Can't find any reproduced trap doors for the 26/27 roadster in the catalogs and don't have any original cars nearby to look at.. What have you seen back there in the trunk that may be original?
I just saw a mostly unrestored car for sale at ebay - http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320907995252 with what seems like a plywood trap door in place. Could that be an original?
My rear floor is badly distorted and full of small rust holes, so I may be redoing it in a non original fashion - but I'd still like to know what it's supposed to look like back there
I have a '26 coupe with a trunk that looks like yours. Would the floor in my coupe be like a roadster? Mine has a thin lift out plywood trap door covering the hole over the battery, that slides into a groove on one side and sits on recessed lips around the hole so it fits flush to the floor. It is locked in place by a swivel hold down latch similar to the latches that holds the floor boards down. The hole for mine looks a bit larger than the hole for yours. Jim Patrick
The 26 Coupe and Fordor use a wooden battery trap door ( actually 3 different versions of each ). I'm pretty sure that the roadster uses a sheet metal one.
Dave S.
I was under the impression that only the roadster pickup has a steel battery door and that the roadster is wood too.
Howell's has a reproduction "1926-27 Battery Cover Roadster Pickup & Pickup" in sheet metal:
It's for the roadster pickup bed, but would it fit in a roadster's trunk?
http://www.fordor.com/category.cfm?startrow=21&action=prev&dept=0927modelt&cat=1926 1927 Ford Model T Roadster and Roadster Pickup&sort=title
I originally thought it was wood, but when I started reproducing the battery trap doors for the various other models for some reason I came to the conclusion that it was sheet metal. I don't remember now where I got that information. If it is wood, I'll have to see about getting the drawings for it.
Dave S.
Howells pickup trap door is really a nice piece. I wish they would roll over the finger hole more like Ford did, and then they would be perfect!
Here is what's left of an original metal battery door from a '26 pickup.
Someone flattened out the side and then screwed it to the bed boards, guess they had problems of the door hopping out when riding along bumpy roads
Dan, as mentioned, each side of the trap door was probably held down by turning metal latches like the ones used in the interior to hold down the floorboards. The original latches which may have been attached to the truck bed boards with a screw which probably also served as the swivel point for the latches, may have been accidentally discarded when (if) the wooden truck bed was replaced. Since I don't know for sure, this is, of course, all speculation based upon how the plywood trap door in the trunk of my coupe is held down. Jim Patrick
I didn't have one at all until I moved the battery out from under the seat next to the gas tank. I put it under the floor where Ford had it in mind. The gas tank also didn't have a vent tube that went under the car. I could just see me sitting on that "ejection" seat going down the road and a possible spark hitting the fumes from the tank. That was the design of the previous owner.
Here's a shot of the roadster floor from Howell's site. This is why I assume the door is wood with rounded corners towards the rear.
it is wood will get pic today
Here you go - this is the original for my 1926 Roadster.
It is just 1/2" or 3/4" pallet wood, with nails holding it together.
Travis Towle
Topeka, Kansas
Hey that is a pickup trunk floor you show in that photo.
Travis Towle
Topeka, Kansas
Travis,
Can you measure the width and length of that battery trap door. I have an original one here which I could never identify what it came off of. I'm thinking this is probably it - if the measurements match up.
Thanks,
Dave S.
13 1/4 x 8 3/4
Thanks for the info. Now I can make my own
I can concur with Travis...My original 26 roadster looks exactly identical.. Was going to post a pic, but he beat me to it---
BTW...I decided to replace my trunk floor---had some cancer on the drivers side edge. Finally got one from whomever makes them in Texas (ordered it from Mac's unfortunately--who grossly overcharged for shipping) It lines up with the original holes and will be hopefully riveting it in soon. Only thing I had to add was a new piece of webbing on the hump for the spring to rest on.
Thanks Travis.
The one I have is different so obviously not off a Roadster!
Dave S.