Wood Belt Rail 24 Roadster

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lmitch
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Wood Belt Rail 24 Roadster

Post by lmitch » Tue Oct 15, 2019 6:37 pm

Is anyone making these wood parts? If so can someone please point me in the right direction. I tried Fordwood but got no response.

It's the belt rail (318 at Fordwood) I need.

[image][/image]
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John kuehn
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Re: Wood Belt Rail 24 Roadster

Post by John kuehn » Tue Oct 15, 2019 7:00 pm

Try classicwoodproductsllc.com. They make T body kits but not sure if they sell individual pieces. I think Fordwood and classicwoodproductsllc.com are the only T wood makers that I know of.

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Mark Gregush
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Re: Wood Belt Rail 24 Roadster

Post by Mark Gregush » Tue Oct 15, 2019 8:53 pm

It is call a tack rail. Lang's uses a stock photo, all the same photo for all styles of tack rails. Ford just called it a rail. Here is a sample listing;
https://www.modeltford.com/item/WTS3.aspx
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Re: Wood Belt Rail 24 Roadster

Post by tdumas » Tue Oct 15, 2019 9:20 pm

I made my own in about 5 pieces. It wasn't as pretty as the store bought one but was just as functional. its hidden by the upholstery so who cares.


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Re: Wood Belt Rail 24 Roadster

Post by Scott_Conger » Tue Oct 15, 2019 10:31 pm

Actually, the correct description is "belt rail".
"Tack strip" is a small cross-section, flexible piece that bolts to a flange pressed into the top of the sheet metal that performs the function it describes
As I had no wood for my car and only a "shadow" of the wood on the metal, I had a terrible time trying to figure out what this body really required and it took a lot of research to find out that people mixed terminology and made assumptions that were often wrong, despite being well meaning

Though not the best photos, here is the 318 part that I made from a block of ash (as was the rest of the framework). Careful bandsaw work and lots of thought as to where to begin and end the part such that the grain worked with me and not against me resulting in unaccepable weak end grain at one end. I don't believe it would hurt at all to laminate 3 pieces of wood such that the curve can be cut out and end up with good strong grain structure at each end...I just was lucky to have a friendly lumber yard who would create the rough dimensions of lumber that I needed so that I could cut, mill, shape, etc., what I needed. Just be sure to use a good marine epoxy to glue them together:
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Mark Gregush
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Re: Wood Belt Rail 24 Roadster

Post by Mark Gregush » Wed Oct 16, 2019 2:35 am

Nether the 1923 or 1927 body parts books call it a belt rail, just rail. Nice wood work Scott.
I know the voices aren't real but damn they have some good ideas! :shock:

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Re: Wood Belt Rail 24 Roadster

Post by Allan » Wed Oct 16, 2019 5:20 am

That corner piece is much stronger if made with laminates of plywood. Cut from a single block of timber, it will have short grain at each end which makes it subject to splitting under load. It is easy to cut the pieces from thin plywood. These can be clamped in place on the body, gluing two pieces together at a time. When the glue is set, other pieces can be added. There is no need for total accuracy, as the glued pieces can be trimmed/filed to fit once laminated to the required thickness. Being formed on the body they will be fitted to means they will fit.

Hope this helps.
Allan from down under.


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Re: Wood Belt Rail 24 Roadster

Post by Scott_Conger » Wed Oct 16, 2019 10:46 am

Mark

thank you. I stand corrected.
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lmitch
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Re: Wood Belt Rail 24 Roadster

Post by lmitch » Sat Oct 19, 2019 7:25 pm

Thanks to all for the information and suggestions. That is some nice looking work Scott. Fordwood helped me understand what the car requires is the Tack Strip and not the Rail. My confusion started when I couldn't figure how the Arm Rest works with the Tack Strip. I have some Ash stock the perfect size to make the armrest, and will give it a try. I'll order the plastic Tack Strip.

Thanks again,
Lee


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Re: Wood Belt Rail 24 Roadster

Post by Scott_Conger » Sat Oct 19, 2019 7:33 pm

Lee

I am glad you're on a path toward progress and completion. There is considerable misunderstanding regarding the structural "belt rail" and the tack strip. I had to go through anguish and agony to discover the difference, and correct application of each, and hate to see others suffer through what should be a straight forward repair/restoration.

Suppliers mixing terms, assigning incorrect pictures to incorrect years, and not describing the part(s) accurately leads to lots of frustration, I know from experience!

I have heard good things regarding the plastic tack strip, though I have never used it personally.

Best of luck on your project.
Scott Conger

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Re: Wood Belt Rail 24 Roadster

Post by Dan Hatch » Sun Oct 20, 2019 9:13 am

Couple years ago I had a pile of those pieces NOS that I could not give away. They were on my dollar table at Hershey. All gone now. Dan

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Re: Wood Belt Rail 24 Roadster

Post by Steve Jelf » Sun Oct 20, 2019 10:30 am

IMG_0854.JPG
I bought a new tack strip from Jonathan Anderson.
The inevitable often happens.
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Re: Wood Belt Rail 24 Roadster

Post by L.I. Tom » Sun Oct 20, 2019 10:46 am

I don't have photos but about 10 years ago I bought a piece of Trex Plastic Lumber ripped the piece off for the tack strip on the table saw and used heat gun to form it around the back of my 21 Roadster works great available at your big box stores

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