51 ford delivery removable top

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flatt ratt

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 14, 2010
Messages
56
Location
Salina, KS
well i searched high and low last night looking for a similiar topic and with my luck(which is usually bad) i could not find anything. i can buy a 1951 ford f1 delivery for $900. i think i can get it cheaper but it is in decent shape. if i get it my plan it to make it a removable top like the old broncos/blazers. the only thing i know is i will have to split the rear doors in half to have them open up/down. i am not sure how i would attached the roof to the body. my idea was using a solid strip of metal that would butt up to another one attach to the other half with weatherstripping in between. i will also be putting side windows in the top so my wife feels comfortable driving it and a roll cage. the roll cage is not an issue. i know plenty of racers around here. if anyone can give me ideas on the removable top and how to do it, i will greatly appreciate the wisdow.
 
this isnt the truck, just a pic

i found this pic on the net. its the same size and style as the one i am looking at. the plan was to have the top remove at the body line. not sure if i want it to stop at the back of the doors or continue up to the windshield. still mapping it out in my mind. wife says i need a game plan to get it and so i dont change my mind 100 times.
 

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A couple of questions for you.
1. How are you going to do the side doors. leave the window frames with the doors are make them part of the roof?

2. Are you making it so the roof can be put on and off easily?

Having work on a few of those panel trucks its going to be alot of work. If I were you I would build a frame for the body and roof and attach it to the body before I would cut anything. Those side panels getting pretty flimsy when they are cut. You could use the wooden inter structure to hold the bottom half in place and make a copy the main long support for the top half and bolt them together.

The front of the roof has a body seem and I would leave the structure with the windshield and cut the roof above the structure and build a frame to secure in the roof to secure it to the windshield.

The rear doors will need a lot of work to split them. You will have to build an inter structure at the top of the bottom half and the bottom of the top half. I would build it so that the top half would lap over the bottom half so that you do not have any water issues. If would mold the bottom together and either make a tailgate or a swinging door out of it. I would do the same with the upper half and make a lift gate out of it.

As for mounting the lift gate. The hinges from a pinto hatchback would work and the hold it up the slider from an early Bronco lift gate would work or you could use strut rod. I have done this with a full set of doors I had to use some hefty strut rods for that.

All the door post would have to be reinforced so that they would not move when closing the doors.

Just remember once you start cutting your committed.

Yes I did chop on of those trucks.Never again.
 
A couple of questions for you.
1. How are you going to do the side doors. leave the window frames with the doors are make them part of the roof?

2. Are you making it so the roof can be put on and off easily?

Having work on a few of those panel trucks its going to be alot of work. If I were you I would build a frame for the body and roof and attach it to the body before I would cut anything. Those side panels getting pretty flimsy when they are cut. You could use the wooden inter structure to hold the bottom half in place and make a copy the main long support for the top half and bolt them together.

The front of the roof has a body seem and I would leave the structure with the windshield and cut the roof above the structure and build a frame to secure it to the windshield.

The rear doors will need a lot of work to split them. You will have to build an inter structure at the top of the bottom half and the bottom of the top half. I would build it so that the top half would lap over the bottom half so that you do not have any water issues. If would mold the bottom together and either make a tailgate or a swinging door out of it. I would do the same with the upper half and make a lift gate out of it.

As for mounting the lift gate. The hinges from a pinto hatchback would work and the hold it up the slider from an early Bronco lift gate would work or you could use strut rod.

All the door post would have to be reinforced so that they would not move when closing the doors.
 
my plan of attack

well i have an idea mapped out in my mind, not exactly sure if it would work or not so i will spit it out and see what you guys think. what i was going to do first was get the roll gage built which would act as my skeleton for the top in order to remove it. i planned on stopping at the doors and was going to reinforce the pillar with at least 1/8 in plate maybe thinking pending advice from all you. i am not sure if i sould make make the roll cage removable with the top or build a little miny structure with square tubing of 1/4 in flat plate molding to fit the body. i would use 1/8 in plate to do the window frames. i know that might be a little excessive but putting this top on and off on a regular basis could cause the glass to break or fall out of the frame it i dont do it stiff enough. as for the door, i actually planned to weld them completely up together so i could make a single door skin for the whole thing. from there i would figure out my cuts and make reinforcement plates for the sides, bottom and top. i would also reinforce the back door pillars in the process. to get the bottom to open and stop, i planned on using hinges and chains like a regular pickup truck. that could always change. for the top to open, i was looking at gas struts or something along that line from a explorer or something similiar with the pop up back window. i already know its going to be a lot of work on top of everything esle i will do to this thing. to me this seems like a good idea on how i am doing it but i could be completely wrong. i also know it will take two people to remove this top or a modified engine hoist if i want to do it by myself. [S
 
