side curtains
 

Would the front door side curtains be the same on a 32 Roadster & Phaeton? I have a barn find Roadster & a set of original side curtains from my 32 Standard Phaeton which I did'nt use.Thanks.

Re: side curtains
 

Carl,


That they have have different part numbers (standard phaeton to standard roadster, deluxe phaeton to deluxe phaeton) suggests that the answer would be that they differ. Likely that's because the roadster doors and phaeton front doors differ slightly in their width. However, if you have the V8 Club's 1932 book, you will note on pages 17-11 and 12 that the standard roadster door curtains and the deluxe phaeton front door curtains shown on those pages are very similar with the obvious difference being the left deluxe curtain has an opening for the post rear view mirror which the standard left curtain lacks. (You did not mention if your roadster is a standard or deluxe.)

An additional factor may be shrinkage of your original phaeton side curtains. Almost always original curtains have shrunk a bit and that might preclude their use.

Re: side curtains
 

David- Thanks for the information. My car is a barnfind 32 Deluxe Roadster. For the time being, I am intending on keeping it "barnfind" like, even though that's not my style. I thought I would try to use my old Standard Phaeton curtains for now and maybe use them as approximate patterns for new ones down the road. You're correct; they have obviously shrunk. I did study the pics in your 32 book but did'nt know the exact comparison of the Roadster & Phaeton curtains. Where is Lebaron Bonney when I need them?

Re: side curtains
 

Unfortunately, long gone.

Re: side curtains
 

IMHO Side curtains are very much like the old-school tailored pants. They need fitting to the person/vehicle they are going to be used on.

Re: side curtains
 

I am constantly learning here. I had always thought the front phaeton doors and roadster doors were the same? Can you be more specific on this David?

Re: side curtains
 

If you have a '32 body parts catalog you'll notice that they have different part numbers. The bare phaeton front doors' part numbers are B-35459/60 and the bare roadster doors' part numbers are B-40459/60. The difference in width is cited on page 11-12 of the Club's 1932 book.

According to the original engineering drawings for the doors, the outer skins are the same, but when formed over the door inner panel, the roadster doors end up 7/16" wider than the phaeton doors. (Obviously it's the door inner panels that are different hence the difference in the finished assemblies.) I've verified that with doors of both body types.

Not to muddy the waters, but there four versions of the North American-manufactured phaeton and roadster doors. The first had three holes for the side curtain sockets and a drooping lip at the top of the inside of the door assembly where the top of the trim panel was inserted. It also had no raised area surrounding the openings for the hinges on the forward edge of the doors. The second version was the same as the first except it had only two holes for the side curtain sockets. The third version eliminated the droop in the trim panel retaining lip. The last version had a stamped in raised area surrounding the hinge openings.

The Australian '32 phaeton and roadster doors have an entirely different construction, being a composite of outer sheet metal and wood framing. I do not know if there is a difference in the width of those doors between the phaeton fronts and those of the roadster.

Re: side curtains
 

Thank you David.

Re: side curtains
 

You're welcome!