1930 Deluxe Coupe Windlace

dmaxweb

dmaxweb

Well-known member
I stopped at an auto upholstery shop today looking for some grey windlace. The shop has been in business 60+ years. I showed him a piece of what I had hoping to at least get something close. He comes back with a dusty old taped up box with a partial roll of the exact windlace. It was left over from a Model A interior he had done many years ago. I'm pretty sure the windlace I'm replacing (at least 20 yrs. old) is not original but he was happy to get rid of it so I'm going to use it. But, I'm curious to know how close it is to original fabric.

Also, what size core 1/2" vs. 3/8" was originally used and was it hollow tube or foam?
 

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OK - I was just curious.
It's not a points car and the fabric is an exact match to what's already there and to the 1930 Model A specific sample I received from SMS. It will be functional and the price couldn't be beat.
Thanks
 
I am going to the shop to drop off something before I leave for a tour. If I get an extra moment, I have some pictures there on that computer and will post a picture of what original windlace looked like. While I can't tell what size you have there, it will likely work just fine.
 
BRENT in 10-uh-C said:
I am going to the shop to drop off something before I leave for a tour. If I get an extra moment, I have some pictures there on that computer and will post a picture of what original windlace looked like. While I can't tell what size you have there, it will likely work just fine.
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The new windlace has 1/2" sponge core and the old is 3/8". If the new is too big, I'll slide out the 1/2" core and get some 3/8". Is there a source for original style hollow tube core?
 
The Ford Model A as Henry Built It lists interior colors for the 1930 Deluxe Coupes as several combinations of brown color cloth. Mohair, Bedford Cord, and Broad Cloth were listed in the three different combinations. All of the combinations were listed as having Brown Worsted Cloth for windlace. Worsted is a fine wool cloth that is smooth in texture with no nap to it.

The Standard Coupe for 1930 offered Brown, Gray, and Black combinations. The Gray combination used Gray Worsted Cloth for the windlace.

I'm not sure about the inner core of the windlace specifically for model A cars. Solid foam rubber or what is currently known as sponge rubber that is 1/2" round is the most commonly used and the photos in the book look to be 1/2". The hollow core sponge rubber tube is used more for Robe Cords where there is a chain inside so it can be pulled upon without failure of the cord core or cloth.

A person needs the big 1/2" welting foot for the sewing machine to sew up windlace cords.
 
For the tubing, go to your local hardware store and buy 3/8" clear vinyl tubing. Foam was not used on Model A's.
 
A kind of twine fiber like rope was commonly used back in the coach days but I don't know what was used on the model A. I've read that some folks found a thin rubber type tube in their cars when restoring them. It would have been soft to compression when new but got hard with age like most vulcanized rubber stuff does over time. The clear vinyl tubing is stiffer than the sponge rubber. The whole idea of wind lace was to conform to the edges around the door to keep the draft out. Something soft like rolled cotton would work for a windlace so that it could compress a bit and still rebound to a round shape. Tube would make sense where a person wants the fabric to be tucked inside the tube at the ends so it will look presentable.
 
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rotorwrench said:
A kind of twine fiber like rope was commonly used back in the coach days but I don't know what was used on the model A. I've read that some folks found a thin rubber type tube in their cars when restoring them. It would have been soft to compression when new but got hard with age like most vulcanized rubber stuff does over time. The clear vinyl tubing is stiffer than the sponge rubber. The whole idea of wind lace was to conform to the edges around the door to keep the draft out. Something soft like rolled cotton would work for a windlace so that it could compress a bit and still rebound to a round shape. Tube would make sense where a person wants the fabric to be tucked inside the tube at the ends so it will look presentable.
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What about latex rubber tubing? It's much softer/flexible than vinyl.

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EPDM closed cell is relatively decent and should be more compressible that a lot of others. It should last well enough over time but I don't know how long. Nothing lasts forever but it would likely outlast the original OEM stuff.
 
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rotorwrench said:
EPDM closed cell is relatively decent and should be more compressible that a lot of others. It should last well enough over time but I don't know how long. Nothing lasts forever but it would likely outlast the original OEM stuff.
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No doubt it will outlast me. Someone else's problem after that.
 
Front of Door Windlace - I know the upper part of the windlace is a friction fit in the channel with cardboard. Is the lower part glued to the door?
 

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