luggage rack for 1930 deluxe roadster (spare in the fender) built in Nov

[vetpenny]

My understanding is that the original rack for this car was rolled steel or stainless steel with wood grain metal slats. Is this correct? If so, can anyone direct me to a reliable supplier of this rack. Thanks for your help.

[DougVieyra]

Reproduction metal slats for the Dlx Luggage Rack have not been available for quite some time. And originals are 'scarce as hen's teeth", but do exist and are worth the hunt.
The currently available Dlx racks as we all know, have wood slats, made of real wood and not the wood-grained steel of the originals. Only if you are showing your car will this make a difference. Although I do hear that the reproduction racks to have very poor plating and soon begin to have 'issues'.

[31 Model A]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1928-31-Ford...ZXchKc&vxp=mtr

[vetpenny]

Thank you for your reply. This luggage rack issue has bothered me for quite a while. I know that both steel and chrome plated ones are available from Brattons and LeBaron Bonney with the steel ones being about twice the cost of chrome plated ones. The best ones would be steel with wood grained metal slats. However nothing is mentioned in the model A judging manual and or the model A as Henry Built it. However, on page 310 in the book Henry's Lady it states that Ford brought out a new design, namely a rack of chromed plated steel with varnished wood strips for 1930 deluxe model As. This latter design however has been plagued by rust and is not very durable.
Can you or anyone else tell me what is correct. I am led to believe if the slats are wood varnished strips this would correspond to a deduction in judging. If so the comment in Henry's Lady is not correct.
I would welcome any comments or suggestion you or others may have relative to what is the correct luggage rack and who may be the best source to acquire this rack. Thank you for your help.

[Keith True]

While I'm not familiar with the luggage rack details,the Henry's Lady book is a coffee table book.It's pretty,but not factual as to originality.If you use that as a bible,you will wind up with a lot of incorrect things.

[DougVieyra]

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While I'm familiar with the luggage rack details,the Henry's Lady book is a coffee table book.It's pretty,but not factual as to originality.If you use that as a bible,you will wind up with a lot of incorrect things.

The original Deluxe Luggage Rack had wood-grained paint over the metal slats. Except for a few of the Deluxe cars, the rack was not part of the car as it came from the factory. It would have been a Dealer installed accessory. The Dealers carried a great many accessories, certainly Ford Approved Accessories, as well as a great many other accessories (including other options for Luggage Racks) that were not sanctioned by the Ford Motor Company.

Your Deluxe Roadster would have had the Deluxe Ford Accessory Luggage Rack - which means that (for Judging purposes) you would need the painted (wood-grained) metal slats. IF it is important to you - then you will need to search (and most likely need to restore) for an original steel-slat Luggage Rack. Or, with a LOT less time, money and energy, take a 'hit' of a few points less, by having the reproduction Deluxe Luggage Rack.

[Bick in New Zealand]

A&L parts were making racks with the correct metal strips. It may be worth a call to them to see if they have any spare strips.

[C26Pinelake]

Originally Posted by 31 Model A

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1928-31-Ford...ZXchKc&vxp=mtr

He is back ! Wayne

[vetpenny]

I would like to thank all of you for your helpful suggestions. As a result I concluded that a Cd plated steel frame with wood grained metal slats is the appropriate luggage rack for my 30 Deluxe A roadster. Now I need to locate one. Happy New year to all.

[DougVieyra]

Brick in New Zealand, Post #7:
"A&L parts were making racks with the correct metal strips. It may be worth a call to them to see if they have any spare strips."
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I doubt very much that A&L (a well known manufacturer of quaility reproduction parts) has anything left. The exact copies they were making were last seen in my copy of their 1994 catalog/flyer - over twenty years ago. Their catalog/flyers have not had them for at least the last decade.

Admittedly they were costly, reflecting the amount of time, energy, materials and manufacturing required to product the metal strips. Like a great many reproduced parts, there was not enough of a demand for the more expensive option to justify the continued production. Overwhelmingly buyers wanted the much cheaper wood-slate competitor. And that is still what most restorers (except show cars) demand today.

[vetpenny]

Is the original ford authorized steel rack cadmium for plated?

[vetpenny]

My last response should say - Is the ford authorized rack cadmium plated?

[DougVieyra]

Personally, I do not know with any absolute certainty.

That being said, I will say that I know of no large chunk of exposed heavy metal that was cadmium plated when the viewing of it became part of the overall aesthetic of the car - ie, bumpers, etc.

I know of no luggage racks of any marque or accessory vendor, that had cadmium plating, other than nuts and bolts.

Every original 1920's / 1930's luggage rack I have seen or owned, has been either Nickle or Chrome plated, the bulk of them having Chrome plating where plating was done - there was no cadmium plating.