Is the 1927 Coupe Trunk Deck Lid supposed to be curved or straight at the bottom by the below deck panel? Mine is bowed and I was told that it is supposed to be this way. I don't know. Does anyone know for sure?
Do you mean the swooped curve of the deck lid?
Note the picture, side edge view of the coupe deck lid, has a wavy shape, that blends to the curve of the lower body rear panel.
HI. No, I'm talking about the end by the key hole end (the end by the spare tire) where the deck lid latches to the bar at the top of the below deck panel. Mine sticks out about a 1/2" or so.
I was told that this is the normal curve and that it is not supposed be flat across.
Mine is flat.....
27 & flat
It should have a top to bottom curve and a slight side to side curve.
Review this video of Ron Covell building a 27 Roadster body out of aluminum. The buck he uses is made from an original. (Buck building occurs in Part 1.) The rear panel forming starts around 0:44. It is NOT flat!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtHj34WQCCk
Great video, Ken. That guy is good!
Very nice video. Ron Covell is the master of metal fabrication.
I think that I see the side to side curve now. OK....But, it still looks like it's flat.
I guess that I need to form a curve on the trunk brace that the deck lid latches to? I wish that I had another Coupe to compare with.
Anyone have a picture of the rear of the coupe with no spare tire mounted?
The answers that I am getting are very helpful to me. Thank you, to everyone.
Here is about as close as you can find to factory!
NOS, runabout turtle deck. You can see a small bend up where the deck latch is.
1927 Ford Coupe
I guess that I need to shape the brace that the deck lid latches to.
How does the lower panel attach the the brace?
I think it's spot welded.
The picture that Dan posted above shows the curvature of the rear panel. I've marked the photo to show the curves. The trunk lid also has a slight curve (up in the center) from side to side. Where lid meets the rear panel, the curvatures should match.
A week ago, I posted an inquiry about an Ebay seller that was advertising a replacement inner panel for a 26-27 coupe decklid, asking if anyone knew who made these, as Howell's does not. I have a new outer decklid skin that Howell's made and all the reinforcement brackets at the hinges and corners from an old original beat up decklid. I took a chance and bought it on ebay and USPS tracking says it should be delivered tomorrow, so I'll find out soon if it will fit.
Isn't it amazing that NOS body parts like this still show up! WOW!! I won't ask how much, because, if you have to ask. . . .
Terry, I think I know the one that you bought on Ebay. I think the seller also has the inner panel for the Roadster.
Ken, thanks for all of your help on this. I really appreciate all of it.
Dan, thanks to you, also.
Weeeellllllllll...I got the curvature problem taken care of. Trunk deck latches like it should and it looks good with the curve in it.
Now I have to get the rain gutters square as I don't want to buy new ones. These are in pretty good shape.
If I could post pictures, I would.
I posted, above, that I had bought a replacement deck lid INNER panel from an Ebay seller. Howell's does not make this piece so I don't know who made it. It doesn't have any markings on it indicating it is NOS Ford stock. It does fit my outer deck lid panel that Howells made, so I should be able to put together a pretty decent deck lid.
Trying to upload pics of my deck lid.
My "good" deck lid, that is going on my Gradfather's 27 coupe, is at the painters so I can't upload a picture it, but I will when I get it back. I have two other complete deck lids, in addition to the one that I am going to build fron repro parts, and the "good" deck lid (total of four).
Dave, how did you bend your deck lid to get the proper side to side curvature? I need to do this to my 27 coupe deck lid to get a better fit. Thanks
I always thought they got bent outward because of the spare tire hanging on back there
Greg. I didn't bend the deck lid. It came factory arched. What I did bend was the trunk deck brace at the top of the below deck lid panel. I had to make one because it is very hard to find an OEM brace in good shape. I made it out of 1/2" angle iron. I even had to make a corner bracket. I used #16 steel. It came out very nice.
To get a better fit, you might want to bend your brace. Just bend in the center very slightly until you get the fit that you need. Repeat very slightly each time.
Mike, They are bent outward to fit the curvature of the deck lid. Behind the panel is a two piece brace, horizontal with a vertical brace that the spare tire mount is attached to.
Dave, thanks for the response. The panel below the deck has the proper bend but the deck lid is straight across.It looks like it had some damage and the person repairing it must have thought it needed to be straight /flat across the bottom edge and pounded out the factory arch. It fits tight in the center but the edges are about one quarter of an inch above the rear panel.