i think that it could be done--remember the old saying-"it's just metal, it can always be welded back:eek:"

i would recommend the roll cage be a simple single hoop right behind the seat, and braced below the line of sight as much as possible--it's a "cleaness" thing.....

3/4" or even 1/2" square tubing is available for window openings etc.....

1/8" thick, 2" wide(or even 3") angle iron could be bent/formed to make the top of the body contour and bottom of the removable top and give a nice wide surface to mount the two together...of course that will need bracing maybe the 3/4" or whatever square tubing again

anyway-if all else fails throw the top away and make a speedster/coupe-type thingy out of it:D:D

looking forward to seeing some pics---nice to see a new idea floating around[cl
 
i think that it could be done--remember the old saying-"it's just metal, it can always be welded back:eek:"

i would recommend the roll cage be a simple single hoop right behind the seat, and braced below the line of sight as much as possible--it's a "cleaness" thing.....

3/4" or even 1/2" square tubing is available for window openings etc.....

1/8" thick, 2" wide(or even 3") angle iron could be bent/formed to make the top of the body contour and bottom of the removable top and give a nice wide surface to mount the two together...of course that will need bracing maybe the 3/4" or whatever square tubing again

anyway-if all else fails throw the top away and make a speedster/coupe-type thingy out of it:D:D

looking forward to seeing some pics---nice to see a new idea floating around[cl

i agree with the cleaness of the rollcage but the only thing is i have 2 girls (5 and 3) that like working on this stuff as much as i do and i know they will want to ride in it. i am more concern as a father to make it safe for them since i want to make the removable top.

i guess i do have another question that does go with this. for the side windows, should i make them small windows or try to have them match the doors as much as possible. i am leaning to matching the other windows.

still soaking up all the info you are giving me. the hamster is just crawling on the wheel in my head. hopefully he will be running after taxes since i know the delivery isnt going anywhere.
 
well with the family to take into consideration, i guess i'd put a full cage in it, too......a hoop over the drivers area, and one over the rear, slightly leaned, and the four-post cage then going down to the front w/s post and floor--a little boxxy looking, but still "fairly clean" and alot safer for the little ones;)
 
A lift off top is definitely possible, like a really big Carson top.
Make a framework out of conduit and rod,
cover with Chicken Wire then Fiberglas cloth.

The obvious question, is WHY ? :confused:

I remember the Broncos and Blazers, with their "removable" tops.
Ever see anyone take the top off regularly ?

Panel trucks are cool in their own way.
If you want a convertible, buy a convertible.
 
being different

A lift off top is definitely possible, like a really big Carson top.
Make a framework out of conduit and rod,
cover with Chicken Wire then Fiberglas cloth.

The obvious question, is WHY ? :confused:

I remember the Broncos and Blazers, with their "removable" tops.
Ever see anyone take the top off regularly ?

Panel trucks are cool in their own way.
If you want a convertible, buy a convertible.

i agree that panel trucks are cool in their own way but i have a fascination with the removable top. i guess i am just trying to do something different and maybe extreme since i know there will be a lot of work behind it all and i have limited time to do it before i deploy again.

i never even thought of using conduit and rod. i guess even using that to mock up the cage would work. something easy to use and i would be able to transfer the shape on wood and use heat to bend my tubing for skeleton. i guess i am still learning a lot.

another thing is i live in kansas and we where in the high 40s/low 50s today so it would have been a nice day to cruise with the top off. two weeks ago not so much. we had windchills in the -10s and someplaces -20 to -30. definately would want the top on for that weather.
 
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it will be hard.

i know thats its going to be really hard especially since this would be my first major cutting. i do have 2 other trucks that i am working on so i should have enough time to map out how i want to do it and figure everything out. i still have to finish one of the other trucks first before i get to start get this one. i have limited space and now i am looking at getting one of those mini rpus from new metal kustoms to turn into a go cart for my girls.
 

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