A Cry for Help with Re-wooding a Runabout Body
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A Cry for Help with Re-wooding a Runabout Body
I am in the process of installing new wood in a '15 Runabout body, which is something that I've never done before. I bought a new wood kit from Cubel's. The wood looks good, but their instructions are sketchy at best. Every time I complete a step, I wonder whether I did it right, because there is so little information there. I'm at the point where the instructions say to hold the right side body panel up to the wood I have completed so far, to mark where the uprights go. When I do that, this is how it looks at the back of the panel.
It seems to me that the curve in the metal should line up with the curve in the wood, so I assume that I've done something wrong.
I'm asking for help with this from someone who has done it before (preferably on a '15-23 Runabout) and can walk me through the process. I can take pics as we go along and show you what I have. I can text them to you as we discuss it. Any help will be appreciated, and I'm willing to compensate you for your time if you like.
Thanks., Mike.
It seems to me that the curve in the metal should line up with the curve in the wood, so I assume that I've done something wrong.
I'm asking for help with this from someone who has done it before (preferably on a '15-23 Runabout) and can walk me through the process. I can take pics as we go along and show you what I have. I can text them to you as we discuss it. Any help will be appreciated, and I'm willing to compensate you for your time if you like.
Thanks., Mike.
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Re: A Cry for Help with Re-wooding a Runabout Body
Should look like this. Note picture #3...I rejected this as an error as I removed material near the top which would have left a gap between the body and the trunk...this part got remade and I failed to take that picture...I did my own wood so had no one to blame but myself. You will be hanging metal countless times as things get adjusted. For those who notice, the drywall screws are for fixturing. I used flathead wood screws for final assembly. This is a '23 and I make no claims that your body will or should lay out like mine, though this should give you a clue as to what it should end up like:
Scott Conger
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Re: A Cry for Help with Re-wooding a Runabout Body
I am working on a 16 with orginal wood,the panel curve goes flush with the wood,also the seat back panel also follows the same curve,hope this helps
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Re: A Cry for Help with Re-wooding a Runabout Body
I have a 19 Runabout and I also used a wood kit from Cubels. The wood follows the sheet metal evenly as it comes down and curves to meet the rear deck.
Mike do you have the sheet metal pieces that go over the wood rear deck? The top edge of those pieces should lineup with the body curve. You can determine if the wood is right or wrong by the width of those pieces.
You can see what I’m taking about in Scott C’s last photo.
Good luck.
Mike do you have the sheet metal pieces that go over the wood rear deck? The top edge of those pieces should lineup with the body curve. You can determine if the wood is right or wrong by the width of those pieces.
You can see what I’m taking about in Scott C’s last photo.
Good luck.
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Re: A Cry for Help with Re-wooding a Runabout Body
Mike just remember your not the first guy to find out that the wood kits may have to be refit here and there. They will generally fit but it’s good to remember that Ford used up to 5 body makers to build the bodies. I found this out when I contacted the late Leon Parker who was very knowledgeable about T bodies. I need a little guidance about a 21 Touring body kit I had bought. The different body sheet metal also may have some minor differences
The bodies were hand built so that’s a factor also.
The bodies were hand built so that’s a factor also.
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Re: A Cry for Help with Re-wooding a Runabout Body
Looks to me like wood needs to be moved toward front of car? was the kit cut to fit or for you to cut to match? how does the door opening look?
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Re: A Cry for Help with Re-wooding a Runabout Body
Mike, you have my sympathies. As someone trying to rewood a cut-off touring body, and I didn't buy a kit, I 100% feel your pain. Now try doing it from scratch without even sketchy instructions like me. I have a luscious head of hair and I have been slowly pulling it out for well over a year.
As was mentioned, it defiantly appears your sills need to go forward more. Try not to get discouraged, and have lots off wood dowel and glue to fill holes. My best advice is to search and save as many rewooding pictures as you can (there are quite a few I have snagged off the web), and measure, measure, measure, and measure....and measure again.
I know all of this is not a bunch of help, but again, you have my sympathies. How they mass produced these bodies, I'll never figure out.
As was mentioned, it defiantly appears your sills need to go forward more. Try not to get discouraged, and have lots off wood dowel and glue to fill holes. My best advice is to search and save as many rewooding pictures as you can (there are quite a few I have snagged off the web), and measure, measure, measure, and measure....and measure again.
I know all of this is not a bunch of help, but again, you have my sympathies. How they mass produced these bodies, I'll never figure out.
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Re: A Cry for Help with Re-wooding a Runabout Body
Mike take the side panel off and take some photos of the area where the cowl is. Looks like you have something too far back as was said above. Next Google "MTFCA; roadster wood" there are lots of post that might help.
http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/506218/523488.html
I am wondering if you have your dash pillars in the wrong place or the brace piece that goes from the sill to dash pillar is installed wrong. I hope you are working from the front to back, not the other way.
http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/506218/523488.html
I am wondering if you have your dash pillars in the wrong place or the brace piece that goes from the sill to dash pillar is installed wrong. I hope you are working from the front to back, not the other way.
I know the voices aren't real but damn they have some good ideas!
1925 Cut down pickup
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1925 Cut down pickup
1920 Dodge touring
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Re: A Cry for Help with Re-wooding a Runabout Body
mike if you want org to go buy call me.charley
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Re: A Cry for Help with Re-wooding a Runabout Body
Charley -- I'll call you tomorrow.
Mark -- I'll do as you suggest and take some pics of the wood near the firewall as I have put it together. I thought I did it per their instructions, but I might have made a mistake. I'll take the pics tomorrow and post them here. Thanks for the link to Dave Simmering's 2015 post. That was informative.
Everyone else -- Thanks for your input. I expect we'll get it figured out with a little more help.
Mark -- I'll do as you suggest and take some pics of the wood near the firewall as I have put it together. I thought I did it per their instructions, but I might have made a mistake. I'll take the pics tomorrow and post them here. Thanks for the link to Dave Simmering's 2015 post. That was informative.
Everyone else -- Thanks for your input. I expect we'll get it figured out with a little more help.
Last edited by MWalker on Thu Jan 09, 2020 10:55 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: A Cry for Help with Re-wooding a Runabout Body
Scott -- My seat riser pieces look to be in about the same position as yours, with one bolt head for the body bracket exposed and the other two covered by the seat riser. I first assembled the sills with the rear sill piece, then added the sill plates, which form the outline for the turtle floor as shown in your 4th pic. Then I applied the seat risers, bumped against the front end of the sill plates. The sill plates were the same length, so I assumed they were the correct length and the seat risers should go against them. The instructions don't say anything about any of this, so it's just a guessing game from this end. I'll take pics tomorrow.
Last edited by MWalker on Sat Jan 11, 2020 6:09 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: A Cry for Help with Re-wooding a Runabout Body
There should be a gap between the sill support wood (the wood plank screwed to the face/side of the main beam) and the seat riser. The sill metal wraps around it and the body metal wraps around the seat riser. The two metal pieces fit tight against each other. That gap in the wood allows the two sheet metal pieces to meet together so that the "wraparound" of metal has some place to tuck.
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Re: A Cry for Help with Re-wooding a Runabout Body
It looks like work was done on sheet metal on passenger's side. There is some slim chance it's wrong. I'd be inclined to work driver's side first since it's much sturdier than the side with the door. I had to go to great pains and make jigs, etc to fixture the door so that all would be good when I rebuilt the lower section. Nothing fit right until I fixed the swooping curve at the front lower panel and stabilized below the door. Once done, everything snapped into place and the seat riser could be moved back to the proper location to support the curve that forms the front of the later turtle deck. That's why I would encourage you to get the more stable driver's side mocked up and see where the seat riser belongs there. Final note on all this: the two pieces that fit along the length of the main beam may be "long" and require removal of an inch or so in length to move the seat riser forward. Not saying this is your issue, but right now, it looks to be well to the rear of where it belongs...could be true, or the metal could be dorked up. Happy hunting.
Scott Conger
Tyranny under the guise of law is still Tyranny
NH Full Flow Float Valves
Obsolete carburetor parts manufactured
Tyranny under the guise of law is still Tyranny
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Re: A Cry for Help with Re-wooding a Runabout Body
Scott might be onto something. Looking at it again, that area that meets at the joint for the trunk does look a little narrow compared to the other bodies shown. Try his suggestion and fit the other side.
I know the voices aren't real but damn they have some good ideas!
1925 Cut down pickup
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Re: A Cry for Help with Re-wooding a Runabout Body
Scott -- Thanks for the suggestions. I'll try the other side first.
