Projects Assembling Brookville Roadster/ 40s style Build Thread

Hi

I’ve recently purchased an un-assembled brookville 28-29 body, and am about to start assembly. I have a good straight chassis and plan to build it off that starting with the sub frame, I’m struggling to find any information in regards to doing this and most of the posts previously posted about doing this pretty much all have the photos disabled,

If Anyone out there has photos they took whilst doing there’s or can give me any direction to take in doing so that would be great.

Thanks in Advance,
Nick


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I have done this with a 32. I have a bunch of pics but not near them

Start with the sub rails and cowl
Hang the doors and start working on the qtrs.
I used a laser to center the parts with the frame. Plumb bobs work too
I aligned and temporarily brased with tubing as it was fitted.
It's not as difficult as ya might think. The cool part about building it like this is you have control of all the fitment.

 

Thanks Anthony, I'm lucky i've got a few good friends that are willing to help and know what there doing more so than i do. But im keen to give it a good go myself, If possible would you post pictures of your progress when you are near them?

Cheers,
Nick.

 

Assemble the floor and sub rails first. Use lots of sheet metal screws and or clekos
Starting with a clean original frame is a good head start
With the 32 we started at the cowl mounting holes then worked towards the rear.
The fun part is the deck lid. You get to drill all the mounting holes

 

The best I can do for you is to bump this great thread to the top.

 

I assembled several 32 Brookville bodies and after the first one things went smoothly, just take your time and use both your tape measure and your eye.

 

sorry, I only have pics of assembling a 3w
hers is some HAMB help .....maybe
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/11-day-brookville-roadster-build-1930-31.1020077/


https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...t-thanks-to-brookville-dial-up-beware.268195/

 

Talked w/a B'ville fellow some time back. He said position the cowl, and as mentioned, build back from there. (Curious as to gap specs for rumble, vs. trunk)

 

Looks like the subframe didn't come assembled?

 

Search the HAMB for "Flop" he has assembled a few of them, I think he posted pictures.

 

buddy bought a brookville body, he spoke with a worker there the guy sent him a list of tips...
buddy says the bodies don't fall together... bet flop could give you the low down on what to watch out for...

 

I would think you could borrow an original gas tank, and use it as a jig for the cowl/dash rail area.

 

Yep, we have 3 original tanks an none worth a darn, rusted bent , one some dummy even cut with a hack saw 15 or so cuts right through the front flange into the tank???? Then mashed the lip to suit something crazy. This ones not rusty just boogered and half a mile from fitting the cowl. One someone spent a few days tack welding in numerous patches the smearing filler over the major gaps in the patches .Have a roadster cowl all complete but thats pretty rusty also.
Still seeking a decent one any leads appreciated.

 

Good luck ! Cowl is a giant pain in the ass if you don’t have an original to measure from as the A pillar tapers to the cowl panel .


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I'd be sure to have the wood body mount blocks if you plan to build off the chassis once you have the subrails all attached. Bob

 

i'm a '30-'31 guy, but buddies have the '29 tank tops,
then I see you live own under... sorry for the tease.

 

^^^^
I was thinking this too.
Wonder if you could use some cleco fasteners in some of the joints?
If you have a good gas tank firewall section, and aren't going to run the stock tank, drill out the spot welds and use the stock tank firewall......the repro ones just don't look right.
By the way.....your chassis looks killer!

 

My '30 Roadster is made up from pieces of about 9 different bodies. I made up a table to align all the original subrail pieces, you may want to do the same. The rear quarters may be easier to align on a 4x8 sheet of MDF than in mid air off the chassis. Bob

 

ditto on the plywood 37 kid,
but I had them cut the 4'x8' in half so I can handle [lift] it...
I then cut one off at the cowl's length, then with the firewall centered and flush with the leading edge I cut the plywood about 1" from it's outer edges..
it all lays flat on the table [made from a collapsed canvas garage],
when I need to get inside the subfloor I remove the middle section and climb in...
the table is great to assemble the lower body at shoulder level sitting in my chair with wheels...
when I built the table I used sections of the collapsed shed that slide into each other so by lifting it I can remove the legs, lowers the table by about 12" as I work my way up the body ...
I welded the 90*'s from the shed underneath as skids so I can drag the table around in and outside the garage... handy, built 2, lets me store a body while starting another...HIH...

 

Christmas was never as much fun. I would think past mechanical excellence common sense would fill in more cracks than you might think. From a view of the pieces, depending on your disposition you are going to have a lot of fun, wear out some gloves (tin is tin & tin does bite); or, you have a mountain to master as unforgiving as K2. May the wind be at your back, and the sun over your shoulder --- on that one. I have always thought the '28-'29 roadster on Deuce rails was the Cat's Pajamas. No idea where you are going with this one, but it will turn out fine if you have enough beer.

 

I just scrolled back and see the original lol frame. Belay the Deuce rails jingo. In which case I have always thought the commercial, unpainted, grill shell on a roadster was a trick lick. Forgive my foot in the mouth morning. 'Ave not had the second one just yet.

 

Are you 'Z-ing' the frame? If so you will probably have to cut up the sub rails.
When I put mine together I measured a million times before I attached anything. Check out "something from nothing 29 roadster build"- pics still come up for me

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You are going to be coating the insides and mating surfaces with something, right? Please mention with what, I can't find anything on that...when I did my '32, I painted all the 'under and betweens' with nitrocellulose, but it's 'Calif-unattainable' these days...

 

Is it cheaper to buy the roadster in pieces?

 

I am really surprised that for that kind of money it doesn't come with an assembly manual and dvd. Good luck.

 

Thanks everyone for all the responses and suggestions, Wheeldog57 your build thread helped a great deal. I got to the 5th page ran out to the shed and come up with this... will have to modify my subframe for the step in the rear. I feel like maybe that first initial bit was the hardest.
My thoughts from here have been to just screw the subframe together & go from there, Thoughts?


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Cleaned and scuffed every panel individually with mentholated spirits then thinners & used an etch primer in & out, stuff leaving it bare metal


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I was lucky to have an original pile of subrail parts the front was cut just behind the door, and the rear was about 2 feet long. I traced the outline of the rails on the table top and was able to get an exact outline of what I needed. Hope someone can trace an original 28-29 for you so you have a foundation to build from. Build it factory stock before you modify things. Bob

 

Don’t put the floor pans in until last . Way easier to build with them out . I think I’ve built about 10 brookville cars .


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