Seeking wood bed plans

[Retro54]

I'll be starting on a wooden bed for my 1915 cut-down touring soon. Instead of making it all up, was hoping to start with plans for an accessory bed if available. Does anyone have a good source to share? Thank you in advance! Photos shown are of other members from here that I've been saving in an 'inspiration' album. Shared here to show what I am going for.

For what it is worth, ill be looking for decent rear 1915-1926 roadster fenders too. Preferably with original or older black paint intact. I have a cherry pair of original 1924-25 coupe or sedan fenders that I'd ideally like to trade/swap (pair shown below).

[perry kete]

Here is a set of wood bed plans

[Rich Eagle]

Go back to sleep Perry.

[Rich Eagle]

You may recall this one Jay posted.
http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/80 ... 1256307460
This one might have some ideas:
http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/29 ... 1180435052
or these:
http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/17 ... 1322840778
http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/29/47657.html

[Retro54]

Thank you Rich!

[Hap_Tucker]

I tried to post the “Vintage Ford” articles on pickup plans as a PDF. But that didn't work very well -- probably lack of computer skills by me. It had about 1/2 the page cut off. But if anyone would like a PDF copy of the following articles about how to build a wood pickup bed – please drop me an e-mail with your e-mail address. Our club allows us to share those for free for non-commercial purposes. Please put “send Model T pickup bed plans” or something similar in the subject line and it will be read much sooner. My e-mail is:

Reprint of the original Murray Fahnestock plans. Mar-Apr 1979 “Vintage Ford.”


Update for using modern hardware and a few changes to make it construction a little simpler. May-Jun 1998 “Vintage Ford”

Note depending on how your touring was made into a "cut off" you may need to adapt the plans a little. In some cases folks opened the rear doors and cut through the lower wood sills, and unbolted the rear section from the car. That exposes the rear frame. In other cases they left the wood sills going all the way back but removed the nails from the body panels and removed the rear seat and rear doors. In that case the metal car frame is below the wood sills.

Finally -- if you have a chance -- please take a look at your touring and see if it has a letter on the front seat heel panel and/or any tag or body number stamped into the wooden seat frame or right front wooden floor board riser. For details on what to look for and where to look please see the posting “Home for the Holidays” at: http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/29/40322.html

Good luck with your project.

Respectfully submitted,

Hap l9l5 cut off

And if someone knows how to get the PDF to post with all the page (rather than just part of the page) -- please ask for a copy and post it for future folks to see. Thanks)

[John Haynes]

Lang's have the plans as well as the pickup box already done.

[Retro54]

Hap,

THANK YOU! You are a true gentleman and friend of the hobby. I will be sending you an email! I agree with and understand your considerations regarding the bed and frame rails. I've attached some photos of mine.

Also, yes the body has a B on the front seat heal kick area and is a Beaudette body from January 1915 per my understanding of the brass Beaudette number plate underneath the front seat cushion. I think you may have assisted me in figuring that out last summer. I think that would make this possibly one of the earlier 1915 touring bodies IF it had remained intact. I know for a fact it was titled as a roadster prior to 1965... and so assume it's been cut-off a long time. I am the 6th 'owner ' per the title and the known history from 1965 to present. Prior to it being titled last, a 1922 engine was placed in it. All other chasis and sheet metal parts 'appear' to be of the correct era for an early 1915 touring. But who knows, it was stored in pieces since 1965.

[Retro54]

Shot of ford tag. I can definitely confirm this tag was once on the firewall to the left of the steering column. The missing corner was still sandwiched between body and firewall!

[Hap_Tucker]

Andrew,

Thank you for the e-mail. I have sent you a copy of the two articles.

Also thank you for posting the additional photos of your cut-off. And yes the "1 15" at the beginning of the Beaudett (also spelled Beaudette and called Pontiac on many of the USA Ford documents) body number indicates your touring body was constructed in Jan 1915. That could have been early or late Jan. That along with the early style rear axle would both indicate an early 1915. I assume the smooth brake, reverse & low speed pedals came with the 1922 engine? And can you tell if the battery bracket was originally came with the frame or if it was added later. (I added ours to our 1918 touring around 1966 or so. It is bolted in and it is easy to tell it was not original to the frame. Now days I would not do that -- as we only used the storage battery to make starting it easier. It doesn't have place for a starter. Now days there are lots of small rechargeable batteries that were not available back then that could do the same job of firing the coils on a cold day.)

I apologize for not remembering you had asked that question last summer. One of the hazards of my getting older and not seeing folks face to face. I'm really bad with names but I usually remember the faces and the cars....

Putting a pickup bed on the back can give you a fun T that can actually do some light hauling. By the way which state is Middletown located in? In general I don't want a heavy object in my T if I'm going down a long steep mountain, hill or long steep bridge. And one of our regular posters had a cut off. He added the pickup box. Then later swapped the bed for a roadster turtle deck. And finally found a rear tub section that he fitted to the car. Keep an eye out -- for a 5 piece 1915-16 or 1917-1921 rear seat section. They become available every now and then. You do not really want the 3 piece 1921-1925 rear tub -- it will function OK but the body moldings don't match the front body molding and the arm rests are different-more narrow. I'm 90% sure that a 5 piece rear tub from 1917-1921 can have the arm rest modified to look and function like a 1915-16 that did not have the metal cap at the end of the arm rests.

Please keep us posted on your progress.

Respectfully submitted,

Hap l9l5 cut off

[TRDxB2]

Found a couple of diagrams via the internet. First was described as 1915 roadster

[Retro54]

TRD, thank you!

The 'Slip on Body' book is on back order at some vendors. Wondering if anyone has a resource for these plans, or a spare available they would like to sell.

Starting to mock up a body anyways. It'll take shape one way or the other!

[L.I. Tom]

Here are some pictures of one I built several years back i know the hex nuts are incorrect 1 day i will change out with square nuts.

Made all irons except for tail gate latches and model A light brackets.

Hinges are modified gate hinges.

Rear bench seat with tool Box underneath.

[L.I. Tom]

Here are a few more pictures of my homemade bed.

Rear bench seat hinges up for larger items in the bed.

Have to have the E brake.

Underneath at the rear.

[L.I. Tom]

Sorry mine's on a roadster not a cut off Touring. But could be made to work on a cut off touring also.

[Retro54]

L.I Tom, great photos! Liking what you did. Modifying gate hinges is a great idea!