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Re: A Cry for Help with Re-wooding a Runabout Body
Mike do you still have the sheet metal pieces that cover the wood under the trunk that meet up with the body? They would give you an idea how the wood fit up would be and if something was changed on the body.
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Re: A Cry for Help with Re-wooding a Runabout Body
John -- If you're asking about sill covers, I don't have them. I just ordered some from Howell's.
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Re: A Cry for Help with Re-wooding a Runabout Body
Okie Dokie then -- I took some pics at my shop today so I can show you guys more details about what's going on. I held the driver's side up to the wood and it looks about the same as the other side. I couldn't attach it and take pics of it without someone to help me hold it, but it appears to be the same situation at the back end.
One thing I did notice is that both sides are made up of more than one piece of metal. The driver's side is comprised of two pieces, and the other side has three. Someone might have used pieces of more than one body to make this one.
All that looks suspicious, of course. But the beads around the false door on the driver's side match up, so I don't see how that could be wrong. The measurement from the back of the rear crossmember to the inside of the rear sill is 3-1/4". If someone could check that for me, I'd appreciate it.
I took pics of the front end of the wood on both sides, and checked them with a framing square.
One thing I did notice is that both sides are made up of more than one piece of metal. The driver's side is comprised of two pieces, and the other side has three. Someone might have used pieces of more than one body to make this one.
All that looks suspicious, of course. But the beads around the false door on the driver's side match up, so I don't see how that could be wrong. The measurement from the back of the rear crossmember to the inside of the rear sill is 3-1/4". If someone could check that for me, I'd appreciate it.
I took pics of the front end of the wood on both sides, and checked them with a framing square.
Last edited by MWalker on Sat Jan 11, 2020 6:04 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: A Cry for Help with Re-wooding a Runabout Body
Hmmm...... I couldn't upload any more pics on that post for some reason. I'll try it again here.
The front uprights are dead on square.
I assembled the rear "sill plates" according to the instructions: the rear one first, then the sides. The side plates are 30-1/4" long. Then I butted the seat risers up to the side plates. There is no lip on either the body panels or the metal sill covers, so there's no need to leave a gap there for those pieces of metal. This is apparently one of the differences between the earlier and later Runabout bodies, since Scott said his later body had lips there.
That's all I've got for now. If anyone sees anything out of the ordinary, please let us all know. Thanks.
The front uprights are dead on square.
I assembled the rear "sill plates" according to the instructions: the rear one first, then the sides. The side plates are 30-1/4" long. Then I butted the seat risers up to the side plates. There is no lip on either the body panels or the metal sill covers, so there's no need to leave a gap there for those pieces of metal. This is apparently one of the differences between the earlier and later Runabout bodies, since Scott said his later body had lips there.
That's all I've got for now. If anyone sees anything out of the ordinary, please let us all know. Thanks.
Last edited by MWalker on Sat Jan 11, 2020 6:13 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: A Cry for Help with Re-wooding a Runabout Body
And, by the way, the door fits fine into that opening.
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Re: A Cry for Help with Re-wooding a Runabout Body
Mike, If that is a genuine '15 runabout body, the panels were pieced together originally! The new design was intended to begin at the usual model year change around August to September of 1914. However, the stamping machines already in use couldn't quite handle the slightly more complicated compound curves of the new cowl, or the lower rear corner of the runabout panel. Note, it was apparently the combination of front and rear compound curves, the '13 and '14 runabouts were very similar at the back, but simpler at the front. The carefully hand made prototypes during the summer of '14 worked out okay. But early efforts at mass production failed miserably, with nearly all the new panels folding and ruined at one end or the other. This resulted in the delay of the new style, and continuation of the earlier '14 style Fords well into calendar 1915. Most genuine '15 runabouts have body panels pieced together. It has been said (by people better in the know and other than me!) that they began cutting and piecing together the good sections of failed stampings for nearly all runabouts and some touring car bodies. It has been noted that these pieced together panels vary greatly in the location and method of piecing together. Some are one side of the fake door's bead, others the other side. The cut across the bottom may be different angles. Different amounts of overlap. Usually spot welded, but not always. Most runabout driver's side panels were made from two pieces, however I have seen a couple made from three pieces.
I do NOT know how long this continued. A few discussions in past forums and even six of us at a Bakersfield swap meet about ten years ago (we went through a pile of body panels comparing them!), have given several opinions, but I haven't adopted any of them myself. Many believe this continued until somewhere in late '16 or '17. One fellow I spoke with last year (quite knowledgeable!) is convinced the practice ended early summer '15.
I do not know much about the touring car bodies (how much or where?) because I haven't personally worked on that detail with a touring car. What I do know, is that both the runabout and touring car were delayed due to the stamping problems, and that in December '14 and January '15 the runabout's production got going sooner and faster than the touring car bodies did, in spite of the fact that demand and sales for the touring car was several times more than than for the runabout. So I would surmise that the touring car also had serious issues that took some time to resolve.
I do NOT know how long this continued. A few discussions in past forums and even six of us at a Bakersfield swap meet about ten years ago (we went through a pile of body panels comparing them!), have given several opinions, but I haven't adopted any of them myself. Many believe this continued until somewhere in late '16 or '17. One fellow I spoke with last year (quite knowledgeable!) is convinced the practice ended early summer '15.
I do not know much about the touring car bodies (how much or where?) because I haven't personally worked on that detail with a touring car. What I do know, is that both the runabout and touring car were delayed due to the stamping problems, and that in December '14 and January '15 the runabout's production got going sooner and faster than the touring car bodies did, in spite of the fact that demand and sales for the touring car was several times more than than for the runabout. So I would surmise that the touring car also had serious issues that took some time to resolve.
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Re: A Cry for Help with Re-wooding a Runabout Body
The front end of the sill looks too blunt to me. If it is, it will push out the side panel too soon and use length to make that transition. I suspect that if it was less blunt, it would shift back some in the back. I first set my firewall pillars and then the cowl/door hinge pilars. Level the cowl. Now you can install the side sheet metal and carve back the front of the sill until the windshield mount holes in the side panel line up with the windshield holes in the cowl. I think once this is accomplished the side panel will lay properly fore/aft. Third picture shows 1 hole at the back. Lousy #4 picture shows top right in the glare, that there are two holes...the front one should/must line up with the hole in the cowl (the cowl goes over the side piece). If these holes do NOT line up or the side needs to move rearward while remaining attached at the firewall connection, then blending the front of the sill piece is mandatory
Scott Conger
Tyranny under the guise of law is still Tyranny
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Obsolete carburetor parts manufactured
Tyranny under the guise of law is still Tyranny
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Obsolete carburetor parts manufactured
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Re: A Cry for Help with Re-wooding a Runabout Body
Here is the front of my sill. In your imagination, overlay the front of your all-wood sill over my wood/metal front end and you'll see that the metal side is able to swoope in where yours will be forced to bulge out too soon.
As an edit, now that my pictures posted and can quickly compare to yours, I am sure you are too blunt and too far "outboard" too soon on the front of the panel. Take the top dressing piece off the sill and see if you can get the driver's side to attach and line up the cowl hole and I think it will be "long" enough at the back where it now is too short.
And finally be SURESURESURE you have the right firewall brackets and they are installed properly. If the firewall is out of line, or too far forward then your foundational start will be wrong. Kind of obvious but should not be assumed too far into this project.
As an edit, now that my pictures posted and can quickly compare to yours, I am sure you are too blunt and too far "outboard" too soon on the front of the panel. Take the top dressing piece off the sill and see if you can get the driver's side to attach and line up the cowl hole and I think it will be "long" enough at the back where it now is too short.
And finally be SURESURESURE you have the right firewall brackets and they are installed properly. If the firewall is out of line, or too far forward then your foundational start will be wrong. Kind of obvious but should not be assumed too far into this project.
Scott Conger
Tyranny under the guise of law is still Tyranny
NH Full Flow Float Valves
Obsolete carburetor parts manufactured
Tyranny under the guise of law is still Tyranny
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Obsolete carburetor parts manufactured
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Re: A Cry for Help with Re-wooding a Runabout Body
Mike
I noticed you have a metal firewall in your pic. You may already know but 15 T Roadsters used wood firewalls. Also there is a difference in the firewall brackets as that’s make a difference how far back or forward the body butts up against the firewall and cowl. So if your using a metal firewall with wood firewall brackets that might affect the location of the body.
That might cause an issue in other areas.
