47 hudson pu

40indianssgmailcom

anyone know if 40-41 or 42 grille panel will bolt into a 47 also to shorten the frame to 116" wb where is best place to cut? maybe right behind the cab? appears the most difficulty will be in the x member of course the box is to be shortened in that area also this is in addition to a 2.88 ratio irs rear and ifs power rack and pinion steering the engine is a dohc 4.2 ltr donor car was a jaguar xj6 a gm th350 trans will replace the bw65 auto which is junk the idea is to retain the look of the short bed early 40's Hudson v8's look wrong in the engine bay in my opinion thanks for advice

RL Chilton

First, you could try inserting some punctuation, please.

What does it mean, "early 40's Hudson v8's look wrong in the engine bay . . ." There are no Hudson V-8's . . . ?

Why are you shortening the frame? I understand the use of a modern drivetrain, but why the shorter wheelbase? If you are shortening the length of the engine bay, the most obvious place to shorten the frame would be within the engine area.

" . . . the idea is to retain the look of the short bed . . ."?? I assume we are talking about a Pick-Up?

'42 Grille Panel will bolt onto a '46-'47, but not '40 and '41 as far as I know.

Sounds like quite the project.

[Deleted User]

Russell, I agree with you on the punctuation thing.

To their credit, the thread is "47 hudson pu". (guess they like all lowercase)

Like you, when I first read the post I was a bit confused. After three cervezas, (if you ask for beer here the locals will give you that " loco gringo" look) I read the post again and it made more sense. It would appear that they want to shorten the bed of the truck, hence shorten the wheelbase.

The 4.2 ltr is a straight six and I agree that a V8 doesn't look right in a pre-Hash Hudson.

Makes sense to me now.

Kevin C.

RL Chilton

Makes sense to me, too. Thanks. My fault on the 'pu' part.

faustmb

Here is one of my favorite custom Hudson trucks, shortened frame & bed, with a V8. Inline 8s look great in these trucks, but a 308 is best

I believe this bed was trimmed on both ends ( fore and aft of the fenders) details were on this forum at one point.





A standard bed for reference;

40indianssgmailcom

Sorry to all readers. I didn't realize that this site had capitalization and punctuation protocol. I I will try to do better in any future posts and not be critical of blatant misspellings that I may see. Also thanks to faustmb for his posting, as that is exactly what I was writing about. These pickups look better in the short wheelbase configuration, in my opinion. I have already shortened the bed about 3 1/2" at the tailgate end. When the front of the bed is shortened 12" it will be similar to the 116" wheelbase pickup (The Little Boy). The reason for a more modern suspension is rather obvious, it will ride and handle better. The external dimensions of the 4.2 liter (252 cubic inch) dohc Jaguar inline six are nearly the same as the much heralded Hudson 308, about two inches longer overall. This engine also has dual carburetors, hence still Twin H-Power plus the attractiveness of the two polished cam covers on top of the head. I know Hudson never sold these pickups with a v8 and in my opinion the v8 conversions look wrong in the engine bay. Finally, the simplicity of installing the Jaguar disc brake irs is well documented within the hot rod community as well as the ifs with rack and pinion power steering. The end result will be four wheel disc brakes. I also intend to fabricate Twin H-Power style air cleaners with the decals that I recently purchased from PAUL LARGE TYPE. The overall build concept is to create a modern version/feel of a 1940's pickup. I would like to ask again, are the grill assembly panels interchangeable between a 1940-1-2 and a 1946-7 pickup? I would assume that if the front fenders are interchangeable, then the panel assemblies would also. Thank you for any helpful information.

Lee ODell

There is no capitalization and punctuation protocol. But it does help me to understand the message. No criticisum intended. I like the project you are working to accomplish. Looking forward to reading more about your progress. Please post pictures and discription as you go.

Have a good day
Lee O'Dell

RL Chilton

As has been stated, there is no punctuation protocol (just a pet peeve of mine), and I certainly don't mean to be a grammar Nazi. It simply makes it easier to understand the message you are trying to convey and I thank you for your second post. Much easier!

I like your project, too. Looking forward to seeing and reading about your progress. Indeed, it will be a much better riding truck than a stock suspension.

