Technical Model A Rain Gutters - A New SKOOL Solution for an Old SKOOL Problem

I've been working on my Model A Tudor for about 8 years now. My Henry Ford body came with no rain gutters, so I've been trying to figure out how to fix that for about 5 years now.

My Dad decided to just fill the grooves with Bondo (without telling me), that was never going to my way of doing it. So I wire wheeled the Bondo out and ordered me some new gutters.

I got some aluminum (2 piece) gutters from Macs. Knowing myself, I ordered 4 sets, giving me 2 "kicks at the can" per side.

I made up a wooden buck, mounted some metal channel to it and bent away.



The bigger problem now came trying to mount the inner piece onto the car with tiny nails, then somehow "pushing" the outer part onto the inner part. Long story short, it didn't go well...



I let it sit over the winter and thought about a better solution. One day it came to me:



Now I know this isn't the "traditional" way to do this, especially on a traditional car, but when I couldn't figure out another way to make wood, metal and aluminum work well together.

I needed a way to apply pressure onto the rail without crushing it, after a bit of time on the computer I came up with a simple design that I cut on my laser engraver.



Then I generously applied the panel adhesive to the backside of outside gutter piece (the inner piece is no longer needed) and borrowed about 18 clamps from friends and crossed my fingers.






After letting it sit all night, we took a deep breath and removed the clamps...









It worked really well. I wish I had the idea 5 years ago, but in the end it was a really easy way of doing what everyone said was a "tough job". The 3M panel adhesive is used to put together high end cars, if it'll hold carbon fiber to aluminum on a 2020 Lambo, it should hold some aluminum onto some steel and wood on a 1929 Ford.

 

Simplicity is the key to a good design.

 

THANK YOU! That solves a future problem I would have had. Bob

 

Me too! My Morris Minor woody doesn’t have its drip rails either. I have one stick of Mac’s drip rail but I wasn’t sure how to make it work. The top skin is aluminum nailed to wood. Your solution may work for me as well, thanks for posting.


Sent from my iPad using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

One question. How does a guy in Vancover get an IN-N-OUT sign??

 

Great solution...liquid weld...I worked in aviation and glues have replaced rivets to anchor parts on Aircraft so yeah it is certainly a viable option that looks factory fresh...

It's not the first time it's been discussed here as It is widely used in modern body shops...

 

Great minds think alike ! 3m panel adhesive

 

Well, my guess would be that, since we all know Canadiens are too polite and honest to steal, it was probably boosted by some gumball near the Long Beach (California) harbor, loaded on a Panamanian registered cargo vessel, up the coast to Vancouver, transferred off shore to a US registered fishing vessel and transported to a beach head in B.C., then further moved at night to its present location in Vancouver. That's my theory, and I'm sticking to it!
Or, he found it at a swap meet...take your pick.

Great solve on the drip rail, by the way!

 

Just to be clear this is a Hokey Ass Forum Thread not a Traditional Hotrod Forum Thread topic...the OP I suspect wasn't aware...no bigs, just like keeping things peaceful...the Mods can port the Thread without to much trouble I believe...with all visibility preserved of course as it should...

 

Oh geez. Great thinking and job well done.

 

Great idea and thanks for sharing

 

I kinda own a printshop and I may have just printed it - LOVE the question though, made me laugh

 

I'm sorry, I don't post here much, but I thought I picked Traditional Hot Rod's and then technical...?

 

First off, please don't be sorry and please post More often...we are what the Hamb is and we all collaboratively make it great... Further to @Moriarity chiming in and making the forum switch...

This Happens alot...

The only difference is where you opened your Thread...you would by guideline open it in The Hokey Ass Forum as a Non Traditional Technical Tip/Item (the top of our 3 main categories)



My Hotrod misses the Traditional Mark for several reasons so all my Threads on it evolve in The Hokey Ass Forum...no shame from my end and I am no lesser a Hamber for it either...

I have seen terrible interactions here over these issues...I choose a more passive approach because if anything I want You fellas with minimal posts or otherwise to understand Traditional means Traditional...As Ryan describes it, if you're not sure what your sharing is Traditional put it in the Hokey Ass...

Again @rgriesbeck thanks for your sharing of this Tech and Thread...just another option for us to achieve a goal with the end result hardly discernible from the real deal...

Aluminum drip rails...you could polish them...that'd be different...

One thing you might do is copy and post a link to your Build Thread so others may find it easier...

 

Thanks! Tilt column, yes, billet wheel no

 

Tilt columns were around in the early 60s maybe earlier...so it bumps your ride right up to say 1963/4 and if you columns a 1970 wildcat you see how it get non Traditionally sketchy as you can't pass the new off as old Unless your column looked Identical to a 64 Wildcat...but I don't think so and A period Correct Traditional Hotrod/Customizer seriously pays attention to these details...the other thing is to keep quiet about the Modern details especially if they didn't exist before 1965...like my TH 350 Trans...its off topic as an example...

Again have fun getting the Hotrod together...it's a surreal experience...

Notice your Thread has been ported over to The Hokey Forum...Thanks @Moriarity