Sad discovery, Wood badly dry rotted. Need replacement wood

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Model T Ford Forum: Forum 2012: Sad discovery, Wood badly dry rotted. Need replacement wood
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Will,, Evans Mills NY on Saturday, August 25, 2012 - 09:00 am:

The wood along the back strip and the parts on the top of the two side on the top back are shot. Who carries those parts for a 1919 touring car?


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By William L Vanderburg on Saturday, August 25, 2012 - 09:30 am:

I think RV Anderson's brother makes those wood strips.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Will,, Evans Mills NY on Saturday, August 25, 2012 - 11:04 am:

Iv put a call to Stutzsmans, Waiting for them to call back. I guess if they can bend top bows this cant be that much differant.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Hap Tucker on Saturday, August 25, 2012 - 01:59 pm:

Will (Evans),

If you are talking about the piece of wood that the top and seat upholstery is nailed into that runs around the back outside of the top part of the back seat – that is all non-structural wood. This allows you to do a lot of things (such as replacing with plastic, filling with kwik-polly or other wood restoring treatment, or even putting regular old round tooth picks in the tack holes and using waterproof glue to put them in. Unfortunately Lang’s has that part for the 1914; 1921-25, and 1926-27 tourings but does not list the part for the 1915-1920 tourings. [Which surprises me as I would think it would be very similar to the 1914. Of course it would need to be modified – i.e. cut shorter because of the wooden arm rest pieces the very late 1916-1921 cars had with the large metal arm rest end caps. The 1914-regular 1916 cars did not have the metal end caps or the wooden piece in the arm rest for the metal end cap to attach to. ]. See: http://www.modeltford.com/pl.aspx?t=s&v=tack%20strip&page=1 which are some high cost but hard wood tack strips – but unfortunately not for the 1915-1921 tourings.

“IF” that is what you want to replace, then several different modern substitutes are available. And since it is covered by the upholstery – you could probably even use it for a Stynoski judging class and probably not have any points taken off. [If anyone knows for sure one way or the other on the judging – please let us know so we can add that to our notes.]
One option is listed with Lang’s as: http://www.modeltford.com/item/TACKSTRIP.aspx Tack strip, hard rubber, black, 1/2"X 3/8", sold by the foot

A second option is listed at Cubels web site [home page at: and info on the tack strip is at: http://www.fordwood.com/touring1917misc.htm ] states: “We've been using a synthetic tack strip since 1994. Product is a moldable, space-age material, superior to wood, used by the furniture industry for it's strength/durability.” “IF” I read their diagram correctly that tack strip would be part 025 on the 1917-1921 [they list 1922 but I think that is pushing it – and that most 1922 tourings would have the later three piece rather than 5 piece rear tub with a different1921-1925 tack strip. But for your 1919 [assuming you have a 1919 body and not a 1921 – 1925 body mounted on your 1919 chassis] it should not impact you one way or the other.

There are also several other posting on how to bend the wood if you want to do it yourself or other options to replace the tack strip and how to install it etc. But before we go looking for those please confirm that it is in fact the tack strip that you are talking about.

If you are not talking about the tack strip – then you probably are talking about some structural wood in the body. And that is a much more complex question. Which is made even more complex by the year you sated of 1919 for your touring. During the war years 1918-1919 at some of Ford USA body manufactures went back to producing their bodies using the 1914 – early 1915 style wood seat frames. In that case you need to know which style seat frames you have to know what type of parts you need etc. Additionally – if you have a non-USA produced body – they have additional items that can come into play. Finally even for an original 1919 USA factory supplied Ford touring body – they had several manufactures (for 1915 it was six different ones – for 1919 – I don’t know if we have determined exactly how many there were.) But the body parts and wood parts from one body company did not necessarily directly interchange with another company’s parts.

So please clarify which parts you are wanting to replace. You could use the diagram from Cubels at: http://www.fordwood.com/images/tour17new.jpg . Also if you post some photos folks may be able to help you determine if they part can be repaired or perhaps other parts spliced in.

