Technical Model A Coupe Rear Window/Roof Panel

This may be a dumb question, but does anyone know a source or know a good way of fabricating the rear window/roof panel for a '30/'31 Model A coupe? I've looked and so far have found that it's not a reproduced part. It also seems to be a pretty rare find as a used part. I have the same question regarding the rear quarter window section on the quarter panels for the same car. I have an opportunity to buy a disassembled coupe body but the rear window panel is basically half gone and the quarter window section of the right quarter where the two panels meet is also very rusted. Apparently the parts were laying in the dirt or were in a leaky part of the barn. The other quarter, the cowl, and the left door appear pretty workable.

 

You may just have to find those pieces used. They are not that hard to come by if you are patient. There are a few model A guys on the HAMB and someone no doubt will have what you are looking for.

 

You and me both...
r

 

I agree. Shouldn't be to hard to find. Those pieces are in nice shape on my yard art.........

 

So I guess maybe the next move is to post a "WTB" listing in the parts section or pass on the coupe parts.

 

Your yard art might be a better starting point than what I'm looking at but reasonable cost Model A bodies are hard to come by in central Florida.

 

Post some pics of the current piece. My coupe build was in pretty bad shape when I started back in November but you'd be surprised what you can do with a hammer and dolly and patience. You may be able to repair and patch yours. Mine was in a fire and then rusted afterwords. The panel you are needing replaced was completely torn and peeled back in mine. I repaired mine and think it looks pretty darn good.
But, post a pic so we can see what ya got


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Some sellers may call the panel the rear window is stamped into a Tulip or Daisey panel as the "mature ladies" of the day would put flowers in the package tray...
The rear of a coupe is pretty much flat... sedans have more of a bow, left to right...
careful buying someone's home made panel... they may have made it from a sedan...
i think sny's sells a repair strip for the trailing couple inches, the edge that meets the trunk... note the trailing 1.25" on the red panel...[home made edge]
if you find a cheap one it may need help... i think they are going for about $300 if you do find one...

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or maybe find a "too rough for most guys" carcass ...

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$50 .... called her twisted sister, she sat on a farmington riverbank for 60 years before my rescue... the cars were there to stop the river bank from colapsing... i kept the rear window garnish for my coupe...

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To piggyback sloppy jalopies comment, you can pretty much plan on reworking any panel you buy. I don't what they say! My build thread shows even the smaller panels require manipulation.
I imagine the larger ones are even more in need of "encouragement" to fit.


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Thanks for the pics. The parts I'm going to look at are not quite as rough as the one you drug up from the riverbank, but the one you found has a better rear window panel. I'm going to look tomorrow and see if I can make a deal. If it works out, I'll post some pics. I'm pretty sure some here have built cars from worse.

 

This is a timely thread for me...I've got to round up a good "tulip panel" for my '31 coupe project....good info on the difference between coupe and sedan difference..
Might have saved me some time and $$$'s

 

K C Clem you might be in luck. I'm in Middleburg Fl and pretty sure I have one in my shed. Think I have the package shelf as well.


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I have one off of a "too rough" coupe rear half I rescued. has the corners and back window opening still. Def. needs work but I'd let it go for a reasonable cost if you want to have it shipped and someone local doesn't come through.

 

KC...
I set my coupe up with an UP or HALFWAY DOWN [5" slot] rear window.. had to extend the wood on either side to support the 5" longer window felts [ [1] hockey stick shaft did both sides]... this let me move the package tray down 5" with it, that lets the seats slide back a little further... don't poo hoo the tray as if it fits is very handy...
The tray has the shape of the cabin built in, big help if you are making a bulkhead to help keep fuel and exhaust fumes out...

 

Very cool. A little ventilation would be good. I'm taking off now to go check out those parts. Hopefully there's enough there to make it worth buying.

 

What year is the Coupe you're working on? '28 -'29, or '30 -'31? If my memory is correct, the tops are a little different.

I once had a '29 'Leatherback' Coupe that I wanted to graft in the metal pieces from a regular coupe around the quarter & rear windows, and from what I remember the top corners and rear window area on the earlier coupe are separate from the quarter and sail panels. But, I think they're one piece on the later cars...top corners connected to the quarters, and the rear window connected to the sail panel above the truck lid.

I couldn't find the pieces anywhere, until I sold the car of course.

 

On bodies i've had the '28-'29 coupes had a separate roof panel over the door, and quarter window panels,
much like the '28-'29 tudor, the '30-'31 tudor, or the '30 pick up... but be careful as all 4 are different... [rain gutter detent location] . and a small triangle in front on the '30-'31 tudors...'31 trucks had solid roof...
1930-'31 coupes used a 1 piece overdoor / quarter window set up...
'30-'31s had sort of a ripple as the roof runs over the wood, both covered with canvas...
all the others had about a 3/4" dip 90* lip that the top wood sat in...

 

If you find a center panel and the area around the window is rotted, a sedan rear WINDOW will fit to patch it. (picture) Some patch panels to fix the bottom ( above the decklid) are made too- even the corners for the rumble lid bumpers. As someone else said, original's hard to find and not cheap ( but it's only money!)

This car was built with ALL View attachment 3513422 pretty crappy pieces ( and a sedan rear window)

 

I went and looked at those parts last night. They were pretty rough. There was a cowl, a drivers door, a right side quarter in fair condition, a rough left quarter with an unsalvagable rear roof panel attached, and a grill shell in fair condition. After we talked awhile, I could have taken it all home for $400 but I ended up passing. After seeing what you guys have done with some pretty rough pieces, I'm wondering if I should reconsider or just keep saving my money and find a more complete start.

 

That's sucks it didn't work out. Bodies Are not cheap around here. Seems about 4K for an abandon project is the going rate.


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KC, I'd reconsider. Here is how mine started and where it's at now

Take your time and you can do anything.


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In the first pic you can see the panel you are referring to. Mine was completely torn on both sides along the seam and driving down the guest it looked like a parachute. The only "new" items in the second pic are the doors. Everything else (panel-wise) and body is original. I'd be done with the darn thing by now but I get tied up with my sons sports on the weekends and evenings a lot.
I started this mess back in November.


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KC you have any pictures? Heck, at that price I might be interested.


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BUY IT... some guys won't sell parts they will only trade !
sounds like there are some tradeable parts in there...
paid $700, but sold the '29 door that came with it for $100... '30 truck cowl and subfloor, '30 coupe body, so i paid $600 for what you see...


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Same body, your time and money can make it a hot rod !

x

 

I paid $1200 for mine!!!
I still wanna see pics of the bad panel.


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Maybe we should start a "Rusty Rhonda" topic for the bodies and panels we can read through...?
... DONE...

 

I don't know if its inspiration or false confidence, maybe a little of both. After seeing some of the stuff you guys have built from, I reconsidered and will be picking up the parts tomorrow. I'll take some pics and figure out how to post them and then you all can decide if it's a waste of time or a decent score. Worst case, I'll spend $400 and maybe learn something.

 

You made a good decision.


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it's got to be worth $400.... as already said , it's good trading material