There is about 3/4” difference in the brackets. Someone else might know for sure.
Hope this can help.
I noticed you have a metal firewall in your pic. You may already know but 15 T Roadsters used wood firewalls. Also there is a difference in the firewall brackets as that’s make a difference how far back or forward the body butts up against the firewall and cowl. So if your using a metal firewall with wood firewall brackets that might affect the location of the body.
That might cause an issue in other areas.
There is about 3/4” difference in the brackets. Someone else might know for sure.
Hope this can help.
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Re: A Cry for Help with Re-wooding a Runabout Body
John K. -- It's a wood firewall made by John Regan, covered by a nice original metal hood former which is correct for '15. I have the correct brackets, and the holes for them were punched into the frame rails, so they should be in the correct place.
Wayne -- Your post is a breath of fresh air. I had wondered whether Ford put these bodies together from pieces but didn't know. Now I assume that's what I have here. The driver's side panel is comprised of two pieces which are indeed spot welded together. It should be usable as-is. (With body work and paint, of course.) The right side is gonna take some work to get the parts re-aligned properly, and I might need to make a bottom piece for the front corner as Scott did. It looks as if that side has been apart and re-assembled and welded back together.
Scott -- I'll check those things you posted about.
Charley Shaver gave me a measurement to check regarding the distance of the rear sill piece from the rear crossmember, so I'll check that today. He measured it a different way from the way I did, so I'll need to go to the shop and check it and report back here with the info.
Thanks, Folks, for your help. If anyone else sees anything of note, please feel free to enlighten us.
Wayne -- Your post is a breath of fresh air. I had wondered whether Ford put these bodies together from pieces but didn't know. Now I assume that's what I have here. The driver's side panel is comprised of two pieces which are indeed spot welded together. It should be usable as-is. (With body work and paint, of course.) The right side is gonna take some work to get the parts re-aligned properly, and I might need to make a bottom piece for the front corner as Scott did. It looks as if that side has been apart and re-assembled and welded back together.
Scott -- I'll check those things you posted about.
Charley Shaver gave me a measurement to check regarding the distance of the rear sill piece from the rear crossmember, so I'll check that today. He measured it a different way from the way I did, so I'll need to go to the shop and check it and report back here with the info.
Thanks, Folks, for your help. If anyone else sees anything of note, please feel free to enlighten us.
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Re: A Cry for Help with Re-wooding a Runabout Body
Has taken awhile for my neurons to work properly. I seem to recall that the Miller plans showed the main rails at two different lengths in two different places on the drawings which caused great consternation. Your talk of how far back the rear part is from the crossmember jogged my memory. I left mine long for awhile until the body was fit sufficiently that the turtle deck could be mocked up and figure out which length was correct. Trust me when I say I wasn't in a hurry to cut and then be short. Picture shows final length with box joints, but the point is, the rails were set in place without the rear cross tie for some time. Once body panels snapped on and I could see how far back the metal covers toward the back reached, AND see where the deck set and fit, then I cut. This does not negate my feelings about the wood beeing too "buldgy" up front. I am certain you will find the need for more streamlining and blending in. You can compare how my wood is already shaved off inward at the front mount bolt and your rail extends well forward of that. I don't think the metal will ever fit that. See below:
Scott Conger
Tyranny under the guise of law is still Tyranny
NH Full Flow Float Valves
Obsolete carburetor parts manufactured
Tyranny under the guise of law is still Tyranny
NH Full Flow Float Valves
Obsolete carburetor parts manufactured
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Re: A Cry for Help with Re-wooding a Runabout Body
Scott -- Thanks for that info. So can you give me the measurement from the backside of the crossmember to the inside of the rear sill rail, or from the center bolt on the body bracket to the rail? That should tell me whether things at the front are the correct length. I understand what you are saying about the "bulginess" of the rails at the front, but I need to first determine what their length should be. Thanks.
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Re: A Cry for Help with Re-wooding a Runabout Body
Mike
it's all covered over now, but let me have a go at it and see what it is tomorrow
Now, some things may have to be translitterated...the Miller plans used thinner material in some places than the actual wood was (I planed mine to correct thicknesses in each case). My point is that the seat riser is thicker than Miller and I think My rails are a slightly different dimension. Also, the repro (under turtle deck) sheet metal was made for simple Home Depot thick wood planks...all wrong, but I ran a rabbet along the top and bottom of the correct thickness lumber and a dado across the back, so that the metal would wrap and "clinch" correctly (see photo below). Very Annoying. Due to these problems I had to custom fabricate a "correct" rear sheet metal cover and scrap the repro rear cover. As an aside, you can see that I chose to weld the "box" closed on the metal to minimize wicked moisture and try (HA!) to minimize wood decay. We'll see. At least it now gives a very nice finished edge. In retrospect it would have been easier to fabricate all 3 metal covers CORRECTLY and not fiddled and farted with the wood inside. The original covers while rotted out were clearly wider than the repros and fit my wood just fine prior to modifying the wood to fit the new covers.
I'm typing all of this because I am trying to say that all my lumber is proper dimension (based on scraps of original that were solid enough to measure) and I don't know what you're working with, so when I give you the interior dimension of the wood crossmember to (let's say) the center bolt of the body bracket, it may show short because I have thicker wood. Anyway, it'll be a data point for you.
it's all covered over now, but let me have a go at it and see what it is tomorrow
Now, some things may have to be translitterated...the Miller plans used thinner material in some places than the actual wood was (I planed mine to correct thicknesses in each case). My point is that the seat riser is thicker than Miller and I think My rails are a slightly different dimension. Also, the repro (under turtle deck) sheet metal was made for simple Home Depot thick wood planks...all wrong, but I ran a rabbet along the top and bottom of the correct thickness lumber and a dado across the back, so that the metal would wrap and "clinch" correctly (see photo below). Very Annoying. Due to these problems I had to custom fabricate a "correct" rear sheet metal cover and scrap the repro rear cover. As an aside, you can see that I chose to weld the "box" closed on the metal to minimize wicked moisture and try (HA!) to minimize wood decay. We'll see. At least it now gives a very nice finished edge. In retrospect it would have been easier to fabricate all 3 metal covers CORRECTLY and not fiddled and farted with the wood inside. The original covers while rotted out were clearly wider than the repros and fit my wood just fine prior to modifying the wood to fit the new covers.
I'm typing all of this because I am trying to say that all my lumber is proper dimension (based on scraps of original that were solid enough to measure) and I don't know what you're working with, so when I give you the interior dimension of the wood crossmember to (let's say) the center bolt of the body bracket, it may show short because I have thicker wood. Anyway, it'll be a data point for you.
Scott Conger
Tyranny under the guise of law is still Tyranny
NH Full Flow Float Valves
Obsolete carburetor parts manufactured
Tyranny under the guise of law is still Tyranny
NH Full Flow Float Valves
Obsolete carburetor parts manufactured
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Re: A Cry for Help with Re-wooding a Runabout Body
Scott -- A dimension to the outside of the wood would be fine, and it would negate any difference in wood thickness.
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Re: A Cry for Help with Re-wooding a Runabout Body
Doing my '15 runabout a few years ago (still not done yet ), I did much like Scott C did. I had some remnants of the original wood, and an old second hand set of wood plans for the runabout. The plans were not complete, but they did help a lot with areas my old wood was totally gone. The thickness and other dimensions in the plans were not the same as the original wood was. So I made alterations between them working in from the outer key dimensions.
Don't know if they can help or not, but i will try to post a few pictures.
Don't know if they can help or not, but i will try to post a few pictures.
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Re: A Cry for Help with Re-wooding a Runabout Body
I cannot swear that it is correct, considering all the messing with and poor condition of the body before I got it. However, the radiator, hood,and turtle deck while not yet permanently installed have all been test fitted and seem fine. The rear surface of the rear cross-member to the rear surface of the body's rear deck is just shy of four and three quarters inch, straight back.
Hopefully a few others can chime in for a reasonable consensus.
If it turns out mine is wrong? I am not sure what I would do about it at this point?
Hopefully a few others can chime in for a reasonable consensus.
If it turns out mine is wrong? I am not sure what I would do about it at this point?
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Re: A Cry for Help with Re-wooding a Runabout Body
Regardless of any problems with fitting the metal to the frame, it is essential that a centreline for the body is established. That becomes the reference for all the side timbers/angles to be set. The only set vertical timbers are the two which follow the firewall. The others all need to refer to the centre line, and these must be set before any cross timbers are screwed in place. Until the cross timber are screwed, they can be clamped in position, and measurements can be used to set the verticals at the correct angles to the base.
