The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The HiPo Shop Frame Swap 40 to 41-47

I've got a 1940 3/4 ton long bed truck that I would like to convert to a short bed. Are the 40 and the 41-47 frames compatible? The reason, I'm thinking about going to a 41-47 frame is that they seem to be more available than the 40 frames. I'm going to keep the straight axle and keep the Classic Performance 6 lug disc brake conversion with a saginaw power steering, pitman arm unit. Any info in this type of swap would be appreciated. Thanks Runningiron

My understanding is that the cabs are about 2 inches shorter on the 39 and 40 than they are on the 41-46. I believe this causes the wheelbase to also grow on the 41-46 as compared to the 39 and 40. I have a 1940 3/4 ton longbed. I don't believe the longbeds are that out of proportion on the 1940. I might have prefered a shortbed, but I will not part with my longbed.

Thanks for the info. The reason I was considering converting to a shortbed was because of a fifties built campershell that I bought and was thinking about using occaisionly. You know when I was a kid, I would only hotrod and drive shortbed trucks. Now that I'm older, the longbed is really more practical. And your'e 100% correct, the 1940 3/4 longbed doesn't look out of porportion. The theme of my truck is going to be kind of a WWII warbird. I've got a B-17 bomber ring sight for a hood ornament, (detachable of course to avoid being stolen), B-17 recognition landing light panel switch and a bunch of other WWII aircraft stuff for the interior. The camper shell that I was going to top the bed with was built by a guying that worked for Boeing Aircraft. The camper is made out of 6061 aluminum aircraft panels with B-52 bomber blueprint imbossed on the inside. Maybe instead trying use the shortbed camper, I thought about using the rivited panels for to do the interior of my truck in keeping with the WWII warbird theme. Thanks again.