The Ford Barn

Cartravel · 11-21-2011, 04:02 PM

The frame of our '40 pickup was badly rusted, so I found a pretty good '41 frame which was for a 6 cyl. I didn't notice any differences between them until I got ready to install the v8. The gusset pieces that the radiator mounts on are different (see photo). Is this the only difference or am I going to find other surprises?
Thanks,
Larry Young

Cecil/WV · 11-21-2011, 04:58 PM

That should be the only difference-4 cyl is also different in that same area.

Cartravel · 11-21-2011, 05:07 PM

Thanks, now I have to decide whether to rivet of bolt it. It is going to be tough to rivet it with everything together. There is one rivet in the corner which goes through two thicknesses of frame rail, the crossmemember and the plate, 3/8 inch rivet through about 9/16 inch of metal.

Charlie ny · 11-21-2011, 06:04 PM

Cartrav
One other little difference.....the cross members front and
rear have a deeper drop on SOME '41's. My '41 1/2 ton which was made in
Los Angeles in mid '41 has the deeper drop cross members. This causes the
truck to sit higher, remember not all '41s had this. The give away is a spacer
between the front wishbone pocket in the frame and the tin cup that bolts
to the frame that captures the hollow rubber ball. My '41 sits about an
inch higher than a '40 or some '41's I've compared it to.
Charlie ny

Cartravel · 11-21-2011, 06:27 PM

Gosh, I took a '40 and '41 apart too long ago. There may have been some small differences where the wishbone attached. I can not tell any difference in the crossmember. I'll have to take a closer look. Why does this change the ride height? Are the springs different too? This '41 was a little different in that the larger center hood piece was painted rather than chrome.

Charlie ny · 11-21-2011, 08:27 PM

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The truck rides higher because the cross members have a deeper drop
which effectively lifts it up. Much the same as if you placed 1" thick
spacers between the top of the spring and the frame.
Charlie ny

rich b · 11-21-2011, 09:10 PM

I seem to remember hearing the that the deeper cross-member was to gain more clearance for the 6 cylinder motor that became available in '41.

TJ · 11-22-2011, 10:34 AM

Cartravel, just for info I picked up all the hood trim for a 41 pickup last weekend at a swap meet. The center hood strip that was in the pile is stainless steel. Pehaps some of the strips were painted stainless?

Karl Wescott · 11-22-2011, 11:27 AM

It looks to me from the photos that the rear bolt hole on the radiator mount is in about the right place for a V8 radiator. Could it be that the frames with this type of bracket could be used for both 6 or V8? Ford did something similar in 1936-39(std/pu) where they moved the radiator forward but the brackets had two holes, one for the 1935, one for the 1936-39(std/pu).

Cecil/WV · 11-22-2011, 12:52 PM

Yes, I think the frame itself is the same on all.

Cartravel · 11-22-2011, 06:54 PM

I am such an idiot! Now that I have them out, I can see Karl is absolutely right. The brackets are made to work with either a 6 or 8. I went off when I realized the pans beneath the radiators were different. The new v8 radiator pan from Drake didn't seem to fit, so I concluded the brackets needed to be changed. Now that they are out, I can see they didn't need to be changed. The crossmember is indeed 1 inch deeper than the one from the '40. It is difficult to see by looking, but if you measure them, that is what you find. What an idiot! Thanks for the help.

RPM · 11-22-2011, 10:33 PM

My 41 has different splash pans than my 40 and I recently noticed the 41 perch pin has a second eye located on top of the normal shock arm eye. The fender wishbones are the same but the 41 has a metal spacer under it to compensate for the deep crossmember. The hood latch and upper grille support are special for the longer 6 cylinder. Because of the 3 engine choices in 41 (4,6, and 8 cylinder) the tailgate has no V8, just Ford script. The 41 dash is flat in the middle where the emblem goes. The 40 has this area raised and I believe this is the only year that is true. RPM

Hamtown Al · 11-23-2011, 09:36 PM

Yep, I think only the real 1940 cabs had the raised area in the dash for a Ford script. If you're not running the stock 6 cyl, you can replace the front crossmember with one from a car to get back to stock V-8 pkp front ride height.
Keep working,
Al

Cartravel · 11-25-2011, 11:51 AM

I could build this truck as either a '40 or '41. I'm not planning to show it. How hard is it to find the chrome center piece for the hood of a '41?

deuce lover · 11-25-2011, 01:04 PM

Try The early Ford Store (909-305-1955)in CA or Baxter Ford Lawrence,KS or Dick Spadaro Altamont NY.They might stock that stainless center hood strip.

11-21-2011, 04:58 PM	#2
Cecil/WV Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Gerrardstown, WV Posts: 2,265	Re: 40/41 Pickup Frame Differences That should be the only difference-4 cyl is also different in that same area.

11-21-2011, 05:07 PM	#3
Cartravel Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Larry Young, Tulsa, OK Posts: 202	Re: 40/41 Pickup Frame Differences Thanks, now I have to decide whether to rivet of bolt it. It is going to be tough to rivet it with everything together. There is one rivet in the corner which goes through two thicknesses of frame rail, the crossmemember and the plate, 3/8 inch rivet through about 9/16 inch of metal.

