What to look for - Slant window fordor?

N

NH-A

Member
I may be looking at a 1931 slant fordor in the next few days.

I know the basics, such as there is no structural wood (besides the roof). What else should I look for? It looks to be extremely original. Interior looks decent, but needs new door cards. Amazingly, seems to have no rust or holes, just underside typical light coating. Chrome/nickel seems good, but I presume some will need to be replaced.

My goal with the car is to install a Burtz engine and Mitchell transmission, so engine condition doesn't matter. I plan on having the rear and front axles properly rebuilt, so that won't matter either.

I guess my main questions to those more experienced would be:
1. The roof is original (probably). Is that a given it needs to come out and be replaced if I plan on driving in the rain sometimes?
2. Is there a way to check wood condition for the top?
3. I understand these use wood in the header. Is there any way to tell or check if it needs to be replaced? It appears that it has been stored under cover for it's life, so I don't see water damage being an issue.
4. Where are rust concern areas for these bodies?
5. I've read something about checking rain gutters? Does this model need something checked in that area?

That's probably all I can think of. I'm not too concerned about the mechanicals or electric since it would be restored. It looks like it's an early deluxe slant, built by Ford. No firewall tag, pocket on passenger kick panel, cowl lights, etc. Even has the original plate.

I'd appreciate any help or tips!
 
NH-A: Sounds like a real opportunity for you. I'd crawl underneath the car and look for signs of rust damage along the steel body frame where it bolts to the upper frame web. You may want to take a mirror to look back where you can't see. Another place that road crud can get trapped is just behind the firewall, there is a "pocket" in the cowl. There is a single body bolt at the far front and a double body bolt about a foot or so behind (about where the dash panel is), but that double bolts to a bracket on the outside of the frame so you may not easily see it from below. Obviously check the fenders, lots of lumps on the bottom of the fenders but smooth on the top likely means lots of filler has been applied.

And while you are underneath, look for rust damage along the bottoms of the rear fender liners, floor pans and steel body cross members. You do live in an environment where the winters are not terribly kind to cars...

If you open the windshield completely, you may be able to get a small probe through or behind the hinge to feel how the header wood feels.

Good idea on the Burtz engine and Mitchell. That's what I'm doing with my '30.
 
Thank you very much for the tips!

So I will be able to look underneath into the cowl area you speak of?

NH winters are okay for the cars imo, it's the modern day salt!
 
If you're serious about the Mitchell, I would recommend putting my your name on the list now. Steve tells me they are still 9-10 Months out...
 
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NH-A said:
Thank you very much for the tips!

So I will be able to look underneath into the cowl area you speak of?

NH winters are okay for the cars imo, it's the modern day salt!
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You can see some of it from below, but if you can get the floorboards out you can see more (I know, that's not likely if you don't own it!).

And Ruth has a good point about the overdrive - get your name on the waiting list, and when your name comes up you can decline/postpone if you wish. Steve is being very accommodating, he hates the backlog as much as we (the customers) do.
 
regarding the roof wood and header, look for how the topping joins and seams
all around the edges. Any bubbling?
you dont want to buy a car where you'll need to install a new roof. you are already
going through a whole new mechanical. Hopefully you are buying the car at a fair price.
 
I'd be doing a whole go over. Totally rebuild the chassis, remove the body, strip the whole interior, etc. A roof job wouldn't scare me, I'm surrounded by A people where I am for help. Just curious if they 'go bad' or don't age well or something, or if they are fine if they look fine and can be oiled or something to bring them back.
 
NH-A said:
I'd be doing a whole go over. Totally rebuild the chassis, remove the body, strip the whole interior, etc. A roof job wouldn't scare me, I'm surrounded by A people where I am for help. Just curious if they 'go bad' or don't age well or something, or if they are fine if they look fine and can be oiled or something to bring them back.
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Are you talking about the wood pieces or the "A people" going bad? Certainly we all would agree that we age well! :D
 
Hahaha, no I mean the cloth or vinyl top material. Does it get porous or something regardless of storage conditions, or is it usually good as long as it was under cover? I suppose it really doesn't matter, because if I'm going to strip the body what's it matter.
 
roof fabric eventually wears thin and cracks, but if it is not heavily damaged you might try a thick coating or 2 of satin black Rustoleum.

I used this to seal an original roof on a '31 Tudor about 15 years ago......

if it has never been stored outdoors, you might get lucky and have good roof wood, but the windshield header will usually be the first piece to go.
 
Well... looked at it today...

It has been stored inside since new. The top material was cracked but inside the headliner had some holes so I was able to see the wood. It was in perfect condition. Absolutely zero rot or soft parts, like brand new. I tried opening the windshield and looking up but couldn't see the said area to look up, but chances are the header will be fine imo.

