True barn find 1939 truck full build

[Blake84]

I thought I would share a pretty cool find I had. I picked up a 1939 Ford truck that was 1 owner! The truck was located in a barn in central California and purchased new by the farmer in 1939. The farmer drove it until 1951 when he bought and International Harvester and the Ford went in to the barn. The truck sat from 1951 until July 2016.

Here are some pics from the resurrection and of the barn where it sat for years.

 

[Blake84]

I decided on the plans for the 1939 Ford which some will not like. I have a 1950 Ford shoebox with the Flathead which I LOVE, but this truck I want to use all the time and go anywhere. I decided I want to do a Heidts Mustang 2 with power steering. The rear will be a parallel 4 link and everything will be on an Accuair E-Level air ride for comfort (I suffer from altitude sickness). The drive train will be a 302/C4 combo with a 9 inch rear end. I will keep the entire exterior and interior of the car original and with the same patina barn find look.

Here are some pics when I started cleaning it up. There were about 30 pounds of rats nests and feces. I took the dash apart and got the old crank out windshield to function again! all 4 wheels were seized and took hours and hours to open and free up so It could roll.

 

[Blake84]

A photographer friend took a picture of my truck after I cleaned it up and after I put on the new white wall tires. I will keep the 5 wide rims on the build.

Here is the pic with only the suspension photo shopped to show the upcoming stance.

Finished product!

 

[Blake84]

Here are some progress pics with new front suspension

 

[Blake84]

More pics with rear complete

 

[Blake84]

pics

 

[mercman from oz]

Looking good after a wash.

 

[Blake84]

Here is a video of the 1939, it should be on the road in Feb 2017

If anyone is in Los Angeles come check out our cruise night for my club. www.oddsquadcc.com

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7LnOKF7zXo

 

[Talkwrench]

Mother of God a true barn find that one!
Well at least your keeping mostly all ford..

 

[Scotty's 52 F3]

It's YOUR truck so you get to do what you want. I would have wanted more of a stock restoration of such an original but, I still like what your doing with it. Looks cool as hell. At least you stayed with Ford power. Keep the pics and updates coming.
Scott

 

[Lawson Cox]

So sad for an old work horse.

 

[Kahuna]

So sad for an old work horse.
I agree

 

[funrunr]

To survive all those years in such great original condition.
I'm sure it is how the original owner always envisioned it and the reason he preserved it all those years.

 

[Seth Swoboda]

How do you steer it?

 

[Cecil/WV]

Total destruction of a nice original truck!

 

[Gary in La.]

Such a waste of a good original to satisfy a whim.

 

[flatford8]

I think the Jalopy Journal would be a better site for your work on this truck....Mark

 

[scrapiron]

 

[Anton Voycheck]

Yeah, that is too bad.

Not sure how he can drive it with the body scraping the ground.

Looks like a custom frame on there.

Yeah, Henry does it better-should have left it stock.

 

[Charlie ny]

Ryan...........really..........can you please edit destruction like this off the Barn.
Charlie ny