'36 Running Boards Question & Comment

[TagMan]

Just finishing up getting my running boards ready to paint. I noticed the small holes drilled through the top of the running boards are .152" in diameter (#24 drill bit) instead of a more common 9/64" (.141") or 5/32" (.156"). I just thought it was funny that Ford would pick such an odd size, unless it was to cut down on drill bit pilferage by the workers. Just an idle thought that probably explains why my restoration has taken 7-years, to date.

My question is, there are two 3/8" diameter holes on top of the running board, centered between the body and the outside edge of the board. The hole in the front is 6-7/8" from the front edge (where the running board mounts to the front fender) and the rear hole is 6-5/16" from the rear edge (where the running board attaches to the rear fender. I don't see any use for the two holes and was just wondering why they are there.

Lastly, I found a very nice stamping on the underside of the driver's side running board (pic below), which I though I'd share just in case someone might be interested in it. Although the passenger's side board is in equally as nice condition, there's no sign of any stamping information.

1936 Ford Running Board Patent Info. by TagMan, on Flickr

[Don Rogers]

TagMan, Thanks for the interesting information regarding your 35-36 running boards. I did a patent search on Google and found out that all the patents are by a Mr. Budd Bronson at Ohio Rubber Co. Several patents even show the multiple holes that you refer to above and indicate that they helped in keeping the rubber cover attached to the metal running board. During the vulcanizing process rubber extruded through the holes and formed little mounds of rubber on the underside of the board. These were referred to as "rubber rivets" The part # 48-16451 also checks out with Ford's numbering system for a 35-36 LH running board. Don't have an answer on the 2 larger holes though!!

[DavidG]

Ohio Rubber was a running board supplier to Ford at least back to the '32 model year, but I believe that the boards so marked with patent information were not sold through Ford, but rather directly to dealers, similar to the Fostoria fenders.

Years ago when the Early Ford V8 Shop in Strongsville, OH offered reproduction running boards I recall their saying that they were using original Ohio Rubber molds. For a brief period they even offered to remold rubber on stripped original steel boards, but soon found out that unless the original steel foundations were perfect and free of any distortion that they were damaging the rubber molds.

[Viv W]

Hi All, my RHD 1935 running boards that came off a deluxe touring sedan, also have this patent info stamped on the left side only. Nothing on the right side board. Pretty sure my car was built in Canada and the boards I'm pretty sure are not replacements.
Viv.

[DavidG]

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Viv,

Interesting; that puts paid to my theory as it is highly unlikely that a replacement not sold by Ford would show up there. Yes, your phaeton would have been built in Canada assuming that it was originally sold in Southern Rhodesia as Ford of Canada supplied all of the Commonwealth Countries in that period (except the United Kingdom). Presumably its engine number prefix would have been C18 another letter F.