1927/1928 Tourer body

[RichBad 293]

Hi all,

 

I’ve almost finished the engine and running gear so time to start on the body.  The body was in pretty good shape and solid with no rust but taking a look underneath some of the wood work looks like it’s been replaced and not very well.

 

Problem is I don’t know what’s right and what’s wrong so before I get too far in I wanted to see if anyone has anything similar on theirs - some pics below:

LHS bottom edge by door pillar - protruding like that doesn’t seem right to me but maybe that’s how they were?

LHS lower edge from front door looking forward - I would have thought the wood would fill out to the side?

Under the scuttle

LHS front foot well

LHS rear wheel arch area - seem to be a few bits of wood here that don’t look right.

 

many thanks:)

[robert b 93]

Richard I will have a talk to you

[RichBad 293]

Anyone have some photos of the door pillars - in particular the strips that the doors close against - for a 1927/28 tourer?

[Mattml430 528]

9 hours ago, RichBad said:

Anyone have some photos of the door pillars - in particular the strips that the doors close against - for a 1927/28 tourer?

Might be worth contacting these guys to see if they can point you in the rite direction. 

https://fordwood.com/index.html

[Mattml430 528]

You may of already come across these pics. They are a little older but let’s you see with the body off. 

 

[nearchoclatetown 216]

Rich, this is a TJ Richards body isn't it?  If a US car you may want to look through the Budd pictures on the DBC website. 

[RichBad 293]

Thanks Matt, I hadn’t seen that so helps to give me an idea of what’s under the skin.  I think the later ones may be a bit different or perhaps the differences are more between the different builders.

[RichBad 293]

6 hours ago, nearchoclatetown said:

Rich, this is a TJ Richards body isn't it?  If a US car you may want to look through the Budd pictures on the DBC website. 

Thanks - Mine is definitely an Australian Body not a Budd and from what Bob told me it’s almost definitely a Holden Body.

[RichBad 293]

13 hours ago, Mattml430 said:

Might be worth contacting these guys to see if they can point you in the rite direction. 

https://fordwood.com/index.html

Just seen that - will drop them a line.  Boy those Ford guys have it easy!

[John McEwan 32]

14 hours ago, Mattml430 said:

You may of already come across these pics. They are a little older but let’s you see with the body off. 

 

That’s a 1923. Same as mine.

[Mattml430 528]

1 hour ago, RichBad said:

Just seen that - will drop them a line.  Boy those Ford guys have it easy!

Yer don’t they!! 

They might know somebody that knows somebody. 

They do some great kits. 

[Jesse J 1]

On ‎5‎/‎27‎/‎2019 at 5:25 AM, Mattml430 said:

Might be worth contacting these guys to see if they can point you in the rite direction. 

https://fordwood.com/index.html

Dear Rich Bad,

I have some drawings made in the '90s which are very good reference drawings of timber work for a '28 fast four.  I am not too flash on forum stuff.  I hope you get the message.  Jesse

[RichBad 293]

Skin is off and the wood’s out.  Lots to do!

Edited July 1, 2019 by RichBad (see edit history)

[RichBad 293]

Working on a few bits of the body metal that were missing.  Made some rear door stops and some new door guides and rubber blocks but the guide contact pieces are being a bit of a challenge.  Made one but it hasn’t turned out too well.  Are the guide blocks/contacts a standard part used across models or are they unique to the late tourers?

2 old and 2 new door guides

 

New rear door stop

 

The door guide contact blocks and pads.  Bottom one is my attempt but not so good and I need another 5!

Edited July 9, 2019 by RichBad (see edit history)

[Mattml430 528]

Your being a bid hard on yourself there Richard. It doesn’t look to bad. 

What if you made a little die and pressed them. 

[Spinneyhill 1,428]

Rubber pad forming might do it. Make the female shape and press a plate into it with a lump of urethane in a short piece of pipe. Gary Ash showed us how, I think in the Technical forum, a year or two ago....

 

Here you go:

 

Edited July 9, 2019 by Spinneyhill (see edit history)

[RichBad 293]

Yup, think I need a die and may try that rubber method but at 0.040/1mm may be a bit thick for the rubber forming.

[RichBad 293]

With Matt’s great help we made a metal press tool and made a handful of door guides in no time.  They came up great.

 

Also, made some progress on the front door stops - put one fold in, then used the shrinker to get the curved shape correct and when done will put in the last fold.

 

Also have a pile of wood and have started on the main rails.

 

lots of progress - thanks for your help Matt!

 

 

[Mattml430 528]

Your welcome mate , looks like your making some good progress. It will start coming together now. 

