34 ford woodgrain

[old henry 1934]

hello everyone. It's been a long time since I've been here. My dad just passed away and I am left to try and restore this old ford that he bought in 1962. Any help is going to be appreciated. What does the woodgrain on the dash look like? This is what I have been playing with. Thanks70superbird006_zps1b63431a.jpg006.jpg

[rockfla]

IF I am not mistaken this was done in the 34 woodgrain pattern.

[rockfla]

Not the greatest of a 34 Cabriolet dash BUT the shade and pattern is again very close

[old henry 1934]

Thats looks nice, I appreciate the response and pics

[DavidG]

Robert,


Hmmmm; the base and ink colors look good, but the grain pattern is inconsistent with that in the Ford Archives photo shown in the DeAngelis/Francis book. It looks too disjointed/broken up. Unfortunately, my book copy is elsewhere so that thought is from memory.

[petehoovie]

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I think this is close to being correct....

[David J]

Seems to match this one . Leaving this to the experts .

[whizzernick]

David J
I have been a hand woodgrainer since 1966. ( my goal has been to do woodgraing as close in color and patern to original as possible) I discovered Benney Esteies (Sarasota Flordia) at a Harras swapmeet in 1975 ? He had redeveloped the original method of woodgrain ( this process is what Ford and all others used on there cars )
Benney was wanting to sell franchies and I was very interested. So I flew to Fl and stayed with him and saw the process. I also brought with me my 33 victoria parts an extra 33 roadster dash and quite a few extra parts for him to apply the correct woodgrain .
The price at that time for a dealership was $50,000 ( my thinking at the time was I will never do enough woodgraining to pay for it and also I had just enough money to keep my family afloat )

For a long time I have been colecting original samples of wood grain. I have in my colection : NOS 34 glove box door . Mint 33 &34 radio cover(glove box radio ) over 10 mint inside 34 glovebox doors - several 33's (the color and pattern on these is close to NOS ) also to note : ash tray covers pattern are different than dash (33 & 34 ) and and not the same as each other. I have several samples.
David J : As to your glove box doors : This pattern is one I do not have . My thinking is (David G should correct me) that wood grain was done at dearborn and shipped to assembly plants. As it seems better to have all of the cars match. There were many assembly plants and I think they only assembled and did not stamp metal parts. (dashboards --window frames) I am not saying your doors are not right just ones I have not seen.
perhaps other FORD BARNERS with samples will chime in.


I will in the near future post pictures to confrim the above text. ( I do wish I had payed a little attension in school durning spelling .

[David J]

I have had a few examples myself but did not keep them .
That equates to no pics .

Took down the pics of my $20 door and will leave this to the experts .

Have you or anyone else ever noticed the different patterns-colors on sedan rear seat ashtrays ?
There is a study in itself .

Originally Posted by whizzernick

David J
I have been a hand woodgrainer since 1966. ( my goal has been to do woodgraing as close in color and patern to original as possible) I discovered Benney Esteies (Sarasota Flordia) at a Harras swapmeet in 1975 ? He had redeveloped the original method of woodgrain ( this process is what Ford and all others used on there cars )
Benney was wanting to sell franchies and I was very interested. So I flew to Fl and stayed with him and saw the process. I also brought with me my 33 victoria parts an extra 33 roadster dash and quite a few extra parts for him to apply the correct woodgrain .
The price at that time for a dealership was $50,000 ( my thinking at the time was I will never do enough woodgraining to pay for it and also I had just enough money to keep my family afloat )

For a long time I have been colecting original samples of wood grain. I have in my colection : NOS 34 glove box door . Mint 33 &34 radio cover(glove box radio ) over 10 mint inside 34 glovebox doors - several 33's (the color and pattern on these is close to NOS ) also to note : ash tray covers pattern are different than dash (33 & 34 ) and and not the same as each other. I have several samples.
David J : As to your glove box doors : This pattern is one I do not have . My thinking is (David G should correct me) that wood grain was done at dearborn and shipped to assembly plants. As it seems better to have all of the cars match. There were many assembly plants and I think they only assembled and did not stamp metal parts. (dashboards --window frames) I am not saying your doors are not right just ones I have not seen.
perhaps other FORD BARNERS with samples will chime in.


