MTFCA Forum

I just noticed a pad on the bottom of the body where the rear spring sets (see photo). I am aware that there is a rubber pad between the top leaf and the cross member, but did not know there is one on top of the spring unit. This is on a 1927 coupe.

I've had a couple of 27 roadsters, and no pad. That said, not a bad idea!

Jim, I read the following comment from you and NOW IT IS GONE! "Do your read the advice we take time to write in response to your questions? I don't think you do! I recall informing you of the rear spring pad in your rear spring thread on how to remove the bolt and even posted a picture of it and told you where to get one. Others mentioned the pad also. If you doubt me, go back and look. While you're at it, review all of your past posts. You may see a lot of answers you missed. Jim Patrick"

Yes, I do read the advice you take time to write in response to my questions!! I appreciate your advice and comments. You need to carefully read my original thread and look at the photo I attached to it. You will then realize that the pad is not the pad between the top leaf and the cross member but a pad between the top of the cross member and bottom of the floor of the coupe.

Bruce. I did re-read your initial post and was embarrassed that, upon the first reading, I did not understand your meaning. Then I saw where you were aware of the pad on top of the rear spring. That is why I removed my post. It was rude and not helpful and I apologize. Keep up the good work. You have a great coupe. Jim Patrick

PS. Regarding the secondary pad. I did not have that under my 1926 coupe and was not aware there ever was one. I think you have a truly original ‘T, as close to original as they come. What size and thickness is the pad and what is it made of? Was it cemented to the underside of the bottom of the body over the rear crossmember or cemented to the top of the crossmember. If all 1926 coupes were originally equipped with this pad, I may consider making one for my coupe. It must have had a use, such as preventing contact of the rear crossmember with the underside of the body... Thanks for posting it.

Additionally: Be sure to save the wooden body blocks (the rear ones to which I will be referring to, may still be wedged in the rear slots of the body). Judging by the condition of your coupe, I am pretty sure you can re-use all of the blocks, however, if the blocks are deteriorated, dry rotted, or soft and you can’t re-use them, the oak wood block kits available have two pieces that go in slots on each side of the rear of the body that need to be re-shaped (cut on a table saw and planer) as the two pieces are too thick to fit into the slot and stick down too far, so if you can’t reuse the original pieces, you will still need them in order to correctly cut the pieces to fit your coupe. Here is my original 2010 post on this subject. The problem may have been corrected since 2010 if there is a specific body block kit for the 1926 coupe. If not, see: www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/118802/125665.html

I have a late roadster which is tight and nearly rattle free. I would get a noise from the rear of the car going over some bumps. I thought it was the spare tire, which is in the turtledeck. I put a carpet pad under the tire and when I let the tire down, I got the noise. It was the turtle deck floor touching the top of the rear crossmember. There is very little clearance there. I stuffed some stiff foam rubber between the top of the crossmember and the deck floor and no more noise.

I suspect that many people, especially rural people, regularly carried block ice for their home ice boxes in the floors and rear deck areas of Model Ts back in the day. That probably left a lot of T's with deck floors somewhat sagged from people loading the slick, heavy blocks ever so often.

What is the difference between the top of the rear spring and the underside of the rear crossmember??? From what I've seen the later "T's use a strip of top material, and the early ones use a leather pad. I use leather on all of my cars, front and rear.

Larry. That is what confused me. I had to read it several times to understand what Bruce meant, then after several readings, I understood he was talking about a pad between the top of the crossmember and underside of the trunk floor.

In answer to your question leather rear spring pads were used from 1909 to 1920 and rubber pads were used from 1921 to 1927. Jim Patrick

I removed a spring with the rubber strip on top of the spring. While reinstalling, the pad slipped or streched to between the leafs & cross member. Spring locked up 1/2 way in. Had a hell of a time removing it. Used 2 long pry bars. Trimmed the pad & glued in place for the second try.
Friendly warning.

Thanks Jim, I appreciate your response. Then you asked for more information about the pad and commented on wooden body blocks.

The pad seems to be made out of some type of web material. I am attaching several photos to give you a better idea of what it is. I don't have the measurements you asked, but will get them for you. The pad is attached to the floor by some type of fastener. I have looked in three supplier catalogs and did not see any such a pad.

Thanks for the comments about the wooden body blocks. The attached photos show mine. They look OK, but I'll have to make a decision whether or not to replace them just to be on the conservative side.

Could that be a length of transmission band material?

Thank you Bruce. The photos are very helpful. It sort of looks like it is made from a 2” wide web belt like the kind I used to wear on guard duty while in the Marines. I think I have one somewhere I brought home when discharged. Thanks again. Jim Patrick

PS. Your blocks look great? When you test them try to poke them with an ice pick. If the ice pick goes in easily, they are too soft to be reused. If the ice pick will not easily go in (as I suspect) they are still good and can be re-used which will save you from the work of reshaping the two blocks I mentioned, to fit. Jim Patrick

If you get a chance, find a good flat area (next to the spare tire carrier?) with the original green paint and take some Meguiar’s rubbing compound and compound a 12” diameter area until it is as reflective as a mirror, then take several well lit pictures and post them on the forum as a permanent record of what the original channel green looked like. You may also use the photo of the green color to take to the paint store to match up the color if you want to go with the same color, but, as I mentioned before, it would be great if you could revive the original paint by compounding the entire body and keep the original paint. Jim Patrick