11-21-2011, 06:04 PM	#4
Charlie ny BANNED Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 3,019	Re: 40/41 Pickup Frame Differences Cartrav One other little difference.....the cross members front and rear have a deeper drop on SOME '41's. My '41 1/2 ton which was made in Los Angeles in mid '41 has the deeper drop cross members. This causes the truck to sit higher, remember not all '41s had this. The give away is a spacer between the front wishbone pocket in the frame and the tin cup that bolts to the frame that captures the hollow rubber ball. My '41 sits about an inch higher than a '40 or some '41's I've compared it to. Charlie ny

11-21-2011, 06:27 PM	#5
Cartravel Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Larry Young, Tulsa, OK Posts: 202	Re: 40/41 Pickup Frame Differences Gosh, I took a '40 and '41 apart too long ago. There may have been some small differences where the wishbone attached. I can not tell any difference in the crossmember. I'll have to take a closer look. Why does this change the ride height? Are the springs different too? This '41 was a little different in that the larger center hood piece was painted rather than chrome.

11-21-2011, 08:27 PM	#6
Charlie ny BANNED Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 3,019	Re: 40/41 Pickup Frame Differences Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) The truck rides higher because the cross members have a deeper drop which effectively lifts it up. Much the same as if you placed 1" thick spacers between the top of the spring and the frame. Charlie ny

11-21-2011, 09:10 PM	#7
rich b Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Minnesota Posts: 1,825	Re: 40/41 Pickup Frame Differences I seem to remember hearing the that the deeper cross-member was to gain more clearance for the 6 cylinder motor that became available in '41.

11-22-2011, 10:34 AM	#8
TJ Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Napa,California Posts: 6,035	Re: 40/41 Pickup Frame Differences Cartravel, just for info I picked up all the hood trim for a 41 pickup last weekend at a swap meet. The center hood strip that was in the pile is stainless steel. Pehaps some of the strips were painted stainless?

11-22-2011, 11:27 AM	#9
Karl Wescott Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Oregon Posts: 1,287	Re: 40/41 Pickup Frame Differences It looks to me from the photos that the rear bolt hole on the radiator mount is in about the right place for a V8 radiator. Could it be that the frames with this type of bracket could be used for both 6 or V8? Ford did something similar in 1936-39(std/pu) where they moved the radiator forward but the brackets had two holes, one for the 1935, one for the 1936-39(std/pu).

11-22-2011, 12:52 PM	#10
Cecil/WV Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Gerrardstown, WV Posts: 2,265	Re: 40/41 Pickup Frame Differences Yes, I think the frame itself is the same on all.

11-22-2011, 06:54 PM	#11
Cartravel Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Larry Young, Tulsa, OK Posts: 202	Re: 40/41 Pickup Frame Differences I am such an idiot! Now that I have them out, I can see Karl is absolutely right. The brackets are made to work with either a 6 or 8. I went off when I realized the pans beneath the radiators were different. The new v8 radiator pan from Drake didn't seem to fit, so I concluded the brackets needed to be changed. Now that they are out, I can see they didn't need to be changed. The crossmember is indeed 1 inch deeper than the one from the '40. It is difficult to see by looking, but if you measure them, that is what you find. What an idiot! Thanks for the help.

11-22-2011, 10:33 PM	#12
RPM Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 410	Re: 40/41 Pickup Frame Differences My 41 has different splash pans than my 40 and I recently noticed the 41 perch pin has a second eye located on top of the normal shock arm eye. The fender wishbones are the same but the 41 has a metal spacer under it to compensate for the deep crossmember. The hood latch and upper grille support are special for the longer 6 cylinder. Because of the 3 engine choices in 41 (4,6, and 8 cylinder) the tailgate has no V8, just Ford script. The 41 dash is flat in the middle where the emblem goes. The 40 has this area raised and I believe this is the only year that is true. RPM

11-23-2011, 09:36 PM	#13
Hamtown Al Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Smithfield, Va Posts: 822	Re: 40/41 Pickup Frame Differences Yep, I think only the real 1940 cabs had the raised area in the dash for a Ford script. If you're not running the stock 6 cyl, you can replace the front crossmember with one from a car to get back to stock V-8 pkp front ride height. Keep working, Al __________________ 36 Fords Rule! Visit at www.36fords.com.

11-25-2011, 11:51 AM	#14
Cartravel Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Larry Young, Tulsa, OK Posts: 202	Re: 40/41 Pickup Frame Differences I could build this truck as either a '40 or '41. I'm not planning to show it. How hard is it to find the chrome center piece for the hood of a '41?

11-25-2011, 01:04 PM	#15
deuce lover Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Southern France Posts: 5,305	Re: 40/41 Pickup Frame Differences Try The early Ford Store (909-305-1955)in CA or Baxter Ford Lawrence,KS or Dick Spadaro Altamont NY.They might stock that stainless center hood strip.