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need advice on my 1930 Buick


Erndog

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I am replacing all the wood in my model 61 and have run into a question regarding the roof wood. Are the bows (crosswise members) supposed to be straight or curved? On mine some are slightly curved, some are perfectly straight, and some are slightly s-shaped. It seems that if they warped it would be more likely to have become curved from straight than perfectly straight from curved. Any advice?? <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

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Guest Curt Fouse

Durn Ern! They are all curved and by about the same amount. I expect you better decide which one is the nearest right, and use it for the amount of curve on all of them. I am trying to remember if they are all alike or if there were some differences in them. Mine were bad on the ends but were in good shape otherwise. Also, I sawed mine out. I don't know if the factory ones were sawed or steam bent, but guess it doesn't make any difference. I hope you have a lot done since the last E-Mail. I guess about all that I have done is sand blast then paint the split rims. They were pitted pretty bad, but are looking pretty good since I wiped on heavy Corlar primer into the pits, sanded, then painted with corlar 2 part industrial top coat. (Had the stuff on hand) If you can't come up with the right curvature and think it would be about the same as my '57' I could make a pattern. Good luck.

Curt

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Thanks Curt! Another owner of a model 61 said his are straight and I have the utmost respect for his opinion, but he was looking through a cutout in the headliner and may not have had the best advantage in his view. He replaced his roof three times, but hasn't had to actually replace the wood. I know you have and if you say they are slightly curved I will probably make mine slightly curved, no disrespect to my other source who has owned one of these for over forty years. Another way of looking at it is if in the future I find it should be straight, it will be easier to modify it to straight than the other way around. <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

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Guest DeSoto Frank

Ern,

I am by no means an expert on sedan roofs of wood framed bodies, but I would think from an engineering standpoint that the bows might have a slight "crown" them, or at least the finished roof would have a slight crown so that it will shed water to the edges and prevent "ponding".

At least this is what I would expect for 1929 & later closed bodies; the early 20's closed bodies did have flat roofs.

Am presuming that you are refer to the bows that run across the body (perpendicular to the centerline of the car), and then thin wooden slats run from front of car to rear, and this is what the wire mesh / padding / sedan decking is applied over.

Would think that at the very least the front bow and rear bow (where the roof sheet metal is tacked) would be crowned.

Dad's '30 Chevy Sedan has a similar roof, but most of the wood is gone.....

Your friend that has redone his roof several times- does his car ever stay out in the rain? If so, does the water pond in the roof? Does the roof "look right"?

Just my two-cents worth....does your Buick have a Fisher body?

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below is my "reposted wood wisdom". I've been following these wood issues and this the best info we've come up with in three years.

the post below reads from the bottom up:

The booklet is called Tips on Autobody Woodwork, by Don Marsh. It's small,

about 18 pages with a few photos. I think I ordered it a few years ago thru

Hemmings. Anyway, Don's address as listed in the book is PO Box 760, Spirit

Lake, Idaho, 83869. (208) 623-2039. Like I said, reading Don's little booklet

gives me confidence I can do this with a lot of patience.

Dave

-----Original Message-----

From: Arden Peck [mailto:aspeck@tds.net]

Sent: Fri 4/11/2003 4:03 PM

To: 1927buicks@yahoogroups.com

Cc:

Subject: Re: [1927buicks] Wood Frame

Hi Dave. No that was not what I wanted to hear. I don't have any of the body

wood. The doors and back windows are still intact but all the rest is

basically gone. So I will need all the help I can get. Let me know where I

can obtain that book for wood structure replacement, please. Thanks. Arden

----- Original Message -----

From: Costello, David <mailto:david.costello@analog.com>

To: 1927buicks@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Friday, April 11, 2003 2:46 PM

Subject: RE: [1927buicks] Wood Frame

Arden,

Welcome! Unfortunately, the news on wood kits for these Buicks is not good.

Wood kits are not made for the Buicks like they are for your Model A. It's

pretty much a matter of making replacement wood from scratch. Hopefully you

have some of the original pieces to use for patterns. I'm getting ready to do

just that on my '28 Buick restoration. Personally, I don't think the woodwork

is all that difficult, but it will be very time consuming to do it right.

There is good little booklet available on the subject of replacing structural

wood in cars. The author is a guy who has done several cars. I can't think of

the exact title but I have it at home. Others on this site probably know the

title off the tops of their heads. I'll look it up and send you the title if

no one else does. The booklet will give you the courage to do it yourself.

Dave

-----Original Message-----

From: Arden Peck [mailto:aspeck@tds.net]

Sent: Friday, April 11, 2003 10:20 AM

To: 1927buicks@yahoogroups.com

Subject: [1927buicks] Wood Frame

Hello. I'm new to the old Buick scene. I have just finished a Model A.

Now have purchased a 27 Buick 2 dr. sedan. It needs a total new wood framing.

Where do I get a kit or information on making the wood parts? Thanks. Arden

Peck

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Guest DeSoto Frank

Ern,

Hmmmn, hadn't thought about the curve running "fore & aft".....that would work, I reckon....

I did pick-up a re-print of a 1932 Fisher Body Manual for help on our '30 Chevy Special Sedan...the book is at Mom & Dad's, and I don't exactly remember what it has to say or show about the roof, but it is a good book to have....

I would suggest looking at other 1929-30-31 GM cars w/ Fisher bodies to get an idea of what their roof contours are, and go from there....good excuse to go to some shows.... <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Good Luck with it; if I run across anything, I'll let you know.

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Guest DeSoto Frank

Terry,

As long as you're scanning and e-mailing, would you mind e-mailing relevant roof material to me, re: 1930 Chevrolet 4-door sedan ?

I have the Fisher Body Book, but I believe it is 1932 Edition.

"fran@kirbycenter.org";

would appreciate your help...

Thanks!

Frank McMullen

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