Hubert_25-25 Posted March 30, 2020 Share Posted March 30, 2020 (edited) Brian Heil graciously lent me an original set of Buick Model 35 side curtains. The model 35 touring car was a 4 cylinder model sold from 1922 thru 1924, and later became the model 25 in 1925. There was a significant body style change in 1924, but I believe these to be 1923 and likely fit 1922. I have 8 drawings and 15 photos. The first drawing in the series is the fabric drawing, and the second is the fastener locations. The forum only takes .jpg, so the drawings are converted to snapshots. PM me if you want a power point version that you can edit. The photos are in the second posting. I would like to archive this in a better method, so I may need the AACA to help as this is a lot of work and one thing many of us lack is drawings and preserving this information and providing access in the future. Very interesting details to these side curtains when you look at the design. I hope to use these as a basis to draw and archive the side curtains for my model 25 Buick, so I am still looking for someone that can work with me to put out a drawing set. I don't mind doing all the drawings, I just need the access to the side curtains. Old ragged originals would be ideal. 1925 to 1927 Buick model 25. My intention is to share this information globally as I know a lot of us do not have these on our cars or under the seat. A later note: Also added below are 1928-25 side curtains from Dave Blaufarb and I hope to add others over time. Hugh Edited May 11, 2020 by Hubert_25-25 (see edit history) 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hubert_25-25 Posted March 30, 2020 Author Share Posted March 30, 2020 (edited) These are the model 35 side curtain photos. I have higher resolution photos but had to do screen shots of them as well. These are front and back photos of each side curtain. Hugh Edited March 30, 2020 by Hubert_25-25 (see edit history) 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian_Heil Posted March 30, 2020 Share Posted March 30, 2020 Well done (again) Hugh! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hubert_25-25 Posted March 31, 2020 Author Share Posted March 31, 2020 Brian, I could not have done this without your generosity. Thank you. Hugh 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hubert_25-25 Posted March 31, 2020 Author Share Posted March 31, 2020 (edited) To make this complete, these are the side curtain rods from a model 25 Buick Touring. They are probably a little short than those required for a model 35, but they will give you an idea of how they are constructed. At some point I will add how these are bent relative to the location of the slots, but adding these here now so there is a complete picture of the side curtain parts. Each rod is stamped with the model number and location like RF for (right front) door. The 4 nickeled parts are the side curtain sockets. Do not put much paint on the ends of the rods, or you will not be able to get them out of the sockets. I powder coated the top section and rattle can sprayed the very bottom to have a durable coating on most, but a thin coating where it counted. Hugh Edited April 1, 2020 by Hubert_25-25 (see edit history) 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian_Heil Posted March 31, 2020 Share Posted March 31, 2020 Another interesting detail on the curtains is the stenciling on the inside that notes the position. You can blow up a couple of Hughs photos and still see it. Just noting it for the folks who read this down the road. Hugh is the third person to borrow these which makes me smile. Now the trick will be to play with the dimensions to create a fit/drawing for the different larger models. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hubert_25-25 Posted April 1, 2020 Author Share Posted April 1, 2020 (edited) This is the detail Brian is talking about. Every curtain is stencil marked with the car model number and it's location. A close up is attached. For those of you contemplating top replacement and side curtain fitment. Be sure to find thru original photos or the right club members, how your top was actually constructed. I have a couple photos here. The 1923 model 45 (hot dog eaters) has a large top flap triangle section with 4 snaps that covers the shorter bow that is attached to the rear bow. In 1924, the body style changed but the top configuration stayed the same. This is a 1924 model 35. In 1925 the top was changed and there is now only 1 snap on the top side panel and the base of the short bow is exposed. This detail was done on both the Standard and the Master. Other details are that on most domestic models, the back curtain side flaps cover the outside of the rear top sockets (snaps on the outside) . On the exports the snaps are usually on the inside of the last top socket which leaves the top socket exposed to the elements. Hugh . Edited April 1, 2020 by Hubert_25-25 (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trimacar Posted April 1, 2020 Share Posted April 1, 2020 16 hours ago, Brian_Heil said: Hugh is the third person to borrow these which makes me smile. I'm one of the lucky people who got to borrow these curtains. Was asked to make curtains for a Model 35, and had NOTHING to go on, not even rods for support. Getting the loan of these curtains was invaluable, not as patterns, but as reference. I never would have known about the curved piece of metal on front curtain, for example. I didn't have stencils to mark sides and position, so had tags made that can be ironed on or sewed on (I prefer sewing). Attached is picture of an original I patterned these after, sets are available if anyone is interested. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Shaw Posted April 6, 2020 Share Posted April 6, 2020 Hugh, Please post this info on the Prewar Buick Registry site. Thanks, Mark Shaw https://brassbuicks.groups.io/g/PBR/files Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hubert_25-25 Posted May 8, 2020 Author Share Posted May 8, 2020 I am really excited to add another posting here. Dave Blaufarb lent me his original 1928-25 Buick side curtains. A complete set. Lots of changes relative to the 1923 model 35 curtains shown above. - The "muntins" (bars between panes) are eliminated, so there must have been an improvement in the "eisenglass" that made it less fragile. The little narrow windows on the front panels of the 1923 side curtains is so that the side curtains can fold to open the door without damaging the eisenglass - probably a big problem in cold climates. For increased speeds other changes were made. - The drivers door flap is now an angled opening that will not blow open. - Fasteners used to secure the panels to the car are not just button snaps, but have internal catches. - The base of the sidecurtain can be snapped inside the door. - a fuzzy backing strip was used to protect the paint. - There is no wide strip of fabric to make a "window header" attached to the side curtain anymore. The curtain must rest in the closed position against an attachment to the top frame. This posting will be the drawings, and the next will be the photos. So I have renamed my posting as I would like to keep low resolution information about side curtains here. I want to work with AACA about long term storage of the dimensional data and high resolution photos. I could also be convinced to draw and post photos of other years and models (touring and roadsters) if someone were kind enough to loan me their side curtains. I only need the drivers side. In particular if someone has curtains for a 1925-25 I would be very much interested. Hugh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hubert_25-25 Posted May 8, 2020 Author Share Posted May 8, 2020 (edited) These are the associated photos for the 1928-25 side curtains drawn in the above posting. Hugh Edited May 8, 2020 by Hubert_25-25 (see edit history) 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hubert_25-25 Posted May 14, 2020 Author Share Posted May 14, 2020 (edited) Side curtain making should to be coordinated with the top making. Attached is how to determine where the outer side edge of the top is set and how the side curtains should be fitted. I would not just use the above dimensions to make side curtains if you want a real custom fit. I would make poster board mock ups of each curtain first, just to make sure the sizing is all correct. Being poster board patterns, if done correctly you just need to trace around them on the stayfast after the fitting. You would make the side curtains after the top is complete anyway. Locating the string line is not that difficult either, but it is a critical part. 2 of my side curtain rods were dead on, but 2 were off some and had to be adjusted in the vise. Hugh Edited May 15, 2020 by Hubert_25-25 (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hubert_25-25 Posted June 4, 2020 Author Share Posted June 4, 2020 (edited) I am close to having my side curtain poster board patterns complete for my Buick 1925-25. I am stalled in a few areas. Does anyone have any photos of their side curtains installed from in the car? These are my poster board patterns. The patterns came from another 1925-25, not original side curtains, but really close. Oddly this center door panel was narrower than what seemed to fit on the car, so I am glad that I made patterns first. My question is on the middle side curtain. There is a header piece above the front 2 side curtains. It has a gap on either side of the 2nd top bow. Is this correct? This set up should make it water tight, but maybe not as weather tight as I expected. Maybe they intentionally wanted a few places to have an air exchange. Hugh Edited June 4, 2020 by Hubert_25-25 (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hubert_25-25 Posted August 12, 2020 Author Share Posted August 12, 2020 (edited) Only a few fasteners on back order, but I wanted to make this posting as my car finally has weather protection. This is how to make side curtains, and the additional file specific to a 1925 Buick model 25 Touring car. This is a long file with a lot of details. I have still yet to see an original set of 1925-25 side curtains after years of looking. If anyone knows of a set, I would love photos. Alan Wohl has an original 1925-45 set and this carried my final clues to how they were made. Special thanks to all those that have contributed with dimensions, guidance, photos and the lending of several side curtains so that I could understand the design details. Alan Wohl, Brian Heil, Dave Blaufarb, David Coco, Larry DiBarry, Carol Campbell, Brian Meek, George Mazurek, Roger Hadfield, Neil Campbell, Don Kuehn, and Leon Rumpf. I am still gathering side curtain information and I do have some side curtain dimensions and photos for roadsters and expect for earlier Buicks as well. As usual, this website only allows screen shots of my power points and word docs. Hugh Edited August 15, 2020 by Hubert_25-25 (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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