Go Back   The Ford Barn > General Discussion > Model A (1928-31)

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 08-11-2014, 07:19 PM   #1
Spiffy
Junior Member
 
Spiffy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Florida
Posts: 13
Default '31 Model A 4 Door

I just purchased an early '31 4 door Briggs (now learned it's a Murray) body. (not a slant windshield) The subrails are missing and the piece of the body that goes under the doors from the cowl to the post with the door latches and back to the rear door jam (like a rocker panel type thingy) is missing. Does any Model A parts supplier make that part? I've done searches for the part but can't find it. Sorry for my lack of Model A knowledge, this is my first one after lots of fat fendered Fords. The part I need is shown in the picture below--under the doors. This isn't my car, just a picture I found.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg Model A 4 door 9.jpg (138.1 KB, 145 views)

Last edited by Spiffy; 08-13-2014 at 06:07 PM. Reason: Added picture
Spiffy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-11-2014, 07:40 PM   #2
Dick Carne
Senior Member
 
Dick Carne's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Fayetteville, Georgia
Posts: 467
Default Re: '31 Model A 4 Door

Spiffy -
Congratulations on your new acquisition. I believe that the part number that you are referencing is shown in Snyder's catalog as part no. A-132-W (as referenced on p.A-210 of their 2014 catalog). These will require slight fitting to the wooden body sills, and possibly need cutting in order to obtain a good fit. Good luck with your new project repair.
Dick Carne is offline   Reply With Quote
Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)
Old 08-11-2014, 09:37 PM   #3
Spiffy
Junior Member
 
Spiffy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Florida
Posts: 13
Default Re: '31 Model A 4 Door

Wow! Thank you very much, Dick!! Yeah, I'm going to be having lots of fun.
Bruce
Spiffy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-12-2014, 12:11 AM   #4
Mike V. Florida
Senior Member
 
Mike V. Florida's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: South Florida
Posts: 14,054
Send a message via AIM to Mike V. Florida
Default Re: '31 Model A 4 Door

Quote:
Originally Posted by Spiffy View Post
Wow! Thank you very much, Dick!! Yeah, I'm going to be having lots of fun.
Bruce
Let us know how much fun you are having when you put the wood in.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg fordorwood.jpg (126.7 KB, 106 views)
__________________
What's right about America is that although we have a mess of problems, we have great capacity - intellect and resources - to do some thing about them. - Henry Ford II
Mike V. Florida is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-12-2014, 12:22 AM   #5
Spiffy
Junior Member
 
Spiffy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Florida
Posts: 13
Default Re: '31 Model A 4 Door

Yeah, now that really looks like fun! LOL Thanks for posting that picture of the wood, it shows me a lot about the construction of the car. Bruce
Spiffy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-12-2014, 09:58 AM   #6
1930artdeco
Senior Member
 
1930artdeco's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Lynden, Wa
Posts: 3,548
Default Re: '31 Model A 4 Door

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)
Welcome and when you get done with the restoration you will have one very fine riding car.

Mike
__________________
1930 TownSedan (Briggs)
1957 Country Sedan
1930artdeco is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-12-2014, 12:25 PM   #7
JohnLaVoy
Senior Member
 
JohnLaVoy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Rocklin, CA
Posts: 779
Default Re: '31 Model A 4 Door

These wood framed sedans are great fun!
JohnLaVoy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-12-2014, 12:56 PM   #8
Terry,NJ
Senior Member
 
Terry,NJ's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Northern Bucks Co. Pa
Posts: 632
Default Re: '31 Model A 4 Door

I think you'll learn some new words before it is done! You don't show the rear view, but do you have a rear splash pan with it? They were only used on fordors. They go between the fenders. How is the wood generally? I note you will need a header (the piece over the windshield). Is it just a fordor, or is it a Town Sedan? Take a look in my profile, go to "My 30 TS.
Terry


Quote:
Originally Posted by Spiffy View Post
Wow! Thank you very much, Dick!! Yeah, I'm going to be having lots of fun.
Bruce
Terry,NJ is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-12-2014, 02:05 PM   #9
Purdy Swoft
Senior Member
 
Purdy Swoft's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Alabama
Posts: 8,099
Default Re: '31 Model A 4 Door

I see holes for cowl lights. My guess is that it is probably a town sedan.
Purdy Swoft is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-12-2014, 04:19 PM   #10
Spiffy
Junior Member
 
Spiffy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Florida
Posts: 13
Default Re: '31 Model A 4 Door

Terry, Here is a picture of the rear of my 4 door. The wood looks decent except for the header as you mentioned. I'll probably find some other pieces that might need replacing. Oh, it needs top wood and the subrails that are gone. The body is solid, just has surface rust because the guy let it sit outside after he bought it. The doors are excellent because he had those in his garage attic.

Purdy Swoft, the picture earlier was a picture that I found online. Mine doesn't have cowl light holes so I guess it's the standard 4 door sedan.


John, Yeah, I can see it's gonna be a whole lotta fun. LOL

Thanks guys, Bruce
Attached Images
File Type: jpg 027.jpg (46.2 KB, 94 views)

Last edited by Spiffy; 08-12-2014 at 04:20 PM. Reason: added
Spiffy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-12-2014, 05:24 PM   #11
Purdy Swoft
Senior Member
 
Purdy Swoft's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Alabama
Posts: 8,099
Default Re: '31 Model A 4 Door

The size of the quarter window looks like a murray body. I may be wrong. it could just be the angle. Any pics of the doors showing the reveal moldings?
Purdy Swoft is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-12-2014, 05:50 PM   #12
Dick Carne
Senior Member
 
Dick Carne's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Fayetteville, Georgia
Posts: 467
Default Re: '31 Model A 4 Door

Bruce -

I'm inclined to agree with Purdy in that the rear quarter window leads me to think that you may have a Murray-bodied car. Only the cowl sections are interchangeable as between the Briggs and Murray bodies - btw, if indeed this is a Murray fordor, the lower bead you first referenced in this thread is on the bottom of the doors. However, door sills and virtually all interior wood is entirely different as between these two manufacturers. I gave our '29 Murray town sedan to our oldest daughter, so I'm not able to measure the width of the doors, but they should be about the same width on the Murray - on the Briggs the front doors are roughly an inch-and-a-half wider than the rear doors - if my memory serves me. Other than the difference in parts and pieces, the work required to restore either body is about the same. Again, good luck and enjoy yourself.
Dick Carne is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-12-2014, 07:03 PM   #13
Spiffy
Junior Member
 
Spiffy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Florida
Posts: 13
Default Re: '31 Model A 4 Door

Purdy and Dick, I see what you mean about the window. The black car is a Murray and the other is a Briggs. I learn something here every day! I was only going by what the seller said but I see that he was wrong. Thank you both.
Bruce
Attached Images
File Type: jpg 31 Murray 4 door.jpg (25.5 KB, 56 views)
File Type: jpg 1930-ford-briggs-4-door-sedan-07337.jpg (70.2 KB, 54 views)
Spiffy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-12-2014, 07:08 PM   #14
Skibb
Senior Member
 
Skibb's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Jupiter, FL
Posts: 536
Default Re: '31 Model A 4 Door

Spiffy, welcome to the Party.... Three of us did last summer what you are doing now. Good Luck. My restoration is a 1930 Briggs 3 window sedan. It's been both a good experience and a test of physical stamina with our So Fla Summer Heat. We're still restoring. Still smiling.

Last edited by Skibb; 08-12-2014 at 08:31 PM.
Skibb is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-13-2014, 05:29 PM   #15
Spiffy
Junior Member
 
Spiffy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Florida
Posts: 13
Default Re: '31 Model A 4 Door

Hi Skibb, and thank you.
I just checked out the pictures on your page and you guys do a lot of excellent work! Yeah, the Florida summers make it kind of a struggle when working on anything. Best for being in a pool (wish we had one). Bruce
Spiffy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-17-2014, 09:06 PM   #16
Skibb
Senior Member
 
Skibb's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Jupiter, FL
Posts: 536
Default Re: '31 Model A 4 Door

Spiffy,

The good thing about wood for the chassis, roof and frame is that it's done, DONE. Oh my Henry, but new wood was the right thing to do. I asked Brent if I had to do it and he said: "Do you want the car to be right?".

Last edited by Skibb; 08-17-2014 at 11:01 PM.
Skibb is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-26-2014, 08:23 AM   #17
Spiffy
Junior Member
 
Spiffy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Florida
Posts: 13
Default Re: '31 Model A 4 Door

Could anyone tell me the width of a '31 Model A 4 door at it's widest point? I am going to be trailering my A body from NY to FL and I want to know if it's going to fit in a 6 x 12 trailer--the trailers rear door opening (62") is what I'm worried about. The body is in storage in NY so I can't run out and measure it--I'm in FL. I found lots of dimensions on this site but not the width. http://www.motormayhem.net/model-a-f...pecifications/
Spiffy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-26-2014, 10:31 AM   #18
Mike V. Florida
Senior Member
 
Mike V. Florida's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: South Florida
Posts: 14,054
Send a message via AIM to Mike V. Florida
Default Re: '31 Model A 4 Door

Quote:
Originally Posted by Spiffy View Post
Could anyone tell me the width of a '31 Model A 4 door at it's widest point? I am going to be trailering my A body from NY to FL and I want to know if it's going to fit in a 6 x 12 trailer--the trailers rear door opening (62") is what I'm worried about. The body is in storage in NY so I can't run out and measure it--I'm in FL. I found lots of dimensions on this site but not the width. http://www.motormayhem.net/model-a-f...pecifications/

Where in Florida?
__________________
What's right about America is that although we have a mess of problems, we have great capacity - intellect and resources - to do some thing about them. - Henry Ford II
Mike V. Florida is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-26-2014, 03:34 PM   #19
Spiffy
Junior Member
 
Spiffy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Florida
Posts: 13
Default Re: '31 Model A 4 Door

Above Tampa on the Gulf Coast.
Spiffy is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 11:19 AM.