Question About 29 'Special' Coupe

Greetings, all. I've taken the last couple of months' ownership of this 29 Model A to get my paperwork in order (out of state titles are always entertaining...), and begin gathering parts for my build. I've built this car in my mind more times than I can count!!

I had a question about the top on the 'Special' coupe. It's the top that goes beyond the simple insert, and attaches at the roof edges and down to the trunk area. For starters, someone replaced the original with a crappy replacement - it's bunched badly at the top corners, so it's got to go. My question is whether I can simply remove the crap fabric top and just use an insert top, as on a 'Standard' coupe? I trust there is no difference in the sheetmetal under there, just the fabric going out to the edges, correct?

If anyone has a picture of what it might look like under there, I would sure appreciate it.

Thanks!!

 

The top on your special coupe is much different then a standard coupe. The special coupe top has wood around the edge of the back window and the top material goes around it. The standard coupe rear window area is all metal. The quarter window corner pieces also are nailed to the wood structure. The standard coupe top is bolted to the lower quarter panels and the special coupe pieces are nailed with a trim piece over the joint. The standard coupe top and special coupe tops both fit on the same quarter panels.
Red

 

That bottom trim piece that wraps around the bottom is a hard to get item and fairly costly, be careful removing it. i've always liked the look of the "Special Coupe". Bob

 

Thank you, Red! Would there be a good place to go to find pictures of what it looks like under there? I think I get what you said, which I think sucks if I still plan to put a standard insert on it How hard do you think it would be to convert it over?

Thanks!!

 

This pic might help. Not my coupe, but a freind sent it to me for reference for working on Dad's Special Coupe. Also on Bob Johnson's website there are a bunch of pic's. Will look for the link later on if someone does not beat me to it. Rod

 

Bob, I was mentally deciding that would be a part made of 'unobtanium' if I honked it up taking it off, so thanks for confirming my suspicions!

 

If that is all original stuff posting a question on The Ford Barn would get you "As Built" info. There is a good crossover of HAMB people over there but the purist may hold back on info.

 

Ok here goes Yell at me first , for my first post w/out an intro.

I'm doing a 29 special now I'll post some pic's a bit later.
Save that belt line trim!! there is nothing under it but a gap between upper and lower body parts = nail line.
Mine had no metal between the upper body corners or below the roof curve =all wood widow section.

Yell away while I figure how to post Pic's


Den

 

No yelling here, friend. If you can post up some pics I'll be very grateful

 

I have a '29 Special Coupe also. I have attached some pictures of the rear window wood structure. These pictures came from builds on this site. Try the search function for "Special Coupe" and you will find a lot of info.

Good luck with your project.

Charlie

 

This is how a stock one looks hope this helps

 

I just did the search - TONS of info. Thank you!!!
It may change what I do with the top, and I'm not sure how I feel about it, but at least I have the info!

 

I guess when I hit the top area at the back with my knuckles I was hitting wood, not metal

 

Just beware of the evil within



http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=32100&pictureid=367100


I'll probably get my nutz busted by a bunch of guys but did away with the " Special " and made it my way.

 

Good ones bring around $250.00 if you can find them. I think they are a two piece deal, outer piece clips on over the tacked on inner piece.

 

I really dig the look of the Special Coupe.

 

68 Camaro 427,
By now you have seen some pictures of the special coupe wood structure. I bought a bunch of parts, including the lower quarters from a sport coupe,and a standard coupe top, etc. and made it into a standard coupe. I did it 15 years ago and don't have any digital pictures, sorry. If you can find a standard coupe top, it will bolt on the lower quarters. I saw one here in Michigan in decent shape for $500. Also, check out the 1928-1929 Model A Special Coupe club here on the hamb.
Red

 

If I had known what I know now, I would have kept mine a special coupe. Here's one done up as a hot rod.

Logan's Special Coupe

 

The thread on Logan's Special Coupe for reference.

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=313751

 

Alright, I've looked at these pics again. Do all special coupes have all wood in the corners instead of metal? I took a speaker magnet to the corners and it looks like there's metal under there. There also appears to be metal up by where the standard insert would begin. The top material has been replaced previously (not very well, I might add), and with the metal that I think I've found in places under the material, could it be that a previous owner installed a special coupe top over a standard coupe body, or am I just dreaming???

Is there any way to decode a VIN or body stamping to tell what this body was originally?

 

That is smokin!! Great looking ride! My wife saw that and said she would drive that car. I don't quite know if that's good or bad

 

I like the Special coupe, I have a 29 I restored 25 years ago and built a flathead powered 28 about 15 years ago, it is my avatar, sold it several years ago and am now building a flathead powered 30 sport coupe. The lady in the rumble seat is 94 and wanted her picture in there, then she wanted to go for a ride, took her riding around and she had a ball.

 

IF you can find a good one for $250, better snap it up real quick. I've been into 29 coupes since the 80's and have only seen a handful of usable ones for sale. If I was doing a Special coupe, I'd be prepared to cough up $400 for that strip.

 

Does anyone have a good method to determine whether or not this is an original Special Coupe, without peeling back the top? Since it's still very driveable, I'm planning to run around in it this summer and build the spare frame at the same time, then swap the body. If I could confirm what it was originally, that would help me choose the next step.

 

I'm pretty sure these parts are not original, but in case I confirm that this is originally a Special, I may be forced to re-use them. I checked another website that had production info, but nothing I could use to identify it as a Special from just VIN/body stampings.

Any other thoughts to confirm whether it's original or not?

 

Do you have any pictures of the back window area? Originally there was metal behind the material on the corners, of a special coupe and it extends around the quarter windows. Here's a finished picture of my standard coupe rear window.
Red

 

Red, here's a shot of the back glass area. The top looks like shit (funky creases, etc) and the drip rails are just awful. The brown Special in a previous post is absolutely stunning, so if I can get parts and a decent top on this that looks even halfway that good, I may stick with it.

 

It looks like your special coupe is kinda special (not all there). I bet whomever redid your top ruined the original drip rails and trim moldings, as well as did a piss-poor job of stretching the fabric. As a matter of fact, the rear window looks a little too square on the corners. Maybe they replaced the wood underneath in a poor fashion also.

 

Yeah, I'm almost afraid to peel that top off. Right now, the car's kinda like a 20 foot paint job, so, at the risk of having it look worse, I may leave the top alone for now and just drive it while I'm working on the other chassis.

 

It appears to be a special coupe, the belt rail appears to be there, and the area around the quarter windows looks like a special coupe. I agree the corners of the back window look too square, maybe the wood was replaced. When you're feeling lucky take the top off.
Red