Hope this helps.
Allan from down under.
Hope this helps.
Allan from down under.
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Re: A Cry for Help with Re-wooding a Runabout Body
Mike
not out to shop yet but found these:
underside
joint
finished joint
sheet metal wood waiting for skin
not out to shop yet but found these:
underside
joint
finished joint
sheet metal wood waiting for skin
Scott Conger
Tyranny under the guise of law is still Tyranny
NH Full Flow Float Valves
Obsolete carburetor parts manufactured
Tyranny under the guise of law is still Tyranny
NH Full Flow Float Valves
Obsolete carburetor parts manufactured
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Re: A Cry for Help with Re-wooding a Runabout Body
and these:
Scott Conger
Tyranny under the guise of law is still Tyranny
NH Full Flow Float Valves
Obsolete carburetor parts manufactured
Tyranny under the guise of law is still Tyranny
NH Full Flow Float Valves
Obsolete carburetor parts manufactured
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Re: A Cry for Help with Re-wooding a Runabout Body
scott! nice of you to post pics,and you do nice work.but every part of your body is different than his.i am sure i will get beat up for this!!! thanks charley
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Re: A Cry for Help with Re-wooding a Runabout Body
First, see Wayne's photos of his runabout and you'll see his seat shelf sits well forward of yours and has all 3 bracket bolts going through it. This is where I mentioned you may have to shorten the 2 longitudinal body forming pieces which run along the top and bottom of the main rail. Here's the same shot as you have provided earlier where your body bracket is misaligned with the frame mount. It is a November 11, 1915, Stamped "F" body (1916). Took picture just now. Relatively unmolested car, down to the floormat, and as-is with the exception of the electrical wire showing in the picture. Compare this with yours, see if there are any differences or not, and then let Charlie talk you through the rest. He has a lot more experience on bodies than I do.
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Scott Conger
Tyranny under the guise of law is still Tyranny
NH Full Flow Float Valves
Obsolete carburetor parts manufactured
Tyranny under the guise of law is still Tyranny
NH Full Flow Float Valves
Obsolete carburetor parts manufactured
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Re: A Cry for Help with Re-wooding a Runabout Body
As you can see in the pic directly above, I had to clip the end off the short angled piece to get clearance for the body bracket. That didn't seem right, and now I see from Wayne's pic above that one that it isn't right. There is a little space between those parts. Those two angled pieces apparently need to be shortened a bit. And the long side sills apparently need to be shortened about an inch and reshaped at their front ends. It's looking like I need to disassemble everything and start over. If Cubel's had made these parts the correct sizes, it certainly would have made this process much simpler.
And BTW, that body bracket in the pic was installed to the frame in its correct location, but I removed the bolts on that side and scooted the assembly back a bit to get space for the tin to go around it by the firewall.
And BTW, that body bracket in the pic was installed to the frame in its correct location, but I removed the bolts on that side and scooted the assembly back a bit to get space for the tin to go around it by the firewall.
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Re: A Cry for Help with Re-wooding a Runabout Body
Looking at the bottom picture, I see what may be traces of glue where you trimmed the one piece back(?). As a general rule no glue should be used between the wood joints just screws or bolts to allow flex. There are some marine types that will work as they are used on boats and boats too need to flex.
I know the voices aren't real but damn they have some good ideas!
1925 Cut down pickup
1920 Dodge touring
1948 Ford F2 pickup
1925 Cut down pickup
1920 Dodge touring
1948 Ford F2 pickup
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Re: A Cry for Help with Re-wooding a Runabout Body
Hi Mike
I can relate to your pain with re-wooding. In my case it was a '15 Canadian runabout body. I worked to save part of the wood, replace some and fill in a few missing pieces such as the seat based on US model re-wooding drawings.
The Canadian bodies were built by Fisher Canada at the time and are the style with the toolbox under the back of the seat. Fitting up the cowl, firewall and front wood was a nightmare that included several fits and reworks. The compound curves of the two wood panels from the top of the front doorpost to the firewall support are hard to get to fit under the cowl panel edge. I thought I saw metal braces in one of the pictures which would suggest a later body frame than a '15. A big challenge was fitting old wood to new and then working to get the original screw holes in the metal panels to fit back into the same holes in the original wood.
Canadian runabout bodies are different in several features from the US ones. Two doors of coarse. The heel panel is more like the '14 style, only a flat panel with the raised ridges backed by wood. A solid screwed in wood floor panel goes just in front of it unlike the US version where the steel heel panel includes the back of the floor pan. A suttle but important difference is the lower quarter panel below the tub. The US models have a sharp curved crease at the tub to side panel transition. The Canadian panels are a compound curve transition with no crease. The Canadian '15 side panels are made in 3 sections, cowl, door bottom, tub and then a 4th that covers the back section of the side rails. The 3 main panels are spot welded and soldered over. The tub to sill side cover isn't spot welded, but the joint was leaded in. Turns out it flexes enough to crack the paint quickly too.
Something to check from your pictures, the bottom of the side posts behind the firewall should be notched to provide more space by the side of the frame rail.
Another tip from painful personal experience. Be sure to test fit the body on the frame with the splash aprons and front fenders BEFORE final painting. The front of the cowl wood rails and bottom of the wood firewall (and its panel) are very close to the splash apron and front fender apron and they tend to get pushed together. The body wood pushes the front of the apron down into the front fender if even only a bit off in the overall fit. The fix is trimming the bottom of the cowl and firewall to get the clearance right and that is easier to do in primer then in colour.
Here are a couple pictures of a '15 Canadian wood roadster frame for comparison.
Good luck with your project.
Jeff
Nova Scotia
I can relate to your pain with re-wooding. In my case it was a '15 Canadian runabout body. I worked to save part of the wood, replace some and fill in a few missing pieces such as the seat based on US model re-wooding drawings.
The Canadian bodies were built by Fisher Canada at the time and are the style with the toolbox under the back of the seat. Fitting up the cowl, firewall and front wood was a nightmare that included several fits and reworks. The compound curves of the two wood panels from the top of the front doorpost to the firewall support are hard to get to fit under the cowl panel edge. I thought I saw metal braces in one of the pictures which would suggest a later body frame than a '15. A big challenge was fitting old wood to new and then working to get the original screw holes in the metal panels to fit back into the same holes in the original wood.
Canadian runabout bodies are different in several features from the US ones. Two doors of coarse. The heel panel is more like the '14 style, only a flat panel with the raised ridges backed by wood. A solid screwed in wood floor panel goes just in front of it unlike the US version where the steel heel panel includes the back of the floor pan. A suttle but important difference is the lower quarter panel below the tub. The US models have a sharp curved crease at the tub to side panel transition. The Canadian panels are a compound curve transition with no crease. The Canadian '15 side panels are made in 3 sections, cowl, door bottom, tub and then a 4th that covers the back section of the side rails. The 3 main panels are spot welded and soldered over. The tub to sill side cover isn't spot welded, but the joint was leaded in. Turns out it flexes enough to crack the paint quickly too.
Something to check from your pictures, the bottom of the side posts behind the firewall should be notched to provide more space by the side of the frame rail.
Another tip from painful personal experience. Be sure to test fit the body on the frame with the splash aprons and front fenders BEFORE final painting. The front of the cowl wood rails and bottom of the wood firewall (and its panel) are very close to the splash apron and front fender apron and they tend to get pushed together. The body wood pushes the front of the apron down into the front fender if even only a bit off in the overall fit. The fix is trimming the bottom of the cowl and firewall to get the clearance right and that is easier to do in primer then in colour.
Here are a couple pictures of a '15 Canadian wood roadster frame for comparison.
Good luck with your project.
Jeff
Nova Scotia
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Re: A Cry for Help with Re-wooding a Runabout Body
Mark -- Yes, I glued those pieces together, thinking that a solid connection there would be a good idea. I didn't use glue anywhere else. Now I get to saw through those two glue joints so I can make alterations to those parts.
Jeff -- Thanks for the post with the pics. It looks as if there are several differences between US and Canadian bodies.
Jeff -- Thanks for the post with the pics. It looks as if there are several differences between US and Canadian bodies.
