It's been a while since I've been in the 40 forums. I'll keep this thread geared a bit more towards the build than my previous one, Travels with Elmo + Build.
I recently moved to middle Tennessee from Pennsylvania (trading country for COUNTRY) and knew I needed a project to keep me busy. Found a gem in Arkansas for the right price (just a few thousand more than 'free') and boy was it in rough shape.
Friendly gents in the Bush Hog pushed it up onto the trailer. Threw a few new dents in there too, free of charge.
The 80, 'ol Elmo, towed it just fine. (Thankful that TN is flat as a board, so the 80 didn't have to work too hard)
Turns out this 40 spent lots of its life driving back and forth between Arkansas and California for summer trips. She was ridden hard and put away dirty. Original engine had long since been replaced with a SBC, which had blown sometime in the 90s, when this was last parked. Looks like a tree had fallen on its roof at some point, a hole cut out in the floor for the battery, gallons and gallons of bondo used even when unnecessary, and almost every fastener replaced with something found in a parts bin.
She's got extra holes. And not the good kind.
I started disassembly right away. Got the fender, heater fan, front clip, hood all off. Whoever modified this did it with farm tools all the way. Oxy torch to the frame, Huge C-channel front bumper welded together with some leftover stainless rod, metal stakes chopped up and welded back on to use as radiator supports, etc.
Powered by Pickles. (That's the shop dog's name)
I recently moved to middle Tennessee from Pennsylvania (trading country for COUNTRY) and knew I needed a project to keep me busy. Found a gem in Arkansas for the right price (just a few thousand more than 'free') and boy was it in rough shape.
Friendly gents in the Bush Hog pushed it up onto the trailer. Threw a few new dents in there too, free of charge.
The 80, 'ol Elmo, towed it just fine. (Thankful that TN is flat as a board, so the 80 didn't have to work too hard)
Turns out this 40 spent lots of its life driving back and forth between Arkansas and California for summer trips. She was ridden hard and put away dirty. Original engine had long since been replaced with a SBC, which had blown sometime in the 90s, when this was last parked. Looks like a tree had fallen on its roof at some point, a hole cut out in the floor for the battery, gallons and gallons of bondo used even when unnecessary, and almost every fastener replaced with something found in a parts bin.
She's got extra holes. And not the good kind.
I started disassembly right away. Got the fender, heater fan, front clip, hood all off. Whoever modified this did it with farm tools all the way. Oxy torch to the frame, Huge C-channel front bumper welded together with some leftover stainless rod, metal stakes chopped up and welded back on to use as radiator supports, etc.
Powered by Pickles. (That's the shop dog's name)