Repair Manual

[bob from red oak]

New to this forum. I've had a Model A for a few years and enjoyed learning about repairs and keeping it going. I recently bought a 1941 PU and look forward to more new learning experiences. What are the best repair manuals similar to Les Andrew to the A's? I got the Shop Manual but I need a step by step repair type manual.

thanks for any suggestions.

Bob

[JSeery]

Service bulletins are helpful.

[Mac VP]

Sadly there isn’t any sort of comprehensive service manual that covers the individual model years in the early V8 era. There is the Canadian manual (perhaps still available in reprint) that covered roughly 1939 to 47. This one does a decent job of covering all the mechanical systems but virtually little about the body.

There have always been other books and manuals produced by other writers & publishers that include Ford specific tech stuff, including good old Motors Manuals. Ford itself only published their Service Bulletins which are good but limited in nature. They did finally begin to publish actual service manuals beginning with the 1949 models for the passenger cars but never addressed any of the older models with a similar manual.

So you almost always end up buying multiple books and manuals ( usually older printings) to develop your own library of service related publications for your vehicles. Of course plenty of tech stuff is available from the internet.....download it generally for free and print it out yourself. Our website has plenty of free tech stuff but it’s certainly not all inclusive.

[nelsb01]

You may want to check out the books offered by the Early Ford V-8 Club. Their web site is earlyfordv8.org
The online store has the Great Trucks-1940-1941 Pickup Truck booklet. This is not a technical book but does show differences of the two pickups.
You did not say what your intentions were with the pickup, but if you intend to keep it close to original, then the Club's 1941-1948 Ford Book will help you determine what is correct for the drive train and chassis of your vehicle, since 1/2 ton pickups and passenger vehicles were the same, The rest of the book deals with passenger vehicle bodies.
Hope this helps. And it would be a good idea to also join the Club. There are many Regional Groups around the country with members that are willing to help. In Texas alone there are 9 Regional Groups.

[Leadfoot4U]

I've run into the same problem with my '34 Ford.....where are the "service/repair manuals" for these era automobiles?

As already pointed out, the Ford Service Bulletin's are a good place to start. Try to find the bulletins that are 1941 specific, and a year or two on either side of that year. However, these bulletins cover only a few topics that are usually related to changes in procedures/new tools needed for a part changed from previous procedures/general maintenance. They even get into topics that are related to only Ford Service sustainability....like, "For better profitability, have your servicemen wear clean lab coats". Their a start for your library, but not an end all for knowledge.

As Mac VP points out, no specific Ford manual exists. Gleaning information from various sources seems to be the best way to add information to your library. His website is a good place to start.....it was for me! So was your Les Andrews Mechanics Handbook Vol.I. My '34 is close enough to the Model A's to use the same components/procedures in some elements.

The Victor Page' "Ford V-8 Cars and Trucks" book is a good source too. Try to find a copy that's printed just after your year of production........by a year or two. Much like the Ford Service Bulletins, the closer you find information on your specific year, the more relevant the information will be.

Vern Tardels "Let me help you" series of booklets may help you as well.

If you can, try to find an original Ford "Parts Price List" catalog for your specific 1941 year. The images that are found in earlier/later years of these catalogs will not be a match for your specific year. The part number may be correct, but an accurate image is....as they say.....worth a thousand words. Same with the "Green Bible" that is a good source for knowledge.....find a copy that's released on/near your time frame of interest.

And as pointed out by nelsb01, the Early V8 Club has excellent resources for adding additional information to your library.

[bob from red oak]

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thanks for all the suggestions. I want to keep it a mostly original daily driver. I will start building a library from service manuals, internet sources, and selected manuals. Appreciate the advice.

Bob

[supereal]

C&G has pages of manuals that apply to your truck. I prefer the CD form, as it is easy to look through, and you can print a copy os any pages that are needed for your jobs. They have a benefit of not being greasy and dirty as printed manuals do. The order number is
(800)266-0470. Be sure to ask for a copy of their catalog. I often use my 39-48 manual. It was produced in Canada, as Ford didn't issue manuals, preferring "service bulletins". When a local Ford dealer closed years ago. I preserved original bulletins from my days as a mechanic. We always enjoyed old Henry"s "Fordisms" tucked into most of them.