Rubber pads between body and frame

[Guest Hal Davis (MODEL A HAL)]

I am restoring a '29 Ford Briggs body town sedan. It has a wooden subframe and therefore no wooden body blocks like the bodies with metal subrails. My question is, what is the thickness of the rubber pads that go between the body and the frame?<P>The old ones are deformed and rock hard. There's no way to tell how thick they were originally. When I lay the subframe on the chassis frame, the rivets that hold the frame rails to the rear cross member hold the subframe up approximately 3/8" above the frame. It seems like I've heard that the reproduction pads are 1/4", but I've not seen any like the ones on my car. I've seen round ones and a set of different shaped ones in Bratton's catalog, but mine are all rectangular, maybe 1-1/2" x 2-1/2" with a single hole in the center. Are these type available as reproductions? <P>Thanks,<P>Hal

[Guest]

Try Steele rubber. A 32 Caddy uses a rubber that is almost the same as what you describe.

[Rick Hoover]

Hi Hal,<P> I'm certain if you were to call Bratton, he would fix you up with the correct shim pads, even though he doesn't list them in the catalog for the Briggs.<P> Or, you could buy sheet rubber like I do from Mcmaster-Carr and make your own. I normally stock 1/8",3/16" and 1/4". Look into it at <A HREF="http://www.mcmaster.com" TARGET=_blank>www.mcmaster.com</A> <P>1/4" is a a good thickness to start with in most cases and you can then adjust from there.<P> I would contact Bratton first, as it would be cheaper. Just tell him what you are up to.<P> Rick

[Guest Hal Davis (MODEL A HAL)]

Thanks Terry and Rick.<P>I am concerned that 1/4" will not be enough. That one rivet at the rear has the thing up about 3/8" I looked at the old subframe and there was no relief hole cut out on the bottom for this rivet, but there was a dimple pressed into the wood where you could tell it had been rubbing (probably after the rubber pads had compressed). I could drill a relief for it, but I'm not sure if it needs it.<P>The other thing that has me puzzled is the two metal corner braces that go diagonly across the rear corner of the subframe and sit on top of the body mount on the rear bumper braces. They were bent up in the middle where they mount to the bumper brace (or should I say they were bent down on each end where they attach to the subframe). I thought that was something that had happened as the car had aged, but it looks like they will have to stay that way for the subframe to line up.<P>I sure wish I had another Briggs body Town Sedan to look at. Murray's seem to be a dime a dozen.<P>I will contact Bratton's.<P>Thanks again, guys.

[Guest]

Did a 31 dlx Rdstr. Installed repro mts Nothing fit.Put the old ones back in,everything fit.