'27 sedan roof replacement

[GraniteBayBob]

Replacing roof on '27 Chrysler model 50 four door sedan. Would like to know what kind of wood to use; for wood slates or even if wood slates or other material should be used?  Replaced some of the bows and placed some 3/16 ply on but it shows some peeks and valleys between bows. Still have the old slates and placed on roof and they seemed to round out the contour of the roof without the peeks and valleys. Several of original slates are twisted and warped and unusable. What is best wood to use for slates? Or is there a better method than using wood slates? The slates add the need to place chicken wire, cotton batting or foam. So is there a best method for roof replacement?

Thank you for assistance.

[a sell]

Hello Bob,  Up until the model 75 of 1929 Fisher supplied many if not most of the bodies for Chrysler.  Get a copy of the Fisher Body manual from The Filling Station in Lebanon OR.  It will give you some much needed tips.  GM had aquired the remainder of Fisher in 1926 and made the announcement that after 1928 they would no longer make bodies for non GM firms.  Our model 1928 model 72 coupe has the Fisher badge but our model 72 town sedan parts car does not..  I think they were slightly modified from a sedan at the Chrysler plant and so it does not even have the screw holes in the body for the cowl badge.  The cowl looks identical so I think Fisher made the wood for it as well.  Someone else would know but I think the 29 Chrysler cars are Mostly Hayes bodied cars.  For GM the open cars were made by each seperate division.  Did Chrysler do the same? 

[steven 123]

I have a 1927  model 50 4dr and was told it was a Maxwell body due to the fact the firewall code began with a { B }....I cannot say this as a true fact just trying to help 

[viv w]

I would think your car would have had about 5 bows going across the roof from left to right. This would have included the very front and rear bows. I stand to be corrected but I don't think your car would have slats over the top of these bows going front to rear.

 On top of the bows it would have had chicken wire stretched tightly and heavy stapled to the X bows and outer perimeter wood frame, this would then have had a thick padding covered by the top material.

 I would use either oak, ash or even birds eye maple for replacement wood. 

 A layer or two of carpet underfelt on top of the chicken mesh makes good padding, but make sure you tack down whatever padding you use onto the bows and outer wood frame, so that it can't move about under the top material.

[28 Chrysler]

I have used a combination of  both Ash and Poplar for roof inserts.

Poplar is a softer hard wood easy to shape, dimensionaly stable, it is often used for upholstered furniture frames.

[trimacar]

I personally like ash, it's a good tight grain and holds tacks, brads, nails, staples, whatever you use, quite well.

 

Oak is too large of a grain and will split, I'd strongly recommend not using oak.

 

I've not used poplar, but apparently it's popular.

 

And last, use cotton batting for the padding, foam will disintegrate over fairly short time periods.