Model A Body Assembly Details

[ebrand57]

Hi

I am repairing the body of a 1930 Sport Coupe. I have the body removed, and sitting upside down for ease of repairs. I am replacing the both side subrails, floor pans, and fender quarter panels. I am reusing the cross channels. I have the drivers side clamped up the with new parts, but due to rust damage to original parts and no holes in the new parts, I cannot quite see how everything was fastened together. I have been searching the web for days looking for detailed drawings of exactly how the floor frame components were originally fastened together...just comments like...clamp and fasten...no details as to exactly where the original fasteners (rivets) were located. For example, the middle cross member keys into a cut slot of the side rail, and I can see a couple of the old rivet locations (from the other side, not as badly damaged, and not disassembled yet). It appears that the cross member used to have a tab which was then riveted to the sub rail, and through the fender inner panel (quarter panel). I can see the heads of two rivets on some old pictures, but I have not seen any information as to how exactly these parts originally fit together. Ideally, I'd love to have detailed drawings that show exactly how the body frame was put together, with exact component locations and rivet hole locations. Any help would be appreciated.

Thank you for any help!

Ethan Brand
Roscommon, MI

[Drive Shaft Dave]

Take a look at Vince Falter's site. fordgarage.com He took a coupe body completley apart , put it back together.

[ebrand57]

Hi, Thanks for the tip. I have looked at all of those pics, and read dozens of back issues of Restorer, read all my restoration/repair books and manuals, read hundreds of posts, looked at hundreds of pictures....none show the level of detail I am looking for. I need the exact location of parts, specifically the original rivet locations for assembly of the body/frame. All of my old parts are too rusty, and the new parts aren't pre drilled. I can see hints of where some of the rivets go from restored cars, and factory pics...but nothing I have found definitively shows or discusses exactly where Ford fastened some of these parts. Specifically the middle cross member. Academic, I know, but given the level of detail available for most other A assemblies, I am somewhat surprised how hard this is to find.

Thanks for any help,

Ethan Brand

[Drive Shaft Dave]

I was wondering if you could get drawing's from the Ford archive's I don't know how to do it but someone on here will.

[Marco Tahtaras]

Originally Posted by forever4

You are right, none of the replacement parts are drilled. That is why you have to lay them out and drill them according to the drawings if you want to be accurate. Otherwise, just MIG the whole mess together and don't worry about it.

I am concerned that you are going to have a dimensional basket case on your hands by rebuilding it upside down, as opposed to on a frame jig as I showed in my PM.

That was my very first thought. If not constructed on a STRAIGHT frame or a darn good equivalent or it will surely have serious problems. You better be good with a porta-power and other things once you try to assemble the semi-finished car.

[Steve Plucker]

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Originally Posted by ebrand57

Hi, Thanks for the tip. I have looked at all of those pics, and read dozens of back issues of Restorer, read all my restoration/repair books and manuals, read hundreds of posts, looked at hundreds of pictures....none show the level of detail I am looking for. I need the exact location of parts, specifically the original rivet locations for assembly of the body/frame. All of my old parts are too rusty, and the new parts aren't pre drilled. I can see hints of where some of the rivets go from restored cars, and factory pics...but nothing I have found definitively shows or discusses exactly where Ford fastened some of these parts. Specifically the middle cross member. Academic, I know, but given the level of detail available for most other A assemblies, I am somewhat surprised how hard this is to find.

Thanks for any help,

Ethan Brand

I seriously doubt you are going to find what you are looking for in any post Model A/AA era publication. Your best bet is to figure out what the part number is on each metal body section, go to the Ford Archives and get the drawing if it exist...sometimes it is not there but one never knows.

OR you can find another body in better shape than yours and get the dimensions off of that.

Pluck

[ebrand57]

Thanks for the great comments! I am being very careful to maintain the shape and position of the body as I repair it. It is nice and stable and square sitting on its somewhat intact roof structure. I am replacing parts basically one at a time while holding everything else in position. I also use a clamped 2x4 as an overall straightedge for the section I have taken apart (and continually compare it to the other side, which has not been taken apart yet.). When I take out an old part I am to reuse, I clean it, then reposition it over the old rivet hole , clamp it in (which I ground out to preserve their relative location) to help get the adjacent new part in the right place. I am planning to attach everything using a Mig to spot weld where the rivets previously were. I'll add a few weld joints as needed to take into account partial repairs. My goal is to reuse as much of the original material as possible. This is not a restoration, but a functional repair, and I want to leave as much 1930 around so if one of my son (haha) becomes a serious restorer, they will have something to start with....

[Bob from Northport]

We are working on my 1930 Sport coupe as well. I am just about to begin removing the floor pans for replacement. My car is a two owner car, and pretty much intact except for some rust in places. The only real problem I have is the frame to cab mounts in the very front of the body. I have replacements and will put them in. If I can help you with what dimensions you need, let me know. I can photo and measure wherever you like.

Bob Campbell
Bob's Model A Garage

[ebrand57]

Hi Bob

Thanks for the offer. If you look at my Album pictures, you can see the work I am doing. Specifically look at the Driver Rear Cross Member detail, where the old cross member is clamped to the new sub rail.....you can see the old rivet holes in the cross member. I am trying to figure out if the subrail should be "worked" inward a bit so it touches the end of the cross member. I am pretty sure the cross member used to have a tab (now rusted away) which extended and was riveted to the outer wall of the subrail, and through to the wheel well panel (which is partially cut out due to rust damage.). See the tab on the front cross member which is riveted to the sub rail. Any pictures of your '30 coupe would be helpful, although I assume it is not upside down!

Thanks

Ethan Brand