Mystery Top Irons & Bows

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Model T Ford Forum: Forum 2013: Mystery Top Irons & Bows
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mark Strange on Saturday, June 29, 2013 - 08:43 am:

Hi all, I'm looking more closely at the top bows and irons that came with the 1924 touring / pickup conversion that I bought this week. Since I'll be keeping the car as a pickup, I assume that if I want a top it should be a one-man roadster top. However, the top bows and irons that came with the car don't look like one-man roadster parts, can anyone tell from the pictures what they are? Does anyone have a set of 1924 one-man roadster top irons they would be willing to sell or trade to me?

bows01

bows02

bows03

bows04

bows05

bows06

bows07


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Derek Kiefer - Mantorville, MN on Saturday, June 29, 2013 - 09:02 am:

Those are 1-man roadster top bows, but it looks like the front bow has been modified with a bolt through it rather than the original "nubs".

Where it's bolted now is in the folded down position.

When the top is up, the front bow is moved to the hooks on the middle bow.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mark Strange on Saturday, June 29, 2013 - 09:35 am:

Thanks, that's great news! I'll remove the bolts and mock up the parts in the "top up" positions to confirm they will work.

Next challenge - I need to find a set of the rear brackets that fit inside the body to support the top saddles and rods that hold the top when it is down. I've attached a pic I found on the web of the brackets, does anyone have a set of brackets they'd be willing to sell? Thanks.saddle rod brackets


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Roger Hallett on Saturday, June 29, 2013 - 10:26 am:

Mark,here is a picture of 23-25 roadster top irons. This is the configuration you will want put together.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jim Thode Chehalis Washington on Saturday, June 29, 2013 - 11:03 am:

Mark,
Your bows are quite different then 24 roadster bows. Note that the center bow is much shorter on yours and the point of connection on to the rear bow is much lower then Roger's.

Here is another 24 bow photo from:
http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/257047/305248.html?1347244055



Jim


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Larry Smith on Saturday, June 29, 2013 - 11:10 am:

Roger: That front top socket in your picture has been modified. Look at the bottom of it compared to the one Jim posted above which is correct.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Roger Hallett on Saturday, June 29, 2013 - 11:47 am:

Thanks for pointing that out Larry, I didn't notice that. Now that I'm looking at them I see that they have had other work done to them. The ones on my car are the correct ones.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jack Daron - Brownsburg IN on Saturday, June 29, 2013 - 12:03 pm:

I have one left side rear bracket for the roadster. PM me if interested.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mark Strange on Saturday, June 29, 2013 - 12:16 pm:

PM sent, thanks Jack.

Anyone have a right side rear bracket?
rh side rear saddle bracket


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jim Thode Chehalis Washington on Saturday, June 29, 2013 - 12:37 pm:

Mark,
Your rear brackets that fit inside the body will likely have to be custom made or at least modified to fit your modified touring body.
Jim


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mark Strange on Saturday, June 29, 2013 - 01:45 pm:

We'll see, I'll use the one bracket from Jack to scope it out. One question: The seat back support wood looks to be 1 x 2, is that about right? Should I use a special wood like ash, or would lumberyard pine be sufficient?

Thanks everyone for your patience with my newbie questions. I have restored several Mopar musclecars and learned early on that it takes just as much work to do a job wrong as it does to do it right, so I want to do my research up front and do it right.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jack Daron - Brownsburg IN on Saturday, June 29, 2013 - 04:02 pm:

Use a good quality hardwood,such as Ash or Maple,and avoid Pine.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Allan Richard Bennett on Saturday, June 29, 2013 - 08:59 pm:

Mark, unless you are exceedingly lucky enough to find an almost new set of irons, I would recommend buying new ones from the suppliers. The irons are notorious for rusting out from the inside, and you won't know how bad they are until it happens. It is a real pity to spend lots of time, effort and money putting a new top on old irons which may well fail.

Hope this helps.