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Re: A Cry for Help with Re-wooding a Runabout Body
Well, my metal sill covers from Howell's Sheet Metal came in today. They have the holes punched for the bolts which go through the rear body mounts and the rear fender irons. Howell's holes agree with Charley Shaver's measurement of 5-1/2" from the back of the wood to the center of the bottom bolt hole. So with that affirmation, I now have some reliable info to position the side sills correctly. My current measurement is 6-1/2", so moving the sills forward an inch should correct the curved seat risers' position to align with the curve in the sheet metal panels. Chad Marcheese said in his post early on in this thread, "...have lots of wood dowel and glue to fill holes." It turns out that was a prophetic suggestion. I'll need to fill all of the body mount bracket bolt holes in the sills and start over. At least this time around I'll know that I have the sills in the right position, and then go from there to see what else needs to be altered.
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Re: A Cry for Help with Re-wooding a Runabout Body
You couldn’t have better timing for this hardship. My wood came in for my 25 runabout. I have Loved seeing so many roadster wood pictures. This thread is going to be more of a help than any damn instruction sheet could ever be. Also good thing Chad is doing his first because he doesn’t live far from me and I’m probably going to loose my shit trying to fix my bucket of bolts!
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Re: A Cry for Help with Re-wooding a Runabout Body
I don't know if this will help but here goes. I took a look at some of the wood I had. The sills came out of a late teens up to about 1921 touring. The front wood at the cowl would be the same as runabout. The brace that goes to dash is about 1-3/8" thick. While this one did not come off the sills, the lines match up. The first body mounting bracket hole is approx 4-1/4" from the end of the sill and you will note the distance between the shadow of the old body mounting bracket and edge of the brace. From the first hole for the body mounting bracket to the back edge of the dash pillar cutout in a straight (well more or less using a piece of cardboard ), I get approx 6". I did an overlay of the brace on to the Miller plans, there is some differences at the dash end, but the thickness and angle where it mount to the sill look about the same.
I know the voices aren't real but damn they have some good ideas!
1925 Cut down pickup
1920 Dodge touring
1948 Ford F2 pickup
1925 Cut down pickup
1920 Dodge touring
1948 Ford F2 pickup
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Re: A Cry for Help with Re-wooding a Runabout Body
And one more, but not sure what the 3-1/4 is.
I know the voices aren't real but damn they have some good ideas!
1925 Cut down pickup
1920 Dodge touring
1948 Ford F2 pickup
1925 Cut down pickup
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1948 Ford F2 pickup
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Re: A Cry for Help with Re-wooding a Runabout Body
the 3 1/4 is how tall is is when standing same as main sill.i think the main sill must be the new stile two piece.charley
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Re: A Cry for Help with Re-wooding a Runabout Body
Mark -- Thanks for the pics and dimensions. They are helpful. I also have a set of the Miller plans, but I keep forgetting to look at them. I promise I'll do that today. Thanks for the reminder.
Last edited by MWalker on Wed Jan 15, 2020 6:16 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: A Cry for Help with Re-wooding a Runabout Body
I looked at the Miller plans today. I wish I had done that sooner, but I just didn't think about it. If I had compared the info there with the dimensions of the actual wood I got from Cubel's, I would have come here with questions before beginning the assembly and wouldn't need to be starting over now. Miller's plans specify 5-5/8" from the back of the wood to the rear body mount bolt hole, which agrees with the sheet metal from Howell's.
Thanks to all of you for your help in sorting this out. As someone mentioned above, this thread should be a big help to others who are doing this for the first time.
Thanks to all of you for your help in sorting this out. As someone mentioned above, this thread should be a big help to others who are doing this for the first time.
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Re: A Cry for Help with Re-wooding a Runabout Body
Here's today's exciting installment. I mentioned the 5-5/8" measurement from the back of the wood to the center bolt hole for the rear body bracket. Miller's plans show that dimension from the back of the sills, and Cubel's calls for an additional 3/4" thick "End sill plate" which is to be attached to the rear face of the end sill. Miller's plans don't show that piece at all. That piece seems to be what is throwing everything off. If I leave that piece off, things work out much better. Miller's plans also have a measurement for the position of the seat riser, and that number moves the riser forward quite a bit. I'll test-fit the body panels to the new seat riser location tomorrow and report back.
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Re: A Cry for Help with Re-wooding a Runabout Body
Sounds like your on way to getting the wood in the right location. Your information about the wood info gathered from Cubels and Miller’s plans goes to show the wood details could vary from car to car depending who the body builder was originally. The kit I got from Cubels for the 1919 Roadster pretty much fit OK but not as well as the 21 Touring kit I got from them. After a little refitting all was good.
Good luck with you Roadster.
Good luck with you Roadster.
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Re: A Cry for Help with Re-wooding a Runabout Body
I'm Baaaaaaack... I have compared Cubel's wood with Mel Miller's plans, and there are a lot of inconsistencies. So I still have questions about which is right, the drawings or the wood piece on just about every one. I used the measurements on Miller's plans to position the seat risers (which do match the plans pretty closely), so that determines the position of everything else so far (except the main sills, which I think are in the correct location). Since the instructions are missing about 9/10ths of the info needed, I began putting some of the assemblies together. The seat bottom assembly, for instance, is part number 168 in Cubel's kit. All the pieces in each assembly have the same number, so all the seat bottom pieces are number 168. I fitted each piece number 168 together and figured out how they connect. Then I did the wooden heel panel framework the same way. So I have those two assemblies, plus the metal heel panel from Howell's, but I'm not sure how those assemblies are supposed to connect. And I don't have an early car near here to use as a reference, so I'm back here looking for more guidance. Here are some pics.
One question I had about the seat bottom assembly is the piece underneath it at the back. It has the same 168 number, and it matches the wider back piece of the seat bottom, and it fits neatly into the notches in the seat riser. So I assumed that's where it goes. So with the seat bottom assembly clamped to that piece and resting on the seat risers, that's what it looks like. And this:
Here's the metal seat riser from Howell's. Note the "shelf" at the top.
It's the same height to the "shelf" at the front of it that the seat bottom frame is, 9". So does the seat bottom wood sit on that shelf? I can't put the metal heel panel in place to photograph it, because my Warford tranny is in the way and I don't want to cut a notch out of the panel until I'm sure where it goes. If the seat wood does sit on the shelf of the heel panel, then that puts the panel very close to the gas tank and there's no room between the two for the wooden heel panel framework to go between them.
I guess that's enough questions for this installment. If someone can explain how these parts fit together, it would be a big help. Thanks.
One question I had about the seat bottom assembly is the piece underneath it at the back. It has the same 168 number, and it matches the wider back piece of the seat bottom, and it fits neatly into the notches in the seat riser. So I assumed that's where it goes. So with the seat bottom assembly clamped to that piece and resting on the seat risers, that's what it looks like. And this:
Here's the metal seat riser from Howell's. Note the "shelf" at the top.
It's the same height to the "shelf" at the front of it that the seat bottom frame is, 9". So does the seat bottom wood sit on that shelf? I can't put the metal heel panel in place to photograph it, because my Warford tranny is in the way and I don't want to cut a notch out of the panel until I'm sure where it goes. If the seat wood does sit on the shelf of the heel panel, then that puts the panel very close to the gas tank and there's no room between the two for the wooden heel panel framework to go between them.
I guess that's enough questions for this installment. If someone can explain how these parts fit together, it would be a big help. Thanks.
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Re: A Cry for Help with Re-wooding a Runabout Body
that seat rizer looks to tall more like a rear seat.charley
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Re: A Cry for Help with Re-wooding a Runabout Body
Wayne Sheldon's pix show how it goes together. I'd go out and take pix of my '15/'16, but it's getting dark in the shop, and Charlie would probably tell me I was all wrong for some reason anyway since it was made in November '15, so refer to Wayne's photos.
Scott Conger
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Re: A Cry for Help with Re-wooding a Runabout Body
Oh, fun! No fun Mike W! This is one of the worst areas of re-wooding a runabout, and maybe to a lesser extent, also the touring car. The entire seat frame/seat riser/front floorboard riser assemblies have no specific correct way to go together. These varied greatly, not only from one body supplier to another (about six different companies!), and from year to year, but even to some extent from one production run to the next. There must be about a dozen significant variations, each with about a dozen minor variations over about eight years. Even within the 1915/'16 model years, there must be at least six different basic assemblies for the runabout seat. I tend to hesitate to show mine too much, because I KNOW some people will decry "that isn't a '15 body!" In spite of past discussions and good detail information that say that it is a real '15. Part of the problem for my car is that the body was separated from its original chassis, and then badly worked on a couple decades before I got it (Someone actually began to make it into a bucket T hotrod! Fortunately they didn't get very far.). Some of the bad work gives doubt as to just how original mine is. That is a reality that I am okay with. But it makes my car not a great example for judging historic accuracy. Unfortunately, my bookmarks for past discussions supporting my car were lost in a computer meltdown a few years ago. If I had those bookmarks today, I would post links to pictures that would help you a lot. Since I don't have them, and my attempts to locate such past discussions have have only proven that google has made themselves useless as a researching tool and become merely a means for advertisers to spam responses? I can only offer what I have available.
