First real problem, need help guys

metalho

metalho

Well-known member
Who ever painted this 29 coupe used putty in between the two trim pieces between the top and the body :mad:. Of course now its cracking and is imposable two touch up because its made to flex. Isn't there another trim piece thats supposed to go on top of this seam? Should I just pull the two pieces off and start over?
 

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A fellow '28 Special Coupe owner, faced with restoring the two piece moulding that goes around the base of the top, could not use the outer moulding. He filled the holes in the inner moulding and added metal so the moulding would reach the door latch area where the outer piece would normally fit for finished look. Then he used toilet bowl hold down screws with the oval heads. The head of the screw is inserted in the inside of the moulding and turned so the head engages the edges of the moulding. The screws are then inserted through holes he drilled in the body and drawn tight with nuts inside the body pulling the moulding into position against the body. This avoids the problem of trying to get the outer moulding to clip over the inner moulding. Mark Detwiler
 
Big can of worm to open Metalho, mask it well and paint it over. I fear that the belt rail may not survive removal at this point, and you do not know what the previous owner did to make look as good as it does. Caution my friend, caution.
 
All the guys have good points. The special belt rail mouldings are pretty near unobtainium now and I've seen them made from just about every conceivable material including bondo. If it's cracking open and splitting you might have to act. If it's just spider web type cracks that would be consistant with too thick a layer of polyester filler (shrinkage). Unless you want to make a whole new belt rail from something else, you'd be ahead by trying to repair what is there if it isn't seriously crap looking.

Kerby
 
Thats kinda what I figured guys, Who knows what kinda shape it was in when he covered it up. So Ive been hand brushing in coats of lacquer and sanding it level. Got everything filled up after 5 applications..........:eek: Ill just mask it and air brush it now. Thank you for the impute, I don't feel like such a tard now
 

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It would be insteresting to find someone who has purchased one of these and find out how it fits. The picture isn't near good enough to get any idea. A friend of mine bought one for a Sport Coupe from a fellow than was making them but it didn't fit well out of the box and he didn't try to make it fit any better since it was pretty difficult to bend without destroying it.

Kerby
 
TedG said:
I haven't seen the part itself but Sacremento Vintage Ford lists this in their new catalog.

01158-22 BELT RAIL MOULDING 1" WIDE
1928-29 Sport, Business and Special Coupes.

Here's a link to the page: http://www.vintageford.com/word_search.cfm?line=Model A&DescEntry=belt rail&Category=

A bit pricey but if it really fits I suppose it's worth it.
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Thanks for the advice and link. Think I got her licked, just filled with lacquer and shot it. I'm wet sandin the boogers out before this stuff sets up hard, lol.........
 

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My moulding was put on with what I think are carpet tacks. I would might try to grind down the nail heads and bondo them over. At about 200 bucks for the one at Vintage Parts, it's worth a try.
Pete
 
I was thumbing through the new SVF catalog a week or so ago and came across the moulding, felt the price was a little high however I'd still like to see one, if it fits correctly I would think it could save someone a lot of time and aggrevation.

I'm currently working on a '29 Sport Coupe, fortunately a belt rail moulding was among the parts that came with the car. It's a little rough and it took me about an hour and a half to seperate the 2 pieces without bending it any more than it already was. I have the inner nailed on, the outer has a few dents and the tab is missing on 1 end so I'm planning on fabbing a new tab and silver soldering it on, hopefully I can smooth out the rest and snap it back on.
 
They are indeed rare, in ten years of looking I never found a complete one up in the great white north. Only after making a fake did I see one locally advertised by a fella with no pictures for $ 450.00 Canadian. Too many coupons for me.
 
Hi Metalho I was lucky when I got my 29 special coupe in 1961 it still had the belt molding. I had some body work and the wood installed by a less then reputable Restoration shop. I found out to late that the wood I brought was not very good and when the shop put it in they did it the best they could. When the metal parts were put in place there was a gap between the wood and the metal so to make it fit they filled it with about 1 1/2 inchs of bondo and then painted over it instead of telling me first. Longer story short when I started to nail the belt molding on big chunks of bondo broke off.
 
Richard/Ca said:
Hi Metalho I was lucky when I got my 29 special coupe in 1961 it still had the belt molding. I had some body work and the wood installed by a less then reputable Restoration shop. I found out to late that the wood I brought was not very good and when the shop put it in they did it the best they could. When the metal parts were put in place there was a gap between the wood and the metal so to make it fit they filled it with about 1 1/2 inchs of bondo and then painted over it instead of telling me first. Longer story short when I started to nail the belt molding on big chunks of bondo broke off.
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That my friend sucks beyond all belief!:mad:
 
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