Tweaked Fordor Body

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Model T Ford Forum: Forum 2012: Tweaked Fordor Body
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Timothy W. Kundrat on Monday, October 15, 2012 - 02:07 am:

I recently bought a project '25 Fordor that someone had started to restore. The car had been sitting for a few years without the body being bolted to the frame and now the mounting holes do not line up. If I bolt the one side down to the frame the other side needs to move almost an inch forward to line up. I have tried moving the driver's side forward with a ratchet strap and leaving some tension on it, but after two weeks it hasn't moved much and I don't want to break anything. I did check the frame for square and that is fine. I unbolted the firewall to make sure it is not hanging anything up. My next idea is to introduce some steam to the wood and ratchet the body into place a little at a time. If anyone has dealt with this before, or has any tips for me I welcome the advice. If not, I will try the steam and see what happens.
Thanks,
Tim


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Don Booth@ Bay City, Mi on Monday, October 15, 2012 - 06:16 am:

"someone started to restore" has me wondering if they replaced the body wood? The problem I had with my fordor was putting it together in a way that allowed proper door fitting. I ended up making brackets that allowed the rear of the body to be adjusted so the doors would open and close correctly. You might need to consider removing the body/frame wood and mounting it to the frame first then work your way up. Everything I did while rebuilding the fordor had a direct effect elsewhere until it was put together completely.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By john kuehn on Monday, October 15, 2012 - 09:37 am:

Maybe the wood that was installed in the body was not "exactly" like the old original wood. Thats taking into consideration if the original wood was replaced.
When the new wood is installed things can change ever so slightly that can eventually make a big difference.
I found that using the body wood kits you have to remember to refit a little at a time to get things right.
Maybe the mounting brackets were moved ever so slightly out of the correct position when they were installed on the wood frame rails.
Maybe just resetting a bracket will work.
If your car still has the original wood thats another story.
Remember if something is off 'just a little' on one end it can turn up much more than a little on the opposite end. I found this to be true on my 1919 roadster I restored several years ago and 21 touring rebuild I am working on now.
Just take your time and all will work out.
You can do it.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Wayne Sheldon, Grass Valley, CA on Monday, October 15, 2012 - 06:15 pm:

All the following is "assuming" the frame is good.
First, mount, carefully measure and square the firewall to the frame. It would help to mount the radiator and hood also. Measure every cross reference from point to point, side to side, front to back, use large carpenter's squares, everything.
Confirm again that the frame is straight and square related to the firewall. That firewall, not the frame, is the center of the universe to that body. If the body does not fit to the firewall, the body must be tweaked to fit. If the frame is square to the firewall, and the body fits the firewall, then the body must be tweaked until it fits to the frame. It should be tweaked from front to back, centered and squared, body sill by body sill, door post by door post, until you get to the back of the body. Tweaking will likely include moving the body mounts bolted to the body sills. It may involve shimming wood, cutting and splicing, altering corners, etc.
Remember, perfection may be an admirable goal, but it is an unattainable goal. Once the hood fits, the doors all close and open nicely (the MOST important test of body fit), and the rest of the car is together, almost nothing that is off even a half an inch will be visible to the eye (nothing off a quarter inch will be seen).
Once the car is together, the doors and hood will be almost the only things that will say the car is or is not straight.
Short cuts often result in re-dos. Taken systematically, if the wood is reasonably good (whether original, new, or a mix), it shouldn't take too long to re-square the body.
Good luck, and have fun!
Drive carefully, and enjoy, W2


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