The retruckification of my 38 starts.

[Tinker]

So now that I have finished my wife truck it's on to mine. It's going to be a long build as I will be working only at night and weekends.

The truck has been in my family for about 40yrs and has spent 30+yrs of that time in a pole shed. The truck was hauled down and I've had the truck in my garage since 07. Work has been done to get it road worthy, including an engine rebuild, rewire, and brakes. Then, I drove it and collected the needed sheetmetal pieces.

I initially put a drop axle under the truck. Over the years my taste have changed and, being it's a truck, I want to bring it back to that feeling and look of a truck. The drop axle was nice, but I never really liked that the track width was shortened.

First was to reestablish my ride height. The front had a new 3" drop axle with new drop spindles/arms. So out with the new and in with the old! I saved every little bolt, clip, etc that has been taken off this truck. Cleaned up the original axle, put new bushings in the spindles and the machine shop fit the kingpins (I don't have a reamer). Replaced tierod ends, shackles, along with the kingpins. Rear ride height was addressed by removing the lowering shackles and replacing them with standard shackles. I kept the reverse eye spring on the rear, but it will get it's old spring back with the extra pack springs removed. (original spring for the rear had 18 leaves, a 2 pack setup with a smaller stiffening pack on the bottom. those will not be making a reappearance and will level the ride height.)

Where is was a week ago...

Where it rides now...


So it begins, warning there will be a few modern additions for drive-ablity and safety.

[Shu47]

The lowered version is fine but I like the return to the original look.

[Ross F-1]

I like the stock stance much better, especially on a '38.

[Tinker]

This was around 07' just before it was removed from it's 30yr sleep...


Side shot of the lowered version. 08-09ish. Not very truck like, great look for some trucks.

[kelley's restoration]

I would be interested in the parts you removed for a project of mine
let me know
tk

[Tinker]

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The drop axle and spindles may be used in another project of mine or they will go to a local build here. But thanks for the offer.

[Old Henry]

All the time I was driving Old Henry in high school he seemed to have a "dropped axle". It wasn't until I started restoring him after he slept for 31 years that I discovered why.



I count no less than 13 breaks in the front spring. He was ridin' mighty low on only 6 for his 11 spring leaves.

[fourspeedwagon]

Subscribed- thanks for sharing. Greg

[Tinker]

Craig... so did you reuse that spring! Just kidding... wow, that one was shot!

The original under the front of the 38 had no broken leaves, but was well worn. It was replaced with a eaton detroit spring. Very nice spring.

Side shot...


Will be taking the truck down to the frame in the next few months (or many months). It's had a hard life and was beat up. Bed frame will be replaced, dents hammered out, and painted (still contemplating color, probably black. I'm leaning to not using filler. It will have some imperfections but it's going to retain some of it's farm past).

[Tinker]

Working on the rear fenders. Getting them fit to the truck before I pull the bed and cab off. Slow going.

Replaced about a 2" piece of the lip that was cracked and bent.




Next is this bugger. I have my old fender from my truck that is beat to heck but surprising not in the spots of my better replacement fender. So between the two should be able to make 1 decent fender.

[cmbrucew]

Tinker
In the as found photo is a small tractor. Any more shots of it?
Looks like one I had. Wisconsion engine, Crosley transmission and Lincoln rear end.
Bruce

[Tinker]

Bruce that is interesting you mentioned that. It was a little tractor my dad made to grade the area around the new farm house many years ago. Its one thing that always sticks in my mind and It'd be fun to get it going again.

Its a bit of car parts, tractor, and scrap.

[Tinker]

At this rate I should be done with the metal work somewhere around September.... 2016 Still need to weld up the rest of the lip and a little more finishing.

[tamnalan]

Neat to see another barrel nose Ford with NDT tires.

[Tinker]

Thanks. I like them. I got them first because they were a cheap roller.

My end idea would be the old directional tires. But best i know no one makes them. Next best would be these ,http://www.cokertire.com/600-16-fire...bby-truck.html maybe in the future...

What do you think? Do you have a better tire source for truck tires?

[woodburnranch]

You might try millertire.com. Jim

[sidevalve8ba]

I've often wondered how well NDT's handle a wet road.

[tamnalan]

I've put a lot of miles on NDTs on a '43 Willys. They do ok in the rain. Not so good in snow. Of course, this was all at about 35 mph or less.

Universal Tire has good prices and service. There's a fellow on G503.com - Tom Wolboldt - who sells NDTs that are more authentic for the WWII Ford jeeps. They would be more appropriate for a wartime Ford pickup look and his prices are very reasonable.

[Tinker]

Thanks for the links guys. I will be keeping the NDTs for a while.

[tamnalan]

One bummer about NDTs is that they are rather noisy on pavement. Kind of a howling sound. It's very noticeable in an open jeep - maybe a pickup cab will cut the noise some though.