'40 Deluxe Starting Crank Extension

[Fred A]

What is the overall length of the extension. Appears that they can vary. Is the crank tool a practical tool or can it damage the radiator or grille? Thanks: Fred A

[Ken/Alabama]

No way I’d try it.

[Lawson Cox]

Originally Posted by Fred A

What is the overall length of the extension. Appears that they can vary. Is the crank tool a practical tool or can it damage the radiator or grille? Thanks: Fred A

It is not practical nowadays and yes, try to use it and you WILL damage your grill.

If you show your car in a good size meet, where it will be point judged, you will need to display a complete set of tools, including a crank extension.

I have a couple of the crank extensions but I do not know what length you need for a 40. Let me know the length you need and I'll let you know if I have one.

Lawson

[Terry,OH]

I believe the V8 Times had an article regarding the proper tools for the various years. Most likely in the V8 Club restoration book also.

[Kube]

The rod was a nominal 23 1/2". It was an accessory by 1940 and as such is NOT required on the concourse.

[Lawson Cox]

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Originally Posted by Kube

The rod was a nominal 23 1/2". It was an accessory by 1940 and as such is NOT required on the concourse.

My Bad. Lawson

[deuce_roadster]

Lawson, don't worry about it. Most of the people judging 40s wouldn't know it wasn't required. I worked as a novice judge on 40s twice before I put my wagon together so I would know better what was correct. I was shocked to find I already knew more than they did. I judged 32-34s at 8 different National Meets (with a highly knowledgeable person) but never 40s until I decided to make my wagon as correct as I could.
Hard to find good judges anymore, and the score inflation is obvious. Kube's new book will help with this problem.

[ford38v8]

Originally Posted by deuce_roadster

Lawson, don't worry about it. Most of the people judging 40s wouldn't know it wasn't required. I worked as a novice judge on 40s twice before I put my wagon together so I would know better what was correct. I was shocked to find I already knew more than they did. I judged 32-34s at 8 different National Meets (with a highly knowledgeable person) but never 40s until I decided to make my wagon as correct as I could.
Hard to find good judges anymore, and the score inflation is obvious. Kube's new book will help with this problem.

Judging at National Meets is always a take who's available deal, an individual judging crew can range from all very qualified, to mostly Novices with the qualified Deputy, who in those cases can be overwhelmed due to time restrictions on completion.

Volunteering as a Novice remains the very best way to gain the knowledge required to restore your own car, learning from the multiple examples in your class, from the Deputy of your class, and from the judging process itself.

Woodies are a special class by themselves, having two different judging crews, the basic model year crew, and the Station Wagon judging crew. Again, with time restrictions on completion, coordination and communication factors in, so it is understandable that omissions can happen, which are often visible to observers.

[Fred A]

I doubt that my '40 coupe will soon see a concourse with a 59A engine and Bendix brakes. Anything worthy of mention in "It's Ford For Forty" makes me curious, as I have the crank handle and often see the extensions. Thanks for the responses: Fred A

[Seth Swoboda]

Originally Posted by deuce_roadster

Lawson, don't worry about it. Most of the people judging 40s wouldn't know it wasn't required. I worked as a novice judge on 40s twice before I put my wagon together so I would know better what was correct. I was shocked to find I already knew more than they did. I judged 32-34s at 8 different National Meets (with a highly knowledgeable person) but never 40s until I decided to make my wagon as correct as I could.
Hard to find good judges anymore, and the score inflation is obvious. Kube's new book will help with this problem.

I was at the Chantilly Eastern National meet. I signed up to judge '40 Fords as a novice. Being the young guy I got the chassis job along with a few other guys. When all the others looked over the chassis they pointed out anything that was not correct. I had noticed the car was an 85hp V8. Although it had a tube style front axle. None of the other "seasoned" judges noticed. I brought it up and they all could not believe they missed it. Not an indictment on the others, I thought it was funny because I was so young and I caught something the "pros" had not.

[tubman]

Seems like a good reason to not have your car judged.

[ford38v8]

Originally Posted by Seth Swoboda

I was at the Chantilly Eastern National meet. I signed up to judge '40 Fords as a novice. Being the young guy I got the chassis job along with a few other guys. When all the others looked over the chassis they pointed out anything that was not correct. I had noticed the car was an 85hp V8. Although it had a tube style front axle. None of the other "seasoned" judges noticed. [B]I brought it up and they all could not believe they missed it. Not an indictment on the others, I thought it was funny because I was so young and I caught something the "pros" had not.

