My Roadster's looking a little weak, can anyone help me out?

[FordMike]

I'm just starting to tackle the body on my roadster and I feel like there is quite a bit missing. The previous owner replaced the floor with a brookville subframe but there has to be more ways the body mounts to the subframe, its far too weak to ever go down the road the way it is.

I just figured maybe someone out there could fill in the blanks with some pictures. I am planning on ordering the woodkit as well as the latches and everything else for the doors soon, I just thought it would be a good idea to see if there is anything else I should add onto my shopping list. I plan on making the body stock and I'm not sure what I will be doing as far as the seat riser or any of that.

I took a few pictures of the areas in question rather than rambling on and on only to find no one knows what I'm talking about.







The photos arent the best, some of the lights in the basement don't work and I took these with my phone. I can get better pictures if need be.

Thanks guys

[Bob C]

Looks like the whole bottom of the body is rotted off.

Bob

[Richard Wilson]

Look at the fordbarn post titled "30 roadster - a hot rod in 1956 - time for a refresh in 2012", by flop, post #161. His pictures should show/tell you everything you need to know.

[FordMike]

Originally Posted by Richard Wilson

Look at the fordbarn post titled "30 roadster - a hot rod in 1956 - time for a refresh in 2012", by flop, post #161. His pictures should show/tell you everything you need to know.

I forgot all about that thread! Thanks for reminding me! Funny, I just saw flop post a picture of a subfloor on Facebook. Major brain fart on my part...

[Flop]

there is attachment at the b pillar . the panel wraps the subframe the whole quarter length . there is attachments near the rear with a brace and also the triangle pieces in the back that rivets to the subframe .

[Randy in ca]

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Are you using the frame shown in the pictures or a stock one? The frame shown has been Z'd (stepped up) at the rear, and the stock way of attaching the quarter panels in that area can't be done.

[FordMike]

Originally Posted by Flop

there is attachment at the b pillar . the panel wraps the subframe the whole quarter length . there is attachments near the rear with a brace and also the triangle pieces in the back that rivets to the subframe .

Thanks man this gives me a lot better of an idea what I should be doing. I saw the attachment you made for your coupe and I am assuming it is similar although not exactly the same.

[FordMike]

Originally Posted by Randy in ca

Are you using the frame shown in the pictures or a stock one? The frame shown has been Z'd (stepped up) at the rear, and the stock way of attaching the quarter panels in that area can't be done.

I will be using the Z'd frame because it is the original frame for my car. I must not understand how the quarter panels mount because I had thought they would still work seeing as the sub frame is only notched out around the frame rather than it being cut out completely

[Flop]

you have the right attachment for your b pillar well general idea . i cant tell from the pics if they are ford stuff or not .

the rest should work with stock stuff you will just have a modified floor .

[FordMike]

Originally Posted by Flop

you have the right attachment for your b pillar well general idea . i cant tell from the pics if they are ford stuff or not .

the rest should work with stock stuff you will just have a modified floor .

Heres a quick pic I just took. Its hard to get a decent picture because the light right over the car doesnt work... This is the passengers side.

[Dennis Pereira]

If I was going to build a model A why not find a original frame there cheap and a lot of them out there and save a lot of work .

[FordMike]

Originally Posted by Dennis Pereira

If I was going to build a model A why not find a original frame there cheap and a lot of them out there and save a lot of work .

I'm not swapping frames because I have the title for this car and the frame has the original numbers clearly visible. Also the body and the frame both left the factory together on May 15, 1929.

[WTSHNN]

Originally Posted by FordMike

Also the body and the frame both left the factory together on May 15, 1929.

I get what you're saying about the frame originally coming with the car (clearly someone put the Z in there sometime over the past 84 years) but I'm wondering how you arrived at the date of May 15, 1929.

If you're going off of the Engine/Frame number...the Engines were stamped after they were tested on an engine stand at the Rouge plant. When the engine was placed in the car the engine number was stamped into the frame. There could be a couple month gap between the time the engine was stamped and it was finally placed into a frame and became part of a complete car. If you use a resource that arrives at a date based on the engine number, it is merely telling you what day the engine was tested, stamped and placed in the stockpile.

You might also be going off of a date stamped into the front of the gas tank on the driver's side of the engine compartment. This was done on some 1928-1929 A's. Although not definitive, it is believed that this date was when the gas tank, not the car, was assembled and most likely had something to do with an attempt at keeping track of gas tank manufacturing for quality control purposes. The gas tank was most likely made well in advance of being placed into a body.

FWIW
-Tim

[FordMike]

Originally Posted by WTSHNN

I get what you're saying about the frame originally coming with the car (clearly someone put the Z in there sometime over the past 84 years) but I'm wondering how you arrived at the date of May 15, 1929.

If you're going off of the Engine/Frame number...the Engines were stamped after they were tested on an engine stand at the Rouge plant. When the engine was placed in the car the engine number was stamped into the frame. There could be a couple month gap between the time the engine was stamped and it was finally placed into a frame and became part of a complete car. If you use a resource that arrives at a date based on the engine number, it is merely telling you what day the engine was tested, stamped and placed in the stockpile.

You might also be going off of a date stamped into the front of the gas tank on the driver's side of the engine compartment. This was done on some 1928-1929 A's. Although not definitive, it is believed that this date was when the gas tank, not the car, was assembled and most likely had something to do with an attempt at keeping track of gas tank manufacturing for quality control purposes. The gas tank was most likely made well in advance of being placed into a body.

FWIW
-Tim

I stand corrected on exact production date. I have a book somewhere around here that showed my number (A1593913) as a May production date and I knew about the date on the drivers side of the gas tank. I just jumped conclusions assuming that the tank was stamped May 15, 1929 and the frame was a May number that was the exact date of production. Thank you for correcting me setting me straight. I guess its true, you learn something new everyday!

As far as completeness of the car from what I can put together the frame and body are original to eachother. However I do not have the matching engine. When I bought the car I would imagine it was long gone. The previous owner bought the car in 1967 from I believe the original owner and proceeded to hot rod it. I realize that it is frowned upon on this site but I will not be restoring this car to original condition. I am building it with all early ford parts to be a post war hot rod. Actually the rear end in the pictures it a 36 ford banjo I used model A spring perches to mount in the stock model A position. Hopefully you guys will still like it.

[WTSHNN]

Originally Posted by FordMike

I stand corrected on exact production date. I have a book somewhere around here that showed my number (A1593913) as a May production date and I knew about the date on the drivers side of the gas tank. I just jumped conclusions assuming that the tank was stamped May 15, 1929 and the frame was a May number that was the exact date of production. Thank you for correcting me setting me straight. I guess its true, you learn something new everyday!

According to this site, your engine was stamped May 20, 1929.
http://www.plucks329s.org/pdf/studie...n%20Charts.pdf

-Tim