1926 Buick Floorboards

[jimmyg1943]

I recently acquired a 26 Buick in which the floorboards are a patchwork of boards bordering on a jigsaw puzzle.  They need replacing which I have no problem doing but I have a concern about water intrusion from underneath and I don't know what to do about it.  If I seal the board seams/joints then I fear water that does get in can't drain resulting in wood rot and the body metal rotting away where it touches the wood.  Should I try caulking all the seams or leave them without being sealed? I would hate to make this car a fair weather only car. I plan on pre-treating the wood for termites and for wood rot protection but that leaves the metal still an issue. Advice on what I should do, would be appreciated.

Thanks, Jim 

[michealbernal]

I treat my 1928 as a fair weather only car.  These cars are 100 years old.  They were never that water tight even when new and after 100 years of bouncing down the road they are definitely not water tight now.  The water gets on the wood which touches the metal and causes to rust.

[Mark Shaw]

You are overthinking this to make it a problem... 

I suggest you paint the metal to protect it and move on.....  

[Bob Atkinson]

The original floor boards were tongue in groove and pretty watertight to normal road splashing. They were oak - or some other hardwood.

[dibarlaw]

On my 2 1925 OPEN cars the original floor boards are a combination of oak and chestnut. The design was such that they could be removered quickly for access in servicing. They were never intended to be perfectly water tight. The several sections that did need replaced I did so in fresh oak and repainted in good quality black exterior paint.  The open cars prior to 1926 had linoleum covering.

 Except for the sport models which had carpeting. Note the "thimble" hole at the bottom right. That was so one could use their finger to lift the last floorboard to access the battery etc. for servicing.

 Floor of my 1925 Master Touring.

 

[Hubert_25-25]

Jim, 

          The sills are the 2 long boards that run along the outside edge of the car under the doors, from wheel to wheel.  The modern term for an all metal car is the rocker panel.  The outer body sheet metal is nailed to this wood sill on the bottom side (second photo).  They are protected from water splashing by the "aprons" which are the sheetmetal pieces between the running boards and the rocker panels. (photo 1)  The stack up is chassis, tar paper strip, apron, rubber body mounts, 1/4" wood spacer, wood sill.  If your rubber body mounts have not perished, you should have a visible gap between the apron and the body as these 2 sheetmetal pieces should not be touching.  The apron protects the body wood from moisture tossed up by the tires.      

The floorboards are inside the inner width of the 2 outer chassis rails.  Since they are inboard of the frame, they do not get wheel splashing.  You should paint them and leave the gaps alone as it will allow them to dry if any moisture were to get there.  See Larry's photo.  Some of the floorboard sections are tongue and groove together to make a section, but there are 4 individual floor panels in the front on our cars that are not tongue and groove on the outer edges.  Two floor boards are horizontal and two are angled.    Here is a guide for replacing floor and running boards.

 

https://forums.aaca.org/topic/324627-floor-board-and-running-board-mid-20s-buick-details/?tab=comments#comment-1861441

 

Excuse the notes on these photos as they are from an earlier discussion.

Hugh

 

   

[Reginald60]

Can I get a copy of the plans to wood kit -as I have a 1926 Standard Tourer  in Australia? All the wood is stuffed and lots missing

[hidden_hunter]

2 hours ago, Reginald60 said:

Can I get a copy of the plans to wood kit -as I have a 1926 Standard Tourer  in Australia? All the wood is stuffed and lots missing

 

which pieces? have you got a photo of yours?