Matt-
That IS the best looking truck I've seen, proportionately speaking. Not too tough a fix, shortening the bed. I still think the Hudson cabs are quite tight, fore to aft. Although, much tougher, I think the best of both worlds is to cut the bed (as above in the pic), stretch the cab a little bit (2"-4"). Leave the wheelbase alone, or maybe lose some in the rear frame area.

bent metal

Anyone have a good side view picture of a Traveller pick-up? It is shorter in the cowl area. That might be interesting to do.
I changed a '47 to a '41 once. I think it's on here somewhere. I would think you would want the '41, not the '40. There is a slight difference, with the grill bar count and also the upper brow being pot metal or stainless and the line that runs down the belt line of the '40. But not on the '41. I would think would be preffered. ...IMO

bent metal

Okay, found some pictures of a '47 to '41. I changed the hood, fenders, and grill. You want to make sure you get the long wheel base fenders. They are flat where they meet the cowl, if they are Traveller/short wheel base. That is to say there is no flair in the cowl and the fender is flat there.
The pictures are from about the same angle, so you can compare the differences in the grill. Notice the headlight surround is different too. Also the fender is different under the headlight. You pretty much have to change the entire front sheet metal. Atleast that's what I fugured was the easiest thing to do. ...Not that I always do things the easy way. ...:)

40indianssgmailcom

As the pickup is on a 128" wheelbase, is that not using the long wheelbase front fenders already? My hope was that the front fenders, hood, etc. were interchangeable within those years, allowing me to only change the grill panel, grill bars, etc. to achieve the earlier look as long as the parts are from the same year. Without having a 1940-42 to compare to the 46-47 panel I am making an assumption of the compatibility. Hopefully the 1946-7 hood brow at the front would work also. If I need to change the front fenders and hood to accomplish this it would not be practical as my sheet metal is in really nice condition. I don't want the end result to look as if it is custom, I am after a factory feel. Yes, the Jaguar rear suspension is to be used in addition to the Jaguar front suspension. It is pretty simple process. To see possibilities Google Jaguar irs, and on the HAMB also. Again thank you for your input.

bent metal

"40 Indian", dude? Did you read what myself or Doc Hubler wrote? Did you look at the pictures I posted? The fenders are different, mostly under the headlight. So if you go and buy new fenders I was trying to warn you to be careful not to get short wheel base fenders as they are different. As you can see in the first picture of Doc's short wheel base blue/green truck. Notice how it mounts to the cowl, it's different from what you have already. Yes, you can change a '47 to a '41. But there are diffences in the fenders, hood. Check out the pictures, read the text, it's all there.

bent metal

IMO, "Doc" that truck is about the best looking '40's truck you could make. Traveller/short wheel base, '41. Short bed, short front, brings the proportions in so you don't need to stretch the cab for it to look right. ...Might still be a little cramped for space. But it's going to look proportionally just right.

40indianssgmailcom

Thanks to all who have ventured advice and/or opinions. Bent Metal, I am not interested in altering the front fenders or cowl area, only the length of the truck in the bed dimensions. In that case let me try this another way. If I used the1940 or 41 grille assembly from a 1940 or1941 Big Boy, would it bolt to the 1946-47 front sheet metal with relatively little effort? My problem may have been in assuming that both Big and Little Boy are the same from the rear of the cab to the front bumper, only the bed length was different which relates to the difference in wheelbase. As an aside the 40indianss is a reference to my 1940 Indian Sport Scout which is nearly completed. I also have a 90% finished V8 powered MGB, hoping to drive by October. Again thank you for input.

bent metal

Yep, what he said.
Let me talk about just the grill change. Because I have had some experience with that. So if you unbolt just the grill in the '47 you will notice that there is a splash apron that runs all the way across the front of the car. That won't work for your new '41 grill, so you remove it. Well that splash apron extends into and around the front bottom of the fender. With it gone you have a big piece of the fender missing. Take a look at the rusty red truck pictured above to see what I'm talking about. It has that splash apron already removed. No, don't keep reading, stop for a second and scroll up to the red truck and see what I'm talking about.
The '41 fenders have that bottom piece of the fender as one piece with the rest of the fender. You can see that in both the pictures I posted and the first set of pictures that "Doc Hubler" posted. Notice the '41 fenders are round at the bottom? Not just cut off straight as in the rusty red truck.

