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Projects When building the early Fords & GM's are you keeping the wood or replacing it with steel?

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by HOTRODPRIMER, Oct 7, 2019.

  1. The complete top was removed begore it came to use, it was going to be a dirt track car.

    We fabricated all the structure for installing a solid top.

    [​IMG]
     
  2. 3W JOHN
    Joined: Oct 8, 2015
    Posts: 1,156

    3W JOHN
    Member

    If I build another Ford in the future and they offer a wood kit I will probably buy it, it takes me a lot more time to fab up parts and I am no spring chicken, I don't want to waste time on something I don't have to.
     
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  3. Mike Rouse
    Joined: Aug 12, 2004
    Posts: 374

    Mike Rouse
    Member

    I took the wood out. I replaced it with steel. Here are two pictures of my 1933 Chevy 5 window coupe.
    The top will be fitted with aluminum
     

    Attached Files:

  4. 3W JOHN
    Joined: Oct 8, 2015
    Posts: 1,156

    3W JOHN
    Member

    That's the way it should have been done with the Chevy's, Henry used a lot of wood but by 1933 there was much more steel in the Fords.
     
  5. midroad
    Joined: Mar 8, 2013
    Posts: 296

    midroad
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    I kept the wood in this. Copy of DSCF3705.jpg
     
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  6. Atwater Mike
    Joined: May 31, 2002
    Posts: 11,625

    Atwater Mike
    Member

     
  7. This thread has got me thinking. I’m not good at metal work. I’m also not great and wood working but when I last took a break from my project I did some refurbishment of some really rough gun stocks. I think they did turn out well. I do enjoy that much more than the pie cutting and welding tubing I was doing. The bracing would always warp before I was done. If I can find an affordable source for hardwood, that’s probably what I’ll use. Just epoxy the joints together and hang the panels off it. What wood is mostly used?
     
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  8. Over on the Ford barn I have heard red oak,white oak, maple,Douglas fir,popular and ash, I don't have a clue as to what was originally used. HRP
     
  9. goldmountain
    Joined: Jun 12, 2016
    Posts: 4,442

    goldmountain

    Used the wood kits in my T coupe but since I chopped the top, the wood needed to be tweaked also. When I eventually get to my Austin Ruby, I will probably go with steel unless I can find a reasonable source from the UK.

    Sent from my SM-T350 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
     
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  10. 31 B'ville
    Joined: Feb 7, 2009
    Posts: 376

    31 B'ville
    Member
    from SE Pa
    1. All Things Pontiac

    The wood kit I got for my ‘31 Pontiac was made from white oak and ash, same as GM used originally. I’m told that they are the least likely to warp and twist.
     
  11. 31 B'ville
    Joined: Feb 7, 2009
    Posts: 376

    31 B'ville
    Member
    from SE Pa
    1. All Things Pontiac

    Pics of my ‘31 Pontiac. Wood kit from Jim Rodman.
     

    Attached Files:

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  12. Wow, that is some absolutely beautiful work by you and Jim. HRP

    [​IMG]
     
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  13. tubman
    Joined: May 16, 2007
    Posts: 6,916

    tubman
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    A little O/T here, but I am building a "T" Tub with a fiberglass body. The majority part of the body frame is steel. However, the four uprights on each side are white oak, since I plan on bonding them to the fiberglass body. We'll see how this works out.
     
    Last edited: Oct 13, 2019
  14. 31 B'ville
    Joined: Feb 7, 2009
    Posts: 376

    31 B'ville
    Member
    from SE Pa
    1. All Things Pontiac

    Jim made all of the wood. I coated each piece with System 3 clear epoxy to eliminate expansion and contraction due to changes of humidity levels in the wood. End grain especially wicks moisture like a sponge. I then assembled the wood structure and nailed the sheet metal to it.
     
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  15. fastcar1953
    Joined: Oct 23, 2009
    Posts: 3,567

    fastcar1953
    Member

    Looks like you could make a woody coupe. lol Nice work
     
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  16. 3W JOHN
    Joined: Oct 8, 2015
    Posts: 1,156

    3W JOHN
    Member

    It's almost a shame to hide that woodworking craftsmanship.
     
  17. Dave Mc
    Joined: Mar 8, 2011
    Posts: 2,576

    Dave Mc
    Member

    our pic`s 016.jpg our pic`s 017.jpg JelliPups5179 020.jpg For the Roof opening on my 33 C400, I first used 5/8" square steel tube welded to the perimeter, then Formed . 1 & 1/4" Sq. steel Tube where the Original wood above the Doors used to be . then cut the top out of the 5/8" tubing for the weatherstrip to fit down into .
     
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  18. I was blown awat the first time I saw this car, it still is a impressive build. HRP
     
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  19. 3W JOHN
    Joined: Oct 8, 2015
    Posts: 1,156

    3W JOHN
    Member

    [​IMG]

    I have never seen one of these, is it a one off?
     
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  20. Sometimes you just gotta show it off. HRP

    [​IMG]
     
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  21. ladyhrp
    Joined: Mar 16, 2007
    Posts: 230

    ladyhrp
    Member

    I miss that car. :(
     
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  22. chopped
    Joined: Dec 9, 2004
    Posts: 2,139

    chopped
    Member

    Did two 36 Chevy's. Replaced some of the wood, not a big deal. However my wife and I once built a 1500 sq. ft. house by ourselves.
     
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  23. nunattax
    Joined: Jan 10, 2011
    Posts: 3,052

    nunattax
    Member
    from IRELAND

    id go for ash
     
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  24. nunattax
    Joined: Jan 10, 2011
    Posts: 3,052

    nunattax
    Member
    from IRELAND

    would not like the battery in the footwell HRP.WHAT ABOUT HERSELF
     
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  25. Johnboy34
    Joined: Jul 12, 2011
    Posts: 1,588

    Johnboy34
    Member
    from Seattle,Wa

    1 off, as Dave built it out of a old 4 door.
    Sent from my SM-G900V using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
     
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  26. 34Larry
    Joined: Apr 25, 2011
    Posts: 1,701

    34Larry
    Member

    Great question. As I went through mine in the years of rebuilding, I did wonder what others out there were doing. My ford being an hot rod car built in the mid 50's from stock still had the wood and it was in excellent shape. Truthfully in my ignorance I never knew cars had so much wood in them back then.
    Since I live strongly by the rule, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it", all that original wood is still living where it was put by Henry's boys. I spent half my life as a steel (sheet metal and shapes) fabricator, never working with wood, so I was and am able to replace and wood that was needed, but it was all in excellent shape since the car had been first built into show/go 34 in the mid 50's and had mostly been a show piece for over half its life, spending only about 20 years as everyday transportation.
    I took the body off the frame when I retired in 2003, the first time it had been off the frame, again since Henry's boys mated them together and found just a small amount of rust in the rear sheet metal right under the trunk handle.
     
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  27. When I traded my Red '32 Sedan for the hiboy the first thing I was going to do is move the battery, but repositioning the front seat so I could drive the car and then I had to rework the brake pedal and I started driving the car, after a while it didn't bother ether one of us.

    It was easy to get to and out of the way so it stayed there, I don't know if Jim has re positioned the battery since we traded but that was a darn nice and well built car. HRP
     
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  28. Dave Mc
    Joined: Mar 8, 2011
    Posts: 2,576

    Dave Mc
    Member

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  29. 3W JOHN
    Joined: Oct 8, 2015
    Posts: 1,156

    3W JOHN
    Member

    HOTRODPRIMER likes this.
  30. Dave Mc
    Joined: Mar 8, 2011
    Posts: 2,576

    Dave Mc
    Member

     
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