Allan from down under.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mark Strange on Sunday, June 30, 2013 - 07:11 am:

Yep, I think that's where I'm headed, I probably won't tackle the top until next year, but I need to get the rear brackets this year so that I can finish installing the upholstery. Right now the seat bottom is done, but I just have an old blanket wrapped around the seat back springs and laid in there so that I can drive the car.

One more question - should there be a wood lid over the gas tank that the seat bottom sits on? Right now the seat bottom is sitting on a piece of chipboard that the previous owner roughly cut to the right shape.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mark Strange on Monday, July 01, 2013 - 06:03 pm:

Update - I found a set of rear brackets from Model T Haven. I also replaced the chipboard under my seat with 0.5 inch birch plywood. I cut a big hole in the middle of it to get it off the gas tank and to allow access to the gas cap. I gave the plywood a quick, thin coat of black to try to match the original wood preservative look. Now I need to get started on fabricating the seat back support wood.

Thanks all for your help!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mark Strange on Friday, July 12, 2013 - 08:29 pm:

Update #2 - I have finished fabricating the seat back support wood and replaced the belt rail wood. I was able to install the brackets just behind the door that the largest top bow pivots on. A trial fit of the rear brackets that support the saddle arms shows that the rear brackets will have to be reshaped (bent) to work on my cut-down touring body. It will take multiple trial fits to get them just right, but once they're installed I'll be able to finally install my seat back upholstery.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Wayne Sheldon, Grass Valley, CA on Friday, July 12, 2013 - 09:32 pm:

Mark,
Thanks for the updates! More pictures later?
Drive carefully, and enjoy, W2


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mark Strange on Monday, July 15, 2013 - 08:46 pm:

Update #3 - Success due to a happy accident! When I tried to bend one of the rear brackets to help the fit, the ear that goes up to the rear part of the body snapped off. Luckily, there was enough of the ear left to allow me to drill the bracket and fabricate a new ear out of steel strapping, which I was able to bolt on and twist to fit the touring body perfectly. It worked so well that I sawed the ear off the other bracket to match. Cutting the holes in the body for the saddle rods to go through was kind of scary, but a step drill made quick work of it. I have now finished installing the top saddle brackets, rods, and saddles, see attached pics. Now I can finally install the seat back upholstery!saddle01saddle02saddle03saddle04saddle05saddle06


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Wayne Sheldon, Grass Valley, CA on Monday, July 15, 2013 - 11:10 pm:

Mark S'
Thanks for the update and the photos! Looking very good.
Drive carefully, and enjoy, W2


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dennis Hoshield on Tuesday, July 16, 2013 - 07:50 pm:

Nice look'n pick-em-up! Was your bed a kit? I'm always looking for proper hardware.
Nice work on the wood ... looks as good as the rest! ;-)

Thanks,
Dennis


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By William L Vanderburg on Tuesday, July 16, 2013 - 09:09 pm:

The only caveat I would have is that your top iron bracket should sit in a square notch and not run through the wood.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mark Strange on Wednesday, July 17, 2013 - 08:15 am:

Thanks for the caveat, I guess I'll find out if having the bracket passing through a hole in the wood causes any problems when I install the upholstery and top.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mark Strange on Wednesday, July 17, 2013 - 08:40 am:

Regarding the pickup bed, I'm afraid I don't have any history on it, since I purchased the car after its restoration. I have attached a pre-restoration picture that shows that the car had a similar if not identical bed on it, so I assume the shop re-used the old hardware and just replaced the wood. Sorry I can't be any more help.old_bed


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dennis Hoshield on Wednesday, July 17, 2013 - 08:41 pm:

Love it ... a nicely 'aged' pickup bed! :-)
Naw ... the photo is great ... it's worth a thousand words! :-) Flat iron side supports for the rear of the bed, but looks like maybe the standard 'hook' latches. Amazing the size wood they had available!

Thanks!
Dennis


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