[RichBad 293]

Main rails pretty much done, just need to finish the outer edges to the correct front to back curve.  Struggling with the scuttle but thanks to a few folks on here have some dimensions and photos so I know what it should look like.

There’s going to be quite a bit of work to get the lines right on the scuttle and the alignment with the bonnet and doors.

 

 

 

Edited July 18, 2019 by RichBad (see edit history)

[Mattml430 528]

Looking good mate. Making good progress. 

[Pete in PA 54]

Wow, I'm impressed with your work.  Suddenly my D2 project looks like a breeze compared to what you're doing.  What wood are you working with, ash?

[RichBad 293]

Thanks!  Victorian Ash - not quite as light or nice to work as European ash but probably what they used to use in Aus and it’s pretty easy to get hold of.

[RichBad 293]

Got the scuttle pretty much sorted and straight.  Finished the A pillars and attached to main frame.  B pillars done but not fitted.  Making progress slowly!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 8, 2019 by RichBad (see edit history)

[Mattml430 528]

It’s looking fabulous Rich. So much work getting that rite. 

[Mattml430 528]

Are you making patterns or plans as you go or would all the bodies be a little bit different?

[RichBad 293]

9 hours ago, Mattml430 said:

Are you making patterns or plans as you go or would all the bodies be a little bit different?

Thanks Matt!

I’ve been taking measurements and was going to do some patterns after the final fit when I’ve got everything right.  I think they varied a little between body builders (mine is Holden, there is also TJ Richards and maybe a few others).  I’m pretty sure the main body is identical between the 4s and the standard 6.  All the info I’ve been able to find so far supports this.

Edited September 9, 2019 by RichBad (see edit history)

[trini 146]

Rubber bumpers are what I call them. The are on the door post.. I bought them from Steeles Rubber seals. Beautiful. The brass jams for the door locks and the brass  guide I bought from Myers Early Dodge, Reproductions from Australia. If you have any white metal (pot) you would like to replace just send them ,even pieces to Cindy Meyers . She will send them to "Reproduction" in Australia. The do most in stainless steel. The water jacket for the 28 DB is also reproduced . Transaction must go through Myers Early Dodge. Cindy has a beautiful website, No scam here.     

[RichBad 293]

Slow going but moving forward.  Trying to get the rear tub finished up then I can make the doors fit in between the tub and scuttle.  Not a straight line in it which doesn’t help!

 

 

 

 

Edited September 29, 2019 by RichBad (see edit history)

[MikeC5 173]

Looking good so far.  Do you have a special machine to make the finger joints?

[RichBad 293]

7 hours ago, MikeC5 said:

Looking good so far.  Do you have a special machine to make the finger joints?

Just a router with a special bit - will take a photo.

[Tinindian 1,593]

On 9/8/2019 at 8:00 PM, Mattml430 said:

Are you making patterns or plans as you go or would all the bodies be a little bit different?

Even a large manufacturer like Fisher had pieces that were a little bit different on the same car, sometimes not a mirror image from left to right.  Original finger joints in my '30 Pontiac which are tapered were sometimes forced together enough to spread the outer fingers, making one side roof rail shorter than the other except at the next joint back the fingers were not pushed in tight and two wood screws were driven through the joint, one from the top and one from the bottom.  The outside curve is different from left to right.  Wood in hidden places was really not planed or sanded in any way.

[Mattml430 528]

The back section and corner is looking good mate. 

[RichBad 293]

On 9/30/2019 at 7:57 PM, Mattml430 said:

The back section and corner is looking good mate. 

Thanks! Got the other side finished today - much easier than the first.

 

Mike, photo below of the router attachment I used for the finger joints.

 

 

 

[MikeC5 173]

Nice! Those are going to be strong joints.  

[John McEwan 32]

I replaced all the woodwork with steel when I did the restoration on my ‘23. The wood was doing my head in. Am I a bad person?

[RichBad 293]

12 hours ago, MikeC5 said:

Nice! Those are going to be strong joints.  

Hopefully:) can’t be worse than what it had before!

[RichBad 293]

2 hours ago, John McEwan said:

I replaced all the woodwork with steel when I did the restoration on my ‘23. The wood was doing my head in. Am I a bad person?

Where’s the fun in that:). Although my head is past done in!  But I am learning something new. 

 

Also so needed something to staple the trim to:)

[RichBad 293]

Slow progress, but progress none the less.  Almost finished the rear end, just need to complete the bottom half of the dog legs.  Not so easy as the metalwork had been repaired in the past so I had nothing to work to as a correct pattern.  Think I’ve figured it out but those curved pieces of wood aren’t easy - especially the joint to the vertical part.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 28, 2019 by RichBad (see edit history)

[Mattml430 528]

Looking good mate.