'40 coupes ain't so tough.

[customline]

1 hour ago, Plowboy said:

Your chop work looks good Jim! I built this kit around three years ago. I converted it to a three window, gave it a three and a half inch chop and three inch section. The only issue I had with it was getting the rear wheels centered. First mockup, it was 3 mms too forward. I moved the crossmember back 3mms. It was 1.5 mms too far back! Moved the crossmember forward 1.5 mms and finally got it right. What I learned from that ordeal was that the placement of the rearend is very sensitive to the angle of the pinion. Some members reported the same issue. Some reported no issue. It's definitely something to get worked out beforehand! 

YES INDEED !! This version of the '40 Std. has a really crappy rear end setup 😕. It's fragile and it is inconsistent with a '40 coupe powered by a flattie, sitting over a buggy sprung beam axle. Why would they do that? It was a perfectly good hot rod the way it was (except for the single exhaust setup which would be the first thing I'd change if dad gave me his old "work car".  It's as if the brains at Revell drive Priuses ( Priui?, Priusi? ) 🥴 

Thanks for your story about pulling your hair out. I still have quite a number to pull out, thankfully 😅. I'm not losing any today though. See below 😳

Bald-headded Henry

 

Voila!

 

[Plowboy]

It looks a lot better with the drip rails back on! More natural. One goof on this kit is the exhaust. It goes over the trailing arms and under the rearend. The rearend wouldn't be able to travel up or down. I didn't discover that until it was too late. 

[customline]

2 hours ago, Plowboy said:

It looks a lot better with the drip rails back on! More natural. One goof on this kit is the exhaust. It goes over the trailing arms and under the rearend. The rearend wouldn't be able to travel up or down. I didn't discover that until it was too late. 

Maybe it's a good thing that they didn't provide duals. That would be 2XPITA

Yeah, the chop is so mild- c3"- it could be taken for stock. This is the height it should have been .  A little too subtle? I think it is...... but too late now 😁. 

Here's where I'm at tonight. This one has been fun. Hope I don't  muck it up 💩

[customline]

That big FE fits with a little grinding on the "stock" motor mounts/front cross member. But...the firewall is will need to be "re-designed" to accept it - there goes my foot room!

[customline]

On 11/30/2022 at 2:52 PM, Plowboy said:

Your chop work looks good Jim! I built this kit around three years ago. I converted it to a three window, gave it a three and a half inch chop and three inch section. The only issue I had with it was getting the rear wheels centered. First mockup, it was 3 mms too forward. I moved the crossmember back 3mms. It was 1.5 mms too far back! Moved the crossmember forward 1.5 mms and finally got it right. What I learned from that ordeal was that the placement of the rearend is very sensitive to the angle of the pinion. Some members reported the same issue. Some reported no issue. It's definitely something to get worked out beforehand! 

I was just reading back and remembered I wanted to comment on the 3 window thing...I thought about doing that but I looked in my stash of body parts (no, not that kind) and my last '36 roof was cut up for another thing I did but the window openings were there. I thought it would be a cool phantom (Henry never built one, did he?)

Maybe next time 🥴

[Plowboy]

5 minutes ago, customline said:

I was just reading back and remembered I wanted to comment on the 3 window thing...I thought about doing that but I looked in my stash of body parts (no, not that kind) and my last '36 roof was cut up for another thing I did but the window openings were there. I thought it would be a cool phantom (Henry never built one, did he?)

Maybe next time 🥴

That's the first full scale 3W '40 I've seen! It looks very well done! I looked at using the '36 roof. But, it just didn't "fit" the '40 to me. In more ways than one. I didn't feel it would have a natural look with the different windshield and shape. I modified the roof on mine. 

[customline]

3 hours ago, Plowboy said:

That's the first full scale 3W '40 I've seen! It looks very well done! I looked at using the '36 roof. But, it just didn't "fit" the '40 to me. In more ways than one. I didn't feel it would have a natural look with the different windshield and shape. I modified the roof on mine. 

