26-27 Roadster Bows

[GG Gregory]

I’m finely getting around to replacing the wooden bows on my 27 Roadster. Looking back through the Forum I’m getting 3 different measurements. Any idea which is correct? I bought the top kit so maybe there’s enough material to make the up difference if go for either the long or short bow measurements ?????

[DanTreace]

That first photo of the irons is to give rough dimensional sizes to recognize the '26 -'27 runabout irons from the earlier runabouts. That is a good guide, note the measures are on the curved of the metal irons.

It's the wood bows that set the irons at the proper width. Remember about 2 1/2" or so of the wood bow from each iron goes into each end to the iron, so the overall length of the wood bow is larger than the wood that is exposed at the metal channel end of each bow. The wood bows have these ends cut down to fit into the channel.

The wood pieces are listed below as the dimensions from each iron to each iron, add length to each for fitting to the irons.

’26-’27 Roadster
Front #1bow: approx. 36" Center #2bow: 35 1/4" Rear #3bow: 35 3/4"

These measures are the exposed span from end of each metal iron socket, the actual wood bows are longer, as each have 2 1/2" long undercut ends that inserts into each iron socket, and held with rivets.


Note: Photo shows flexible scale only to size the cut down end that fits into the bow.

[GG Gregory]

Thanks Dan. Yes I understand that 2 1/2” slides inside the Iron itself, just wasn’t clear on the exposed part of the Bow.