1936 Buick trunk floor mat

[Paul White]

Hi all,

I was wondering if anyone might have an original trunk floor mat and could they post some images please

 

Cheers

Paul White  

[Gary W]

Paul..  I have a black, almost "felt-like" material that was covering the upper trunk floor, i.e.: the wood shelf that sits above the spare tire.

 

It covered the wood shelf, and it was cut long enough that  it draped down to cover the spare tire and the lower area.  I'm going to use it as a template when I finish the car but I can surely take photos of it for you.  Mine is a '37, don't know if they are the same??

[MCHinson]

Paul,

 

What body style is your car? If it is a 1936 Model 41 with sidemounts, the part number is 4070707, but there is no diagram of it in the manual. There are a few different trunk mat part numbers listed in the two parts manuals that I have for sidemounted cars. I don't seem to see a part number for a non-sidemounted car. I am beginning to think that the non-sidemounted cars simply had the bare wood shelf over the spare tire with no mat. 

 

Gary,

 

Hate to give you any bad news but I don't think your floor mat is original. As indicated, I don't see a part number for trunk floor mats for non-sidemounted cars and all of the trunk floor mats listed in the parts manuals are described as rubber mats.

[Gary W]

No problem!!!   If that's the only bad news I get.......I'm a happy boy!!

 

But I am going to cover the bare wood when I get to that part of the build. 

[Gary W]

Here's a photo that Dave posted on my thread a while ago of his trunk, which he believes is original:

 

You can clearly see the wood base under the mat.  My black felt stuff fell down over the spare and hid all the under stuff

[MCHinson]

While it might look nice, I would say that is not original. Everything I have read indicates that the wood would have been treated with a black paint, preservative, or stain. The wood in that photo shows no sign of any previous dark paint or stain. My trunk wood looks great. It is also not like it should be. The previous owner thought it would look better with a glossy finish natural wood grain finish. 

[DonMicheletti]

Here is what the wood in the trunk of my 46s was like upon removal. the trunk liner was just thick, stiff black cardboard

[Gary W]

Does the Buick Club publish a set of "standards" (like the Model "A" Clubs do?) so as you restore the car, you have a guideline as to these finishing touches?  I have to say, it's really nice to have your car judged against a standard, instead of the other cars that show up, and the shiny one wins.  

[Gary W]

Here's what my trunk wood shelf looks like:

 

 

And here's the black "felt-like" covering that was installed

 

[MCHinson]

18 minutes ago, Gary W said:

Does the Buick Club publish a set of "standards" (like the Model "A" Clubs do?) so as you restore the car, you have a guideline as to these finishing touches?  I have to say, it's really nice to have your car judged against a standard, instead of the other cars that show up, and the shiny one wins.  

 

Some things are found in the BCA Judging Manual, such as paint colors for different years. Unfortunately, there is not any equivalent Buick Club document like the Model A Judging Standards that I am aware of. In the relatively short time that I have been the editor of the Torque Tube II for the 36-38 Buick Club, I have amassed a lot of different books, brochures, photos, and electronic files from a variety of sources. The old issues of the Torque Tube newsletter of the former 37-38 Buick Club have a lot of information. They can be found online. Unfortunately, they aren't really in an easy to search format. I have at least skimmed through every issue of the old Torque Tube newsletters so I have a lot of things that I can recall but have to do a bit of research to find some of the details for confirmation. 

[DonMicheletti]

Gary, your point is well put and to often the case. That is why I quit showing my cars (I have won firsts). 

Sometimes the cars with  the ultra shiny engine and frame wins, originality be damned

[groselle]

Here's the trunk my in my 36 sedan with sidemounts. It does not have the wooden shelf.  As far as I know this original.  I'm not sure why it doesn't go all the way to the right edge.  It's not shifted too far to the left because the slots for the tie down loops are in place.

[Paul White]

Hi all,

 

Thank for all your responses. yes, I have a model 41 with sidemounts. Gary W's post of Dave's trunk appears to be original as far as my research tells me, the leather edging is a significant tell tails sign.  The material used for the panel behind the seat seems the same on both Gary and Dave's trunks. Anyone hazard a guess on what it is made of?

 

Paul

 

[MCHinson]

1 hour ago, Paul White said:

Hi all,

 

 Gary W's post of Dave's trunk appears to be original as far as my research tells me, the leather edging is a significant tell tails sign. 

 

Paul

 

Paul,

 

The parts manual only shows a part number for a rubber floor mat. My educated guess is that groselle's photos look pretty convincing to be original. I agree that it is not correct for a non-sidemounted car. I am curious about your research. Can you share some details on what your research shows? I can't find any reference in any of my material for such a trunk mat for US cars. Is your research regarding trunk floor mats perhaps for Holden bodied cars?

