41 ford woodie

[mercer09]

getting ready to redo much of the wood on my car. books suggested?

 

epoxies and glues suggested and why? there seems to be so many adhesives to choose from. epoxy resins to save wood?

 

thank you.

 

ps also a car near 08054 to take xlnt photos of. Philly

[auburnseeker]

Usually anything used to save rotten wood and stiffen it ,  is a bandaid,  and will be picked up by the next guy.  If you take it all apart to restore it,  if it is at all questionable, replace it.  It's much harder to go back in and fix it later.   The wood is essentially cheap compared to the cost of regret when you or the next buyer you have lined up picks it apart or the part you didn't get completely sealed rots a little further up.   Guys are building and restoring boats with epoxied bottoms and they all seem to be rotten in less than 20 years.  Where there are still original 80 year old bottoms running around with no rot as it allows the wood to breath. 

Good luck.  Looks like lots of time in the wood shop ahead. 

[Tom Boehm]

On my woodie station wagon I use Elmers Wood Glue Max. It is "waterproof". Some wood glues are only "water resistant". There is a difference.  When I have to glue a complicated assembly with many pieces I use Titebond II Extend Wood Glue. It is also "weatherproof" but it has a longer open time. It also dries lighter so the glue line is less noticeable. The Elmers is available everywhere but the Titebond II Extend I got at Woodcraft. I used AAbatron wood consolidant epoxy on rotten wood only to hold it together so I could remove it without falling apart. I am reproducing the entire body. I don't have a strong opinion on using soak in epoxy to save original wood. Remember that these cars will be pampered in a garage away from daily exposure to weather. It probably will suffice to save original wood when used properly. 

[mercer09]

I understand your point Randy, but this car will be done totally on a budget by me. I have maybe 15-20 yrs left, and I dont care less what happens to it after that. thinking anything is better then how its been treated the last 45 years.

 

Not interested in going upside down on full restorations, just improving what is there for the next guy. This will be a very low cost build when done.

 

back to books on the topic..............

 

so Tom, Elmers wood glue max, really? thank you for the info on the glues. so many to choose from and never used any of them.

[Tom Boehm]

Hello Mercer09, What are your plans for this car? Are you going to rebuild the wood yourself? Are you going to keep it or refurbish for resale? I went back and looked at the pictures in the for sale section. 

[auburnseeker]

I was thinking you might not have this one that long so any work you did,  you would be selling to the next guy.  Good work is always easier to sell, of course you have to balance that out with price and investment.  Price is usually a leading factor in how easy something is to sell.   People overlook things not necessarily done up to snuff when it's cheap enough.  To get good money it will have to be right and woodies seem to be in a bit of a slump from what I have seen.  If your family has to worry about it down the road then it's not as much of an issue if your not worried about it.  

[mercer09]

so there is a specialty lumberyard nearby, in Trenton NJ- where the Mercers were built. they have all exotic woods and a 3 person staff to cut what I need. I am missing very little in the way of patterns. the header and the bottoms of the doors are about it.

 

would like to cut as much as I can myself and what I cant do, have done. I was offered some wood from out in Cali, but mostly what I dont need. so will pursue this on my own time table over the winter.

 

I currently have 2 52 Buick woodies, a 51 chevy tin wood and this one. not real interested in selling it. Have a greater interest in working with the wood and getting my "woodshop" set up. Have always like working with wood and did quite a bit of it in HS.

 

getting ready to send out the seat or seats- havent decided which. May just have front seat upholstered and put the other two away. As I said, want to do this on a budget and not concerned about redoing a piece of wood 2 or 3x.

[mercer09]

so Ron Heiden in Cali tells me all of the wood on a 41 is truly one year only. so he will be making my header and rear drivers back post after the first of the yr for me. the smaller pieces I will tackle myself.

 

the 2 other areas of difficulty will be the two front doors. I have less then 50% of the wood left and it is trash. everything else should be fine. Maybe I should turn it into a towncar?

 

yes Im clowning...........