotRodHundred.com Reliability Runs It's about the drive!!! StreetRodder.Net The FUN is in the RUN!!!