Okay, so now I have a 1931 Fordor body that has no sub frame. Searching high and low for a supplier that sells a sub frame for this body. I’m told [by a guy at work] that all 1928-31 Fordors has a wood sub frame, since these bodies were not made by Ford, but by Murray & Briggs. Is this true? Since I need to fabricate my own rails, I’m thinking of using 1” x 3” or 1” x 4” rect. Tubing. If I go this route, how thick? Also where can I locate dimensions for a fordor sub frame? Thank you, thank you, for any direction on this.
Some fordors had a metal subframe. No automobile manufacturer ever used square or rectangular tubing for a subframe. Its excessively heavy and is overkill. Future hotrodders will have to cut that crap out and replace it with more appropriate construction
Fordors had no subrails in steel. The entire body was framed in wood from the frame up, doors and all. The maker of the body is not relevant there is nothing to duplicate except the wood and that has been done for the most popular Fordors, but you had better be sitting down for the price of a body wood kit!
I think you might search out MARC (Model A Restorers Club) and MAFCA (Model A Club of America) and see if there are any illustrated diagrams of what you're looking for. The Model A is one of the most restored cars in America, and there is a lot of info out there. I seem to remember many years ago when I did a stock 30 A PU somebody in the local club had several books with the kind of stuff you're seeking. When I needed to replace a nearly completely rusted away rear panel on our 40 Willys coupe I contacted the Willys Knight Overland registry and ended up with full sized copies of the original blue prints from their archives.
All great stuff fellas, I thank you for your ideas. I'm pretty sure I will not use wood for a sub frame since I'm building an AV8 rod using that body, what would be the best alternate? The other subs, are made from 16 gage sheet metal, that's why I was thinking 16 gage tubing. Thoughts? Ideas? Am I nuts? Wait - don't answer the last one
Formed 16 ga should work pretty well, 1"x whatever .08 or so wall tube works pretty well too, Basicly the same kinda stuff i've been doing on my T, If it is done right it looks pretty damn good...
1931...Fordors with vertical windshield and a visor were all wood structure. The ones with slightly laid back windshield and no visor had steel subrails and structure.
The Jalopy Journal
