I just found out that my 195 something Ford that I inherited is a 1946... I have no idea where to start on rebuilding it. I got alot of great idea's from the 48 and up forum but since it is a 46 so I thought maybe you guys can help me out...
Any suggestion's would be great (where to buy parts, what to focus on first, how to find a good mech.)I need to get it restored within the next couple months because it is being evicted from where it is being stored that and it is just a shame to have it in a garage... Check out the pics and give me any feed back you may have...
P.S. Yes I am a chick but I would like to do alot of the work myself to save on funds....

 

Hi Sara, welcome to old trucks. I found this thread first, then went to the 48-60 forum to read up on what you've already been told. I usually hang out up there and I see you've met the class clowns! It is a pretty upbeat group around here - and actually there are a ton of great people in both forums. Many of us participate across the forum lines. You'll find your 46 shares many parts that I have on my 48 so don't feel like you have to stay in one place.

To answer your questions - here's another. What do you want to do with your truck? Just fix it up mechanically, leave the body as is and use it for a daily driver? Or do a full restoration and go for points competition in shows? Most of the guys and gals here have trucks somewhere inbetween.

Often you'll be replacing everything that has worn out. Rubber and metal seals and bushings, cleaning out rust and dust, etc. Most of it is easier to work on if you just take everything down to the frame and start from there. Works if you have space to store it all. It can easily take up a 2 car garage for several years.

If you're not going to get that radical, I'd suggest making it driveable by starting with the basics. Engine first. Tranny and driveline next. Brakes third. Then wiring and gauges and other conveniences as you have time and money. Body work and paint can come later. The frame on these trucks is incredible flexible and tough. Steering gearbox is usually a weak link in the chain. They can be rebuilt.

If you have specific questions, just ask. Above all, have a blast working on it - it looks like a keeper.
Tim

 

Sara, You should try to post some more pictures. Is that a one piece windshield? You might find like I did that there is actually more than one year truck there. Is it really a 4x4, what kind of engine/drivetrain does it have?

It is a really nice looking truck, you probably wouldn't have to do much to make that one drivable, if the drive train is as nice as the body.

 

Thank You, I'm not looking to get radical and I am not in it to do car show's. Just want to get it running.
So the engine first, great that is what I wanted to hear.

1) Now do I pull the big block out and see what I'm working with, or do I leave it in and build from there? Rust, do I need to focus alot of attention towards getting rid of the rust if so how?

2)The drive train has the pole that makes the back wheels spin missing but the peices it attach's to is there (agian very rusty, do I worry about that?) do I need to get a whole new deal or can I just find that rod?

3) how hard is it to find parts for these bad boys can I go to my local auto store or what? Any suggestions on the best manfact's? Not bling just reliable..

I have a billion more questions but I will start there

 

Engine: like AX said in the 48-60 forum, put a wrench on the crank bolt (down low, center-front of the engine) and see if the engine is stuck. There are several ways to unstick one if it is. You probably won't have to remove it from the truck as long as everything goes according to plan. Let us know if it is stuck first.

If it does rotate, change the oil and see if you can get it to turn over with the starter. May require the battery to be charged or replaced.

Pull the fuel line off the fuel pump for this next routine. Once it cranks over with the starter, pull the spark plugs and find someone with a compression tester and have them help you check compression on all cylinders. They should be within 10% of each other. If any are low, don't panic. Squirt some oil (Marvel Mystery Oil or just plain motor oil) into the low cylinder and let it soak over night. Check compression again and see if it has improved. Often rings will stick to the piston when an engine sits for any length of time.


Report on your results and we'll get the next steps. Basically you need fuel, air and spark. These are pretty simple engines to work on.

Make sure your fuel system is clean, steel and rubber lines should probably be replaced. Install a filter in the rubber line just before the fuel pump. You won't believe the stuff that comes from the tank. A lot of guys try to take shortcuts here and plug up their carburators causing needless headaches.

 

Driveshaft: You might find one on ebay, but you could look in salvage yards or put an ad in the classified's here. You can also have one made by a local driveline shop. As long as the yokes on the transmission and the differential are not broken, you should be able to use them - rust or not. The driveshaft you're looking for has a sliding yoke on the front end. Most modern driveshafts are solid one-piece units that won't work with your chassis setup.

Parts: NAPA will have some stuff, but you'll want to get catalogs from Sacramento Vintage Ford in Stockton and Mac's Antique Auto Parts in Lockport, NY to get you started. They're both online and a google search will bring them up. You might also check the discussion forum and classifieds over on fordbarn.com. The guys on that forum know the early flatheads inside and out.

 

Sara,

I think you need to do some more research also. I read some of your posts over in the other forum and actually looked at all of your picts in your gallery. It looks like your Father-in-law knew what he was doing, everything there looks well done. I am not sure that the engine is a big block chevy. I am not a chevy guy, but I think that engine looks more like a small block. It is likely a chev 350 (it could also be a little bigger pontiac motor). Of course if it is the small bock as I suspect it could be a 305 or even a 400.

