Hey Guys. Over the last three years I have accumulated a number of rough bodies and projects. I have a complete Australian 1934 BB Ford Truck, Cut down 1928 Model A AR Tourer, A semi complete 1929 Model A Cabriolet body, Semi Complete 1930 Pickup Cab and enough panels to build up a 1929 Model A Coupe. I wanted options for what ever project I chose to build up, at the moment I flipping a coin between the Cabriolet and the Pickup. Regardless of which ever one I choose, one thing they all I have in common is the sheer amount of timber that fastened the bodies together. Most of the timber in the pickup is in the roof, the cabriolet and coupe bodies had far more timber. I have already made up a steel frame for the pickup roof, but at the same time I have been thinking about timber frames for the coupe and cabriolet tops.
The other reason I am interested in using timber in the tops is because I recently completed a carpentry course and I would like to put those skills to use. I can use the steel pickup top frame as a template to build the tops for the coupe and cabriolet but one thing I am wondering on is the difference in the overall length between the coupe and pickup.
I am also interested in any information on where I can source patterns and dimensions for making up the pieces. We don’t have anyone manufacturing wood kits in Australia and for the cost of importing one from The States, I could buy all the timber, tools and finishes for far less. I do have the timber from the cabriolet top, that I can use for a pattern but nothing for the quarter windows.
I found this image of a complete timber frame on a Five window coupe and as you can see it’s extensive. I can second guess some of the pieces particularly around the back window, but the width and thickness of the pieces above the doors and header panels are a complete mystery. As I posted earlier, I am more than able to undertake the task of recreating the pieces but without some dimensions, it will be a real challenge. So if anyone has any information regarding the dimensions around the header panel and above the doors, I would be grateful. I know other Hambers have posted similar questions in the past, so I am hoping any feedback I get back from this post may assist them as well.
This is not directed at the OP but, similar dimensions/plans questions come up a lot. Fact is, there is no magic drawer anywhere full of plans and dimensions for everything. Some plans and dimensions may be around for some things. But it's not like houses or Popular Mechanics. OEMs had their own drawings for things and whatever they did with them, they weren't for the general public to pass around.
there are plans for the Oz A Tourer bodys but thats about it, you would need to buy a full kit , check its fit and then make more with an allowance for varying bodies (small but probably needed. pretty hard to add wood thickness, seems to be in the top wood over the door where problems are????). If you find old wood it will have shrunk some. the second coupe looks like a sport coupe, more wood in them. There are reasons no one is doing the kits , biggest being the finished cost and the tight arses who wont pay.
im with you in the carpentry camp .started my apprentiship in 1980 when i left school.loved my job mostly .thats an interesting project,it will take time.get a good imperial tape .these wernt built in metric.and some 2H pencils.id expect you will need some 1/8 MDF for templates easy to cut accerately and finish without splintering.lable the templates you may need them again and good luck subscribed.
One thing I did during the carpentry course was get myself a router and bit set, especially for doing the quarter windows. I think I may have figured out a way to do the timber that sits inside the quarter windows and the router will be key for that. We cleaned out the workshop on the last day and I collected every piece of timber that was over a foot. It’s just pine but it will be perfect for making up some test pieces. Watch this space.
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/fixing-a-smashed-31-model-a-pickup-cab.1143362/ .a good read on the subject.ash would be a good wood to use.is it available down under.
I made my own wood for my hot rod because I wanted to. Not the best but it came out fine. I used pine for everything, reasonably priced, easy to work with and given how the car will be treated and used will be fine for the next 90 years. Check out page two of my build thread, it’s about half way down. https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/rebuild-of-my-1928-model-a-tudor.1135981/ Cliff Ramsdell
My bet is a special coupe... a coupe had the tulip and quarter panels bolt together... this car is set up for the steel panels to be nailed to the wooden cage... a sportie also has a large 45* wooden "bow" at an angle from the B pillar beltline up to the rear roof...