I was thinking maybe it was Canadian or Australian, you know like the Ute we never got here. It looks completely legit.  Maybe Cuban, an '86 model. ☺️

[slusher]

Cool project, looking really nice!

[customline]

4 minutes ago, slusher said:

Cool project, looking really nice!

Thank you, Mr. Slusher.

[customline]

Using the big FE motor necessitated re-designing the firewall. 😕.  The trick, because of the kit's configuration, is to have the firewall and the toeboard meet cleanly upon final assembly.  Right. If you're lucky, the unmodified kit will do that....anyway, here's where it's at tonight.  The new firewall will need special effects to mask that huge expanse of flat, featureless real estate. Bead rolling maybe?  Maybe. Chrome diamond plate?...heh heh heh....nope, that's been done. 

I also spent some time trying to get the front wheels inboard a bit more. When you lower ride height you create some new problems. It's the law of unintended consequences.  [[[ Is it just me or do a lot of kits have the wheels too far outboard? ]]]   There's a domino effect when you change stuff 😯....Wow, that's profound!

 

[customline]

Late edition

I believe I have a stance.  I'm fairly happy with it. It works for me. 

[Plowboy]

Hate to say it Jim. But, it looks like you're having the same wheelbase issue that I had with mine. That's how mine looked the first time I stabbed it together. I saw no way to move the front axle easily. Tried tilting it forward. But, that didn't work for some reason I can't remember. So, I centered the front wheels and moved the rear wheels back. 

[customline]

11 minutes ago, Plowboy said:

Hate to say it Jim. But, it looks like you're having the same wheelbase issue that I had with mine. That's how mine looked the first time I stabbed it together. I saw no way to move the front axle easily. Tried tilting it forward. But, that didn't work for some reason I can't remember. So, I centered the front wheels and moved the rear wheels back. 

OK, I thought what you see here is the result of camera angle.  It looks like the wheels are too close together when viewed from the center of the subject. I just tried to prove that and took photos of the wheels,  lining up the lense with the wheel center and guess what. You're right ! (but you already knew that). 

[customline]

These shots are a bit fuzzy but the truth is apparent.  Roger is right.  I don't think there's much to be done about it at this point. 😕   I may be able to minimize the effect by enlarging the wheel openings slightly 😳.  Comments welcome. ( stop me before I do something horrible. 💩)

[stitchdup]

I think your problem is the 40 doesn't really have the wheels centred even when stock, so lowering it only emphasises the distortion. heres a couple of stock side views where you can see by the tyres that they aren't centred. they aren't far off but at stock height its much less noticable.

[customline]

3 hours ago, stitchdup said:

I think your problem is the 40 doesn't really have the wheels centred even when stock, so lowering it only emphasises the distortion. heres a couple of stock side views where you can see by the tyres that they aren't centred. they aren't far off but at stock height its much less noticable.

OK, now I feel much better.☺️.  Thanks for clearing this up, Les.  I wasn't really going to enlarge my wheel openings 🥴.

 

 

[customline]

What I'd like to know is how this guy did it 🤨. They're perfect. 

 

 

[Slotto]

Nice job on the chop

[redscampi]

8 hours ago, customline said:

What I'd like to know is how this guy did it 🤨. They're perfect. 

 

 

Can't say for sure on the 40, but many cars of that era didn't really have the wheels well centered. I don't think the design engineers really cared that much.  I had a 48 Chevy Aerosedan that had a problem with the rear wheels and my 54 F100 had the same with the front wheels. The solution in both cases was aftermarket springs that had relocated pins for the spring perches. I had planned to install Posies "down and forward" springs for the F100 before I sold it. 

[customline]

2 hours ago, redscampi said:

Can't say for sure on the 40, but many cars of that era didn't really have the wheels well centered. I don't think the design engineers really cared that much.  I had a 48 Chevy Aerosedan that had a problem with the rear wheels and my 54 F100 had the same with the front wheels. The solution in both cases was aftermarket springs that had relocated pins for the spring perches. I had planned to install Posies "down and forward" springs for the F100 before I sold it. 