Check out this website for info on identifying chev small block engines:

"All engines are stamped with an engine ID code, consisting of assembly plant code, production date and suffix code. V8 codes are stamped on a pad just forward of the right side (passenger) cylinder head."

http://nastyz28.com/sbchevy/sblock.html

It looks like the engine was rebuilt when it was put in. It is very clean looking, has a nice aluminum intake and no carb, so it will not start for you. What you have is a very good setup (although it is a chevy), I don't think you will gain much looking for a Ford engine to go in there. It has a modern front suspension (if not an entire frame swap). You would likely need to go through a lot of work to swap in a Ford at this point. With the modern parts your truck will ride very nice when you get it going. You also will for sure be able to get any of the engine, tranny, and suspension parts at NAPA. I also don't think it is 4 wheel drive (4x4).

I would try to get as much info from your mother-in-law as possible. It will really help you out when you go to try to replace any of the new parts. You have no clue what was done to the inside of the engine, but receipts or notes that were taken might help.

Mtflat is right. It is still easy to start working on the motor first. I would recommend pulling the plugs right away though and squirting oil in the cylinders. This will help lube them if it does turn over freely, so you will be less likely to score the cylinder walls. If you leave the plugs out it will turn over easier also. Like Mtflat says, a wrench on the bolt head in the center of the front pulley in the center/bottom of the motor and turn it clockwise.

Here are some engine things I notice right away.

No carb, no distributor or wires, no water pump. You may have many of these parts lying around your M-I-L's place.

Also since it is a more modern chev engine and setup you should be able to convince the more generic local motorheads to give you ideas with the motor. The only thing you will really need specific '46 help with (or special parts for) are the body mechanics.

As far as the drive shaft goes, you should be able to get one easily at a local junk yard. You might have a hard time getting the right length though, it might be easier to find one that is longer and have it shortened -- primarily what you are looking for is the yoke that slides into the tranny. Another drive train part that you will want to identify is the rear differential (axle). As far as I know its not going to be important for matching up the driveshaft, but it will help you when you look for brakes and other parts.

 

Now that AX got me straightened out, forget what I said about the driveshaft. Figuring that your father in law likely swapped the engine AND the tranny, you probably do need a modern one piece and the sliding yoke is on the tailshaft of the trans, not the driveshaft.

Sorry about the confusion - I was thinking flatheads.

 

Lots of good advice.
For my two cents. I would want to know what the frame is from. It doesn't look like a stock 46. The A arms could be Cheevy. You're gonna need to know this when it comes time to work on the brakes or suspension.
You might also want to make sure the body is well fastened to that frame. This looks like someone's project. That's good because lots of it is already done, you just need to be sure that nothing will fall off on the first test drive.

 

Sara,

first of all, congratulations for your courage and enthousiasm to get that old truck back on the road, but you have to consider following:

You will need assistance, somebody willing to help you locally to achieve this project. This somebody has to have a lot of time, knowledge and experience about old cars, be fully equipped in terms of tools ( wrenches, welding equipment, power tools etc).

As said by somebody else, you will need the space , normally the place for 2 cars to work on it.

I doubt that the project can be realised in a couple of months unless you will be working at least 8-10hrs a day on the project.

You will need a serious amount of money to purchase the missing parts if they cant be found at the place where you got the car, and to finish the truck.

The truck has been heavily modified (engine, transmission ,front suspension..) and is far from stock.
That means few of the stock parts still fit. Once the original setup has been changed, its a bit like domino stones, everything else needs to be modified to fit the new set-up. So new exhaust system, new electrics, new rear transmission, new braking system, a.s.o. needs to be adapted. This needs a lot of thought, time, work and money.

Fortunately the type of modification your truck has undergone has been done may times before so the guys in the forum will be able to answer all the questions.

I can recommend following book: How to restore your Ford pickup .
It will help you getting an idea of the several steps needet to get the truck roadworthy again.
Set up a project plan including time shedule for the work to be done and a financial bugdet for the needet items and other expenses.
(Completing the engine, building an exhaust system, brakes,Brakebooster, new tyres, electrics-new battery, gauges, lights, windows, cranks, gas tank, pick-up bed...)

Avoid to start without knowing how to bring it to an end.

You might find out that you do not have the time , place or the assistance or the required money to finish the project successfully.
You might realise that it will be more realistic and reasonnable if you sell the truck to someone able to finish the project.
Yes, I know that this might be hard, but it will be less frustating to invest time and money into a project that is beyond your capabilities and then be forced to abandon.

If you really want to go through all the above, great, find a place where the truck can be stored or worked on for a year or more.

