Looking at putting a 32’ cowl vent into a 28’ roadster cowl. I don’t have the part in hand so was wondering if someone has done this and has any inputs. Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
I did that on my Roadster. Started by cutting the bottom of the tank, just leaving about 3/4" all around. Cardboard template, centered it well, cut it out and weld it slowly....taking my time not to warp it. Some dolly and hammer is needed around the corners. I used the same unit as the one you pictured and it was easy to work with. I believe there is an original for sale in the classified section....
Done this a few times, great for '30-'31s... but the '28-'29 cowl has too much compound curve for the '32 cowl top / vent... maybe if it was down sized, make paper templates for sizes and for the arches in both directions, plot the tank top with the paper, maybe a '32, or 3/4 of a '32, or a little different 1/2 of a '35-'36... non-ford options are out there [ they repop the ford stuff, other's don't] ... if big cut to your size... the smaller the vent the better it will fit... go dsiddons go !
Well sitting here in some thick humidity and was thinking wow how nice it would be with some relative wind in a swamp ass roadster on hot summer night. Thanks Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
Yes, my bad ,that is a '30. I didn't know there was a difference on the 28-29. If useful, the United Pacific unit I used was easy to work with, allowing tweaking to the corners to better match the profile....not sure how much curve there is on 28-29 The flange had a good amount of meat on it to allow shaving/adjustment for the curve.
If you're clever you can find a way to adapt anything. I put a 1930 Franklin cowl vent into a 30/31 Ford cowl and it was pretty easy.
Model A trivia: the early 1928 Fordor had a cowl vent on the drivers side only. Never seen one in real life, wonder what the size and curvature is. Bob
I planned on putting one in my truck. I had an original door and ordered a repair kit (2 pieces) from Brookville. The stuff I got didn’t fit together and was at least two gages thinner than the tank. Left the fill cap and sold the pieces at the LARS. Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
model T gas filler cover sits ontop but the cowl shape is very close... buddy used a jeep vent, sits ontop, when he swung out the w/s then popped the vent the w/s frame would lean back against the leading edge of the lid... worked great... my $0.02 ...
Just keep your gas cap. Buy an extra and louver the top. Been done many times. You just need to know where the louver will fit when tight.
My little brother welded a cowl vent from some off-brand (Studebaker?) cowl into a 28 Ford cowl once. It had more curve than a 32 Ford.
I had a '31 Vicky back in the 70's.It came with a cowl vent on the driver's quarter. It was flush and very well installed. I never saw any others and the old restorers had never seen one. Whoever did it was skilled. With it open and the w/s popped there was plenty of air flow.
Maybe make one out of aluminum like a old aircraft cowl flap off a T-6 or something? Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
if it gets small enough you will start looking at pick up truck gas filler doors... junkyards full of them...
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