While the thought of simply...
While the thought of simply rolling a new chassis under your shoebox Ford and bolting everything in place is a great concept, there is a bit of work to be done before you get to tighten any bolts.
When Ford finally introduced the first all-new car after World War II the styling was revolutionary. The front fenders had risen to meet the hood, and the grille opening now spanned the full width of the car. Rear fenders were non-existent as the quarter-panel and fender became one long smooth panel. All traces of a running board were gone and the resulting look was that of a modern, sleek car with all the wheels tucked neatly under the body. It was a remarkable transformation from the old-fashioned shape of the ’48 Ford; these new cars looked fast sitting still. And yet as dynamic as the styling was, there was also a certain slab-side appearance that won the ’49-51 Ford the moniker of shoebox Ford.
The Art Morrison frame provides...
The Art Morrison frame provides modern front and rear suspension, rack-and-pinion steering, disc brakes, and a chassis that will handle all the horsepower you could ever want on the street. However, things like body mounts were not included on our frame, meaning we would have to locate the body and build mounts.
These cars were immediate hits with the general publicand that included both hot rodders and customizers. The demand for truly new cars after World War II meant strong sales and these new cars were constructed well so there were plenty of them on the used car market. Fifties and early ’60s high school parking lots were filled with these simple cars and it seems every hot rodder has a shoebox or two in the closet including this writer.
And so it is little wonder the shoebox Ford is enjoying a strong resurgence and like all things hot rod, the aftermarket is responding with great new products to improve suspension and power, along with reproduction parts to help complete the project.
The ’49-51 Ford employed independent front suspension and a solid rear axle with leaf springs and the chassis was strong enough to handle substantial power increases. The independent front suspension employed kingpins, coil springs, and a worm and a roller steering box, which was modern for the day, but hardly the crisp steering and handling we have become accustomed to over the years.
When John Kocsis delivered...
When John Kocsis delivered this nearly rust-free ’51 Ford to Rodcrafters it was resting on the Art Morrison frame, but no body mounts had been located or fabricated to mount the body to the frame.
Due to the configuration of the ’49-51 Ford frame there is no simple way to upgrade the suspension to modern standards. There are disc brake kits and a late-model steering box will improve things a bit, but if a truly modern front suspension is in your plan you have three choices. Companies like Fatman Fabrication makes a front frame stub that can be welded to the existing frame and provide you with modern Mustang IIstyle suspension for an affordable price. You can find a late-model donor car and graft your own front clip to the car, or you can opt to buy a complete new chassis from a company like Art Morrison.
When John Kocsis decided it was time to build a contemporary custom he located a very nice ’51 Ford sedan that was nearly rust free, no small feat for a car that spent its entire life in New Jersey. Kocsis knew modern suspension was a must for the car, so he considered his options. In the end he decided he could sell the very nice ’51 chassis and Flathead driveline and recoup some of the cost of a complete new frame. This would solve both front and rear suspension problems and provide ample room for that new Chevrolet motor and transmission. A call was placed to Lobeck’s V8 Shop Hot Rod Parts and a new Art Morrison chassis was ordered and delivered directly to Kocsis’ door.
Because of the lowered ride...
Because of the lowered ride height designed into the chassis, the rear trunk floor was removed to allow the body to rest on the frame. The higher kick-up and crossmember protrude up into the trunk area. Also note the inner wheel tubs had to be cut for tire clearance.
By ordering the full replacement chassis, the desired stance is built into the chassis using your specifications for final ride height. The mandrel-formed 2x4 framerails and associated crossmembers make for one very stout frame that will handle modern horsepower with ease. There is not rust to remove, no holes to patch, and no suspension to locate and graft, making this new chassis a prime candidate for powdercoating or paint without the expense of sandblasting or dipping an old frame. There are a lot of good things to be said about using an all-new frame.
Here we can see the pieces...
Here we can see the pieces that were removed from the trunk floor. Kocsis did this cutting just to get the car on the frame, knowing it would be neatly trimmed and replaced later.
There is a seam in the factory...
There is a seam in the factory floor that runs almost in the center of the rear wheels. The spot welds were drilled out from this seam to remove the trunk floor.
The tires and wheels fill...
The tires and wheels fill the wheel houses nicely, the wheels will move outward about 1/4-inch when the brakes are installed. Coilover shocks keep thing neat, clean, and adjustable.
It was apparent the body was...
It was apparent the body was not resting in the proper location as the rear tires were well to the rear of the wheel opening on the body. It is important to use the final wheel and tire combination when locating the body so you are working with the proper diameter wheel and tire.
A quick check of the wheelbase...
A quick check of the wheelbase revealed the wheelbase was at 115-3/4 rather than the factory 114 inches. You may have to vary a bit from the factory wheelbase to center modern wheels and tires in the vintage fender openings.
The convenience of a lift...
The convenience of a lift sure makes adjustments and test-fitting easy. We raised the body up to make adjustments to the wheelbase.
There is really no fore and...
There is really no fore and aft adjustment to the front suspension as all points are fixed, so no adjustments were made up front.
The rear suspension has plenty...
The rear suspension has plenty of adjustment, and we noticed the rear bars had the rod ends screwed all the way out. We adjusted the bars in over 1 inch to arrive at the factory 114-inch wheelbase.
After centering the body over...
After centering the body over the rear wheels we mounted a front fender to be certain the wheel was centered up front too. It is imperative to get the front wheel location perfect, as there is no adjustment. The rear wheel could still be moved forward or back a bit by adjusting the four bars.
Larry Shoaf measured off the...
Larry Shoaf measured off the front suspension to locate a piece of 1-inch box tubing. This tubing was clamped perfectly square to the suspension points. The bar is used to make triangulated measurements to the front body mounts. This ensures the body is squarely placed on the frame.
Lots of measuring, plenty...
Lots of measuring, plenty of “eye balling”, and finally we felt certain the front wheels were in the proper location. Remember this look will change a bit when the weight of the motor brings the front suspension down to ride height.
Measurements were taken from...
Measurements were taken from common points around the car from front, rear, and side to ensure the body was perfectly square on the frame, and here we are checking the rear corners. The rear framehorns will be trimmed later as Art Morrison leaves extra framerail material on both ends.
It sure helps to start with...
It sure helps to start with a super-solid car like Kocsis brought to Rodcrafters. A structurally solid car makes accurate mounting much easier.
Those three holes in the floor...
Those three holes in the floor all lead to body bolt locations that align themselves atop the Art Morrison frame perfectly. The fit and fabrication of the Art Morrison chassis was first class.
More body mounts are found...
More body mounts are found in the trunk. Locating the exact placement on the rear crossmember is done with a simple transfer punch.
A couple of lines with a marker...
A couple of lines with a marker will make it a lot easier to find that small center punch dimple after you lift the body off the frame.
After center-punching the...
After center-punching the through-the-floor body mounts to the new Art Morrison chassis, Larry drills a pilot hole.
Next a step drill is used...
Next a step drill is used to open up the pilot hole to the proper bolt diameter; in this case we are using 3/8-inch bolts. Then the step drill is carefully pushed down on the next step to form a counter-sunk ring for the flanged nut.
If you don’t have a step drill...
If you don’t have a step drill in your toolbox it is time to go get one. These drills work wonders in metal.
Here we can see the slight...
Here we can see the slight counter sink ring formed by the step drill. As it turns out this is perfect for placing a flanged nut flush with the chassis.