Collect ALL the stuff that lies around the truck even if you do not have a clue what it is. Chances are great that a lot of the parts needed for the project have already been collected by your Father-in-law. Do this with the experienced helper, he'll know what to look for.
Not needed crap can still be trown away later.

So far....

Good luck, Gab.

 

Wow, Thank you guys soooooo much for all the help. First off I really need tell Nuthin Thank you... I had my first encounter with a rusty screw and thanks to her gloves It did not make it into my finger.. So no shot in the butt for me (knock on wood)
I spent most of my Saturday cleaning it up and out, I took the interior that was in there out so it does not get damaged. wrapped in up to store it..
I went through the whole garage and found a million and one parts,hoses, you name it.
So now I have a few more questions?
Dumb question #2 - Like I said my father-in-law passed about 6 or seven years ago so all these parts I found I am wondering... do parts go bad, dry up?
That engine is a small block (Kudos soule46) brand new 6 or 7 years ago I was afraid to do the harmonic balancer because a wrencher at my work said it might hurt it since it has been sitting so long that in needs to be taken apart and rebuit just to be safe.
Is that true any thoughts on that?
Oh and FIX you are my hero you and everyone else who said check the frame and talk to my mother-n-law.
The last thing my FIL did was place the shell on the frame.. Notice I said place not attach...It is just sitting on the frame HOLY COW that could have been ugly.....
Any thoughts on where to start with that or do I not worry about it and continue with the engine? Is is safe to jack it up if it is not attached? The last question may qualify for dumb question #3 not sure !!!!
Oh and I found a shop that can make me the drive shaft for about $105 I have to measure the distance between the yokes but I am going to wait until I get the green light from someone on the whole frame being attached issue

 

Ultimately you will have to look at each part 1 by 1 to decide. Some things probably will go bad over time -- hoses may crack and break, seals may get hard and not function properly. Many parts should be perfectly fine. I tend to try to save $$$ where ever I can and would just as soon run old parts. Although, I also have been found on the side of the highway, under a car, pulling the tranny out, because the tail stock got worn and the shift selector moved too far, diabling the tranny.

Same goes for the motor. I have seen the inside of a few, and I don't think I would worry about a fresh rebuild several years old. But I also know a lot of guys who would definately say freshen it up. It shouldn't cost too much to rering a SBC. The problem is when you add up all of the little things that shouldn't cost that much you have a ton of money in the truck. So, in a nutshell, I would bet the engine will run just fine without any work, but running the engine without cleaning it up will reduce the life expectancy of the motor (I would still squirt oil in the cylinders first to make sure the top end gets lubed as I first turn it over).

IMHO it is never safe to jack up a vehicle :-) If you are careful you should be OK to jack it up. Just don' get too carried away. The 2nd '46 I bought for parts was sitting on a Chev S10 frame -- no bolts. We pushed it onto a car dolly, then strapped down the cab and box with several nylon ratcheting tiedowns (I think they were rated for about 500 lbs). The front clip went into the minivan and I towed it 200 miles. Nothing even remotely moved during the trip. Of course I could have just as likely been found picking up parts off the highway -- I had no clue if it would work for sure until I got it home. If you are worried that the body might shift during the jacking consider using tiedowns like I did, they should keep the body from sifting too much.

Good luck

 

[QUOTE=SARAEZRA] I had my first encounter with a rusty screw and thanks to her gloves It did not make it into my finger.. So no shot in the butt for me (knock on wood)]

Don't worry you'll need that shot eventually. No blood, no hotrod.


[That engine is a small block (Kudos soule46) brand new 6 or 7 years ago I was afraid to do the harmonic balancer because a wrencher at my work said it might hurt it since it has been sitting so long that in needs to be taken apart and rebuit just to be safe.]

Probably won't need a complete rebuild, but it wouldn't be a bad idea to hone the cylinders if they have any rust in them. New gaskets wouldn't be a bad idea anyway, so you can look at the cylinders and journals when your swappin the old gaskets out. Just spinning it over by hand wont hurt anything, unless it doesn't turn over easily, don't force it.

[The last thing my FIL did was place the shell on the frame.. Notice I said place not attach...It is just sitting on the frame HOLY COW that could have been ugly.....]

This is one case where someone elses experiance is better than gaining your own. I lost an old GMC cab that wasn't bolted down once. I check every one now. It's actully pretty comon for projects trucks to not be bolted together. I've found at least three.

[Is is safe to jack it up if it is not attached?]

Depends on the frame width and how well it sits on the frame. Grab onto one of the door frames and give it a light shove. If it doesn't move shove it a little bit harder. If it still doesn't move you're probably okay to jack it up. If at any point it rolls off of the frame and lands on the ground, you pushed too hard and it wasn't safe to jack up. You could always strap it down as soule46 recomended, just to be safe.

They usually sit pretty stable. Unless your frame is really narrow it probably won't just roll off the frame. I wouldn't trailer it or tow it or anything without having it at tied down though.