I will in the near future post pictures to confrim the above text. ( I do wish I had payed a little attension in school durning spelling .

[old henry 1934]

thanks for all the pics. looks like i need to change base on my wood grain and style. i'll keep on trying

[35fordtn]

Originally Posted by old henry 1934

thanks for all the pics. looks like i need to change base on my wood grain and style. i'll keep on trying

I’ve got to be the first to say, if you did the graining yourself; it looks far superior to most that have attempted on their own. Sorry to hear of your loss and keep up the good work!

[old henry 1934]

I’ve got to be the first to say, if you did the graining yourself; it looks far superior to most that have attempted on their own. Sorry to hear of your loss and keep up the good work!

^^^^^^ thank you. I've been a body man all my life, I have done wood grain in the past, just not for the 34. I'll keep on trying to get it closer.


007.jpg

[Zeke3]

[QUOTE= I've been a body man all my life, I have done wood grain in the past, just not for the 34. I'll keep on trying to get it closer.[/QUOTE]

old henry, what type of paint are you using for the base coat? For the wood grain, do you use paint or ink? Your test piece looks very good. Thanks

[DavidG]

David J,


Thanks for the education; clearly different from the '33 pattern.

[whizzernick]

if this picture is your car . the frame is 33 or 34 standard.
i will try to post picture

[old henry 1934]

if this picture is your car . the frame is 33 or 34 standard.
i will try to post picture

Thanks, I have a couple of these laying around, not sure what year they are, just used to practice on. I have all the original garnish moldings and dash for the car.

[DavidG]

Not to throw a monkey wrench into this, but it should be noted that early '34s utilized evidently excessive leftover '33 dashes with a special overlapping instrument panel insert that once installed could only be perceived on close inspection. That dash/instrument panel combination in deluxe form carried the '33 wood grain pattern and not the '34 pattern.
A surviving example of one of the early '34 overlapping insert instrument panels along with the '33 version is shown below.

[whizzernick]

David

I agree . I have several of those early 34 panels. never have one with woodgrain.
Now for a question. David : on the engine turned 33 panel . all the original ones I have seem to have a finish that is what I would call dull . I have been told that the crome finish at that time was dull and needed to be polished to get the mirror like crome finish. I have also been told that is why the 33 grill has dull bars . Please enlighten me .

[Karl]

[QUOTE=DavidG;1829485]Not to throw a monkey wrench into this, but it should be noted that early '34s utilized evidently excessive leftover '33 dashes with a special overlapping instrument panel insert that once installed could only be perceived on close inspection. That dash/instrument

My car was sold new in New Zealand in April 34 so I expect was made some time early 1934. Has the insert instrument panel and also 33 Bumpers -Karl

[DavidG]

Gladly!
It wasn't the chrome that had the dull finish, but rather the nickel plating used underneath the chrome that was dull and had to be polished in order for the final chrome plating to have a bright finish. Not until sometime after WWII was bright nickel plating developed which eliminated the need for polishing the dull nickel where a bright final finish was desired. With bright nickel plating, everything took on a bright finish when chrome plated.


My hat is off to you for recognizing the correct finish on the bars of a '33 grille (and the areas behind the raised perimeter where the hood lacing is attached). Those parts of a '33 grille were not polished following the dull nickel plating (documented by the original engineering drawing for the '33 grille) hence their dull finish after chrome plating. Starting with the '34 grilles through '37, the grille bars were polished, but only the leading edges. The grille bar sides continued to have a dull finish.
Few restorers go to the trouble to duplicate the original finishes as almost no plater today offers dull nickel plating. The dull effect can be created mechanically either after the bright nickel plating or after the chrome plating, although most car meet judges are unaware of the correct original finishes on the '33-'37 grilles.



As for the '33 instrument panels (the one in the photo above is a mint original), the engine turning took place after the dull nickel plating and before the last step, chrome plating. The result is something between bright and dull, but the sides and back have only the dull finish as they were not polished after the dull nickel plating.


A final note on '33 grilles. I've had several NOS versions and those on the nine cars I've owned over the years and nearly all of them have had evidence of argent (dull silver) paint on the bars. My theory is that they were painted when new in order to ensure an even appearance of all of the bars, fronts and sides.