1940 Ford Running Board Covers
 

Planning on replacing the rubber covers on running boards. Of all the people that you can buy them from.....who has the overall best product ?

Thx....Mike

Re: 1940 Ford Running Board Covers
 

I did that once. Have since only used "backorder Bob's" boards with the rubber already molded on. Putting the covers on is NOT an easy thing to do in my opinion. There used to be a fellow named Acuff I think that did a good job but you had to send him your boards.
Good luck with your project, I think Drake probably makes the best covers.

Re: 1940 Ford Running Board Covers
 

I've installed two sets of Bob Drake's '40 covers, and imo are the best available. The first set I did by myself, but was easier with help on the second. Just follow instructions and use a quality contact adhesive. :)

Re: 1940 Ford Running Board Covers
 

The covers Drake sells are okay. It does take patience to install them properly. Proper preparation, as with any project, is paramount to a good result.
I would suggest covers only for a "driver" type vehicle.
Hundley Acuff is still doing boards and for us "purists" they are the only option.

Re: 1940 Ford Running Board Covers
 

Re: 1940 Ford Running Board Covers
 

Kube is correct (as usual). If you are going for points, unblemished NOS or Acuff boards are the way to go. Drake boards/covers are good "driver" products.

Re: 1940 Ford Running Board Covers
 

Guys my '40 is driven everyday I can. I could show it, but you have to take that "very" seriously and I don't have the patience. Plus I just enjoy driving the car. I'll go with Drakes.

One last thing......should I take off the boards or leave on the car ?

As always....thx........Mike

Re: 1940 Ford Running Board Covers
 

You must take them off. I'd suggest sand blasting the boards until they are CLEAN. Then, you must fill any low spots on the top of the boards. I would advise the use of a metal impregnated filler vs. an all plastic filler.

Once the boards are smooth you are ready to install the covers. I would suggest 3M Rubber adhesive in a quart (brush applied) can.

The back of the covers must be cleaned thoroughly. Use lacquer thinner and a coarse plastic scrub pad. I would not use steel wool as it often contains oils - something you need to eliminate.
Only glue the bottom edge and wait until that sets up firmly. Only then would I move on any further.
Do not stretch the covers at all.

Re: 1940 Ford Running Board Covers
 

Okay great. Will do. I'm buying them next week and will install as a November December project.

Thx.....Mike

Re: 1940 Ford Running Board Covers
 

Drakes "shoe box" covers have been on my woodie since 1992 and still look great. follow kube's advice about filling/cleaning the boards, 3m glue etc.

Re: 1940 Ford Running Board Covers
 

I'm also planning to replace the covers on my Fordor after the driving season this fall. Is the removal of the boards straightforward or are there some tricks that would be helpful?

Re: 1940 Ford Running Board Covers
 

Hey good question Dowse !

Thx guys.

Re: 1940 Ford Running Board Covers
 

Re: 1940 Ford Running Board Covers
 

Thx Fordy

Re: 1940 Ford Running Board Covers
 

Follow Fordy and Kubes advice and you will be fine. I did my boards like they advise and the have been on the car for 16 years and still look great. The board finish is extremely important.

Re: 1940 Ford Running Board Covers
 

Thanks everyone.
Here's a link to an epoxy product that might be good to use on the low spots on the boards prior to applying the rubber top material. Its design is to bond metals together but it works fine as a filler. Not cheap but top quality, as are all the System Three products

https://systemthree.com/products/sil...-bonding-epoxy

Re: 1940 Ford Running Board Covers
 

I also used Drakes on my 39. I found wooded spring type clothespins to be a be great helper to keep the lower lip tight while the glue dried.

Re: 1940 Ford Running Board Covers
 

Thx guys.

Re: 1940 Ford Running Board Covers
 

Don't mean to hijack this discussion, but i'm going to do the same thing on my 40 tudor this week, sometime when i get enough nerve to do it, Wish me luck.:eek:

Re: 1940 Ford Running Board Covers
 

Hope........let me know how you do. Did you buy Drakes covers ?

Re: 1940 Ford Running Board Covers
 

Re: 1940 Ford Running Board Covers
 

I've never done the 1939/40 running boards but I am aware that FoMoCo had the rubber vulcanized on most all of the cars after 1932 or so. The metal of the boards was originally prepped to hold or grip the rubber material better during the vulcanizing process. I was curious to those in the know of just how rough the metal is on the 39/40 models after you get all the old rubber off?

I've used a lot of different metal based fillers from Aluma-Lead to Metal 2 Metal and even Devcon plastic steel. These fillers have a difficulty factor to them that surpasses any type of normal filler material. My reason for wondering about the board texture is just to question how much filler will be needed to smooth them out. After the covers are on, the boards are fairly well water proofed and any good Rage filler or maybe Duraglass should work OK depending on how thick it is. Generally, it's the condition of the underlying metal that caused delamination of the filler materials with time. Strong changes in temperature and exposure to sun & weather also take there toll.

Re: 1940 Ford Running Board Covers
 

I have a set of 41 covers to install. I was thinking maybe construction adhesive would work better than contact cement. Anyone have trouble with contact cement letting loose in the hot sun?

Re: 1940 Ford Running Board Covers
 

Rubber, whether natural or synthetic, usually needs a rubber cement or contact adhesive like super weather strip adhesive to bond it to metal substrates. I've used a lot of Pliobond for rubber adhesive. It was made to attach wing de-icer boots to the leading edges. Scotch brand adhesives are pretty good quality and work well if they are designed for rubber like materials. Now if someone used a superglue or Gorilla glue or what not, it would be interesting to know if it held up. Most folks go for the recommended tried and true materials. I tend to go that route myself and let others take the risky trail.

