Longer wheelbase

[ryanpad]

If one was to build a roadster pickup (1913) and wanted to use a Warford gearbox could one add 12” to the chassis rather than cut down the driveshaft and radius rods.
Pros and cons…

[DHort]

i do not see why not. No different from making an 18 foot truck out of a 16 foot truck. Just remember to add to the widest part of the frame in order to provide the best support. You might need a cross beam, but that would be easy to add. And it goes without saying that you will need to lengthen the radius rod and brake rods. I believe Smith Form a Truck was done in a similar way.

[Allan]

I did just that to accommodate KC Warford in my 1917 shooting brake. To save two welds I joined two frames together. One had very dodgy front cross member and the other was damaged at the rear
.The cuts were made at 45 degrees so the weld was longer at the join, as was done on our Leyland farm truck. Then I plated the inside of each rail. The plate is riveted in using the body bracket rivets, the running board rivets, and four extras, two on either side of the weld. You have to look closely to find the join

The only Ford parts modified were the emergency brake rods and I had to that anyway to fit Bennett accessory brakes
Allan from down under.

[ryanpad]

I did just that to accommodate KC Warford in my 1917 shooting brake. To save two welds I joined two frames together. One had very dodgy front cross member and the other was damaged at the rear
.The cuts were made at 45 degrees so the weld was longer at the join, as was done on our Leyland farm truck. Then I plated the inside of each rail. The plate is riveted in using the body bracket rivets, the running board rivets, and four extras, two on either side of the weld. You have to look closely to find the join

The only Ford parts modified were the emergency brake rods and I had to that anyway to fit Bennett accessory brakes
Allan from down under.

Perfect!

[ryanpad]

i do not see why not. No different from making an 18 foot truck out of a 16 foot truck. Just remember to add to the widest part of the frame in order to provide the best support. You might need a cross beam, but that would be easy to add. And it goes without saying that you will need to lengthen the radius rod and brake rods. I believe Smith Form a Truck was done in a similar way.

More than somewhat encouraged.

[Dan McEachern]

How will you lengthen the running boards and splash shields to compensate for the extra length?

[ryanpad]

How will you lengthen the running boards and splash shields to compensate for the extra length?

I haven’t worked it out yet but my initial thoughts were that because it’s a pickup the extra 12” would be bed extending beyond the rear fenders. Good point though and I’ll definitely have to draw it up before deciding to move forward.

[Craig Leach]

That’s what I did on my firetruck, removed the rear crossmember straightened out the tabs. Took 30” or so of another frame & pressed over the original frame then bolted together it worked good for a Muncie @ 13 1/4” maybe more work with a Warford.
Craig.

[TXGOAT2]

Building a wooden bed box with a hardware kit would allow you to locate the bed and fenders where you wanted. A steel box could also be built. Repro early style bed corners are available in Ford, Dodge, and Chevrolet styles Many early express/pickups did not have full length stock running boards. Some shops can roll beads into flat 20 or 22 gauge sheet steel. I'd avoid too much rear overhang. I'd like to have a "stretched" roadster pickup with Warford and a ten foot, stock appearing bed, but with the bed sides raised about 4".

[ryanpad]

Building a wooden bed box with a hardware kit would allow you to locate the bed and fenders where you wanted. A steel box could also be built. Repro early style bed corners are available in Ford, Dodge, and Chevrolet styles Many early express/pickups did not have full length stock running boards. Some shops can roll beads into flat 20 or 22 gauge sheet steel. I'd avoid too much rear overhang. I'd like to have a "stretched" roadster pickup with Warford and a ten foot, stock appearing bed, but with the bed sides raised about 4".

That’s kinda what I’m thinking only the bed ends up being like 6’

[Allan]

The running board extension is easily fixed. Many of our Australian built bodies used linoleum or rubber covered wooden running boards. You can make them to any length. You will still need to lengthen the splash panels. i had longer ones folded/rolled by a local sheetmetal shop.

Allan from down under.

[AndyClary]

To fit the Warford the extra length will have to be in the wheelbase. Extending out the back won’t help. Maybe put speedster fenders on it.

Andy

[Norman Kling]

I think it would be much easier to shorten the driveshaft and radius rods than lengthen the frame. That way everything would fit just as Ford built it. If you shorten the front end of the driveshaft and cut the flat surfaces to fit the universal joint and drill the hole for the pin, your driveshaft will not lose any strength.
Norm

[ryanpad]

To fit the Warford the extra length will have to be in the wheelbase. Extending out the back won’t help. Maybe put speedster fenders on it.

Andy

Right! The rear wheel would live way back in the fender.

[Allan]

Shortening the driveshaft and radius rods will not help with accommodating a longer bed, but it will result in serious modification to a number of original T Ford parts. With the longer wheelbase, at least the length of the modification can be added to the bed, and to keep it in proportion extra length can be added to the behind the axle. My shooting brake has the spare tyre/rim fitted under the tray, behind the axle. That's a 32" rear overhang which looks just about right.

Allan from down under.

[TXGOAT2]

Shortening the driveshaft also causes the rear wheels to move in a tighter arc when the suspension flexes. This causes some binding on the rear spring and causes the wheelbase to change more as load is added or removed. U-joint operating angles can be affected.
All things considered, avoiding shortening the driveshaft and retaining the factory geometry is best. A longer wheelbase also offers a number of advantages.