I have a 29 Ford Sedan with a filled roof, looking for ideas pictures of what to do with the drip rail nail holes. ???
Seems like they should have been filled along with the big hole in the top. Best use would be for re-attaching the rain gutters.
Pasadenahotrod - I agree, they need to be filled. But was looking more for creative ideas of what people have used on there cars. Ex. Flatbar, sheetmetal, the 3m molding that allstarderrck used. Anybody???
I've welded on original drip rails on the 29's I've done. I personally think they look better than just bumps or smoothing them off.
loco_gringo, Here are some pics of my '29. I bent some sheet into a U bend with the side that gets welded to the body slightly taller than the side to the outside. Then slowly massaged it to form to the bow in the body. I had to pie cut the very back piece so that it would follow the curve down. Weld carefully and thin coat of filler and they look factory installed. In my humble opinion, the best thing to do on a Model A because the doors overlap the body. As you can see from the pictures it has been raining here for 3 days and not a drop gets in as the water flows down the drip rail. I might have some build photos in raw metal. I will see if I can find them.
Here's what we're doing on the '29 coupe my dad and I are building. This is kindorf/uni-strut/SuperStrut stuff you get at Lowes/Home Depot. We couldn't get/find the smaller strut material mentioned in other threads so we used what they had at Home Depot and split it at the corners and used the two J-shaped sides as rain gutters. We flipped the "J" over, trimmed it up and it fit in the original gutter/tack strip rail perfectly. Its about .080" thick and it stiffens up the roof quite a bit. We plug welded it from behind. The 'gutter' might not be quite as wide as the original 28-29 gutter and is definitely more appealing than the really wide 30-31 gutter. There's still lots of finish work to do but I think it'll look pretty good when its done.
I've never shaved any drip rails before but when welding up trim holes and such I've held a nail in the hole, welded it on, cut of the shank, and ground smooth. Another (better) way is to flatten a piece of copper tubing and hold it behind the hole and then just MIG it up. The copper will easily pull away from the weld afterwards.
The stock style rain gutters are available from Snyders, they're aluminum and 2 piece. I used them on my coupe. I think the rain gutters ad to the look of the car and also keep water out.
This is a timely thread for me as well. I am welding everything smooth. There will not be a drip rail on mine. All of the old holey crap will have to be cut out and fresh skin welded in place................
like I said earlier...I'm trying to source out an option as well. Just got off the phone with a metal fabricator called Metal Creations...in Illinois...773-772-6668 and they quoted me a price of $120 bucks for this specification. J-channel, 1/16" steel ...long side 3/4 inch, bottom 3/8", short side 3/8"...20ft of it How do you guy's think these dimentions would work out??? I chose 3/8" for the bottom so that I could achieve a 1/4 inside gutter considering that I was specifying 1/16 in steel.
Boxcar, That sounds like the dimensions of what I did. Look up sheet metal fabricators in your local area, I am sure you can find it cheaper close to home.
i am doing rain gutters on mine right now, didnt like the aluminum one and needed somthing stronger than old rusty swapmeet peices i bought thin walled 3/4 sqr tube from the depot . bent it in a conduit bender for the rear then cut it down to fit the body on one side and left a 1/4 lip sticking out. the i welded a 5/16 round rod all the way down the 1/4 lip and tapered the ends . i bolted it to the body through the wood side header. I had to build it strong enough for my thermo swamp cooler to hang on
I used flat metal bar stock on mine and just continued the ridge running vertical behind the quarter windows all the way to the A pillar. Lots of welding and grinding to shape it right but I like the way it turned out. Not everyone will agree, but thats ok.
Djust, Do you have a pic of the finished product? i am considering this exact thing. I contemplated the actual drip rail but have ZERO intention of being in the elements EVER so a drip rail is moot. I want to finish the raised "bead" all around the upper section to clean it and finish out. Some pics would be much appreciated. Thanks, Grant
Heres is a few of the process and finished. It's not traditional but I like the look and It doesn't see rain unless I get caught in it.
Djust, LOVE your ride! Great stance and overall look. The strip is exactly what I am going for. Thanks for the pics! Grant
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