Curious about Coupe tops.....

[31 Model A]

was there a reason why coupe tops were made the way they were and not a solid sheet of metal????

[Tinbasher]

Solid tops weren't used by Ford until 1935-36. A complete redesign of the car body, where the roof was joined to the 1/4 panels. Not the side rails of the roof being a part of the 1/4 panels like a "A". Probably cost, different stamping procedures, etc.

The Old Tinbasher

[darrylkmc]

31 Model A,

The very First ever All-Steel Top was introduced by Ford with the Late 1931 Budd Cab Pick-Up. It is a one piece stamping to include the Sun-Visor.

I cannot answer as to why, compared to stamping, maybe wood was a lot cheaper.

Darryl in Fairbanks

[bgarrett]

Henry didnt have the capability to stamp parts that big, OP until about 35 or 36

[31 Model A]

All understandable.....thanks gentlemen. With that I'll think I'll go say goodnight to Sarah and hit me cot.

Cheers...........................

[ronn]

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actually cost was a big factor-he owned acres of woods and harvested his own.
most everyone knows the story of Henry using shipping crates of wood to recycle back into the bodys, seats etc. Why there were many different woods used and often diff woods within the same car.
Henry wasnt just the #1 builder of cars-he made them affordable, gave people jobs and did so much more for the economy. He knew how to be cost effective.

If he were alive today, he would be sent to Wash, to clean house!
Ford Motor Co still runs a pretty tight ship today, why they refused tarp $.

[31 Model A]

Originally Posted by ronn

Ford Motor Co still runs a pretty tight ship today, why they refused tarp $.

What a coincidence, I've own three new Fords since then.............
Recently I went back to GM when I was given a new Buick Lacrosse. These ladies of the Blue Rinse Brigade here at the Home are quite generous.


But here I am back with another Ford....and loving it!!!!!

[Terry, NJ]

Henry also promoted a scheme to finance the TVA project of the thirties. Just print dollars with TVA across the back and then retire/destroy them as they came back into govt hands. Regrettably, It wasn't used!
Terry

Originally Posted by ronn

actually cost was a big factor-he owned acres of woods and harvested his own.
most everyone knows the story of Henry using shipping crates of wood to recycle back into the bodys, seats etc. Why there were many different woods used and often diff woods within the same car.
Henry wasnt just the #1 builder of cars-he made them affordable, gave people jobs and did so much more for the economy. He knew how to be cost effective.

If he were alive today, he would be sent to Wash, to clean house!
Ford Motor Co still runs a pretty tight ship today, why they refused tarp $.

[leo]

If they could stamp fenders they could certainly stamp a roof. No I believe the reason for the soft top was a hold over from the old carriage building days, perhaps the thought was that a metal roof would get too hot or would drum and be too noisy.

[Terry, NJ]

Agreed, Considering some of the truly huge presses they had then (Front cover of Bratton's 2013, yellow catalog). This shows a Cleveland press with an entire 31 Town Sedan inside, tires, driver and all. I think that stamping a roof was well inside their capabilities. I have heard that in the Pre AC days, the fabric roof was cooler, I don't know.
Terry

Originally Posted by leo

If they could stamp fenders they could certainly stamp a roof. No I believe the reason for the soft top was a hold over from the old carriage building days, perhaps the thought was that a metal roof would get too hot or would drum and be too noisy.

[A bones]

The reading I have done tells me that in the teens and twenties, when they (Auto makers and coach builders in general) were developing bodies of metal, the problem was called drumming. As the car went down the bumpy road, the roof would resonate from flex. Later on, as styles changed to include curves in the roof line, they found it strong enough to resist drumming.

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

One thought to ponder in all these answers, ...and to the initial question. I believe it would be a fair statement for all of us to say how there are certain things we would do different had we known back then what we know today. That same mindset would apply to Henry and his engineering boys back in the Model-A era. It is easy to ask "why" now, however back in the day there were things that seem simple by today's standards that were not conceived at that time. I think this qualifies as one.

For the record, can anyone think of any other marque during that same era as the Model-A that had a solid sheetmetal roof?

[John S]

I'm thinking Olds was the first GM car, about '33 or so.

[KGBnut]

I had always heard that the whole Model A was designed to flex a bit, even the riveted frames. It compensates for the unevenness of the roads of the day. Under those conditions, a big roof panel would buckle and be noisy, much like the 'drumming' that A Bones mentioned.

I don't think it was a lack of the ability to make the panel. That argument might fly if you were talking about something like a Fordor, but on my Couple, I would bet that the panel needed to fill the hole in the roof would be no bigger than the trunk lid.

[CarlG]

Originally Posted by KGBnut

I had always heard that the whole Model A was designed to flex a bit, even the riveted frames. It compensates for the unevenness of the roads of the day. Under those conditions, a big roof panel would buckle and be noisy, much like the 'drumming' that A Bones mentioned.

I don't think it was a lack of the ability to make the panel. That argument might fly if you were talking about something like a Fordor, but on my Couple, I would bet that the panel needed to fill the hole in the roof would be no bigger than the trunk lid.

My pickup has almost the same size roof as a coupe does, and somehow Henry found a way to make it a steel top.

[John S]

Found this:http://theoldmotor.com/?p=43800

[A bones]

Originally Posted by John S

Found this:http://theoldmotor.com/?p=43800

There it is. Thanks John, I thought there was mention of it on The Old Motor. I know I also read of it in one the many books my wife and sister keep giving me.

[redmodelt]

Budd found a way but even then there is a seam across the back just above the seat back and the curved rear part is a separate piece.

[darrylkmc]

Originally Posted by redmodelt

Budd found a way but even then there is a seam across the back just above the seat back and the curved rear part is a separate piece.

I am certain this decision was dictated by the fact that the rear or back panel was already stamped and did not require anything but possibly minor changes to implement the One Piece Top on the Budd Cab.

Darryl in Fairbanks

[John S]

Yes, and it's the composition of the steel and not just the size that's important. It's one thing for Budd to turn out a few low production pickup cabs, quite another to start stamping out roofs, for say a coupe, by the tens of thousands. It just took a few years to make everything come together.