Down to the short strokes on the cab and I have been back and forth on how I am going to deal with the rotten back window cutout....

Tried finding replacement panels online with no luck. It's a complex panel with lots of bends around corners and I wanted to solve some of the top cab problems as well so it needs to extend a fair bit out from the window.
I figured I would have to build it myself but didn't know how to.
After scouring the internet it led me to discover that lots of builders used to build "bucks" out of wood to hammer the metal over, or into, to build a part. Another builder in the U.K. who runs a youtube channel called Trev's blog covers a ton of very helpful tips and tricks for panel beaters and is definitely worth a look. I figured that if I made a 2'x3' block of some type of hardwood, then the negative shape I was looking for could be used to hammer metal onto.

I used a router to carve out the shape of the opening that was needed and profile the edge to a radius. Ineeded 1" but only had a 3/4. As this was supposed to be a trial only it shouldn't matter at this point.

I knew I couldn't leave the whole sheet at one and that the center would need to be cut out so I just guessed how much to cut from the center. Using 18ga sheet mild steel screwed down to the buck, I was really pleasantly suprised how quickly it did move onto the form but with the ammount of metal moving at the corners it started to tear. Not wanting to put flame to the steel to let it move more, I opted to just cut another sheet and cut the opening in the center larger.

After a whole bunch of hammering it started to look like a window opening. Remembe to take into account the metal thickness plus about a 1/16 when building the buck as the metal springs a bit.

Built inner section of the panel by just bending a strip of 18ga sheet in the brake. Used the shrinker to bend into the right radius. Tacked together into the right position then using the body saw, cut off the excess. Then using the TIG, put the tow panel sections together to create....

The almost finished panel. Still needs to be english wheeled so the top edges match the roof and cab corner profiles.

 

After going through numerous builders for various reasons, I have decided to not use the flathead. The idea of spending 7 or 8 thousand to make 100 horsepower is off-putting to say the least. I picked up a good 12 valve cummins turbo for a grand that has 160 horse and is purely mechanical for simplicity. Now just to mate the transmission or do a tranny swap and tie it to the transfer case.
I just retired so I am assuming that I may have more time for my project now.

12 valve cummins turbo

 

I'll go full on heresy here. I don't think the 12V is a good idea. They weigh at least twice as much as the flathead and are a lot bigger. The natural replacement for a Ford flathead V8 if price is a problem is a small block chevrolet. They can be bolt in with no cutting, the parts to bolt one in (water pump front mount and conversion bell housing) are still findable fairly cheap, and the vehicle won't get cut up.

 

Putting a SBC in a Ford is the worst possible advice I could see anyone giving. F that. This isn't the 1960-1990's anymore. That is a thing of the past and is becoming looked down upon very quickly. Value's are starting to reflect that as well.

40fordmarmon, I like the idea of the Cummins, but 38 coupe is right about the weight. And the length, and the radiator size, vibration etc too.. But it's way torquier and TURBO is always cool compared to the overplayed old man era SBC TREASON swap!

 

I don't have many options regarding the flathead anymore. I've had two builders die on me now before getting to my projects and I don't want to spend that kind of money on a finicky motor. Builders who can work on them are extremely rare, and those who can are overbooked. Also don't like the idea of sitting on 30 gallons of gasoline in the cab with me. The 4bt weighs 750 pounds and the flatly was about 550 without tranny, transfercase pto and overdrive. I want to be able to drive this thing and be able to go up hills. I'm not worried about hyway as my government will probably have outlawed these trucks before I'm done the project. Remember, this is an f6, not a little 1/4 ton. Its the size of a school bus. I have lots of room inside the tonners engine bay and will be reworking the firewall and doghouse anyways. If you've read any of my build thread you will see I spend more time planning than doing, but always choose the hardest route anyways. Makes for better adventures....

 

Chad - which are you swapping for, a 6bt or 4bt? Your 12 valve picture is a 6bt isn’t it, but you say 4bt in this last post? I’ve read a lot of discussions on Power Wagon sites about attempts to shoe horn the six into the old trucks, and it’s always hard with a lot a firewall mods. But the 4bt has become a fairly common swap for those guys. Stu

 

Hey Stu, good to hear from you...
It looks like I may be in for even more fun than I thought. Yes, that is a 6bt, not a 4bt. That's what happens when both the seller and buyer know nothing about diesels. Looks like I will be making a thread about all the fun shoehorning a bigger diesel into my truck. DOH! I may have to air ride that front end after all...
Wish me luck.

"Maybe Your purpose in life is merely to serve as a warning for others..."

 

there must be sonething with flat head builters ,the one who built mine passed a few months later.

 

Scares me, I took my 47 engine out to Chuck a few weeks ago. He has a guy that does the internal work and he and his shop guy do the externals. Stu

 

I don't understand the scare of rebuilding a flathead. The only part that is out of ordinary is assembling and adjusting the valve train. Boring the block, grinding the crank, reconditioning rods, assembling rings on pistons, cleaning the block, etc. are all standard automotive machine shop activities. Take your engine apart yourself, take the parts to be reconditioned, buy a good set of adjustable lifters, and assemble the engine yourself. You will save a lot of money compared to paying a flathead specialist. I have helped rebuild four engines in the last few years. The job is tedious, but not that difficult. There are lots of references out there and the learning experience is really rewarding the first time you hear an engine you put together run. The hardest part for us was finding 8BA blocks without terminal cracks.

Flathead parts are much more expensive than belly button parts (small block V8 stuff), but not unattainable as long as you stick to stock parts. I'm a big fan of keeping things stock. Given the original Ford engine bay, stock means a flathead. Ironically, close to stock means a small block chevy since those can bolt in without any sinning other than the engine itself. Any other engine I have seen installed involves cutting to the stock frame, firewall, inner fenders, and/or other stuff that makes it almost impossible to put back like factory.

 

I just did a ford 302 swap in a 47. I used a bell housing adapter purchased on ebay to marry it to the original 4 speed trans. new mounts from transdapt. i was looking at 5,000 for a flathead rebuild and decided against it because of cost. i am very satisfied with the result. You can also swap an FE if desired. That swap requires Offenhauser 0603 adapter. Food for thought. Good luck