'40 to '46 nose sheet metal exchange

H

hardhatz

Junior Member
I have a 46 pickup. I'd like to know if 40-41 sheet metal will bolt up to my cab. The nose I prefer is the 1-ton style with the separate headlights, but I'd accept the 1/2 ton style too. Also, are pickup parts interchangeable with panel parts, as I'd Reeeeealy love to have a panel instead.
(pic is my dream, not my ride)
 

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Ok, generally yes it will.....but the frame will not work. 1940 ford 1/2 ton truck sheet metal still used the car frame (more or less) that had the tranverse leaf spring. In 1942 they changed the frame to two front springs and the frame is much longer in this area. I ran into this a few years ago trying to put a 40 front end on a 47 truck. You would have to notch the front fenders and let the frame stick out which will ruin the look you are going after. Now, if you changed the frame also you could do it.
 
As you can see from my avatar my truck has a car front clip on a '42-'47 cab. this is the truck that my buddy draddog above was referring to. This build took a lot of fabrication to accomplish. The only thing that is stock on this truck is the hood. Everything else was modified. some a great deal. The cowl I used was from a '39 4 door sedan. We worked on this off and on for 7 years. The frame is from a '36.
Good luck with your build. THere are a lot of parts that are vertually interchangeable but get ready to cut and wel to make it all fit perfectly.;)
 
Let me see if I got it right: The BODY parts will join up, car or truck, 40 to 48, but the FRAME is different?...
So, I could build a new frame, (or front clip mine) and bolt on a 40 car nose?
The possibilities are fascinating :D
 
The hood is not as tall on a car as it is on a truck. It will not bolt right up to a truck cab. I had to use a cowl from a '39 car and graft it to the front of the cab. There were several other modifications which had to be dealt with as well. The front fenders had to be lengthened at the bottom to accomodate the truck running boards, The hinges are very close to fitting but are about a quarter inch off.
I also used Bob Drakes universal rubber mounts instead of the wooden mounts after I spoke to him about it at Dearbourne. Man did that save us a lot of headaches! (Thanks Bob)
To all of you purists out there please rest assured that no pristine original sheet metal was cut up for this project. This truck was made from junk pieces which were not good enough for a 1000 point restoration. Lots of Hershey finds in it as well.:rolleyes:
 
I just thought of something... Why can't you bolt up a 40/41 3/4 ton front clip(like the one in hardhats pic) to a 1/2 ton 42-47 pickup or panel? I know that if you have a 40/41 1/2 ton front clip that it has a different frame and it won't work,or if you modify like jsemple. Ken
 
Are the fenders and hood etc on Mr Cran's Avatar pic same as a car's, or are they they the taller ones described by Jsemple?

By the way J, it's your metal, I think you should enjoy it as you wish. IMHO, your truck is SO pretty it could almost make me cry, and I would not care if you made it from a nice car!
 
Hardhatz, My truck is all original... It has the slightly bigger fenders and the hood is a little different. They are not the same as a car! I'll bet J used car fenders and altered them. Ken
 
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