My car has a metal seat frame. That alone makes it different from yours. Past discussions indicated that the metal seat frame was introduced early in 1915 (my body is a February '15 build). However, there seemed to have been "issues" with the production, and some have claimed the war in Europe was already causing steel shortages causing automobile manufacturers to revert to more common wood for structures as was used for years before. The metal seat frame came and went and came and went several times between 1915 and 1923. Wooden structures varied a lot. Some used the same heal panel as my steel frame, others used different heal panels (I have seen at least four different basic designs of metal heal panels used on wooden seat frameworks). Wooden portions of the seat frame were attached in different ways. All not including minor details like stamped letters to indicate the body's supplier company (mine has NO such letter!).
The simple fact about my car is that I cannot swear that the seat riser is original to it! In spite of solid indications that it most likely was the original.
As for your project. The lip at the top of the heal panel should be where the seat springs sit down in at the top of the heal panel, lodged behind that final rise of about an inch. That small (yet wide!) flat area where the front edge of the seat springs sit should be the highest point in the framework that the seat springs sit upon. The wooden structure behind the heal panel varied considerably. I seriously doubt that there is anyone in the world that really knows all the variations, and when they were used. Wood patterns seem to all have only one general design, varying from source to source. Pre-cut wood kit suppliers also seem to be one-trick ponies. I suspect the best you can do, is use whatever resources you have, a local car you can look at, plans such as they are, etc. Alter to fit, keeping the basic dimensions of the seat frame correct for the springs to sit in.
Fortunately for me, in spite of my car's questionable past, the seat frame was largely intact. The original wood was rotted way beyond usable, but made good patterns, and the wood plans I had seemed to almost match the seat riser. Although, they had little to nothing about the seat frame itself.
If it helps any, the area the seat springs are to sit in my car is 36 3/4 inches wide at the front, widens slightly to 37 1/4 inches near the back. It is about 17 1/2 inches deep (front to back). The front corners are basically square (not exactly square due to slight widening taper to the back). The rear corners have an about 3 inch radius curve (might be slightly less, I was measuring through the upholstery). The measurements are the generally flat area inside the upholstery tack pieces which on my car were about 3/4 inch square both sides and back (no upholstery tack pieces on the front). Again, for clarity, a wooden seat frame should also have some sort of tack area for the seat upholstery. The measurements for the springs to fit in between should be about the same as mine with steel frame and tack strips.
Good luck and have fun!
My car has a metal seat frame. That alone makes it different from yours. Past discussions indicated that the metal seat frame was introduced early in 1915 (my body is a February '15 build). However, there seemed to have been "issues" with the production, and some have claimed the war in Europe was already causing steel shortages causing automobile manufacturers to revert to more common wood for structures as was used for years before. The metal seat frame came and went and came and went several times between 1915 and 1923. Wooden structures varied a lot. Some used the same heal panel as my steel frame, others used different heal panels (I have seen at least four different basic designs of metal heal panels used on wooden seat frameworks). Wooden portions of the seat frame were attached in different ways. All not including minor details like stamped letters to indicate the body's supplier company (mine has NO such letter!).
The simple fact about my car is that I cannot swear that the seat riser is original to it! In spite of solid indications that it most likely was the original.
As for your project. The lip at the top of the heal panel should be where the seat springs sit down in at the top of the heal panel, lodged behind that final rise of about an inch. That small (yet wide!) flat area where the front edge of the seat springs sit should be the highest point in the framework that the seat springs sit upon. The wooden structure behind the heal panel varied considerably. I seriously doubt that there is anyone in the world that really knows all the variations, and when they were used. Wood patterns seem to all have only one general design, varying from source to source. Pre-cut wood kit suppliers also seem to be one-trick ponies. I suspect the best you can do, is use whatever resources you have, a local car you can look at, plans such as they are, etc. Alter to fit, keeping the basic dimensions of the seat frame correct for the springs to sit in.
Fortunately for me, in spite of my car's questionable past, the seat frame was largely intact. The original wood was rotted way beyond usable, but made good patterns, and the wood plans I had seemed to almost match the seat riser. Although, they had little to nothing about the seat frame itself.
If it helps any, the area the seat springs are to sit in my car is 36 3/4 inches wide at the front, widens slightly to 37 1/4 inches near the back. It is about 17 1/2 inches deep (front to back). The front corners are basically square (not exactly square due to slight widening taper to the back). The rear corners have an about 3 inch radius curve (might be slightly less, I was measuring through the upholstery). The measurements are the generally flat area inside the upholstery tack pieces which on my car were about 3/4 inch square both sides and back (no upholstery tack pieces on the front). Again, for clarity, a wooden seat frame should also have some sort of tack area for the seat upholstery. The measurements for the springs to fit in between should be about the same as mine with steel frame and tack strips.
Good luck and have fun!
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Re: A Cry for Help with Re-wooding a Runabout Body
mike i still think you should come up here and get my org wood patterns,ha,ha.charley
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Re: A Cry for Help with Re-wooding a Runabout Body
Wayne -- Thank you for that detailed explanation. That should help me to figure things out.
Charley -- I'm about ready to do that.
Yesterday I separated the right side body panels into two pieces, because someone had welded them together crooked near the back of the door. The driver's side is still together and looks like it will work as-is. So I'm fitting those to the wood beginning at the firewall and working back, using the door as a spacer in its opening. That should place the rear portion of the body sides in their proper locations. So that will dictate the position of the upright wood pieces, and I should be able to figure the rest out from there. Wish me luck!
Charley -- I'm about ready to do that.
Yesterday I separated the right side body panels into two pieces, because someone had welded them together crooked near the back of the door. The driver's side is still together and looks like it will work as-is. So I'm fitting those to the wood beginning at the firewall and working back, using the door as a spacer in its opening. That should place the rear portion of the body sides in their proper locations. So that will dictate the position of the upright wood pieces, and I should be able to figure the rest out from there. Wish me luck!
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Re: A Cry for Help with Re-wooding a Runabout Body
Luck!
One minor clarification I should make. The "height" measurements I gave are from the top of the sills to the level the seat springs sit upon. It may have been obvious, or not. So I just wanted to clarify that point.
One minor clarification I should make. The "height" measurements I gave are from the top of the sills to the level the seat springs sit upon. It may have been obvious, or not. So I just wanted to clarify that point.
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Re: A Cry for Help with Re-wooding a Runabout Body
For what it's worth - The 1915 cowel doesn't have the notch in the center lower edge. the half moon cutout is later.
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Re: A Cry for Help with Re-wooding a Runabout Body
More fun and games. I emailed Cubel's last week as well as leaving a phone message, with no response to date. Since I can't get any help from them, I'm back here. The seat bottom has three notches in the back edge of it, presumably for the three uprights to fit into. Here are some pics of those.
I don't know whether this is how these parts go together or not. I first had the two outer uprights inverted, but then the notches for the center horizontal piece were in the wrong spot. This way all the notches line up, but the top two horizontal pieces are 4" to 6" too long to match up with the uprights. Does anyone know what part of this is wrong?
Some of the pics earlier in this thread showed the two outer uprights on the outside of the seat risers, which looks like it would work with the longer horizontal pieces. But then they are in the curved corners of the body, and they aren't shaped for that.
I don't know whether this is how these parts go together or not. I first had the two outer uprights inverted, but then the notches for the center horizontal piece were in the wrong spot. This way all the notches line up, but the top two horizontal pieces are 4" to 6" too long to match up with the uprights. Does anyone know what part of this is wrong?
Some of the pics earlier in this thread showed the two outer uprights on the outside of the seat risers, which looks like it would work with the longer horizontal pieces. But then they are in the curved corners of the body, and they aren't shaped for that.
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Re: A Cry for Help with Re-wooding a Runabout Body
I will respectfully suggest that it is far too soon to be fitting these pieces to each other.
I can tell you that:
1. the top/horizontal wood is or is near the shape it needs to be to form the upper reinforcement of the seat-back sheet metal. Sometimes it needs to be flat and sometimes the outboard face needs a nearly imperceptable curve to it so as to make the seat-back panel edges present at the proper angle to the side panels.