[Paul White]

As we speak I don't have access to the computer that has my article but I recall that there is reference in the Fisher Body manual which states that on vehicles fitted with side-mounted spare tyres the luggage shelf is deleted and a "rubber mat" supplied. Images of any possibly original rubber mat have proved elusive until to Groselle's post.  My '36 is a Fisher Bodied 41X out of South Africa. My research started out from this point but has expanded to any information I was able to get my hands on and as a result my research has and is creeping into '37 '38 and even '39 mainly to fill in some gaps and also to widen the scope of interest to our magazine readers here in Australia as it seems from our vehicle register there are many more '38s and '39s than '36s or even '37s (mostly Holden bodies).     

 

The following images were provided by a couple of blokes from the US (LHS '36 and RHS '39) on Ebay earlier this year. Groselle's comment about his mat seemingly being pushed to the left leaving the exposed trunk floor on the right might be answered in image one where you can see the leather edged fabric lining extending down from the wheel arches onto the trunk floor. Image two of the '39 shows a mat of the same beige/brown colour, a very similar if not identical ribbing pattern and the plain edging

 

 

Paul

 

[MCHinson]

OK,

 

So you agree with me that Groselle's photo shows the original mat? Your earlier post indicated that you though that Dave's photo posted by Gary W was the correct one. I was disputing your earlier text identifying Dave's as original...

 

 

[Paul White]

Yes, I do agree that Groselle's mat is original, Ron Cook has just posted photos to me of his original mat which is identical to Groselles.  All these vehicles appear to have side mounted spares. My next step is to try and identify whether in vehicles with timber luggage shelves whether a similar rubber mat was provided or whether a carpet / fabric mat was substituted. 

[BuickBob49]

If it is any help, here's a photo of the trunk on my 1939 Roadmaster.  (I have sidemounts.) I suspect that the fabric is a reproduction, but the rubber mat is likely the original.

[MCHinson]

2 hours ago, Paul White said:

Yes, I do agree that Groselle's mat is original, Ron Cook has just posted photos to me of his original mat which is identical to Groselles.  All these vehicles appear to have side mounted spares. My next step is to try and identify whether in vehicles with timber luggage shelves whether a similar rubber mat was provided or whether a carpet / fabric mat was substituted. 

 

The body parts manual only shows part numbers for rubber floor mats. After lots of looking, I think it is clear that there were not any carpet or fabric mats on the wooden trunk shelf.

 

Check out Section 15.294 of a Buick Body Parts Manual. Most of the different trunk floor mat part numbers note that they are "For fenderwell styles", but there are a few that do not have that note and must be for the cars that would have had the wooden trunk shelf. You need to look through all of the part numbers to see which one is listed for your particular Fisher body style number. I assume the rubber mat on the trunk shelf would have probably been of a similar design as the ones for the fenderwell style cars, but I have not seen any photo or diagram or description to confirm that. I can only find the list of part numbers in the Body Parts Manual. 

 

 

[Paul White]

Groselle, would you be kind enough to post some close up photos of the tie down loops and a measurement between the screw holes?

 

Just when I think I have all the information I need something new crops up!

Cheers

 

Paul

[rlcokc]

I'll let Greg get the measurements but did drop my older 36 Special and found the loops but on the other 36 no sign of loops. I think it is an early production/late production modification. If Greg can't provide the measurements I'll be happy to measure mine.

Rod

[groselle]

Paul,

 

Sorry for the delay. I was on honey-do duty today delivering an equipment trailer to a church girls camp where my wife is one of the leaders.  Didn't realize it included unloading said trailer and setting up numerous tents.   I just barely got home.  I'll post pictures and measurements of the loops tomorrow when ive got better light. 

Greg

[Paul White]

No rush Greg, whenever you get a chance

 

cheers

 

Paul

[groselle]

I finally had time to get out to the garage.  I've attached several closeups of the tie down loops.  The set nearest the trunk lid were fairly corroded and have been covered with a bed liner style paint. Both sets of loops are the same size and I also posted close up of the one behind the seat.  The loops are 20 inches apart center-to-center in both sets.  Individual loops are 2.5 inches total length and a litttle over 2 inches center-to-center of the screw holes.  There is also a picture of a part number although it does not appear to be a standard Buick number.  Hope this helps and let me know if you need any other pictures.

 

Greg

[Paul White]

Hi all,

 

Thanks again for all of your collective efforts in providing me with information and photos, now I have to get back to collating all the information and start typing!

 

Cheers

 

Paul White