New to '40's, New to forum...what to do first?

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

jamba256

jamba256

10 Year
Joined
Nov 19, 2012
Threads
8
Messages
142
Location
VA
Website
www.nashvillesdead.com
Hi all, I suppose this is my first time writing on this forum, but I've been reading for about two years. I always use the search function (as undoubtedly someone will try to tell me to do for this inquiry). My dad and I have had an obsession with '40's since I was little. Now, he doesn't have one and I'm buying my first one. I am up in Rhode Island for a Navy school and I found one in Massachusetts, and after driving a few times, I decided to pull the trigger (it doesn't help that my fiancee keeps nagging me to get one--strange for a woman, I guess).

The truck is a 1979 40-series, which has stock power steering and front disc brakes. It's been owned by the same man since 1983 or something, and he's lived in Cape Cod the whole time. So, there's a lot of surface rust and some body rust that has been so corrosive that you could probably punch a hole through...and as a consequence, there's a lot of diamond plate on the quarter panels and sides. I know this all sounds bad, but all of the mechanics are excellent, the interior is mint, the engine has about 60,000 miles on it...and new clutch and brake master cylinder. And so, I ended up purchasing it for $3000.

Ultimately, I have to drive it almost 1000 miles back to VA where I live. So, I'm wondering a few things (and yes, I've searched the forums):

1) What should I check before I make such a long drive? (besides obvious routine checks like oil, tire tread and pressure, etc.)
2) I am thinking about the Hell Creek 4" with 33" BF Goodrich TA/KO All Terrain tires on the stock wheels. Are there any suggestions for a better setup if I want to make it a weekend off-road driver, with a nominally comfortable ride?
3) What would you do first to improve this truck, as described? I want to lift it first and put some larger tires on (it's stock, all around).
4) Was this a bad idea? I compared this endeavor to adopting a problem child to my fiancee...it's going to take time and effort (not to mention $$$) to make it better. But, I think that it will be worth it. I have some mechanical inclination, and engineering on a ship is my job...so I am looking forward to figure it out.

I'll include photos to follow.
 
Everybody will chime in about what to do. Me, I'll just say I remember living in Buzzards Bay. Great experience. A 79 is like an 82, just got to love the rust....
The price sounds good. Expect to put at least 3 times into it.
Shane
 
you are going to want to fix the rot before adding anything. prior to that it would be change fluids and make sure the belts are in decent shape.
the late seventies they made them out of tin foil, that rust is probably far more severe than you think it is.
 
Thanks, guys. I only have a month up here before I'm going back. I'm sure you're right and the rust is deep, and the frame has some. However, I hope it isn't too serious. I can't determine the severity from visual inspection.

I don't really mind too much surface or body rust until I can afford to replace the panels, and I'm going to make sure it's steel, all around. So, how do I know the frame is okay before I try and go off-roading with it? What could happen if I do? (besides failure, I guess)
 
some photos

Here are some photos I took last weekend.
CAM00162.webp
CAM00161.webp
CAM00164.webp
 
Travis, thanks!
I'm looking forward to working on it; but i'm clearly looking forward to driving it more.

Thanks all for the posts about long drives with a cruiser back home...solid advice. I'll be doing the preps before i head out in a month or so.

just wondering again, how do i know what is a significant amount of frame rust? and what will prevent me from going wheelin'? oh, and is it really a bad idea to put the lift on and tires to gain more offroad capability and then repair the body a la carte?

thanks all for your help.
 
When you get a chance, take some pics of the frame where you are concerned about the rust and post them. A lot will depend on the location of the rust when it comes to strength and safety. And whether or not you can see daylight where it's supposed to be solid;).

I'm from the 'mechanicals first', body work later school. So I say, rust permitting, have fun doing what you want to the suspension/drivetrain/tires.:cheers:
 
frame rust

One of the worst places for the frame rust on the later Cruisers, especially on the east coast, is right inside the frame where the front of the rear spring hanger attaches. Check there. Do you know a Marine D.I., Pat Stamas up there at school?
CAM00164.webp
 
Thanks guys for your help. Yea I'm going back to the cape this weekend hopefully but I've already put most of the money necessary down on the truck. I will take some photos and post them (although I think I've hit my attachment limit or something) . I am kind of wondering, if it's too bad will the frame fail under normal load and use? What do I look for to turn around and ask for my money back...like a litmus test I guess. I think it's overall a good deal and it felt solid driving it but I don't know if introduced stressors will make it fail when I lift it or even just try to drive it a long distance. My fiancée is hellbent on getting a 40 but I don't know if the cost outweighs the benefit in this particular case. I know you guys all have a better idea of how this works so that's why I'm asking for opinions. Thanks again for all of your tremendous info.
 
And shark, I unfortunately don't know any DI's...I'm at the lame version of military schooling at the surface warfare officer school. I have a marine friend up here who may know him though.
 
From my experience being a "rust belt" native the common area to look for frame rot are at the rear spring hangers.

Here's a pic of a fellow mudmembers frame (thanks dedtruk:cheers:). This would obviously not be safe for the road, but it starts out by flaking and will lead to this if not attended to.
frame rot.webp
 
So, I went back to cape cod to check it out and brought a solid combat knife to check for frame solidarity. However, I poked and scraped at rust but I think it is solid. Looked for problems too but the belts and hoses are pretty new and so are the tires. The frame has rust but it's pretty thick steel and there isn't any daylight. Think we are a go. There is definitely rust but I'm pleasantly surprised
 
I would not immediately go wheeling (at least hard wheeling) with it, but would get it home, take it to an exhaust shop and have them put it up on a lift. Look around, take many frame and floor photos, and post them here.

That front-of-the-rear-spring-hanger area can fill with dirt and rust chips, so shop-vacuuming that out (and tapping with a hammer to get rid of the rest of the rusty flakes) is a good plan. You need to know where you're at before you start a strategy to fix all of it. At some point, if the frame is solid, you'll want to paint it with POR or something and perhaps put some oil or grease inside to soak into the seams.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Back
Top Bottom