Re: 1940 Ford Running Board Covers
 

Rotor, You've posed a great inquiry. I can only offer my opinion and comments which is based on quite a bit of experience.
Once the authentic rubber is removed, the board metal appear to be fairly smooth. I find it very difficult to believe that Ford added any process to "roughen" the metal prior to the vulcanizing. No doubt, the metal was left "as is" from the stamping and forming processes.
In regard to what type of filler is best or simply "good enough"... I prefer a metal impregnated filler for this purpose. Perhaps not necessary but it allows me a certain amount of confidence that I don't get with plastic fillers. I am extremely careful during the preparation process of the metal and do not worry about the filler becoming dislodged from the metal. Rather, I worry about the adhesion properties of plastic fillers (glue).
As for "how much" is necessary.... not much. I'd say the deepest area I have ever encountered was less than 1/32".

Re: 1940 Ford Running Board Covers
 

Re: 1940 Ford Running Board Covers
 

I read a post somewhere (maybe here or the HAMB) that mentioned some year model that had ribs or some form of surface irregularity to aid in gripping the rubber to the board. It must have either been from earlier year models or I got it mixed up with some other make of car. It sounds like the 39/40 models were straight forward and shouldn't be to much of a chore to do. It's pretty much just regular paint & body work.

The metalized fillers are very hard materials whether they are polyester based or epoxy based. Mostly due to the metal content. I always had to use an air file with some heavy grit paper to work it down but you have to watch the high spots. The rough stuff will remove as much metal as filler if a guy isn't careful. All that work taught me to work the metal as much as possible before using the fillers.

I would have figured using a spray type rubber adhesive might be easier. Sort of like doing interior trim work. Lay the thing out for fit then pull it up and spray a bit at a time. Let it tack up then lay it down. Start in the middle & work your way out. You just really need to know its in the right place before you start. Once it's placed, it don't like to move much.

Re: 1940 Ford Running Board Covers
 

Re: 1940 Ford Running Board Covers
 

I used Vintique covers and contact cement. Fit like a glove and hasn't come loose in about 17 yrs.

Re: 1940 Ford Running Board Covers
 

Exact method I used. Works great.

Re: 1940 Ford Running Board Covers
 

Makes sense to start at the edge that is key to best look and fit then just carefully lay it over to prevent wrinkling.

Re: 1940 Ford Running Board Covers
 

Mike 42.

I'm postponing the application of the running board covers, because i have to do some work on the board, and i have to get the proper "mindset" to do it.

Bought my covers from Joe's Antique in Uxbridge Ma. And they are Vintique.:)

Re: 1940 Ford Running Board Covers
 

Actually I used four guys and a lot of clamps to put mine on my 40. Many hands make the job easier and NO BEER OR PIZZA til the job was done. also prefit the covers to the boards twice BEFORE glueing (WELDWOOD CONTACT CEMENT).

Re: 1940 Ford Running Board Covers
 

Question??
Instruction is to start at edge, and also recommended by those that have done it before, But my question is when you glue the edge and let it sit., if i remember right when you contact the two opposite its instant there and will not mouve.
The lip on the rubber looks like to me has to slide on about 1/4"--3/8" am i expecting a problem that is not there????

Re: 1940 Ford Running Board Covers
 

Try to fit it without glue. I did that for mine and found that I had to make some minor cuts in the cover.

Re: 1940 Ford Running Board Covers
 

Re: 1940 Ford Running Board Covers
 

I'm going to use Weldwood Contact Cement. Already bought a couple pints of it.

Am I correct in understanding that I should "NOT" use a Rustoleum Primer on the boards after I sand them down ?

I crawled under the driver's side board over the weekend and wanted to see how many bolts there are and there's a stamp underneath saying "Made in Argentina" ! That can't be original is it ? These are very flat boards from what I can see.

Thx for all the comments. The covers come next week, so I'll advise.

Mike

Re: 1940 Ford Running Board Covers
 

Original boards are not made in Argentina. You have some old reproduction boards. The metal on those boards is thinner than the originals. I would suggest you find some originals to cover.

Re: 1940 Ford Running Board Covers
 

Sounds like some of the old reproductions. A lot of stuff was made in Argentina over the years.

There are as many ways to do a job as there are people who do them. Personally, I would never go without some form of primer. I would put a heavy enough coat of epoxy primer on that a person could sand it well without going through. Clean the sanded surface then apply the contact cement for the boards. The contact cement can act as a primer to a certain degree but it likely has no corrosion inhibitors in it. A good clean sanded surface should allow anything to stick to it whether it's bare metal or primer. You want a primer that will stick as good as possible that the Weldwood won't lift off. The thinners in the contact cement can lift a lot of different primers. The only rattle can stuff I would use would be PTI zinc chromate and it would have to be set in the sun for a week to bake it on good.

Re: 1940 Ford Running Board Covers
 

While I have a ton of respect for your knowledge and willingness to share, I can only agree with you in part on the primer issue.
I see NO need for primer in this case as the metal will be completely covered in glue and subsequently rubber. If the covers are applied correctly, water, etc. can not enter and corrode the metal.

The risk of the primer being attacked by the solvents within the glue is too high for this guy.
Your advice to choosing a primer that won't lift off is spot on.