The Ford Barn

acchaplin · 03-19-2023, 12:06 PM

Hi, can any of you guys please tell me if these floor boards, covers, seal are original or not?
There are pits, wear, and too many coats of paint to be recent reproducations.
Thanks

acchaplin · 03-19-2023, 12:08 PM

2nd set of pictures

ct1932ford · 03-19-2023, 02:45 PM

Looks like original stuff to me.

acchaplin · 03-19-2023, 05:29 PM

Thank you.

DavidG · 03-19-2023, 05:57 PM

All of the steel and rubber parts in your second set of photos are original '32 passenger car items of fairly early production. That large semi-circular hole on the right side of the #1 floor board and the grooves adjacent to it are post-production modifications. The #2 board in your first group of photos also appears to be original. The two support brackets on the #1 board that fit under the leading edge of the #2 board are missing, but the holes for their attachment are evident. Their dimensions are shown below.

acchaplin · 03-20-2023, 10:56 AM

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Quote:

Originally Posted by DavidG

All of the steel and rubber parts in your second set of photos are original '32 passenger car items of fairly early production. That large semi-circular hole on the right side of the #1 floor board and the grooves adjacent to it are post-production modifications. The #2 board in your first group of photos also appears to be original. The two support brackets on the #1 board that fit under the leading edge of the #2 board are missing, but the holes for their attachment are evident. Their dimensions are shown below.

EXCELLENT deduction just from a bunch of pictures! You must be related to Basil Rathbone, Connon Doyle or Sherlock Holmes! Or just pain 'pure genious'! Of course, your comment will be, "It's all elementry".

Thank you.

The semi circular hole and the grooves you are refering to. The hole has been cut out to allow the heater hoses access through the floor. The one groove has been cut out for,,,,,? The other groove, (Looks more 'professionally done') has been cut out/notched for the speed odometer cable routing. So, the speed odometer cable is 'not' supposed to be routed to require a clearance notch in the wooden floor boards? The cable routing is not that important to me. It's there, it works and I feel there is no need to change it,,,,,,,,.

The little support brackets you mentioned, and supplied a drawing to make them, (THANK YOU) are there. I didn't picture them because they look 'newer' than the other metal floor components, and I thought someone made them to 'stiffen' the floor panels together. Well, I was wrong on that one. They may be original also.

I just took it the wooden floor boards were reproductions. Being plywood doesn't last very long when exposed to the elements. Well, 'todays' plywood doesn't last very long when left outside. 91 years old, wow! I was wanting to sand the paint off on the bottoms and clear urathane them for a more natural 'wood' look. There are too many layers of paint to simply sand off, (I am gonna have to chemically strip!) and the possibility of maybe, just maybe they are another item I am finding that is original on this build. Thank you again for your help/comments!

Yes, this whole car seems to be 'early' everything. The frame renforcement brackets in the back have been added on. Now you say the floor boards are early production. (can you eleborate?) The Brookville body is one of the first complete bodies sold. (I will PM you , if that is allright, with the reasons I was told it was one of the first complete roadster bodies they made, see if 'jives' with 'your' knowlege, and along with the 'interisting' history of this car/parts.)

rockfla · 03-20-2023, 11:10 AM

acchaplin

IF you have an interest in 32 Fords, Might I suggest you purchasing the Early Ford V8 Club 32 Ford Restoration books (2 book set). It is all you will need to accurately work on your 32, a great life time reference to have AND you will find, DavidG, who posted above, when they say "He wrote the book", in this case David DID!!!!! You will find NONE better in existence!!!

NealinCA · 03-20-2023, 11:12 AM

The boards do not look original to me. The recesses in the back look like they were made with a plunge router, not a circular saw like I have seen on other originals?

#1 board, isn't the transmission oiler hole usually a vertical oval?

#2 board, shouldn't it have a battery access hole?

DavidG · 03-20-2023, 11:48 AM

NealinCA,

Good catch on the #2 board lacking the oblong hole lining up with the filler caps on top of the battery, so you're correct about the board not being the original. Age is fast catching up with me.

In the case of the #1 board, however, the first version of that board only had a round hole that lined up with the clutch release bearing grease cup on the bell housing of a four-cylinder transmission. The hole was elongated to line up with the grease cup of both the four and V8 transmissions when the V8 grease cup location was moved from the side of the V8 transmission case bell housing to the top. Note also the swivel clips for the top of the transmission shift lever housing sheet metal floor cover which were only on the earliest version of the #1 board.

acchaplin,

While it is obvious that your two boards, one a replacement and the other likely the original, were painted black at some point in time post-production, they were never natural wood looking as floor boards. They were originally coated with a black petroleum-based sealer with a flat finish.

Karl Wescott · 03-20-2023, 12:49 PM

Plywood then and now.

Then: Most if not all plywood used 1/16 veneer stacked to make the thickness. As today they used "crap" logs, but what was "crap" then was "first class" today. Glue technology was not all that great so the cheap plywood used animal based glues and was "interior" grade, while the expensive high tech glue was used for "exterior" and "marine" grade.

Now: Glue technology has improved so basically all plywood is glued for "interior" or "exterior". Wood availability has decreased so for making the common "cdx" grade what would have been marginal firewood is used for the exterior veneer often of 1/8" thickness with the center often 1/4" of cottonwood or something else a logger in the 1930's would not have been bothered to cut. However there are structural grades available that are as good or better than the old stuff. "Marine", "Furniture", and other structural grades are available but often not at HomeDepot/Lowes and expect to pay $$$

DavidG · 03-20-2023, 01:57 PM

Karl,

Good point, as furniture grade exterior birch paneling, clear both sides, custom made, rotary cut, in the same thickness as the original used in Ford station wagons of the period was never cheap. I assume it is up there with gold these days.

acchaplin · 03-20-2023, 08:48 PM

So the #1 board (toe board, bolts to the firewall?) is original? The #2 board (flat board cut out around the transmissionm shift tower?) is a copy/reproduction?

Who/whom ever was running the router on the #2 flat board was an 'expert'! Above my woodworking pay grade. Each of the recess paces are at differnt depths. Plus the several flat round places are almost a perfect circle. There are a couple of depth round places that seem to be made with a very small diameter circular type saw.

DavidG; Note also the swivel clips for the top of the transmission shift lever housing sheet metal floor cover which were only on the earliest version of the #1 board. Can you please show me what you are talking about? I don't quite understand.

The only reason I want to know what items are original '32 is simply for 'bragging'.

After this car was suposidly (even though the frame/suspension/steering/brakes was beautifully painted. Everything was wore out! 'lipstick on a pig?') a award winning restoration, it changed hands many times. Like, guy bought the entire car for one or two parts, so long as another guy bought what was left. So forth and so on down the line until there was just a complete rolling frame, (no original wheels) transmission back, grill, firewall and hood sides left. Car/parts even chaged countries! Main roadster body (Brookville) even changed hands a couple of times! The motor,,,,,,,. I'm going to stop it here. It too has a insane story.

Yeah, good idea, I'll think I'll get the books. So long as there are plenty of pictures to go by.

Thanks all for the comments!

DavidG · 03-20-2023, 09:22 PM

acchaplin,

The answer to all four questions in your first paragraph is "yes".

In the third paragraph imagine those swivel clip being turned from horizontal to vertical and in the process catching and retaining the top edge of the front of the transmission sheet metal cover plate as shown in the last two of your photos in #2 above. (Those two holes in your cover in the front corners are post-production additions.)

03-19-2023, 02:45 PM	#3
ct1932ford Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: CT. Posts: 596	Re: 32 floorboards Looks like original stuff to me. __________________ A man should do what he thinks best! "The Duke"

03-19-2023, 05:29 PM	#4
acchaplin Member Join Date: Feb 2023 Posts: 65	Re: 32 floorboards Thank you.

03-20-2023, 11:10 AM	#7
rockfla Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Jacksonville FL Posts: 3,946	Re: 32 floorboards acchaplin IF you have an interest in 32 Fords, Might I suggest you purchasing the Early Ford V8 Club 32 Ford Restoration books (2 book set). It is all you will need to accurately work on your 32, a great life time reference to have AND you will find, DavidG, who posted above, when they say "He wrote the book", in this case David DID!!!!! You will find NONE better in existence!!!

03-20-2023, 11:12 AM	#8
NealinCA Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Central Coast, Calif. Posts: 839	Re: 32 floorboards The boards do not look original to me. The recesses in the back look like they were made with a plunge router, not a circular saw like I have seen on other originals? #1 board, isn't the transmission oiler hole usually a vertical oval? #2 board, shouldn't it have a battery access hole? Last edited by NealinCA; 03-20-2023 at 11:24 AM.

03-20-2023, 11:48 AM	#9
DavidG Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: southeastern Michigan Posts: 10,094	Re: 32 floorboards NealinCA, Good catch on the #2 board lacking the oblong hole lining up with the filler caps on top of the battery, so you're correct about the board not being the original. Age is fast catching up with me. In the case of the #1 board, however, the first version of that board only had a round hole that lined up with the clutch release bearing grease cup on the bell housing of a four-cylinder transmission. The hole was elongated to line up with the grease cup of both the four and V8 transmissions when the V8 grease cup location was moved from the side of the V8 transmission case bell housing to the top. Note also the swivel clips for the top of the transmission shift lever housing sheet metal floor cover which were only on the earliest version of the #1 board. acchaplin, While it is obvious that your two boards, one a replacement and the other likely the original, were painted black at some point in time post-production, they were never natural wood looking as floor boards. They were originally coated with a black petroleum-based sealer with a flat finish.

03-20-2023, 12:49 PM	#10
Karl Wescott Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Oregon Posts: 1,283	Re: 32 floorboards Plywood then and now. Then: Most if not all plywood used 1/16 veneer stacked to make the thickness. As today they used "crap" logs, but what was "crap" then was "first class" today. Glue technology was not all that great so the cheap plywood used animal based glues and was "interior" grade, while the expensive high tech glue was used for "exterior" and "marine" grade. Now: Glue technology has improved so basically all plywood is glued for "interior" or "exterior". Wood availability has decreased so for making the common "cdx" grade what would have been marginal firewood is used for the exterior veneer often of 1/8" thickness with the center often 1/4" of cottonwood or something else a logger in the 1930's would not have been bothered to cut. However there are structural grades available that are as good or better than the old stuff. "Marine", "Furniture", and other structural grades are available but often not at HomeDepot/Lowes and expect to pay $$$

03-20-2023, 01:57 PM	#11
DavidG Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: southeastern Michigan Posts: 10,094	Re: 32 floorboards Karl, Good point, as furniture grade exterior birch paneling, clear both sides, custom made, rotary cut, in the same thickness as the original used in Ford station wagons of the period was never cheap. I assume it is up there with gold these days.

03-20-2023, 08:48 PM	#12
acchaplin Member Join Date: Feb 2023 Posts: 65	Re: 32 floorboards So the #1 board (toe board, bolts to the firewall?) is original? The #2 board (flat board cut out around the transmissionm shift tower?) is a copy/reproduction? Who/whom ever was running the router on the #2 flat board was an 'expert'! Above my woodworking pay grade. Each of the recess paces are at differnt depths. Plus the several flat round places are almost a perfect circle. There are a couple of depth round places that seem to be made with a very small diameter circular type saw. DavidG; Note also the swivel clips for the top of the transmission shift lever housing sheet metal floor cover which were only on the earliest version of the #1 board. Can you please show me what you are talking about? I don't quite understand. The only reason I want to know what items are original '32 is simply for 'bragging'. After this car was suposidly (even though the frame/suspension/steering/brakes was beautifully painted. Everything was wore out! 'lipstick on a pig?') a award winning restoration, it changed hands many times. Like, guy bought the entire car for one or two parts, so long as another guy bought what was left. So forth and so on down the line until there was just a complete rolling frame, (no original wheels) transmission back, grill, firewall and hood sides left. Car/parts even chaged countries! Main roadster body (Brookville) even changed hands a couple of times! The motor,,,,,,,. I'm going to stop it here. It too has a insane story. Yeah, good idea, I'll think I'll get the books. So long as there are plenty of pictures to go by. Thanks all for the comments!

03-20-2023, 09:22 PM	#13
DavidG Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: southeastern Michigan Posts: 10,094	Re: 32 floorboards acchaplin, The answer to all four questions in your first paragraph is "yes". In the third paragraph imagine those swivel clip being turned from horizontal to vertical and in the process catching and retaining the top edge of the front of the transmission sheet metal cover plate as shown in the last two of your photos in #2 above. (Those two holes in your cover in the front corners are post-production additions.)