So no, you can't just bolt in a '41 grill to a '47 fender.
Yes you can change a '47 to a '41. But you are probably going to be doing what I did, as pictured above. Those are the same car. First with the '47 front, then with the '41 front. Same car.

Hope that makes sense.

bent metal

"Doc Hubler", thanks for the nice comments! I'm glad you liked the truck. Yours is going to be a special truck when it's done. Have you seen the '41 pick up with no front bumper, usually next to a coupe that's also a '41 with no front bumper. Both black. They show up at most of the North-Eastern National events. Super nice, great looking cars. Good examples, I think.

Several cars down on my to-do list is another truck. He wants to install the brougham door but not shorten the bed. Instead lengthen the frame. I think it's an effort to make it proportionally right, like your Traveller truck. But make everything bigger, not smaller! HA! What do you think of that? ...I bet it will need a football field to turn around.

bent metal

Hmmm? Maybe make the rear wheels steer?

...NAHHH.

40indianssgmailcom

Thanks to the both of you for the additional photos and discussion. Having never seen a 1940-41 or swb pickup in person, the finer points of difference were lost in the posts. Likewise the short cowl didn't make any sense at all. I now see the distinctions in the lwb and swb front fenders and cowl length. I had been making the assumption that the difference in wheelbase was all accounted for in the length of bed. I can still move forward with my plan of shortening the bed and frame 12" between back of cab and front of rear fender. This should give a proportional look somewhat akin to a 1940 Ford pickup. If Doc Hubler were to come to Wheelin Walla Walla on September 7 or when I come to Tri-Cities next perhaps I could get a look at a 1940-or 1941. Again thanks for your time, I now have much more information with which to proceed. Hopefully this has been beneficial to others also.

lostmind

Any one ever do a survival rate study on Hudson pick ups?
seems like there are an unusually large number popping up , compared to
the production numbers . I know I would have saved my grandfathers had it not been broadsided and bent the roof.
I think people got attached to them and couldn't scrap them.

Browniepetersen

Speaking of 47 trucks, there is a nice one on eBay today. I would say the price seems fair?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1947-Hudson-Big-Boy-pick-up-ALL-ORIGINAL-/200952462290?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item2ec9b33bd2

lostmind

Nice , but far from original. Looks good with the Commodore trim

bent metal

Your '41 front end pieces.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1947-HUDSON-4-DR-SEDAN-PARTS-CAR-/261274916743?hash=item3cd532d787&item=261274916743&pt=Salvage_Parts_Cars&vxp=mtr#ht_651wt_917

parkerm

DocHubler & bent metal,

I know this is off topic of what was being discussed and I apologize for that. Please help me if you can.

I posted this question once before but no one answered. You both seem to have worked on the 40 models so I think you may be able to answer this question.

I have a 40 2 door sedan; I have a problem with the hood closing correctly. I need to know how the locking mechanism works. Mounted on the firewall is the "U" shaped piece that connects with the piece mounted on the inside of the hood.

Can either of you tell me if they interlock, i.e., does the lower part of the "U" shaped piece on the firewall go inside the piece on the underside of the hood and the upper part of the "U" shaped piece go on the top of that piece.

On my car on the driver side the "U" shaped piece goes entirely on the top of the piece on the hood and on the passenger side the "U" shaped piece interlocks, that is the lower part of the "U" shaped piece slides inside and the upper part goes on the top of the piece mounted on the underside of the hood.

Again sorry for taking this off topic.

Marvin
40 super six
NJ

bent metal

What he said, I agree. The firewall "U" fits inside and one leg holds it down in closed position, the bottom leg kicks the hood open in up position. So yeah, it fits inside. Even with all of that right, you might still have to give the nose of the hood a shove to get it to close all the way.

Lee ODell

Maybe this link will help. Rick Clark's photo album.

http://hetclub.org/index.php?option=com_simgallery&view=album&aid=97

Lee O'Dell

parkerm

Guys,

Sorry, I was not ignoring you I just have not been here the last few days. DocHubler, the photo and explanation are perfect. Thanks for the help.

I am thinking that a previous owner must have removed the firewall rod with the U shaped pieces, cut them loose and then re-welded, but at least one of them is wrong. I don't see any reason why when he hood is completely loose and sitting in what seems to be the correct position that one of the brackets is in a different position than the other.

Again thanks for the help I really appreciate it.

Marvin
1940 super six
NJ