1928-29 special coupe belt line

[philthethrill]

I picked up a 28-29 special coupe body mostly disassembled and most of the wood is gone. I'm looking for assembly details of the belt line area where the rear quart meets the read corner window.

any pictures appreciated

[kbinde2]

Just seeing your photo makes the project I had seem almost complete.! That being said, IMO you should search vendors for a wood kit specific to the "Special".. remembering that fitting and shaping will still have to take place.

Best of luck on your project.. kb

[Corn Fed]

Looks like a nice solid body. Do you have the beltline trim piece?

[wrndln]

You need to buy a top wood kit made by Classic Wood in NC. That is what I did. I took a lot of pictures when I installed the kit. The kit will require a lot of fitting. PM me (with your email address) if you want to some of the pictures. The wood kit allows you to construct a wood framework for the metal to be fastened to. This is a time consuming job. I restored a 28 special coupe about 9 years ago. From the pictures, it appears you have the sheetmetal parts needed for the top.
Rusty Nelson

[rotorwrench]

The Special coupe is one step up from Business or Sport coupe in the use of wood. They all use wood framing but the Special coupe is more extensive with the sheet metal & quarter windows attaching to the wood frame. They all share the same rear belt moulding as well. The Special had the leatherette on the top metal pieces to give it soft top look. They are good looking cars when restored.

[philthethrill]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

in response to Corn Fed - I don't think so or rather nothing "in the box" looked like it went there. I searched the internet and maybe I'm not using the correct terms but I can't find a beltline piece to see what it looks like.

Anyone with a picture?

[wrndln]

After looking closer at the picture posted, I believe the metal roof parts are for a standard coupe, not a special coupe.
Rusty Nelson

[29spcoupe]

I think the rear window section closest to the camera is for the standard coupe. The one furthest from the camera may very well be for a special coupe. I have attached some pictures of my special coupe. John

[philthethrill]

Here’s a close up of one side window. Looks like it was cover partially with the vinyl top

[rotorwrench]

Looks like special quarter windows to me and the tack holes are there. The rear belt rail for these soft top coupes hides the joint between the wood belt tack rail structure and the top materials. The belt rail moldings are two piece with a tack on inner retainer piece and a snap on outer cover piece. No one is currently trying to reproduce these. I'm looking into the model T dash trim half round extrusion to fabricate one for my Sport coupe. It seems to be very close to the same size and profile as the original outer cap molding. I'm also trying to figure out a way to make is snap on like the originals. Still in the planning stage though like a lot of other things.

This link is to illustrate how the wood is put together. Quite a job there. It's way more complicated than my Sport Coupe.
https://forums.aaca.org/topic/230326...e-help-needed/

This one is a restoration gallery. Look for Ron Aasen's Special Coupe in the list,

http://www.modelahouse.com/cgi-bin/pictures?other.txt

[Corn Fed]

I sent you a PM on the belt molding.

There are also a few metal brackets that are used to hold the wood together. Did you get and other stuff with the body?

[philthethrill]

Hi Corn Fed, nope no other parts. I've found a few pictures on line but it seems that other than new wood kits that i will have to scour the summer swap meets for components.

[philthethrill]

Hi rotorwrench, thanks for the links. I wonder if all the wood kits are the same or if there is a specific one that is more endorsed by the members of the barn. Feel free to PM me with opinions.

thx

[rotorwrench]

I don't have experience with the Special coupe wood. I'd say all of the kit fabricators will make the wood members a bit oversize so they can be adjusted for fit. You can take material off but you can't add it back on.

[PH Billet]

That belt piece is very hard to find I believe, my 28 sports coupe had a strip of Hidem, looks ok but not correct.

[rotorwrench]

All Sport, Business, & Special Coupes in the 1928/29 time frame used the steel belt trim molding assembly. This link illustrates how it was retained at both door openings.
https://fordbarn.com/forum/showthrea...ort+coupe+belt

This link has a photo of the outer belt molding piece off the car. These things are thin steel and many rusted away to nothing.
https://fordbarn.com/forum/showthrea...ort+coupe+belt
The inner attaching piece was even more vulnerable to corrosion due to moisture entrapment. I have yet to find a good photo of an original inner piece that actually tacked on to hold the top material in place before the outer piece was snapped in place to hide all the tacks & cut edges of fabric. The closest thing I could find was a photo of the complete assembly after it was carefully pulled off the car and the tacks are still sticking out. Post #8 of this link illustrates that.
https://fordbarn.com/forum/showthrea...ort+coupe+belt

Early Sport coupes used Lock-Tite type welting to cover for the areas of the top that weren't well covered. Hidum came in in late 28 or early 29 somewhere. The nickel plated tips for the welting also changed around that time frame. The welt was tacked on all the way from the drip molding above the door down and around the top of the belt molding to the edge of the back light flap where it had to stop to allow the flap to be opened. The welting helped to keep moisture out of the belt rail steel molding assembly but I don't know how well. These cars were not going to last a long time setting out in the elements but they lasted better than a person might think. They would have survived a lot longer if stored inside & out of the sun and weather.

I'm not sure whether the Special Coupes used welting or not. Many photos suggest wire on or maybe some special metal retainer strips. I'm not familiar enough with the Special Coupes but it would be interesting to know what was use originally. Maybe someone else can add to this.

The Special coupe was only made for 1-year so they are about 50/50 with Standard coupes in 1928/29.

[philthethrill]

thanks Chris

[philthethrill]

does anyone have 28-29 standard coupe quarter windows?

[philthethrill]

and

[philthethrill]

has the belt as one piece with the quarter window