Seth, The only “pros” in the hobby are those who sell products or services to old car enthusiasts. There would be no V8 Club Concourse without volunteers, of whom only a select few could claim expertise in all things Ford. They do their best, and get bashed for not knowing everything.

[Kube]

Originally Posted by Seth Swoboda

I was at the Chantilly Eastern National meet. I signed up to judge '40 Fords as a novice. Being the young guy I got the chassis job along with a few other guys. When all the others looked over the chassis they pointed out anything that was not correct. I had noticed the car was an 85hp V8. Although it had a tube style front axle. None of the other "seasoned" judges noticed. I brought it up and they all could not believe they missed it. Not an indictment on the others, I thought it was funny because I was so young and I caught something the "pros" had not.

Seth, a number of Deluxe '40 Fords were built with a tube axle. I had an extremely low mileage 40 convertible many years ago that was about as "untouched" as you might imagine. It had a tube axle.

[JayChicago]

Originally Posted by ford38v8

Seth, The only “pros” in the hobby are those who sell products or services to old car enthusiasts. There would be no V8 Club Concourse without volunteers, of whom only a select few could claim expertise in all things Ford. They do their best, and get bashed for not knowing everything.

Well said, Alan

[deuce_roadster]

Having been a judge more times than I have had one of my cars judged, I never argue or complain about any deduction. I know all are volunteers and of the times I have judged, only 1 owner was ever really obnoxious about something. He seemed to think that because he spent a lot of money on his car (a 32) it was correct. You could see in the gap at the bottom of the spare tire cover that the tire itself was WELL used had very little tread I. pointed this out to the Deputy Judge, and he made a very small deduction. When the irate owner was yelling at the Deputy Judge, The Deputy calmly asked the owner "Do you think this car came off the assembly line with a nearly worn-out spare?" I had to move to the next car so the owner couldn't see my smile. Last judging sheet I saw said that all 5 tires needed to match.

[Kube]

Originally Posted by deuce_roadster

Having been a judge more times than I have had one of my cars judged, I never argue or complain about any deduction. I know all are volunteers and of the times I have judged, only 1 owner was ever really obnoxious about something. He seemed to think that because he spent a lot of money on his car (a 32) it was correct. You could see in the gap at the bottom of the spare tire cover that the tire itself was WELL used had very little tread I. pointed this out to the Deputy Judge, and he made a very small deduction. When the irate owner was yelling at the Deputy Judge, The Deputy calmly asked the owner "Do you think this car came off the assembly line with a nearly worn-out spare?" I had to move to the next car so the owner couldn't see my smile. Last judging sheet I saw said that all 5 tires needed to match.

Your example of the '32 owner with the worn tire hit too close to home I'm afraid.
I must ask, "how does an owner feel worthy of an award when he knows full well that he'd circumvented (cheated) the system"?

I've been the deputy in the '39 / '40 class a number of times. Like you, I have experienced the guys that think because they spent a ton of money, they should score highly.
On the opposite side of the proverbial coin, there have been those that have truly wanted to learn and do better the next time the car was to be shown. Those guys make my task very enjoyable. They tend to be more of the "hands on" owners.
The last Auburn meet was my worst experience to date. Two guys were total ahol--. Sorry, but they were...
One car, a wagon, was perhaps (on a good day) a 750 point car. The owner thought the car was "perfect" and stormed out after the judging. The other, the owner of a business coupe, a VERY nice business coupe, was VERY upset as my team caught a number of things that were not caught on his prior concourse.
All of my attempts to explain to him that "it's nice to have different folks addressing the car to help you achieve the best restoration" fell on deaf ears.
He figured if the first group missed something, it should be overlooked going forward. Yes, he said that.
I believe (sadly) that the attitude of "everyone wins" regardless of worthiness has permeated the concourse.
I miss the days when most guys earned (wanted to earn) their award.

By the way, I always take my time explaining, in detail, any and all deductions to the owner. I figure we are all there to learn and to strive for "better". I take it upon myself to make that task easier moving forward.