The roof had some flaking paint exposing shiny steel. That's how dry this has been kept.

Interior was ratty but complete. I think it was brown mohair of some sort? I hopped on the waiting list from classtique, and fyi, they are 6-8 weeks out on the interior panel kit but a year for seats. ZERO water damage or mice issues. The tool kit was under the front seat still.

Glass was all there and good except a shattered drivers window. No big deal.

All doors opened and closed excellent with the exception of a sticky latch on the passenger door. Door lines are good. Excellent handle chrome.

Rad shell and headlights were perfect. Bumpers have some rust, so I think I'll swap in some good stainless repros for now.

Body was excellent. I'm in disbelief, it has less rust than most 5 year old cars in the north (NH). I went underneath, ZERO ROT, just typical surface rust. Frame still has remaining factory black paint. Drain holes in the rear floor pan are circular and clean. I lifted the back seat off and no rot, just some surface rust. The cowl areas seems good, I knocked on the bottom areas and felt for any weird spots, nothing. I opened the engine bay and felt inside the cowl area, surface rust but nothing serious. Fenders were excellent,no bondo or filler at all. The drivers fender has one ding in the top and a twist on the outer edge, but I think it can be fixed. The drivers running board sheet metal had some pin holes, so probably will look into repros. I would think that would be expected from water sitting under the mat. The only actual rust was the passenger lower back body corner by the seam, there is some minor bubbling and a bit of paint came off, but again, no rot.

Engine seems all original, never removed or painted. Still green. Has original two blade fan. Flat firewall, no indent. Zero hack work. Seller had it running, but it was sputtering. Doesn't matter, it's all coming out.

All in all, the car is extremely original and complete. Fenders have original paint, body seems to be mostly original with a thin coat of black that's worn off back to the original? Still has some yellow pinstripe remaining! I checked the engine number and it was built in December 1930, which might put the build date around February or March?

This is the first time I've gone to see a car and it's as good as the photos showed. All for $8k! I think I did alright for a clean, mostly rust free slant window. Going to get it this weekend, I'll post photos then. If anyone needs photos of an all original car like this, let me know before any work is done.
 
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Congratulations! I will suggest get in cleaned and in good mechanical condition and enjoy it before you take it apart, they are original only once. Yes the interior looks pretty ratty and looks like new seat covers are needed. If and when you start in on restoration, please only restore one area at a time, like the front end then the rearend, then the motor, etc. I blew my A apart and it was a very long time to get it back on the road to enjoy the driving experience!
 
Long term you might consider putting the spare in the fender and adding a trunk rack, otherwise you don't have very much storage. How about a couple of shots of the overall body?

Charlie Stephens
 
I'll get them as soon as I get it home. The other photos have a lot of the sellers house and vehicles that I'd rather not post publicly as a courtesy.
 
Charlie Stephens said:
Long term you might consider putting the spare in the fender and adding a trunk rack, otherwise you don't have very much storage. How about a couple of shots of the overall body?

Charlie Stephens
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One thing I've found out - the aftermarket fender well inserts are apparently a slightly different shape than the originals (we had that discussion here some months ago) and not all tires fit smoothly into them. From what I've been able to tell on the two 30/31 cars I've had with aftermarket fender wells, Goodyears (which are a true 4.75x19) fit, but Firestones and a lot of others (which are 4.75/5.00x19) don't - you have to deflate them to get them in, and if you then inflate them you can't get them out. I haven't tried the new radials but typically radials have a softer sidewall so I suspect they won't fit either. I was originally going to do just as Charlie describes on my '30 restoration but decided to keep the rear spare and put the trunk rack on the extended mount.
 
JayJay is correct. But, they can be made to fit with a lot of work (trimming, shrinking, bending). …and you have to know how they’re suppose to be originally. Drawings or a original fender to go by are necessary/
Also, fender wells are nothing but a PIA….in the way of engine compartment and restrict the door.
 
ronn said:
almost a shame youre restoring it and not just preserving it.
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I am debating what I want to do with the paint, but mainly I mean the chassis/engine/interior will get restored. Anything but the paint for sure, but I'll post photos of it. Whatever is original in great shape I will try and reuse as is, such as the wood grain painted window trim. The paint is great but not as a whole. The back is pretty good, but the top sides of the roof are peeled off and bare steel, so that has to get painted. The gas tank is nice but if I get it cleaned then it will strip the paint... I'll have a detailed post in the next few days once I get it home and we can have a discussion about this! Pointless to discuss now without more photos. It's borderline nice enough to be preserved but not the whole thing. Fenders are great, so maybe those will stay original paint.
 
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