There's a couple of rough early tonner boxes in the local junkyard, plus a couple of 40-41 front clips and cabs. There's a complete 1.5 ton 40-41 truck, as well.

Not that it does you any good, but there is a 40-41 cut-off panel in there with an intact 9T (thick-blocked Merc, perhaps) engine.

 

Hmm, thanks for the head's up! I may make a trip out West one of these days.

 

I take it mid-west is west to you? Owner of the yard doesn't crush older iron, but his help sometimes does.

 

I'm in Northeastern MN. Mid-N. Dakota wouldn't be too bad of a drive, given I had a good truck and trailer, and a long weekend off from work.... which doesn't come by very often.

 

And Stu, don't kid yourself... Everything we do now is 'late in life'. Middle age is folks in their 40's.

 

Yeah, Gary, I agree at sixty six I'm not in the middle of life's journey. My comment, though, was about a tonner's "late in life" conversion from 2wd to M-H spec 4wd. I have the p.o.s. '50 F-3 (R3-4) that could donate all the correct bits to make it possible. That includes the '47 style rear axle and wheel spacers. All M-Hs started out as 2wds before being sent to Indianapolis, so it could be done so no one could tell the difference. I've swapped notes with Chuck about it and I think he agrees it would work. The only tell tale indicator would be that the front axles are numbered, and only I know (and now you know) my #782 is later than would have been installed under a 46/47. Here's file pictures I keep to feed on every time the idea resurfaces in my head. Stu

 

Looks like a VERY worthwhile MH project! I wish we lived closer to each other. I'd like to help with it. I now have a '47 half ton project and my nearly completed '47 two ton, yet the tonners have always been my favorite size truck. Havi, I'd love to see you gather up the parts for this chassis. I may have some of the parts you need, and would gladly donate to the cause. I recently called an old aquaintance in Seattle who had a very nice '41 tonner pickup, mostly disassembled, but unfortunately it had been sold six months prior. So I guess I'll hold out for a '46-'47 so I will have the trifecta.