1937 - 1938 Running board rubber covering measurement

I am recovering my own running boards on my '37 Special. I have the thickness of the overall cover but I need the thickness of the covering on the ends, the red areas in my drawing.

Thanks,

Bob

Anyone?

Bob, that is a difficult measurement due to the shrinkage that tends to make the rubber thicker at the ends. I suggest you measure the thickness at the edge near the middle. It should be closer to original than rubber that has dried up and shrunk for over 75 years...

Mark,

I've had four "37 Buicks, all in very bad condition when I got them and their running board covering was totally deteriorated so I don't have anything to reference off of. I have one set of boards from a '37 Special I'm using to make the core of the new boards. I was told the ends have a certain thickness so I'll like to try to accomplish that. I have pictures of the bottom side of boards and I could take measurements and try to make scaled measurement from that but I'd like a better way to get a correct measurement.

I just has a thought. Bob's, and I assume a couple others, sell the preformed covers for the '37-38 Buicks. I've never seen a set in person but from what I've read you have to cut the ends and fold them over the edge of the boards. This means when using the preformed covers the ends aren't anything thicker than the thinnest part of the top of the board. I was able to get the dimensions of the cover from the last Buick parts car I had and made a drawing. The thin section was 3/32" thick. I would assume if I made the edge 1/4" thick that would be thick enough. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

All have to do is send your old running boards to Hunley Acuff in Georgia and they'll come back like brand new. That's Rossville, GA. Of course they are expensive and I guess expensive goes with the "old car restoration" territory.

I want to recover my boards myself. I am researching my option as to what kind of material I would use. I've experimented with using pickup box bed liner but I don't think I can build the layer thick enough. I am looking at using a polymer of some sort. I used a product a while back when I recast my motor mounts and have a call into that company to find out which of their products will work for me.

Part of the old car hobby for me is to find different and more cost effective ways of doing something. I know about Hunley Acuff and the other place and they both are out of my price range. I am building a completely new set of running board using my old, rusty boards as patterns. I have it all drawn out, I have the metal and now I just need to find an adequate covering material. I am also going to make my own board edge trim pieces out of aluminum. If all works out I'll offer the complete package for sale to anyone who needs a new set of running boards.

Bobf49f2 -

How did your running boards turn out?  
I’m in the same spot you were in 2014. Any insight would be greatly appreciated!

Bobby Rodd

bobbyrodd@gmail.com

my running boards were re-vulcanized back to original.  That area in red is now 3/4" thick with rubber.

Here's the restoration link: