The Ford Barn

dtcoupe · 03-24-2020, 04:59 PM

Hello All,

My brother and I are restoring a 1930 Briggs Fordor. We are currently replacing all the body wood. While doing so we also dry fitted the cowl to the frame to make sure everything lines up. We are having trouble identifying the bracket or brace that attaches at the top of the cowl and the header board? Is this a simple "L" shaped bracket that we can fabricate or is it a more intricate one that I see for the Tudors and Pickups.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Rookie Restorer

davehc · 03-25-2020, 08:09 AM

Look this site over real close , you may find what you are looking for . It is documented really good . It helped me a few times . Good luck .

https://www.fordmodela.com/restorati...-wood-fitting/

dtcoupe · 03-25-2020, 11:01 AM

davehc,

Thanks for your help. That is a great site. They show the exact piece / section I'm referring to, pictures # 55, 56, 72, 75, 78, 84. It is shown on the tear down, but not on the rebuild. Those pictures are exactly what mine looks like. Is that piece with the 3 screws holes above the door hinge a reinforcement or part of a bigger bracket?

Any thoughts?

jrelliott · 03-25-2020, 06:18 PM

You may have trouble finding the curved sheet metal that ran from the header to the back over the doors. I could not find them (right and left side) and no one had an English wheel to form them. I took cardboard and placed it above the doors and the top rail which went from back to front. Filled the area above the cardboard with rigid expandable foam. After it had set up, formed to the correct shape then fiber glassed over it. It is under the top and padding so no one will ever see. I also took 1/8" Baltic birch plywood and put it in the top where the chicken wire goes. Used small flat headed screws which were countersunk to attach the plywood t the roof frame. Then coated the entire top with three coats of Spar Varnish. Will never have water damage even if the roof gets soaked.

dtcoupe · 03-26-2020, 09:15 AM

Gentlemen,

Thank you both for your help. After further digging on the website davehc shared above I was able to identify the part that we need. It's the 'L" shaped bracket found in pictures 231 thru 236 on this website under the cowl section.

https://www.fordmodela.com/restorati...-wood-fitting/

Again thanks for taking the time and helping us out.

rotorwrench · 03-26-2020, 06:04 PM

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A lot of stuff like this is relatively easy to fabricate from material that is the same or similar thickness. Counter sink tools are available from various sources. I get mine from the aircraft tool sources. You can form stuff using a vise if you have it set up with material to give the correct radius. I am lucky to have an adjustable sheet metal brake for stuff like that but it can be done without a brake. I make bucks to form some stuff. An english wheel is certainly nice to have but there are always other ways to form stuff albeit more time consuming.

That site get brought up here when folks are working on the Fordors. A person has to mention the section and subsection that the photos come from. There are a LOT of good photos on there.

03-24-2020, 04:59 PM	#1
dtcoupe Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2018 Posts: 3	Briggs Fordor Cowl to Header Bracket? Hello All, My brother and I are restoring a 1930 Briggs Fordor. We are currently replacing all the body wood. While doing so we also dry fitted the cowl to the frame to make sure everything lines up. We are having trouble identifying the bracket or brace that attaches at the top of the cowl and the header board? Is this a simple "L" shaped bracket that we can fabricate or is it a more intricate one that I see for the Tudors and Pickups. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Rookie Restorer

03-25-2020, 08:09 AM	#2
davehc Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Adrian , Mich. Posts: 386	Re: Briggs Fordor Cowl to Header Bracket? Look this site over real close , you may find what you are looking for . It is documented really good . It helped me a few times . Good luck . https://www.fordmodela.com/restorati...-wood-fitting/

03-25-2020, 11:01 AM	#3
dtcoupe Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2018 Posts: 3	Re: Briggs Fordor Cowl to Header Bracket? davehc, Thanks for your help. That is a great site. They show the exact piece / section I'm referring to, pictures # 55, 56, 72, 75, 78, 84. It is shown on the tear down, but not on the rebuild. Those pictures are exactly what mine looks like. Is that piece with the 3 screws holes above the door hinge a reinforcement or part of a bigger bracket? Any thoughts?

03-25-2020, 06:18 PM	#4
jrelliott Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Pine, AZ Posts: 794	Re: Briggs Fordor Cowl to Header Bracket? You may have trouble finding the curved sheet metal that ran from the header to the back over the doors. I could not find them (right and left side) and no one had an English wheel to form them. I took cardboard and placed it above the doors and the top rail which went from back to front. Filled the area above the cardboard with rigid expandable foam. After it had set up, formed to the correct shape then fiber glassed over it. It is under the top and padding so no one will ever see. I also took 1/8" Baltic birch plywood and put it in the top where the chicken wire goes. Used small flat headed screws which were countersunk to attach the plywood t the roof frame. Then coated the entire top with three coats of Spar Varnish. Will never have water damage even if the roof gets soaked.

03-26-2020, 09:15 AM	#5
dtcoupe Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2018 Posts: 3	Re: Briggs Fordor Cowl to Header Bracket? Gentlemen, Thank you both for your help. After further digging on the website davehc shared above I was able to identify the part that we need. It's the 'L" shaped bracket found in pictures 231 thru 236 on this website under the cowl section. https://www.fordmodela.com/restorati...-wood-fitting/ Again thanks for taking the time and helping us out.

03-26-2020, 06:04 PM	#6
rotorwrench Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 16,426	Re: Briggs Fordor Cowl to Header Bracket? Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) A lot of stuff like this is relatively easy to fabricate from material that is the same or similar thickness. Counter sink tools are available from various sources. I get mine from the aircraft tool sources. You can form stuff using a vise if you have it set up with material to give the correct radius. I am lucky to have an adjustable sheet metal brake for stuff like that but it can be done without a brake. I make bucks to form some stuff. An english wheel is certainly nice to have but there are always other ways to form stuff albeit more time consuming. That site get brought up here when folks are working on the Fordors. A person has to mention the section and subsection that the photos come from. There are a LOT of good photos on there.