I guess if you consider the original purpose of fenders, the whole point was to keep road debris from flying in your ( or someone else's ) face, especially during the rainy season. It would seem the esthetics weren't terribly important since the fenders accomplished their task. Once the designers started skirting the fenders, they probably should have been a bit more focused. Anyway,  it's a detail that I will henceforth be aware of when in the early mock-up stages, especially if modifying stance and ride height. 

[Plowboy]

The wheelbase fix is pretty simple Jim. You just need to move the crossmember back 1.5 mms. IIRC, I also eliminated an unnecessary bar. Here's a photo of the chassis I built. 

I had to do several modifications to get the engine and transmission in.

[customline]

 

2 hours ago, Plowboy said:

The wheelbase fix is pretty simple Jim. You just need to move the crossmember back 1.5 mms. IIRC, I also eliminated an unnecessary bar. Here's a photo of the chassis I built. 

I had to do several modifications to get the engine and transmission in.

I love the nailhead. It makes perfect sense with that body and those wheels/tires.

Yes, I suppose I could move the axle/crossmember but also the middle one as well. And make a new drive shaft. I don't know if it would be worth the time and effort.  I'll need to mull it over. After a few do-overs that inevitably are necessary with most of my projects, I lose my enthusiasm and it could end badly 😢 . This one has been a problem on a few fronts. Your suggestions are nevertheless valued and, if I leave things as they are, the next time this issue finds me I will be ready. I appreciate your input, Roger......What do you think about tweeking the rear fenders a bit? I think I can do that without it being obvious and only we will know 🤐.

Edited December 5, 2022 by customline
Add photo

[dino246gt]

I think the easiest way is to very slightly enlarge the openings. It's looking great though already!

That lowered real one with the chrome wheels looks fantastic!

That white chassis with the nail head also looks amazing!

Keep us posted on your progress, I'm loving what you're doing with this beauty!

 

[Plowboy]

10 hours ago, customline said:

 

I love the nailhead. It makes perfect sense with that body and those wheels/tires.

Yes, I suppose I could move the axle/crossmember but also the middle one as well. And make a new drive shaft. I don't know if it would be worth the time and effort.  I'll need to mull it over. After a few do-overs that inevitably are necessary with most of my projects, I lose my enthusiasm and it could end badly 😢 . This one has been a problem on a few fronts. Your suggestions are nevertheless valued and, if I leave things as they are, the next time this issue finds me I will be ready. I appreciate your input, Roger......What do you think about tweeking the rear fenders a bit? I think I can do that without it being obvious and only we will know 🤐.

Thanx! I think you could get by with moving the rear wheel openings forward. Maybe the fronts slightly towards the rear also. In my case, I had already done so many modifications, what was one more? 

[customline]

1 hour ago, dino246gt said:

I think the easiest way is to very slightly enlarge the openings. It's looking great though already!

That lowered real one with the chrome wheels looks fantastic!

That white chassis with the nail head also looks amazing!

Keep us posted on your progress, I'm loving what you're doing with this beauty!

 

Thanks for your interest, Dennis, the wheel thing sneaked up on me and the "right way" to fix it is a little impractical at this time so yeah, doing a little body work will be much easier. Roger did it right (the white chassis) and I hope he shows us more of that build.. 

That rusty 1:1 is evidently a composite picture, probably created to visualize imagined or planned mods to the car. It's quite an inspiration. 

The chrome 390 from the AMT '34 pickup is a real dog and I am spending a lot of time on it to, hopefully,  make it look legit. Needless to say, it was not the best choice for this project but I wanted to be "original" (and I'm probably not.)  Using the 390 forced a firewall re-do and getting all that's involved sorted out is critical for the stance I'm trying to achieve. It's impossible to get a good photo of it but I'll be de-chroming it soon so I can complete it and post the pix.