Picked up a '40 Coupe project!

Congratulations. Looks like one heck of a deal to me.

I'd build a nice driving car that looks like an old car.

Somebody took the hardest step already....getting the nerve to cut a car.

Find a modern chassis that has the right track widths and wheelbase (small or midsize truck?) and make everything else fit it.

If you have the tools/skills, it's just sheetmetal and your desire.

I agree bohmer. I gorgeous car ruined with low profile tires and tall wheels. I hate the look and just don't understand why so many guys do that. The 2 go together about as well as oil and water!

and the wheel choice one...why????? Those wheels look horrendous on that thing.

Too bad you arent closer I could fix you up with a sedan frame hood etc.My kid has a 41 he is parting.Rocky

I agree with Ron, either 2" x 4" tube with a Mustang II suspension or a Dakota clip. (both would fit well) Really would depend on how much of the original frame is left and what condition its in.

I'd probably take it off your hands for what you paid for it. You know, should it proves more then you can handle..... Gene

Well crap, go figure the frame I need is half way across the country!

Last night I spent a couple hours and bolted everything I could back onto the car.... it went so easy, it felt like car WANTED to be put back together!

Now, I've started researching this frame stuff, and I'm not sure which direction I should go.

I've read a little about the Dakota clip swap, sounds like an appealing route possibly. I'd like a little more info, especially as it applies to these cars.

Does anyone know what the front track on the '40 Dodges were originally?

I have to post a pic of the flames on the fender, I wish I had a frame simply so I could reassemble the front clip!

Nice find I agree with going traditional painted. I have a dakota frame with my 49 dodge. Not sure about the frame difference on a 1940. Check out the P15 D24 site, lots of help there.

Since you aren't starting with a good frame, I doubt you will want to clip what you have. Many of the dakota swaps involve the whole frame. Ron has shown a few here, and the big thing seems to be the front track.
I couldn't find info on the 40s, but the P15-D24 site has the 46-48s as 57" track in front, 60" track in the rear, and a WB of 117" for the Plymouths, 120" for the Dodges. They also have a parts forum I see you are already there...
I just got a part for my 47 from the Moores.
http://mooresautosalvage.com/autos.asp?make=Dodge
They treated me right.

You might try these guys
http://www.fatfenderedrelics.com/projectcars.html

And here is your donor
http://stockton.craigslist.org/cto/990469050.html

Okay guys, here's some research I've done.

Here's a Dakota clip that Poorboy on here did to a '39 Plymouth, it looks pretty good, but I was told somewhere that the rails may be spaced differently than a Dodge/Chrysler.

Here's a pic from MoparRon's webshots thing. He was shortening a Dakota chassis for use under a '46 Dodge Pickup.

I'm looking for the two measures in the picture, the frame rail width and height at the common area on the frame.

I found info on the web that the Dakota front track is 60.8 inches, and I'm not sure how that compares to a stock '40 Dodge.

Can't give you the correct numbers off the top of my head, something about old age.....

Anyway, the frame width of the Dakota from the kickout behind the front wheels to the rear axle is straight and fits just inside the original frame on the 39 plymouth at the firewall position. The Dak frame is also flat except for a raised bolt on crossmember that the front of the box mounts to (and the fuel tank mounts to) until the rear axle kickup. I have a 90 Dakota sitting outside I can get a decent measurement from tomorrow (if I remember). The Dakota frame hight also remains the same size and fits just inside the rail hight of the 39 Plymouth. (i'll measure that as well). The length of the Dakota frame from the front kick out to the part of the rear frame that kicks up to mount the box on depends on whick wheel base Dakota frame you have. That measurement may be a bit harder as my 90 is still a functioning truck. The one I mounted looked like it was made for that frame swap. I will also get the track width of my truck. Gene

I just happen to have a stripped down dakota chassis here right now for a 46 COE project.
It 38" wide and the frame is 6" tall Ron...

Cool find rabid scott!
I've got a few spare parts kicking around if you need anything.... window mechanisms, door stuff, maybe some headlight doors, I don't even know what I have...

Keep those pics coming!

Hey, I showed you a 1000 dakota already!
Part out the body and you could break even.
I know you are going to try it anyway, but fit the body on the whole frame before you start chopping. Seems that since the center of the old frame is gone, you would be better off.
If you have the short term cash, buying a nicer one might net you better than the rusty worn out hulk that needs full suspension. A shell should net a hundred or 2 alone. I see you are already advertising locally, good.

Another across the country.
http://chatham-kent.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehicles-parts-accessories-1940-DODGE-FRAME-W0QQAdIdZ102472137

don't rule out using the whole dakota chassis under it, you would probably have to shorten it some but it might be the way to go.
what shape are the rear springs in on the original frame, going with the dakota chassis give you newer stuff all around

I would consider using the dakota chassis and get 5 lug rotors or the 90 and back chassis and then get a "B" body 8 3/4 for it.

but doing a graph is good too. Ron....



here a runner dakota
http://inlandempire.craigslist.org/cto/1026088984.html


and another one
http://inlandempire.craigslist.org/cto/992426469.html

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/cto/1026790647.html
A darn Shelby! I hate to see one go away, but you could SURE part this out to cover the buy-in!
http://sfbay.craigslist.org/scz/cto/1025153638.html

plus V8, 5 lug, the truck looks good, so the suspension may be good for now...

I got my 93 Dakota club cab donor for my 41 pick up from a local junk yard for $300. He even delivered it to my house for that, but the deal was he wanted all the old scrap back that I wouldn't be using, which I got into 2 4x8 trailer loads. Another junk yard around here had an 87 for $250, that he also would deliver, but it had some front end issues I could see when I crawled under it. Oh, plus I'll be using the overdrive tranny out of it also, and maybe the seats, they seem to fit so I figure that it was a good deal.
Matt

Yeah, I'll find a cheap Dakota soon enough, I promised myself I won't start on this one until I get my Model A going, which shouldn't be too much longer...