2. once installed (temporarily) the seat-back sheet metal will define where the side panels attach to it and establish the relative location or width of the side panels
3. the seat-back sheet metal needs to be carefully centered over the body centerline at the start of this
4. the vertical seat slats go inboard
5. once the sheetmetal is in place the outboard vertical risers will show themselves obvious as to where they really belong, and I believe you will find it is not where they are now.
I can tell you that:
1. the top/horizontal wood is or is near the shape it needs to be to form the upper reinforcement of the seat-back sheet metal. Sometimes it needs to be flat and sometimes the outboard face needs a nearly imperceptable curve to it so as to make the seat-back panel edges present at the proper angle to the side panels.
2. once installed (temporarily) the seat-back sheet metal will define where the side panels attach to it and establish the relative location or width of the side panels
3. the seat-back sheet metal needs to be carefully centered over the body centerline at the start of this
4. the vertical seat slats go inboard
5. once the sheetmetal is in place the outboard vertical risers will show themselves obvious as to where they really belong, and I believe you will find it is not where they are now.
Scott Conger
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Re: A Cry for Help with Re-wooding a Runabout Body
Something doesn't look right.
I think the outer vertical seat braces may be "upside down and backwards".
Here are some pictures of my '15 Fisher Canadian body in the same area. The Canadian bodies are different, but the back of the seat frame may be similar.
As others have mentioned, try fitting the metal in place then adding the wood to see where things line up. The outside seat verticals should end up under the seam between the side and rear metal panels. On '15 bodies the two pieces of metal overlap and and are then screwed together where the screws go into the vertical wood pieces.
On mine the bottom end of the vertical is inset into the seat base and also hangs lower then the seat and then a screw goes sideways through the bottom of the vertical into the side panel supporting the seat base. This help stiffen up that corner of the frame.
Good luck.
Jeff
Nova Scotia
I think the outer vertical seat braces may be "upside down and backwards".
Here are some pictures of my '15 Fisher Canadian body in the same area. The Canadian bodies are different, but the back of the seat frame may be similar.
As others have mentioned, try fitting the metal in place then adding the wood to see where things line up. The outside seat verticals should end up under the seam between the side and rear metal panels. On '15 bodies the two pieces of metal overlap and and are then screwed together where the screws go into the vertical wood pieces.
On mine the bottom end of the vertical is inset into the seat base and also hangs lower then the seat and then a screw goes sideways through the bottom of the vertical into the side panel supporting the seat base. This help stiffen up that corner of the frame.
Good luck.
Jeff
Nova Scotia
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Re: A Cry for Help with Re-wooding a Runabout Body
Scott said, "4. the vertical seat slats go inboard"
That is how I have them located, since the Cubel's seat bottom wood has three notches in it for the uprights, with the notches for the outer verticals located inside the seat risers. However, all the pics of original wood posted so far have them located on the outside of the seat risers. (See Jeff's pics.) Also note that Jeff's pics show the center horizontal member of the seat back to be below the center. That dictates the orientation of the three vertical pieces, which all have those notches for it in them already. But if the uprights are inside the seat risers, then the two upper horizontal pieces are too long.
One thing I have noticed through the duration of this thread is that no two bodies seem to be alike. The pics posted here of original bodies and ones with new wood, and the Cubel's wood, and the Mel Miller plans all are different. I know this '15 time frame was a "period of transition" and that there were several body manufacturers in the game, but I am impressed with how different the bodies were from each other.
That is how I have them located, since the Cubel's seat bottom wood has three notches in it for the uprights, with the notches for the outer verticals located inside the seat risers. However, all the pics of original wood posted so far have them located on the outside of the seat risers. (See Jeff's pics.) Also note that Jeff's pics show the center horizontal member of the seat back to be below the center. That dictates the orientation of the three vertical pieces, which all have those notches for it in them already. But if the uprights are inside the seat risers, then the two upper horizontal pieces are too long.
One thing I have noticed through the duration of this thread is that no two bodies seem to be alike. The pics posted here of original bodies and ones with new wood, and the Cubel's wood, and the Mel Miller plans all are different. I know this '15 time frame was a "period of transition" and that there were several body manufacturers in the game, but I am impressed with how different the bodies were from each other.
Last edited by MWalker on Tue Feb 04, 2020 11:27 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: A Cry for Help with Re-wooding a Runabout Body
You are misunderstanding my semantics. The vertical (at least the far left/right) members must be to the passenger (originally stated "inboard") side, and the top horizontal board must be outboard or rearward, toward the sheet metal. This is what sets and creates the rigid foundation to the rear sheet metal. The little (approx) 1x1 strips are merely the tack strip for seat and top and provides little real support for sheet metal, and they are placed outside of the metal surface.
Based on your present configuration, you have no place to affix the top of the rear sheet metal panel across the back. It can only flap. Now, reread what I posted about placing the rear sheet metal in place as well as the side panels. The side/side location of the right/left vertical members will be made obvious by the sheet metal.
Yes, I know this is a different year, but it illustrates the need of the vertical members to be inside (mentioned earlier as "inboard")
And this shows why the vertical members go inside (to the interior)...gives a flat surface outside to nail sheet metal. Of course, disregard the fact that my wood is different than yours insofaras I do not have the extra 1x1 tack strip.
Based on your present configuration, you have no place to affix the top of the rear sheet metal panel across the back. It can only flap. Now, reread what I posted about placing the rear sheet metal in place as well as the side panels. The side/side location of the right/left vertical members will be made obvious by the sheet metal.
Yes, I know this is a different year, but it illustrates the need of the vertical members to be inside (mentioned earlier as "inboard")
And this shows why the vertical members go inside (to the interior)...gives a flat surface outside to nail sheet metal. Of course, disregard the fact that my wood is different than yours insofaras I do not have the extra 1x1 tack strip.
Scott Conger
Tyranny under the guise of law is still Tyranny
NH Full Flow Float Valves
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Obsolete carburetor parts manufactured
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Re: A Cry for Help with Re-wooding a Runabout Body
Hi Mike
I will agree in part with Mike's comment that the outside vertical should end up under the metal panel seam. I mentioned the same for my '15 body.
It appears that Mike's may be a later body with different body panels. The "real" '15 panels joint with an overlap that is then covered with a screwed on1/4 oval metal bead. This was changed around 197 or 18 to a raised bead in the steel panel and no separate screwed on bead.
The important thing to check for what may be right for your car is to measure the width of your rear panel at the top and down by the curve. My "15 (again Canadian) measures about 34 1/2" center to center of the overlap bead at the top of the rear panel. The panel flares out and is wider at the top than down at the curve.
If yours is similar in width, then your outside verticals may need to go outside the side rail. Later roadster body panels may be narrower with the beads closer together. Those ones would need the vertical frame in a different spot.
Here is a picture of mine with the rear panel only on to show how the vertical wood is centered under the seam of the two panels.
Yours may be different, but I would recommend checking your dimensions on the panel before settling on where to fit the wood.
Good luck.
Jeff
Nova Scotia
I will agree in part with Mike's comment that the outside vertical should end up under the metal panel seam. I mentioned the same for my '15 body.
It appears that Mike's may be a later body with different body panels. The "real" '15 panels joint with an overlap that is then covered with a screwed on1/4 oval metal bead. This was changed around 197 or 18 to a raised bead in the steel panel and no separate screwed on bead.
The important thing to check for what may be right for your car is to measure the width of your rear panel at the top and down by the curve. My "15 (again Canadian) measures about 34 1/2" center to center of the overlap bead at the top of the rear panel. The panel flares out and is wider at the top than down at the curve.
If yours is similar in width, then your outside verticals may need to go outside the side rail. Later roadster body panels may be narrower with the beads closer together. Those ones would need the vertical frame in a different spot.
Here is a picture of mine with the rear panel only on to show how the vertical wood is centered under the seam of the two panels.
Yours may be different, but I would recommend checking your dimensions on the panel before settling on where to fit the wood.
Good luck.
Jeff
Nova Scotia
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Re: A Cry for Help with Re-wooding a Runabout Body
jeff! does this panel look like yours? charley
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Re: A Cry for Help with Re-wooding a Runabout Body
Hi Charley
it does look similar.
Here is a picture with the left side fitted.
If you can zoom in a bit you will see that the is a compound curve, but no "crease" in the lower rear side of the quarter panel. And there was a leaded seam about the end of the back side curve where it meets the flat panel that covers the rear side section of the sill.
