1940 Chevy Pickup – Restore a Classic Truck catdumptruck.com | If you’re interested in restoring a classic truck, a 1940 Chevrolet Pickup may be perfect for your project.
These vintage pickups often have usable frame and body parts and can be purchased for as little as a few thousand dollars, depending on the condition.
Here are some features that you can expect to find. You’ll find the 216 CI inline 6-cylinder engine, a four-wheel manual hydraulic eleven-inch drum brake system, and a dashboard that looks just like the dashboard of a modern car.
1940 Chevy Pickup
#216 CI inline 6-cylinder engine
The 216 CI inline 6-cylinder engine was introduced in the mid-1930s and is one of the most famous vintage GM truck powerplants. This engine is date-correct and features a large Harrison radiator and reliable Belden plug wires.
The finished firewall and gray paint add to the vintage appeal of this engine. Those who are interested in purchasing a vintage GM truck should look no further.
The first inline six in Chevrolet vehicles was introduced in 1929 and was the sole engine used until 1955. It replaced the 171-cubic-inch inline four.
It was the standard engine for the company until they added the small block V8 in the model year 1955. During the 1940s, the 216 CI inline six became the base engine of many of the company’s vehicles.
The 216 CI inline 6-cylinder engine in the 1940 Chevrolet pickup had a diameter of 38 feet and was rated for 85 HP at 3,400 RPM.
This stovebolt engine was backed by a three-speed synchromesh manual transmission and a semi-floating rear axle. The attention to detail carried on under the chassis as well.
The 4-wheel hydraulic drum brakes were designed to withstand heavy loads. The cab, bed, and body panels were straightened using a laser. The cab, bed, and body panels were painted in a black-and-olive-green two-tone color scheme.
The 235 CI inline 6-cylinder engine was used on some Canadian trucks in the 1950s. In Canada, the engine was also used in full-size Pontiac cars. These vehicles did not sell in the USA but were imported into Canada for production.
The 261 was used in light trucks and the Chevrolet Veraneio from 1958 to 1979 in Brazil. The engine was also used on GM trucks.
#Four-wheel manual hydraulic 11-inch drum brakes
A 1940 Chevrolet pickup has a manual steering system and four-wheel hydraulic 11-inch drum brakes. The rotors hang from steel ladder frames and longitudinal semi-elliptic leaf-springs.
Each wheel has single-acting hydraulic shock absorbers, and the pickup is equipped with a torsion-bar front stabilizer and a semi-floating spiral hypoid rear axle.
The brakes are operated with a pedal that requires the driver to apply additional pressure to stop the vehicle. Its electrical system is also six-volt negative-ground.
These drum brakes are commonly used on older vehicles, but you’ll also find them on budget models of newer vehicles.
Drum brake shoes are special compoundes that press against the drum to scrub speed and reduce vehicle speed. Drum brakes need to be replaced at regular intervals as the protective lining gradually wears away and can result in reduced braking ability. Putting off replacing these parts will reduce their ability to stop the car and cause severe damage to the rotors.
The CPP HydraStop system has three designs – floor-mounted, firewall-mounted, and suspended brake pedal. CPP offers a wide range of HydraStop boosters for Chevrolet vehicles from the 1940s to the 1980s.
The Show Stopper package includes a hydraulic brake assist unit with a billet aluminum firewall mount bracket, stainless pressure and rubber return hoses, and the necessary fittings.
Despite their simplicity, drum brakes are a bit more challenging to adjust than disc brakes. The drums have built-in play and are difficult for a beginner to handle.
If you can’t adjust the shoes on drum brakes, the brakes are likely to lock up and fail state inspection. If your 1940 Chevy pickup has this system, it’s best to have a professional adjust it.
1940 Chevy Pickup
#Worm-and-sector manual steering
The worm-and-sector manual steering on the 1940 Chevy pickup is still in use today, although it has been replaced with power steering in most cars.
The steering gear is attached to the box with a large locknut, which you can loosen with a hammer or blunt punch. To check the steering wheel, turn it a few inches to the left or right, and use the torque wrench to measure the worm bearing preload. The worm bearings should be in between five and eight inch pounds of pull.
The worm-and-sector manual steering system replaces the section gear with a worm-and-sector steering box. The worm-sector steering box is linked to a cross shaft and a roller.
When the steering wheel turns, the worm moves along with the roller. A pitman arm attached to the steering shaft moves with the worm’s rotation.
To test if the worm-and-sector manual steering is functioning properly, check the steering wheel’s free play. The free play should be between one and two inches.
If the steering wheel has a large amount of free play, you may need to reinstall the gearbox. If the steering wheel is too stiff, you may need to replace the steering gearbox or adjust the worm-and-sector gear.
If the worm-and-sector manual steering on the 1940 Chevy pickup doesn’t work, you can use a wrench to check the gearbox. You can adjust the worm-and-sector steering gear with a spring scale on the steering wheel rim.
Some manufacturers suggest that you use an inch pound torque wrench on the steering wheel nut. This can be done by following the directions in the manual.
#New car-like dashboard
If you are tired of the stock 1940 Chevy pickup’s instrument panel, you can upgrade it with a brand-new car-like dashboard. A 1940 Chevy pickup’s stock instrument bezel is outdated and lacking in any style.
This 1940 Chevy dashboard kit includes a chrome or machined aluminum font bezel with six analog gauge readings, a TFT message center, and a reproduction bezel. With the addition of these upgrades, your 1940 Chevy pickup will be as much a show car as it is a work of art.
The new dashboard for the 1940 Chevrolet pickup truck was a major improvement. The car-like interior included an adjustable seat, a deluxe heater, and hand-finished oak wood.
The pickup truck rides on steel wheels with Goodyear wide whitewall all-season tires and chrome-plated hubcaps. The 1940 Chevy pickup truck was a popular vehicle when it was first introduced. Today, this classic pickup is still in production.
GM consolidated truck dashboards in 2014 with a single dash. In the process, it saved significant engineering and production cash, as compared to the previous two.
Before the redesign, GM spent huge amounts on two separate dashboards. Perhaps the company’s bankruptcy was a contributing factor in sticking with the 2007 designs. However, GM did not attempt to amortize design costs on subsequent pickup trucks.
A new cab was also an important improvement for the 1940 Chevy pickup. The cab was now much more driver-friendly, with rectangular gauge clusters.
The new cab also featured a large Chevrolet name written in red script, a new curved instrument panel, and rectangular taillights.
The 1940 Chevy pickup also got a widened stance, and the optional rear bumper was moved to the center, making room for the license plate.
1940 Chevy Pickup
#Adjustable seat
The 1941 model of the Chevrolet pickup introduced an adjustable seat and longer wheelbases. The box was wider and featured a stamped steel stakepocket instead of a metal cable.
The rolled flare board on the boxsides accentuated the streamlined look. The redesigned seats were also more comfortable, with a wider range of movement than their predecessors. Despite their small size, the 1940 Chevrolet pickup’s big-bore exhaust system still sounds surprisingly smooth.
The new cabs featured a car-like dashboard, a deluxe heater, and a reclined seat. The pickup was built on steel wheels and had Goodyear wide-whitewall all-season tires with chrome-plated hubcaps.
In addition, the 1940 Chevrolet pickup truck was one of the last years to have stamped-in Chevrolet names on the tailgate. These trucks were also three inches wider than the previous model.
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