"eye lids" on a 40? (1 Viewer)

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Just went and checked out a 40 with a 63 body on a 68 frame....it wouldn't start since it had set so long, but I checked out the rest of the truck anticipating the owner getting it started and ready to buy this weekend.

I noticed that the front head lights had a metal "eye lid" on them that cut the head light in half. These pieces were external but are they stock? If not what is their purpose?

Other questions........Is the gas tank supposed to be under the passenger seat? How hard is it to find the windshield bumpers for the hood?

On a good day how long will it take to swap in a 2f in front of the toyota 3 speed tranny?

Thanks

lunyou
 
eyelids are not stock, they may be military but most likely something out of a hotrod catalog..

yes, gas tank is under the PS seat..

Bumpers are easy to find..

2F will be a bolt on mod...
 
eyelids are not stock, they may be military but most likely something out of a hotrod catalog..

yes, gas tank is under the PS seat..

Bumpers are easy to find..

2F will be a bolt on mod...


I figured the eyelids weren't stock but wasn't sure about the gas tank.

Thanks for the help.

lunyou
 
"I noticed that the front head lights had a metal "eye lid" on them that cut the head light in half. These pieces were external but are they stock? If not what is their purpose?"

50 yrs ago "eye lids" were added on vehicles to improve lighting and night and in fog. They allowed highbeams, a brighter light to be used without the upward glare for oncoming vehicles and the reflection from high beams back in the windshield when it was foggy.. another old timer trick was to smear grease on the lights to defuse the glare.
 
And sixty some odd years ago it was mandatory in the US, at least in coastal areas for the evening 'blackout', so as not to give the city a sillouette for enemy attack. If they were chrome, I'd say hotrod stuff. If not, then I'd say military. Hotrod eyelids were like a visor on a ballcap and dont actually cover the top half of the lense itself....
 
thanks for the education guys.....i never thought of the whole "black out" principal.

The "eye lids" looked just like our eye lids...........they covered half the lens and was contoured to fit the lens just like our eye lids not stick out like a visor.

Well the reason I ask about the 2F..........the guy swapped in a 4.3L Chevy V6. I realize there are mixed opinions on it and was wondering if it breaks how hard it would be to go back to the old tractor motor........or possible just the full fledged 350. I have a 2F and a very solid 4 speed that could be swapped in if I needed to.

The PO has really "rigged" up the wiring. I am going to "want" to rewire most of the switches on the dash. I am thinking on a 40 year old vehicle that the wiring can't be all that difficult, Am I wrong?

lunyou
 
thanks for the education guys.....i never thought of the whole "black out" principal.

The "eye lids" looked just like our eye lids...........they covered half the lens and was contoured to fit the lens just like our eye lids not stick out like a visor.

Well the reason I ask about the 2F..........the guy swapped in a 4.3L Chevy V6. I realize there are mixed opinions on it and was wondering if it breaks how hard it would be to go back to the old tractor motor........or possible just the full fledged 350. I have a 2F and a very solid 4 speed that could be swapped in if I needed to.

The PO has really "rigged" up the wiring. I am going to "want" to rewire most of the switches on the dash. I am thinking on a 40 year old vehicle that the wiring can't be all that difficult, Am I wrong?

lunyou


The wiring should be clear as MUD ... ;)
 
If it already has a 4.3, going to a 350 will be cake, it'll bolt right up. What year 4.3? Carb or efi? Wiring shouldn't be too hard if you have diagrams. P.S. I'm jealous that you get to go to UMR. I'm in Springfield and it's too far to drive for the engineering program. Hoping MSU hosts one soon. I heard it was in the works. Tim.
 
Hey, I never noticed you were in Springfield. Hey look at it this way. Rolla's cost of living is cheaper than Springfields and you are closer to Flat Nasty which is a top 5 new offroad park in the US. Move up here and get an engineering degree........if you take it as SMS(MSU) you will always be frowned at b/c you took it there instead of UMR(MS&T). Don't think I will look down at you, I only do that to Mizzou engineers ;) .

Back to topic at hand. The 4.3 is a Carbed motor I didn't get the year though.

lunyou
 
The wiring should be clear as MUD ... ;)

I figured I could set down and do things one or two accessories at a time.

Like rewire the headlights to the headlight switch and the wipers to the wiper switch.

I had never looked at the dash of a 40 series so trying to figure everything out was a pain for me. The dash had a pull knob on the left side of the steering wheel that had the typical, headlight looking symbol on it. I pull it out and the wiper motor started running.........the wipers arms aren't installed but the motor did work.

I flip a switch and the head lights come on.

There was another knob down-and-to-the-right of the heater control that turned and felt like it had different settings that I figured was the wiper switch that did nothing.

The biggest puzzle of all was, and this maybe be a stupid observation, was a button on the far left of the dash that had a car with the truck lid up on it. It was a push button. I asked the owners son(owner was away on work) what the button did and he didn't know. I said I have no idea since there isn't a trunk on an 40 and there isn't a hood release button. Any Ideas?

Thanks

lunyou
 
I figured I could set down and do things one or two accessories at a time.

Like rewire the headlights to the headlight switch and the wipers to the wiper switch.

I had never looked at the dash of a 40 series so trying to figure everything out was a pain for me. The dash had a pull knob on the left side of the steering wheel that had the typical, headlight looking symbol on it. I pull it out and the wiper motor started running.........the wipers arms aren't installed but the motor did work.

I flip a switch and the head lights come on.

There was another knob down-and-to-the-right of the heater control that turned and felt like it had different settings that I figured was the wiper switch that did nothing.

The biggest puzzle of all was, and this maybe be a stupid observation, was a button on the far left of the dash that had a car with the truck lid up on it. It was a push button. I asked the owners son(owner was away on work) what the button did and he didn't know. I said I have no idea since there isn't a trunk on an 40 and there isn't a hood release button. Any Ideas?

Thanks

lunyou


LOL

That perticular 40 may have had a trunk lid ? i was hoping you were gonna say you hit the button and a jack in the box jumped out ..

40's well hell, all old cars/trucks wiring is a bear, the trick is trying to figure what the previous owner did. sometimes it easier to just start over or spend hours with a test light and or meter..

Cheers. ...
 
Leave the 4.3 Vortec in there.

You will find that someone cut out the old engine mounts and it is more of a PITA than it is worth to put them back in. If you are goign to restove the vehicle then look for one closer to stock. If you are going to use it as a trail rig then forget the 2F since you already have the 4.3.
 
Johnny's speed and chrome sold these "eye lids" for the vintage look! You can still get these today from BLIMP VW PARTS in Cypress, California. The lids were huge back in the 80's as even I had a pair on my 63 VW.
vw-accessories-026.jpg
 

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