Automobile Wood Frame Question

[Guest VeloMan]

I removed the metal from my 1921 Peugeot and see the work necessary for restoring the wood frame. The last guy used lumberyard pine, particleboard, MDF, and just about anything but the right thing. Luckily, it's a fairly simple body. My question is the sheet metal attachment. The body metal itself looks new. It was bent over at the top and covered with an aluminum molding. The bend was not the greatest, and the gaps were filled with resin or epoxy. The aluminum actually made a rather neat job, but I wonder if this is correct. Here you see the wood frame and a close-up of the top of the door showing the sheet metal and the aluminum cap which I removed.

I've never done a frame before, but I have some white ash, and I'm ready to give it a try.

Phil Jamison

[Restorer32]

We have worked on early bodies constructed in this fashion. Your wood looks fairly simple to reproduce. Wear a dust mask when sanding ash. It can be a serious irritant to some people's lungs. By the way Phil, the Amish are in possession of your water inlet pattern. Hopefully we'll have the casting before long. Jeff H.

[Guest VeloMan]

Thanks for the reply on my wood frame, Jeff. Could you tell me what joint might have been used on the vertical side ribs? Looks like a mortise & tenon would work, but a half lap or dovetail into the sill edges might be better. Were all the wood pieces jointed in these bodies, or did they sometimes just do butt joints and hold them together with steel plates?

How's your knee?

Best,

Phil Jamison

[Guest]

Fisher bodies were wood joints with a metal plate as a reinforcement in some places. The English Weyman body was all metal brackets joining the wood. Wood never touched wood. Therefore they never ever squeeked (so they said).

There are reprinted copies of the Fisher Body Manual available today. Perhaps you should invest in one if only for reasearch.

[Restorer32]

Half lap joints would be more common in less expensive vehicles. Butted and bracketed joints are seen as well but are less strong. I have seldom seen dovetail joints in car bodies. I can tell you that an L-29 Cord body has 103 individual pieces of wood, not including doors or rumble seat lid. In your case I would recommend half laps, glued and screwed. Knee is coming along well, thanks for asking.

[Guest VeloMan]

Thanks for the tips. How did they put sheet metal on the old woof-frame cars? Was it die-formed and then laid on, or did they just nail on flat sheets?

Phil