I happen to have complete roof and body wood kits for the '30-'31 Ford coupe resting in my garage right now. Also have a new set of quarter window wood for a '28-'29 coupe (shown in your second pic) right next to them. The quarter window wood is different between the 30-31 and the 28-29. Anyway I can send a few pictures and measurements along if you like and would be willing to donate the extra 28-29 quarter window wood and or some other Ford wood leftovers to the cause if you want to pay the shipping. Your call.
I am I am definitely interested in photos and measurements of the 30/31 Coupe kit, other than the quarter windows, I would be interested in seeing the difference in the dimensions between the 29 coupes and the 30/31 coupes.
An excellent wood choice and Henry used alot of it through his wood years. Here in the States the Ash tree has succumbed to the Asian Emerald Ash Beetle. The trees of the northeast have been devastated and the wood declared as Unusable for economic purposes. Furniture factories have been hit extremely hard in these commercial timber areas and even Major League Baseball will suffer as their official bats are made from Ash. I have several on my property and they have been delegated to fire wood status but may squirrel some away to see if when dried they are viable but most standing trees are breaking off half way up. If you do indeed have Ash in Australia conserve and protect it. As with the North American Chestnut, when it is gone it is gone.
"Ash" in Australia is not the same. Mountain or giant ash here is in fact yet another breed of eucalyptus.
I commend you guys. The fact that wood doesnt bend when I hit it with a hammer has been a long source of frustration for me.
If that is anything like other eucalyptus, it is the opposite of ash in terms of the qualities ash is used for, i.e. dimensional stability and warp resistance. The eucalyptus I know is beautifully strong but it warps like you wouldn't believe.
There was an old guy in PA. that was making Model A wood frame stuff out of white oak. That was many years ago and he would be dead and gone by now. He mowed grass for the park service all summer and stayed in his work shop all winter. I saw some of his work and that level of craftsmanship is hard to find.
Ned, there are a LOT of eucalypt varieties and their properties are not all the same. I have used this specific timber myself and it is stable.
All we've got here is blue gum, originally from your part of the world, often used as windbreaks on farms, local bees love it. Very strong considering its rapid growth but, as I say, inclined to warp; though the desks used by government bureaucracies used to be made of it.
The old copies of " Model A Restorer" is a great source......I'll see if I can find which copy in my stash.
IMO... Get a quarter garnish from both '28 + '30, compare them, they will show the q/w wood's differences... '30-'31s has L + R, but '28-'29s were ambidextrious … bodies are the same length, '28-'29 doors are 1.75" longer, so the quarters must be shorter... compare the tulip panel's front to rear measurements… will help show the quarter roof's length difference... the angle of the doors and that they are longer means the quarters may start at a wider width... I put mustang buckets in my '28 coupe 35 years ago, but 2 years ago mustang buckets wouldn't fit in my '30 coupe... I assume the '28-'29 body may be wider... also '30-'31 coupes F-B roof style is much different than[ '28-'29 tudor/coupe and the '30-'31 truck/tudor ] rooves... the '30 coupe tin sits almost flat onto the door header... the others have the F-B wood set into an angled offset in the roof's skin... $0.02.
Here are a few pictures of the wood kit ('30-'31 Coupe) I'm working with. It came from Bert's Model A Center. I get all my Model A parts from them. modelastore.com Anyway if you'd like some specific dimensions on a couple of them I'll do what I can. Cheers.
Two weeks ago, as I was taking stuff to the platers, I stopped at Claresholm Auto Body where there was a 1950 Chrysler Town & Country two door hardtop with a for sale sign on it. This is a steel bodied car with real wood trim on the outside of the body but the wood would need major work. This is similar to the picture I scanned. This would make an awesome car but the woodwork would be intimidating as I'm sure that there would be no one making replacement wood for it. I'd like to see this one saved.
nice car ,the big difference here is the woodwork is on the outside,visible.this ones for experienced pair of hands
Thanks for that I am interested in the spacing of cross bows along the roof and the rise of the cross bows. I will send you through a couple is simple diagrams when I get a chance.
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