As the title states this is what I'm hoping to be able to accomplish by the end of this thread. I'm currently building a 27 model T sedan and its in the plans to use a stock wood roof and materials in short. However I priced one out and it looks to be a good chunk of change, so here in lies my motivation. Luckily my grandfather is a pretty well rounded woodworker so with his help I think it might be possible. The only thing lacking are plans and dimensions if they exist. But before I go down this road I would like to know how many people have attempted this or something like this themselves. I've searched the hamb and web and can't find anything about building your own from a pre-assembled kit. Post what you can, anything would be helpful especially pictures of stock wood tops on T-sedans or even any early ford just to see how Henry engineered these. Also drawings, dimensions or patterns for a stock top would always be welcome.
have no info on what you are asking for, typical. but, not too long ago saw a mid 60's Chevy pick up with cardboard front fenders and hood painted black (never know not steel) at a gas station - Yikes! there likely is a Model T site with much of info you need.
Wood kits for that are under 500 bucks By the time you buy wood and spend several days …. what will you have saved?
Its not entirely a question of what will I have saved, but more of a question of what will I have learned, with the potential of doing it for less cost. I have been doing a lot of metal fabrication through working on my car and my job and would like to start to learn some of the woodworking skills of my grandfather and thought this might be a good place to start.
Now there's a plan. Let Granddad be making cradles and doll houses for the great granddaughters. Those items will be heirlooms.
I can only go by what you said. It sounds like its to much $$$ and it sounds like you have no old wood to pattern from. To me …. Id be glad someone makes the stuff.
I do appreciate the advice, don't get me wrong 296, I agree with you 100% and there is probably a reason there is no one making there own as it is probably going to be a lot more work than necessary.... regardless I am still a young dumb kid looking to learn.
How bout buying the coupe kit ($250) and adding to it... if your Pops is wood worker it wouldn't be very hard at all for him to make the rest.
Did a T coupe once; but made the structure out of 3/4" square tube with a wood tack strip around the edge. The roof can't be flat, it has to have an arch side to side and front to rear. We rolled the tube to achieve this, and eyeballed it with tape strips for smooth flow. Once framed we just covered it with chicken wire, padding, top material, and edged it with hide-em welt like any old Ford soft top. Too rounded looks just as bad as too flat. Works on Model A's too.
I did all the wood work in oak on a 34 Olds "vicky" for my dad back in '72. We used some of the woodwork from the car for patterns. The wood that was missing we guessed what the pattern would have been and went from there. All this took about 3 months time from what I can remember.
I don't see anything to stop you. The guys who built it in the first place probably didn't know as much about wood working as your grandfather and didn't have tools as good either. All closed cars had fabric tops back then. Framed in wood, covered with chicken wire, cotton padding, muslin cloth then the vinyl top like fabric. When you have the padding and muslin on, use long needles to push the cotton padding around till you get a nice smooth top. The padding is apt to be a little lumpy when you put it on. There should be enough info on the net to get you started. After all this is a very common repair on closed cars of all makes up to 1937 or so.
I think the coolest way I have ever seen this one done was in John Buttera's '27 sedan back in the seventies. He made a "headliner" piece out of 1/8" aluminum that bolted down to the top rails of the body, then went around the outside edges of that with wood to tack the top material to. He then made the cross pieces to get the shape he was looking for before covering the whole works like a normal top. The 1/8" aluminum piece added tons of structure to the body of the car, the wood was drilled and bolted solid to the "headliner" so it didn't move and squeak and creek either. I can only imagine that it insulated the top of thecar from heat quite nicely too. My scanner is not happy right now or I would happily scan the pictures of it from the early seventies Hot Rod mags, late seventies Rod&Custom quarterly mags, or Hot Rods How to Build a Hot Rod book it was in.
Thanks for the feedback and advice fellas. I'd be interested in seeing some pictures of Buttera's roof, I've seen the car a ton in books and mags but have never come across any detail shots. I have been looking around the web to try and find some patterning but the best I can come up with is looking at the image Macs has to display the kit they sell. I think if I can nail down some decent shots I think it may be possible. so far....
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