Not sure this is a 39 Frame

Pech33

Pech33

Senior Member
This is supposed to be a 39 frame. It appears to have a hand brake lever which I think was last used in cars in 36. If so, any additional issues if I use a 36 frame under a 40 convertible? Someone has added a front shock kit. I am inspecting this frame tomorrow morning. Any advice would be appreciated. I will have VanPelt's Serial Number Guide with me to confirm exactly what it is.
 

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36 hand brake mounts on the right and attaches to exterior of the trans mount .36 front cross member is different from a 40.Get better pics.Very hard to tell from what you posted.I tried blowing up one of the pics.Looks like a master cyl to the rear of the pedal.E brake handle in a strange place.Look and see where the radius rods connect.On a 36 its to the axle tube bracket.'37 up to the end of the axle tube flange at the backing plate.
 

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39 had a dash e brake. Early e brake was connected to the transmission. Where it is now you would be sitting on it. To each their own.
 
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35/36 rear axles have radius rods that form the spring hangers. 37 up spring hangers are part of the axle housings. Front radius arms kink out in front of the axle. 37 up are straight when viewed from above.
The basic frame, though can be adapted to your 40 by using parts from your 40 frame. The area around the pedal box will also need modification but you have your 40 frame as a reference.
It's all do-able.
 
Wide fives wouldn't be original on a 39 would they? Hydraulic or mechanical brakes? Probably pre-'39 for sure.
Al Hook
 
Pech33 said:
This is supposed to be a 39 frame. It appears to have a hand brake lever which I think was last used in cars in 36. If so, any additional issues if I use a 36 frame under a 40 convertible? Someone has added a front shock kit. I am inspecting this frame tomorrow morning. Any advice would be appreciated. I will have VanPelt's Serial Number Guide with me to confirm exactly what it is.
Click to expand...

That hand brake lever is not original to that frame. Probably something someone jury-rigged. The rear wishbone's appear to connect to backing plates and considering it has wide five drums & wheels, I'd say it's in the '37-39 range. As deuce lover said, we need more and better pics to tell for sure. Also, another good idea was mentioned to check serial number in three places on left top rail of frame.
 
IF its 39....according to Van Plets


60Hp would be above 54 - 506,500


85Hp 18-4,661,001 to 18-5,210,700


OR
IF its 99A (Mercury) he can't use it!!!!




Rear ends, front ends, transmissions all can be changed.....THUS Soooo many post above.......The Serial number erases ALL doubt.


REAL EASY way to tell in my book!!
 
deuce lover said:
So would good pics.1939 was first yr for hydraulic brakes.
Click to expand...
Lol, yes it would...BUT....what IF someone converted to 40 (ish) hydraulic brakes??? ALSO a common practice, NO??


BUT I defer to you Sheldon.....your vast knowledge puts me OFF the bus, not even close to the "BACK oF the BUS"!!!!
 
OK, it IS a 39. The serial number starts with 48 which coincides with a 39 Convertible Sedan VIN. The front section where the serial number should be has had some work done over where it should be, one of the rivets joining the side rail and X has the top ground off (the frame has been sitting in AZ for 25 years). The serial number was close to where VanPelt says they should be on the other two locations. Someone added shock kits front and rear. They hogged out the intermediate bracing and the front portion of the X to get the dual exhaust in. It has the "open car" brackets intact. The emergency brake lever was installed to move the frame around and enable them to lock the rear brakes. It is just bolted on. I'm not sure how to add pictures to this quick reply, so I'll repost them in another thread.
 
I don't believe the VIN number has anything to do with which body was attached to it. Starting with 48 would put it in the range of a 39 though.
 
The owner of the frame got the frame 25 years ago from his friend who sold the convertible sedan body to another guy. That’s how he knew what it was. And it has the convertible braces. So it is the 10 gauge frame.
 
Pech33 said:
OK, it IS a 39. The serial number starts with 48 which coincides with a 39 Convertible Sedan VIN. The front section where the serial number should be has had some work done over where it should be, one of the rivets joining the side rail and X has the top ground off (the frame has been sitting in AZ for 25 years). The serial number was close to where VanPelt says they should be on the other two locations. Someone added shock kits front and rear. They hogged out the intermediate bracing and the front portion of the X to get the dual exhaust in. It has the "open car" brackets intact. The emergency brake lever was installed to move the frame around and enable them to lock the rear brakes. It is just bolted on. I'm not sure how to add pictures to this quick reply, so I'll repost them in another thread.
Click to expand...

The serial number was stamped in three separate locations along that upper left frame rail. One near the steering box mounting bracket, the second in about the center of the frame, and the third along the kicked up area for the rear axle assembly. Are you saying the full serial number has been somehow destroyed in all three locations?? Sometimes it takes a lot of manual effort with a wire brush to make those numbers readable.
 
No, What I said was I found the middle and rear locations and the numbers were the same. The front one is missing and there has been some work in that area on the top of the frame. The rivet head has been ground off at the front of the steering gearbox mount. We just assumed that someone got a little frisky with the grinder, but we saw no indication of any number. We had a cordless drill with a wire wheel and went down to bare metal all along the left front frame rail from the crossmember back past the steering box mount. We found two of the same.
 
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