Respectfully submitted,

Hap l9l5 cut off


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By R.V. Anderson on Saturday, August 25, 2012 - 02:25 pm:

Mr. V. is right; Jon has them in stock. Steam bent ash. He has no computer; you have to phone him: 716-985-5880.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Will,, Evans Mills NY on Saturday, August 25, 2012 - 03:30 pm:

Hap, That was part I was talking about, the one that goes along the back of the car that the back of the top nails into. Its so far gone that it crumbled into dust as I was removing the screws, Most of the nails and screws I was able to pull out by hand. Its a wonder it ever held the back of the top in place. I called that place and they do not have weekend hours so I'm going to go to my local big box hardwear and see if they have something I can use. Thank you for the info. If I cant find something at the hardwear I will be calling them Monday. I tried to upload the photo's but it said my file was to large.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By john kuehn on Saturday, August 25, 2012 - 05:38 pm:

Try Fordwood for the tack strips. I bought some for my 1921 Touring rebuild and it works great.
It is a composite material and you work it with a propane torch to bend and form the curves.
Its not "ORIGINAL" if your a purist but wood is avaliable fron Langs and Snyders, and R.V. Anderson but I have to admit it is an improvment over the wood in my opinion. It is a lot more forgiving than wood in my opinion.
Remember its covered up by the trim material
after its installed.
Kevlas is not 'original' and a lot of folks use it. And you cant see it either since its inside the transmission.
Hap is definately right about the different bodies being a little different in some ways.
This is a reason why some guys get upset that the wood they order dosent always fit exactly and get upset with the suppliers.
You have to remember that the wood kit makers usually use the original wood from one of the bodies that Ford used. AND that could mean maybe 4-6 different body makers. So it depends which body makers wood they used! You can make them fit but it might take a little refit here and there. Things always just dont drop in but they usually fit after a little sanding,etc here and there. You can do it.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By mike_black on Sunday, August 26, 2012 - 06:36 pm:

Will,
Lowes sells a PVC 1x6 that's 3/4 in thick and cheap (compared to buying store bought "tack strips"). While at Lowes, you'll also need about 18, inch and a half C-clamps (also real cheap). Measure your old tack strip(probably about 3/4) and use a table saw to rip the PVC board to 3/4x3/4 (or whatever you need) by longer than your seat. Clamp your newly made tack strip to the seat back, starting around the center and work toward each end. Drill and attach to the seat. Use a heat gun to bend and clamp around the corners.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Patrick Martin on Sunday, August 26, 2012 - 07:32 pm:

Dont forget this if you're going to do your top Will, you might want to try it :-)

http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/118802/171530.html


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Lynn Meeks - Centerville, Georgia on Monday, August 27, 2012 - 09:49 am:

Mike,
How much PVC have you used and how long have you used it?
Do staples and tacks hold well in the PVC?
What color is the PVC at Lowes?
Interested in using some if it holds up well.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Will,, Evans Mills NY on Monday, August 27, 2012 - 01:45 pm:

I was just at Lowes, They have it in white but what my store had comes in 5in X 8ft.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By mike_black on Monday, August 27, 2012 - 08:30 pm:

Lynn,
After trying several things I ended up with the PVC. I installed it on both seats of my 15 touring 15 April 2012. I tested it and it seemed to hold the tacks and staples as well as wood, so I used it. It's held well so far. I use an air stapler. I found out years ago on my TT that the manual hand squeeze type wouldn't drive staples in far enough so I got an electric one. When doing my hack, I had to upgrade to an air stapler to put them all the way in. The strips around the seat frame I made from oak that had been drying in the barn for over 50 years was even a challenge for the air stapler. Back to the PVC--I'm pleased. Keep the heat gun moving over a large enough area that you don't melt the PVC. It helps to have an assistant since you need to heat, bend, and clamp at nearly the same time.


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