Life is good: Being retired. Looking at the forum to see old pictures and what is happening. Finding a pile of coupe parts in the rafters you bought 20 years ago for $20. All the coupe pictures Dennis, John, Kenny, Craig, Federico and others posted of coupe details. Having a little spot to build a body in the basement over the winter. Finding that box of just the right size slotted wood screw you bought for a dollar when the hardware store went out of business. Getting a new set of seat springs and having them fit the wood that you guess at for weeks.
Yes, life is good and thanks for the help.
Rich
Richard, You are a multi talented man.
John
Richard, I love the early coupes and centerdoors.
Can we see some more pics of your woodworking?
Regards,
Steve
Beautiful work!
My favorite body style.
Richard,
Question? Is it real or a painting? I can't tell with you any more...... But which ever one it is it looks good, hard work either way.... Huh.
Model T era tools, too. Very nice.
If you want to see some great coupe wood look at the pics Dennis posted for me: http://www.mtfca.com/cgi-bin/discus/show.cgi?tpc=257047&post=397961#POST397961
These and the Ford Body Book pictures have been invaluable.
I've built half a dozen bodys in hardwood over the last 40-some years but after restoring a '15 Roadster I took the left-over parts and did a body in pine and rusty, dented panels just for fun. We have enjoyed it so I am doing the same with this coupe. Pine is so much easier to work and the sheet metal is really too far gone to restore.
Every body has a different idea of a restoration and this one the grandkids can play on, work on and the wood will be good patterns if anyone wants to do a proper restoration in years to come.
No it's not a painting but I did throw some older tools in before I took the first picture.
I too have always liked the suicide door coupes and the centerdoors. Boxey and high tops.
Thanks
Rich
The 3 pieces of old wood are the extent of my patterns.
Looks very good Richard. I to am in the middle of a suicide door coupe. FWIW, consider bolting that body to a frame and then maybe even leveling the whole shebang.It helped me in lining up the doors and other measurements.
OOPS! I see the frame now,sorry.
An old guy (well retired) walks past every day and pops in to see the progress of my 13 touring, one day he asked what am l going to do when l retire ??, well thats easy, just drive the cars, not work on em!........we'll see how long that plan works.
Richard that coupe looks great, is a coupe body an easier build than say a touring ??
WOW What a great job !
David, I think a coupe would be more difficult as there are more pieces and some strange geometry. My project is a little easier with the softer pine and not worrying about it being perfect.
Good point Mike. And having the frame good and level helps too. Haven't got to the doors yet but when I did my '25 Tudor I expected the wood to dry out eventually so I made them good and tight. When the air is moist they swell and are a little too tight.
Trouble with these projects is that when you are all done you know about what you need to know before you start.
The main thing is to have fun and not take it too seriously if you can.
That's some mighty fine work!......
Just yesterday I put on the correct loop door handles and got the front fender irons bent into proper shape so the fenders lay right now too.
I'll be getting the sagging doors fixed next.......how are yours?
Fortunately, my 1922 Coupe came with a solid body and a lovely "patina" which my wife won't let me paint. I can't really blame her. When I tell 6' tall T drivers to get behind the wheel, they are amazed of the leg and head room. One of my favorite tour cars.
Good to see your coupes Craig and Willard. Helps keep me focused. Love the patina Willard and thanks for the dimension the other day. Still 50 1/4" and holding.
I with Steve on this one I thought is was one of your paintings. Richard great job! I have a patina 24 roadster p.u It's my trainer for anyone who learn to drive a T I tell them if you scratch this car I may fall over laughing I find it helps calm the nerves of a first time driver not to have to worry about the car. Also patina T's have the rule at most car shows They really catch all the atention especialy when you decide to bring a live chicken as your copilot for the day as I did one year. Keep up the good work!
Seems to be quite a few early Coupes on E-bay right now.
Any thoughts on them...condition and what they should go for?
Regards,
Steve
Richard,
When you do the doors on the Coupe just remember that they are NOT square at the top windows! I made the mistake of building my doors square on a table jig and had to tear them all apart when I fit them in the openings. The glass is not square either so don't have it cut square.
The black-era Runabout is my favorite T, but the pre-improved Coupe comes close. Its phone-booth-shaped body is so unique that it stands out almost everywhere, even among a bunch 'a old cars. It's like an Amish buggy with an engine, well, somewhat. I'd love to own one one day, unrestored, original paint, patinated to a point that people will just shake their heads in pure disbelief when they look at it and learn that I actually drove it there.
It should be a perfect match to the dog!
I'm not the guy to ask about values of cars, Steve. I had 20 dollars in this til I started buying lumber. Then the seat springs really blew my budget. The nice patina coupe on e-bay a few weeks ago got some good comments on values on another thread. This one won't be worth much but will be lots of fun. I have a good running titled engine for it with a '15 body on it right now.
Dennis, good comment on the door tops. I have a copy of the Ford Body Glass book and it shows the difference front to back on the door glass. It's slightly different angle for different years but I'm assuming mine was a '21-23. Quarter window slants a little at the top too on '17-19. It's amazing how much good information is out there and how many clues you can pick up of an old piece of wood with a few screw holes in it.
Lots of fun
Rich
My that's a .... cute dog Bernard.
Richard......the hell with the value........the VALUE is in the FUN.......
I just talked to a Mr Minor in Calif he needs wood patterns for the back of a 26-7 4 door sedan, also wood patterns for a suicide door coupe he needs left rear door for the 4 door, and on the suicide coupe he needs the panel from window down to the turtle deck, he's not computer savy can anyone help him? 310-998-7306
I'm making notes as I go but none of my stuff is accurate enough to rely on. (Or readable ) If someone wanted to collect all the pictures on this forum of coupe framework that might help him. Did Mel Miller make any coupe plans? I can see where the cost is in a wood kit. That would certainly be the way to go if a guy was serious and didn't have patterns.
Craig is right about the fun being the value.
I sure love the earlier coupes. (But I think I can live with my '24) Richard, Thank you for sharing this. You may be giving me some ideas!
Drive carefully, and enjoy, W2
I like your '24 Wayne. I was picking up 24-25 parts for years and ended up building a Tudor so I would have a place for the kids, but by the time I got it finished they were grown up and gone.
Steve asked for more pictures and David asked about coupe vs touring and it occurred to me that while we were on this I should show the pictures of the YPC Bus body I built in the 80's and 90's. I used Oak on it because I couldn't get Ash locally thicker than 1". 18 year project and it wore me and the tools out. That's part of why I am settling for less precission and softer wood on the coupe.
The wood is so beautiful on these cars and then we cover it up. I'm planning to build a Woody next year just to enjoy the wood.
Rich
Wayne, I'm glad if I'm giving you ideas. This forum is where I get a lot of my ideas.