MTFCA Forum

Did the T's and TT's use chicken wire in their roofs ???
Thanks , Don

No, Ford did not use chicken wire in any Model T.

As earlier stated Ford didn’t use chicken on any closed car or TT roofs.

I have a 24 Coupe and after replacing pieces of the wood roof frame parts I did use chicken wire in the roof when finishing it out. Some of the roof kits recommend it because it makes for a smooth roof which it does. Some don’t use it and it’s a preference I guess. To my way of thinking it doesn’t matter because it can’t be seen. I reasoned that there are also other improvement parts now being used such a bearings and etc.

But of course the original way it was done from the factory can be done too. To each his own I think.

I believe "chicken wire" was used in early cars when it was necessary to form a compound curve in roof coverings. The chicken wire can be shaped to support the top fabric. As Ts never had anything but flat tops, shaping underlays were not needed. With no downward curves on the back and sides, and no need for a compound curve at the corners, there was no need for chicken wire.

Allan from down under.

M&M speedster
Fabrikoid consists of cotton cloth coated with pyroxylin (a less nitrated nitrocellulose, dissolved in castor oil, alcohol, benzene and amyl acetate). Fabrikoid has been used for luggage, bookbinding, upholstery and dress trimmings

Didnt Ford use packing crates from the various suppliers to make chicken coops and then used the eggs in the factory cafeterias ?

Oh no wait I'm thinking of floor boards.

This is supposed to funny.

I read an old article about Ford frugality. According to that article, they used everything that could possibley be used, including packaging and other "waste" in every way possible until just scraps were left. The scraps were burned in the powerplant if they couldn't be sold or somehow used in the manufacturing process. Ford's huge manufacturing volume made such frugality possible. They had to do something with all the dunnage and other incoming shipping material or they would have been buried in it.

The wood scraps where used to make Kingsford charcoal named after Edward George Kingsford
history https://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/7 ... 09617.html

I don’t know if Ford ever used chicken wire on the assembly line, but here are a couple of pictures in which modern day T owners used chicken wire on top of the wooden frame of a new roof on a 1926 Model T coupe. Jim Patrick

It would be a good idea to place felt or something similar between the wood and the chicken wire to prevent any chance of rattling or buzzing due to vibration.

TRDxB2 wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 04, 2023 3:58 am

M&M speedster
Fabrikoid consists of cotton cloth coated with pyroxylin (a less nitrated nitrocellulose, dissolved in castor oil, alcohol, benzene and amyl acetate). Fabrikoid has been used for luggage, bookbinding, upholstery and dress trimmings

I always liked this approach - kind of like the old tube and fabric airplanes of the day. Actually, I considered doing something like doped fabric and tube for a speedster body - Of course, they would be a disaster if rolled, but you couldn't beat the weight savings... Also thanks for reminding me of the "recipe" for Pyroxylin...

I used chicken wire in my 24 T Coupe and it’s doesn’t rattle, click or nothing like that. As tight as it’s pulled over the roof line I don’t see how it could. Putting in some kind of sound deadener is overthinking something that’s not necessary. But that’s my opinion. It all goes back if you want to put in an improvement or not in something you can’t see after it’s finished.

I guess chicken wire would have made the top smooth rather than wavey. I am getting ready to build a canopy top for my express bed with screen sides. I do believe i will apply chicken wire to the top. First, a layer of black fabric, then wire, then thin padding, then top material.

Donald, if you space the slats in your roof with about 1" gaps, cover them with one sheet of natural coloured hessian/burlap, and them one layer of 1/4' thick polyester wadding like quilters use in their work, the slats will not show in the top covering. There is no need for additional chicken wire support.
Allan from down under..

Donald, I missed the photo of the top you showed. It shows that there are just 7 slats in that roof. That means wide gaps, and that leads to the sagging between them. Close the gaps to approx 1" and the dips will go away.

Allan from down under.

Too late to change the cab wood now.............The top wood I had duplicated 7-8 years ago from what was on the truck. It was in good shape except for the slats. I assumed it was original. Anyway, I am making the canopy wood following the same pattern as the cab wood. This time chicken wire. I will probably redo the cab also.

And then I found this buy accident, I was on a road trip thru NM, several years ago, stopped at a museum and saw this inside. Was more interested in the additional brace in the C Cab. My memory had it that I saw chicken wire in a T's roof somewhere,......well there it is. I did not note at the time the condition of the top wood, original or replaced at some time, but from the pics, it looks like the top was replaced. And the front corner brackets are incorrect. Should have laid down some black material before the chicken wire.

From a distance the backlighted cab roof resembles the chickenwire-reinforced window glass of the era, pretty cool, jb

Ahhh,.... early sun roof...

Are C-cabs not upholstered on the inside? If they are usually upholstered, that corner bracket would prevent it. Jim Patrick

No upholstery except where your butt & back go !