The side panels are formed differently from the US versions.
Jeff
Nova Scotia
it does look similar.
Here is a picture with the left side fitted.
If you can zoom in a bit you will see that the is a compound curve, but no "crease" in the lower rear side of the quarter panel. And there was a leaded seam about the end of the back side curve where it meets the flat panel that covers the rear side section of the sill.
The side panels are formed differently from the US versions.
Jeff
Nova Scotia
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Re: A Cry for Help with Re-wooding a Runabout Body
Thanks for your input, Guys. Jeff, my car's body does have the separate "bead" pieces which cover the seams. I haven't shown them in my pics, but I do have them.
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Re: A Cry for Help with Re-wooding a Runabout Body
Hi Mike
Good that you have the mouldings. I think that they would be difficult to shape to match the body.
Here is another thing to watch for when installing them. On mine anyway, the screws that hold the moulding on are not full counter sunk in the moulding. I think they were #8 or screws, but you should check to be sure. The size just fits through the hole, but the head still partially sits above the moulding when installed.
You need to then find a way to trip down the sides of the head of the screw to the shape of the moulding. I found that using an "old style" sharp, coarse metal body file the screw heads can be easily trimmed down with the file and then final sanded to blend in. Afterward a bit of body fill to fill in the socket (Robertson screws) or slot (US models) with some body fill or putty to hide the screws finishes the job.
On mine the screw heads were originally filled with the old style clay glazing putty cover in paint. Rock hard and a pain to dig out of the screw sockets to be able to get the screws out with the screw driver.
Good Luck
Jeff
Nova Scotia
Good that you have the mouldings. I think that they would be difficult to shape to match the body.
Here is another thing to watch for when installing them. On mine anyway, the screws that hold the moulding on are not full counter sunk in the moulding. I think they were #8 or screws, but you should check to be sure. The size just fits through the hole, but the head still partially sits above the moulding when installed.
You need to then find a way to trip down the sides of the head of the screw to the shape of the moulding. I found that using an "old style" sharp, coarse metal body file the screw heads can be easily trimmed down with the file and then final sanded to blend in. Afterward a bit of body fill to fill in the socket (Robertson screws) or slot (US models) with some body fill or putty to hide the screws finishes the job.
On mine the screw heads were originally filled with the old style clay glazing putty cover in paint. Rock hard and a pain to dig out of the screw sockets to be able to get the screws out with the screw driver.
Good Luck
Jeff
Nova Scotia
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Re: A Cry for Help with Re-wooding a Runabout Body
Hi Mike
You might find this picture of interest. One of a few reference pictures that I took some time ago of an original US 1915 roadster at the Greenfield Village Old Car Festival.
It shows the side joint and may help show how the parts go together. The vertical wood should end up under the seam for the screws to go into.
Jeff
Nova Scotia
You might find this picture of interest. One of a few reference pictures that I took some time ago of an original US 1915 roadster at the Greenfield Village Old Car Festival.
It shows the side joint and may help show how the parts go together. The vertical wood should end up under the seam for the screws to go into.
Jeff
Nova Scotia
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Re: A Cry for Help with Re-wooding a Runabout Body
Hello Mike,
Can you tell me the width of the "bead" strips you referred to. I am missing those for my 1914 Roadster and need to find the correct dimensions to fabricate them. Thanks!
John
Can you tell me the width of the "bead" strips you referred to. I am missing those for my 1914 Roadster and need to find the correct dimensions to fabricate them. Thanks!
John
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Re: A Cry for Help with Re-wooding a Runabout Body
John -- I looked for those in my shop today and didn't find them. It seems that they're clever at hiding. When I do find them, I'll answer your question.
I'm going to Charley Shaver's tomorrow to look at some original bodies and measure some things and take lots of pics. Then, hopefully, I'll be able to see how this jigsaw puzzle goes together. After this trip, I should have lots of info to share.
I'm going to Charley Shaver's tomorrow to look at some original bodies and measure some things and take lots of pics. Then, hopefully, I'll be able to see how this jigsaw puzzle goes together. After this trip, I should have lots of info to share.
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Re: A Cry for Help with Re-wooding a Runabout Body
John H. -- Here are some pics of the "bead strips" for the back of Runabout bodies.
The strips are 3/4" wide, and about 26 or 27 inches long. As you can see in one of the pics, they are rounded on one side. It'll be tricky to bend them, since the bottom part is bent across their width. I have been told that Restoration Supply has material similar to this.
The strips are 3/4" wide, and about 26 or 27 inches long. As you can see in one of the pics, they are rounded on one side. It'll be tricky to bend them, since the bottom part is bent across their width. I have been told that Restoration Supply has material similar to this.
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Re: A Cry for Help with Re-wooding a Runabout Body
I don't know why that one pic posted twice. It didn't show up that way in the preview.
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Re: A Cry for Help with Re-wooding a Runabout Body
Thanks Mike! That is exactly what I need. The chance of finding them I believe, are quite slim. If anyone has a spare set of those to sell, I would be interested in buying them. Thanks again Mike, hope you got the info you needed from Charley!
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Re: A Cry for Help with Re-wooding a Runabout Body
Glad I could help. My trip to Charley's place was very informative. He had a couple of partial original body assemblies which I was able to examine, measure, and photograph. Now that I know how the originals went together, I'm back to assembling mine (with a few alterations). I'm going to replace the right side cowl panel with a new one from Howell's Sheet Metal, which should be here in a day or two, then I should be able to put it all together. I need to get the ball rolling; touring season will be here before you know it!
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Re: A Cry for Help with Re-wooding a Runabout Body
When I restored my 1919 Roadster I found that McMaster Carr had the identical rounded moulding that I needed for the 3/4” trim pieces. Seems like it was in the industrial moulding section. That was several years ago so I assume they still have the moulding. Hope this helps. It came in long strips and I had to carefully form the curves with a torch.
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Re: A Cry for Help with Re-wooding a Runabout Body
Well, I seem to be making some progress.
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Re: A Cry for Help with Re-wooding a Runabout Body
Starting to look really good!
Thanks for the update.
Thanks for the update.
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Re: A Cry for Help with Re-wooding a Runabout Body
Wow KC Warford and disc brakes. Built to drive.
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Re: A Cry for Help with Re-wooding a Runabout Body
Yes indeed.
And 21" tires on McLaren wheels. I couldn't believe the difference in the ride that those made, since I'd been driving on clinchers for my whole Model T experience.
And 21" tires on McLaren wheels. I couldn't believe the difference in the ride that those made, since I'd been driving on clinchers for my whole Model T experience.
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Re: A Cry for Help with Re-wooding a Runabout Body
I got the car back from the paint shop.
Everything else is painted as well -- fenders, splash shields, hood, windshield, etc. The running boards are powder coated for durability. All I need to do now is put it all together.
Everything else is painted as well -- fenders, splash shields, hood, windshield, etc. The running boards are powder coated for durability. All I need to do now is put it all together.
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Re: A Cry for Help with Re-wooding a Runabout Body
I'm making some progress.
There was a time when I wondered whether I'd ever see it like this.
There was a time when I wondered whether I'd ever see it like this.
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Re: A Cry for Help with Re-wooding a Runabout Body
Wow Mike, that looks great!
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Re: A Cry for Help with Re-wooding a Runabout Body
Mike,
It looks great! It will give you many many miles of fun!
Respectfully submitted,
Hap l9l5 cut off
It looks great! It will give you many many miles of fun!
Respectfully submitted,
Hap l9l5 cut off
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Re: A Cry for Help with Re-wooding a Runabout Body
A little more progress.
Windshield and hood are the latest additions, along with the spare carrier. This is a '16, with an added starter. If you've ever tried installing hood latches in an early T with a starter, you'll know what I was up against. After some time spent trying to put them on the car, I was able to do one of them without help. The ones beside the carb and starter required some assistance. I had my granddaughter crawl under the car and insert the cotter pins while I held the spring compressed using the washer and needle-nosed vice grips. She has small hands and was able to do the job. There's no way my club hands would reach into those small spaces.
Windshield and hood are the latest additions, along with the spare carrier. This is a '16, with an added starter. If you've ever tried installing hood latches in an early T with a starter, you'll know what I was up against. After some time spent trying to put them on the car, I was able to do one of them without help. The ones beside the carb and starter required some assistance. I had my granddaughter crawl under the car and insert the cotter pins while I held the spring compressed using the washer and needle-nosed vice grips. She has small hands and was able to do the job. There's no way my club hands would reach into those small spaces.