Projects Just picked up a 27 Roadster Body

I think the parts collecting process of a build may be my favorite part! Towards the end of the build of the 29 RPU in my avatar, I had started to contemplate my next build. I wanted to do a lakester/modified project with a Flathead, banjo rear, torque tube, etc. I had a fiberglass 27 tub set aside for the project, and was plenty excited, but always kept my eyes peeled for a steel body.

So I came across a steel 1927 Ford Roadster body on Craigslist not too far from me. It didn’t have the turtle deck, but I wasn’t going to run one anyway. The glass body had always been a bit of a compromise for me, so I put that body up for sale and started negotiating with the guy selling the steel body. As luck would have it, I sold the glass body pretty quick, and worked out a deal on the steel body for a few bucks more. Quick trip across the state on my homemade roof rack and the steel body was in my garage in the same spot the glass body had been.


It certainly needs a good amount of work, including a firewall, subrails, and general stiffening/support, but I couldn’t be happier with the new centerpiece of this next build. The doors look real good and open and close fine (although the whole body is a bit flimsy).

This is uncharted territory for me, however, as my last project was a Brookville body and I got spoiled by that I think . Although parts of this body look rough, I think if I build a new subrail structure, and tie in some supports to stiffen the body up, I could conquer this task without extreme difficulty. Of course, I will rely on the invaluable help and feedback that the HAMB is legendary for. So take a look at the pictures and let me know what you think. All comments welcome. Even those blasting me for getting in over my head!

 

That's a whole lot nicer than the 27 body I have sitting out here waiting to be a project.

 

Check out IRONTRAP GARAGE on you tube. You’ll like it.

 

You are very right. I’ve been a longtime subscriber to Matt’s YouTube channel. I will definitely be stealing some of his ideas on his Free T project. Too bad I don’t have his skills though.

 

Thanks guys for the love! I didn't have skills either, just watched videos and learned by doing! Good luck with the project man, loving all of these lakes-style T's lately!

-Matt/ITG

 

Seems like they're popular enough that someone would start making complete steel bodies. I know I could sure use some fresh metal for some of mine. Decklids for sure.

 

I got to work a little on the body last night. It’s amazing how little there is to these bodies once you start disassembling them. Pieces like this are key as they tie the various panels together in multiple planes. Mine seem to be in decent shape.

I’m feeling a little less intimidated by the prospect of restoring this thing. We shall see...

 

I started my Modified project with a 21 TT chassis that I boxed pinched and Zeed. I had a similar fibreglass 27 bucket that I was going to use but then decided I wanted an original steel body. I bought a 27 cowl with the bottom 6” eaten away, a pair of 26 doors and a 1919 rear panel. A very talented body man stitched all these together for me with sail panels to suit my leg length, a 32 style dash and a very solid floor and subrail structure. He made it all look like it had been cut from a phaeton.




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Hope mine ends up half as nice!

 

I would be embarrassed to tell you how long it has taken me to get to this point.


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Here’s the 32 style dash. I think it looks good in a 27.


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That's about like mine when I started on it. Better in some ways worse in others. I had a firewall but my doors were welded shut. I never could make them work really good. My turtle deck was welded on and leaded in there was no way to get it off without completely destroying it. I managed to make it look work to my own surprise. Rust is a lot different than Brookville steel but you can do it. Ill be following along on this.

 

Got the driver’s door sill plate off. Hopefully it’s savable as I don’t know that anyone is reproducing these. Edit: looks like Macs has some...
https://www.macsautoparts.com/ford_...-script-18-1-2-long-roadster-and-touring.html


Pretty rough underneath but I will be making a whole new frame for this thing anyway.

 

Somebody makes them I've seen them but forgot where. I hate to say it but check Macks.

 

Huge upgrade on the body, looking forward to seeing more.

 

S

Steel or glass dash ? for a 28/29 dash ?
TKS

 

Looks pretty darn straight and solid!
Cool, man. You're gonna do a great with it.
I'm jealous. I want one.

 

Homemade in steel for my 27

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Looks like a great start. I really like the 26/27’s with the turtledeck best but looking forward to seeing how you build yours. Like you I squirreled away a fiberglass bucket (and TD) but mine is the 23-25 model. If I find the right steel parts, I’ll move the plastic ones on down the road.

 

Finally got the rest of the body apart. It now takes up much less space in my garage



There is definitely a lot of bondo in the lower portions of most of these panels, so I'll be patching in some replacement panels in the near future.



All the parts that fasten to the subrails look reasonably decent, so I should be able to reconstruct a fairly sturdy body once I fabricate some new rails.



I also scored a pretty decent firewall off eBay.



I think the plan is to give all these panels a nice long bath in some citric acid followed by a neutralizing bath in some sodium carbonate. Hopefully that will let me really see what I'm working with. Anyone know if citric acid will eat away the bondo? I sure hope so but I'm not sure it will...

 

Easiest way to eat paint and Bondo that ivI' found is either a heat gun or to soak it in a lye bath. I.e. Drano crystals.

 

I may give the heat gun a try. Don’t want to warp things to badly but if I’m careful maybe that will be doable. Thanks.

 

T's are a sickness. Honestly, I never really payed much attention to them until I built mine. Now they are all that interest me!

 

I've always liked 26-27 T's, ever since my first one back in 1967. I like the fact that you took it all apart, and will have nice clean metal to start the build with. There are a lot of minor details that changed over the two years Ford made those bodies. What you have may be an early '26, side curtain holes on the top of the doors look smooth without the raised ring later doors had. Get yourself a LANG'S catalog, best T parts source out there (and a HAMB member). https://www.modeltford.com/model-t-parts/body/page-10.aspx See what is out there before you start making things from scratch. Good luck with the build! Bob

 

I absolutely LOVE this car


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Here are a few pics of mine and what I started with. Gary

 

Wow. Some great inspiration there. Thanks for posting.

 

@The37Kid, thanks for the link. Going to check that place out for sure.

 

Cool project! Can't wait to see how you do it.

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