I was thinking the metal drip edge for the 17-22 wood firewall was avaliable as a repo from some of the vendors. Maybe I didnt look close enough but I havent found one.
The strip is hard to find and I am needing one for my 21 Touring rebuild.
Is anybody making them? Thanks for any info
I don't think the drip edge was used in '17. Maybe started around 19?
I wouldn't call it a drip edge, but there was a metal strip that covered the edge of the wooden firewall that was in turn covered with a woven weatherstripping. More info in Bruce's book, pg. 258, photo at top right.
I am in need of this piece as well. We are putting a new firewall in the '18 Touring. This piece was in bad shape and I would like to replace it, but I've yet to see it in any of the catalogs.
My pal used a steel firewall trimmed out and bolted down to a wood wall on his project.. One view is from underneath. troop
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I have a feeling over the years people would either do away with it as the need arose to remove the firewall. I can recall seeing some cars that apparently were restored and the piece left off.
There was one on Ebay last week that I missed (dang it!) out on.
I am to the point of putting the sheet metal panels on my 21 and just noticed on Ebay the metal drip edge.
Things will work OK without it but I do want to be authentic as possible.
I dont recall seeing one at Chickasha and being such an obscure piece they probably dont get noticed till you really need one.
Thanks for any info.
John-
They first appeared in 1919 and were used on cars with wood firewalls until the low metal firewall was used. I believe they also had side edges, under the notches for the hinges.
: ^ )
Keith
i HAVE ONE TOP PIECE IF YOU NEED ONE, bOB
I will send you a PM. Thanks Robert
Bruce's book cites late 1916 (1917 Model year) as the first year. Our late 1917 (1918 Model year) certainly has it.
I used my sheet metal brake and formed my own metal edging to cover the wood firewall. Then I painted it black to match the other metal work on the car. By the time you put the hood lacing on you don't even see much of it.
Hal,
It is possible that Bruce's book and or CD etc may have that listed incorrectly. If so we would like to make sure it is corrected in the future. If you run across the reference again, would you please let me know. (No we are not working to have it reprinted -- but the CD often has similar words etc. in similar locations and that can be easily corrected.)
I checked my copy of his book and on the introduction to the 1917, 1918 it does not mention it but for the 1919 it does. The same is true for the on-line edition at: http://mtfca.com/encyclo/1918.htm scroll down to DASHBOARD (Firewall): Wood, fitted outside the front cowl, hidden by the metal cowl trim strip. But for 1919 it has: http://mtfca.com/encyclo/1919.htm DASHBOARD (Firewall): Wood, fitted outside the front cowl, hidden by the metal cowl trim strip. This trim strip was redesigned to include a rain gutter to direct water to the sides, away from the coil box.
Perhaps in another location of the book or CD it has a different date? If so we would like to document the location so it can be corrected in the future.
That "rain gutter" is a practical addition to any 1917-1918 also -- but I believe it would be an addition and not from the factory. Note that the Rip Van Winkle Jun 1917 Model T Touring with less than 27 miles at the time of the photographs did not have the "rain gutter."
Respectfully submitted,
Hap l9l5 cut off
NOTE regarding lacing over the metal edging.
The correct lacing/webbing as originally installed on the cars with wood firewalls is only half the width of the metal edging. In other words, the front half of the metal edging is exposed. This is so the webbing doesn't interfere with the hood hinges which rest in the semi-circular notches in the wood firewall and probably also was a cost saving measure by Ford Motor Co.
The cowl webbing sold by the vendors is incorrect because it is the full width of the metal edging. To correct this problem, use radiator shell lacing instead.
Use this on the metal edging:
http://www.modeltford.com/item/4060-5.aspx
Do not use this:
http://www.modeltford.com/item/4060-2.aspx
Refer to these posts for further details including photos of an unrestored firewall with original webbing and a restored firewall with utilizing cowl lacing as edge webbing as well as comments about the "generic" firewalls being sold by the vendors:
http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/179374/182377.html?1294979916
http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/80257/116098.html?1259757133
http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/80257/106894.html?1253539120
http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/179374/231938.html?1314541600
I sent you a pm, I found the top and both sides, sent you pictures, Bob
Troop, I got a kick out of your pictures. Although you've got a great idea the example you used to represent it was perfect. I can't wait till the day comes that I'm able to get over and meet you. Without a doubt you're one of the good ones. Tell the old man hi for me when you see him.
Oh, Troop I forgot to mention those photos are of what was left of a '26 and really, though possibly a working opportunity for John to use, it's probably not going to keep his car appearing stock. He'd have some real fun having to drill a steel firewall to attach his coil box and put the porcelain connectors through. I'm not saying it couldn't be done but in the example you used his coil box is attached to the engine. Geez, I feel like crap knocking your idea after what you did for me last summer but the shock of seeing your pictures twisted my mind. How's your car running.
Hey there MG! Being the first year with my roadster, I put about 1000 around town miles on it. It runs great and I usually make the 20 mile trip to church every week plus a bunch of other activities, where old bessie takes the "Oldest of Show" prize. ;-))
I dont know what all Bills' told you but I helped him drag his project home. In his words, and I can almost quote him ver batum, "Its too bad the self righteous cant get off of their own da** soap boxes over there..." PM me for details as if it matters haha.
The steel fire wall that Bill used was around a 23-25 tall hood model that for one reason or another had been "trimmed" with a gas ax and made to fit something. Just what we arent sure about, but it was almost unsalvageable except for the rear hood mount and gutter. Maybe on of the fahrenheit 451 guys can ID it from these pictures I took on delivery day. troop
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Well now I'd like to say I stand corrected but I'm really confused regarding what he used. But please don't let him get on using your sign-in. I can understand what you're saying but sometimes I'm not sure that old fart is speaking english. :-) I really gotta tell you though I really miss the guys on the other side. Especially when it comes to messin' with the old man. But I can still understand his problem with the elitists over here. I've also learned to not ask questions on any of these forums. One question can get so many meaningless or conflicting answers you're darn near stuttering by the time they get done with ya.
Actually Mike, Bill has self abstained from here. He's not banned but refuses to be lectured to by his understudies. I know he lurks in here almost daily (Hi Willy!!). Its really a shame because between you and I, he's one of the old timer "keepem' runnin' guys". Kinda like Herm here... been doing this stuff his whole life, then gets beat up by bookmongers. troop
Hap,
I think we are talking about two different things. What I'm talking about is not a drip edge to route water away. It is a metal channel that covers the edge of the firewall to protect it from water. Look at the photo on page 258, top right corner. It is a metal channel that resembles an old fashioned counter edging, only much thinner. The one on our car is in three pieces, an upper curved piece that covers the top edge from roughly hood hinge to hood hinge, and two straight pieces that extend from there down to the frame.
Hap;
Is't it one of the same. I have a rough one in the garage some where and I was thinking it was all one piece, notched out for the rod, radiator to firewall. It protects the edge of the wooden firewall and channels the water.
My '17 torpedo did not come from Ford with that part. It was built in June 1917 and was one of the last 1917 model year cars built.
I would call the part the firewall cap.
As Hal said, it is in three pieces - one piece for the top, one piece on each side. The notch in the firewall to accommodate the hood hinge separates the three pieces. A piece of webbing that is approximately half the width of the cap is installed over the cap.
The rain gutter was incorporated on the top cap I believe around 1919.
If you look at my original post above and click on the prior threads, you can see this metal cap with webbing on an unrestored 1917 roadster and a restored 1917 touring, May and July cars, respectively.