What's your Idea of a cheap Dakota?
Arno

here is my 40 coupe dodge

Wow!! That's a good lookin' car there!!

thanks a lot,,,currently has a 1954 241 red ram hemi in it,,motor has some issues,,,hope to resolve them this season,,,,

i finally am able to post on this board,,for the longest time i could not,, no one ever knew why,,, but i am not recieving e mails informing me there are other posters,, and i have filled out all the information for that many times,,,

thanks for the kind words,,,,

Too bad you are so far away.I could fix you up with inner fenders hood and some other parts.Have a 41 Sedan my kid is stripping

e mail me if you have a 41 front bumper you would like to selll thanks fstfish66@aol.com

any more progres on this topic any one ??

Actually, yes!

I finally bought a donor Dakota, I'm going to go pick it up sometime this week after work. 3.9/auto. Going to try and sell parts off of it, and when I get to a certain point on parting the Dakota out, I'll get started on combining the two together!

I can't wait!!

any news?

Heck yeah!!

I picked up a 118k mile 3.9l/904 auto Dakota for 600 bones, and starting cutting it up on Monday.

I'm now down to just the Service bed and drivetrain sitting on the Dakota frame.

I tried selling the Service bed for a couple hundred bucks on Craigslist, and on Wednesday I decided I'd rather just give it away to get rid of it. Surprisingly, no far nobody has wanted it, so I'm pretty sure I'll be cutting it up this weekend, too.

I haven't picked it up yet, but I found a cheap 440/727 out of a 70's motorhome locally that I'm planning on running in it.

I'm starting to get a little excited to see things moving forward. I might drive it before summer's end after all!

Here is a picture of the Coupe mocked up a bit more, 2x3 tube c-clamped to the frame and a '42 Ford front end, just enough to roll it around basically.

Lookin' great!

The 440 is sitting in my garage now! I was expecting a late 70's cast crank slug, turns out this is a thin dampener forged crank '72/'73 440! It even came with a dual snorkel air cleaner too!

I also have the Dakota chassis almost totally stripped down, while I have the cherry picker out I'll get the 3.9/904 yanked out.

Now I just need to get some buddies lined up for some heavy lifting, get the body off whats left of the original chassis, and get the new chassis whipped up and under the car!

I thought you said you were considering a slant six?! But that 440/727 will be sweet, lots of torque and dependable!

Why not move the body while you have a cherry picker available? Lots safer, and easier on backs, and friends. Gene

Set up the body on some 4X4s so the highest point of the chassis is lower than the lowest point of the body, and spread the stands wide enough so that the frame can roll under the body. You can also use a plumb-bob to figure out what needs trimming or fixing on the body and the frame this way. Wait until the body is mounted before finalizing the motor placement.
Take a look at the third picture in the thread.
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=256902

I'd also suggest that you hold onto the old frame until you have the new one all set up. Even though the entire front is missing, you never know when some part or chunk might be needed.

Thanks guys! Won't be the first time I've had a MoPar Business Coupe off it's frame!

Besides, they aren't that heavy once you strip all the junk out of 'em!

Okay, I made some progress.

First off, I'll say that I haven't had any time to take more measurements or get out in the garage and play with it since I got it on the frame, so it isn't anywhere near finished.



This is the body just resting on the unshortened frame.

Original wheelbase for the '40 Dodge was 119 inches, the internet says this 1987 Dakota Chassis was either 111 or 123 inches, this one is the latter. I have to take 4 inches out of it somewhere.

The rear of the body sits really high because the shape and length of the stock Dakota rear framerails. The stock '40 rails had more of a downward "swoop".



Interestingly, the Dakota frame is about 38" straight back from the firewall, whereas the original frame was a bit wider.

Combined with the lack of floors, the narrow frame enables me to channel the car over the frame quite easily. I can get the ride height I desire while leaving full suspension travel.


So that's where I'm at with it right now. I might be slingin' an engine in my truck this weekend, but if that falls through you know I'll be working on the Coupe!

The full turn-by-turn is here: 1940 Dodge Coupe progress 7/21/09

Wow, I didn't know you were floorless!
Looks like the back part will be pretty easy; remove the frame rails just behind the rear spring hangers and drop the body down to where you want.

Did you measure where the crank centerline and trans output centerline were before removing, so you have an idea where you want the new ones to line up?

Aside from all the floor fabrication which you were going to have to do anyway, it looks like it's going to be easier than it started out like.

Were there any tubs you can use on the truck to mini-tub the rear body? Can you use the cab floor and the cab back for floor sections?

The rear wheels look like they are in the proper position. The OE frame doesn't extend all the way to the edge of the body, so as long as the body mounts on the sides are built, it's all good.
The only other thing to consider is the bumper mounts, but that's minor compared to the floor, shortening the chassis and fab'ing the motor and trans mounts. Plus the front sheetmetal/radiator mount.

comming along nicely

Thanks for the support guys!!

I think I'll be taking the material out of the frame behind the middle of the frame where its flat and straight, should make it easier to weld back together and box for extra strength.

The rear wheelwells are about where they should be in relation to the axle, but I do have a measurement to make sure. I'll probably eyeball it, too, just to make sure they look "centered" in the wheelwell openings, both front and rear.

The engine will go as low and far back as reasonably possible.

What size tires did the 40's cars run stock? 6.00-16s?

That is really looking great, keep up the good work

you probably have already seen these pics of where we shortened the dakota chassis under the 46 PU.
but here is the link again,
if you want to see how we did it Ron...

http://rides.webshots.com/album/300985977tszAFe




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