DLX Phaeton

[Jordan]

Here's the DLX phaeton that we just bought. Only a few pictures, but I could only snag a few. The last picture is of the all the cars getting to know the newbie. The plan is to do a frame off restoration.

[Gary WA]

Looks like a Great project!

[tbirdtbird]

Gotta love it !!!
I am available for info should you need it!
As you know some stuff is available only from A&L in Canton, CT. Might as well get the catalogue now.
Might as well get the zinc door sills now before they run out.
I am not sure if I can remember all the unique parts on that body style but I'll try:
door hinges, doors, door latches on the B pillar, possibly the door handles, door sills, body of course, top irons, rear valence.

As you know, Al Lepore many yrs ago restored his, and found that certain parts were just not available; so he decided to make them himself. At least one son continues the business; their stuff is first-class.

One short coming of the 180A is there is virtually nothing holding up the B pillar, making them floppy and difficult to close and latch the doors. Many of us have added a very beefy tapered steel brace just on the inside of the pillar, which goes down to the frame. Too difficult to explain on the internet. If you want to see what this looks like in person just let me know, it is not hard to fab up. It cannot be given the final bolt-in until all the other body panels are fitted. Thus it is the last thing to fit.

Good luck, brings back a lot of memories !!! You'll love it!!!!

[mass A man]

Absolutely beautiful!! Glad it's got a good home!!

[Mike V. Florida]

Restore it? I would run the tires off it before I would restore it. Then again pictures might make the car look better then what it really is.

[ronn]

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Nice score! Congratulations

[Patrick L.]

That looks pretty nice just the way it is. Nice car. I like where someone decided to put the steering wheel.

[Mitch//pa]

that is a nice addition to your collection. i would leave it r/h drive it sets it apart from the others, and adds to the rarity

[TinCup]

So jealous! I believe their is one more deluxe in the Dallas club.

[Jordan]

Originally Posted by Mike V. Florida

Restore it? I would run the tires off it before I would restore it. Then again pictures might make the car look better then what it really is.

Yes, it's in need a full restoration. It could be driven, but I wouldn't drive it further than around town.

[Jordan]

Originally Posted by TinCup

So jealous! I believe their is one more deluxe in the Dallas club.

There's 3 or 4 in the Ft. Worth club that I know of.

[Jordan]

Originally Posted by Patrick L.

That looks pretty nice just the way it is. Nice car. I like where someone decided to put the steering wheel.

it's from argentina

[Bill Underwood]

I have recently cast the b pillar supports. I did this by beefing up the bottom side and the L bracket that goes up the wooden pillar. I made these so that you can route the subrail and the wooden pillar by about 3/16. The crow foot and outside appearance should look ansolutely original when installed. I made sets out of bronze and aluminum. The bronze ones were very pricy andextremely heavy; the aluminum ones seem cost effective and very sturdy. They seem very rigid and shoild preclude the door pillar flex.I have not installed these as of yet as the 180a projects are down the road after some A400 re-wooding. Brent terry has some of these and he might have some comments.

[Logan]

The body itself is in decent shape. The cowls will need patches, the wheel wells, and the bead on the bottom of the back panel will need a patch. Other than that, the body is pretty nice. The wood is showing it's age. The B pillars flex like crazy, but I'm ordering a whole new wood kit this week probably. The plan is to maybe take it to winnsboro autumn trails tour next month, and then really start tearing it apart. There isn't whole lot of sheetmetal on this car, so body work shouldn't take long at all. TBird I'm sure there will be a trip or two over to your shop here in the next couple months of me looking at some things.

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Originally Posted by Logan

The body itself is in decent shape. The cowls will need patches, the wheel wells, and the bead on the bottom of the back panel will need a patch. Other than that, the body is pretty nice. The wood is showing it's age. The B pillars flex like crazy, but I'm ordering a whole new wood kit this week probably. The plan is to maybe take it to winnsboro autumn trails tour next month, and then really start tearing it apart. There isn't whole lot of sheetmetal on this car, so body work shouldn't take long at all. TBird I'm sure there will be a trip or two over to your shop here in the next couple months of me looking at some things.

Sadly Logan, good luck with that. Unfortunately there are just enough issues with that where you likely will be dissatisfied with the outcome. You had better plan on fabricating the wood yourself if you want the doors to fit properly and the body to be rigid!


Bill, I have only mocked-up one set as I am still doing the machine work on them for use on that NY car. The other body from SC has the supports that we had braced and it is currently up in the bodyshop about ready for paint so it wasn't worth changing them out. I will tell everyone that Bill's supports are nice castings and worth purchasing.
.

[tbirdtbird]

Steve Cannon at Classic Wood
http://www.manta.com/c/mmnfj5v/classic-wood-mfg

[Mike V. Florida]

Originally Posted by tbirdtbird

Steve Cannon at Classic Wood
http://www.manta.com/c/mmnfj5v/classic-wood-mfg

Fordwood says they have it in stock.

[Bick in New Zealand]

There can't be many deluxe phaetons left in Argentina. There are three of them here in NZ. The Buenos Aires plant produced 166 in 1930 and 143 in 1931. It would be great to see one of the restored RHD to blue ribbon standard.

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Originally Posted by Mike V. Florida

Fordwood says they have it in stock.

Yes, these guys do make kits however they just are not correct. Someone that is knowledgeable about 180As, and has been down that road will likely tell you that. We have a car in here right now from South Carolina whose owner purchased a kit, installed it and the doors would not close due to interference. The rear rail wood did not fit the body, and the rear seat cushion support was made incorrectly so it did not support the main (sub) rails. We basically started over due to other issues. I am sure you could probably buy his "kit" at a reduced price.

My advice is to make it yourself to fit your sheetmetal. Sloppy joints & fits only create heartache. It seems there have been a lot "band-aids" made over the years to add rigidity to a body where doors would open and close (-and stay closed) but when the foundation is built correctly so it cannot flex, that seems to cure the problems. If the sub-rails can twist or flex, this allows the pillar supports to move which makes the door jambs & latches a moving target when the door is closed. If the joint fits in the doors are not a tight, tap-together slip fit, it will allow the door to sag. Again, if the door is not rigid in its shape, how can one expect to adjust it where it will close with just a push of the door against the striker. Also, that rigidity helps keep the door closed when the vehicle is driven across a bump in the road or a railroad crossing.

.

[Jordan]

Does anybody know of another RHD dlx phaeton in the states?