Books/Tutorials for Replacing Wood

Dad's Dream

Dad's Dream

Junior Member
I have a 30 Murray Town Sedan that needs the wood replaced.

Are there any books, tutorials, instructions, or videos that explain the process? I would like to get enough information to convince myself that I can't do it.:)

Is it possible to replace the wood and not have to re-paint the body? My paint is good (from 10 to 20 foot) so I'd like to salvage it.

Does anyone have a rough estimate of cost to have someone replace the wood?

Thanks,
Gerry
 
Are you needed to replace ALL the wood including in the doors and subrail wood? If you are, I believe that is a major undertaking. Even if you are just replacing some of the body wood, it is still a big job. You have one of the model A's with the most wood in it. I believe you are talking just in the wood - body, top and subrails $2500 to $3000, maybe even a little more. I doubt you could do it without repaint the car when finished with the wood installation. Good luck.
Rusty Nelson
 
Dad's Dream said:
I have a 30 Murray Town Sedan that needs the wood replaced.

Are there any books, tutorials, instructions, or videos that explain the process? I would like to get enough information to convince myself that I can't do it.:)

Is it possible to replace the wood and not have to re-paint the body? My paint is good (from 10 to 20 foot) so I'd like to salvage it.

Does anyone have a rough estimate of cost to have someone replace the wood?

Thanks,
Gerry
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From my experiences, to correctly make all the wood for the body & doors and install it will take approximately 200-250 hours.

s_p_3b.jpg
 
Brent is faster than I am! I finished replacing all of the wood in my '30 Briggs fordor and it literally took 1000 hours or more. A couple of years, but it has been fun and very rewarding. There is no way I could have replaced mine without destroying some sheet metal in the process. There are many screws and bolts that you cannot get to without totally dismantling the car. My doors are mostly wood and they took as much work as the rest of the car. They are spot welded and crimped which required cutting, bending, etc. Good wood working and sheet metal tools are required. I cut and fabricated all of the pieces from maple, rather than oak or ash. To purchase a total wood kit for my car would have been around $4500. I would be happy to be of some help via photos or other if you wish.
 
I am looking for blueprints/ drawing with measurements or patterns for the wood for a 1929 model a 4 door Murray
i have worked on model t for a few years and this is my first model a
Not much of a start but i will get it done.
 
Dad's Dream said:
I have a 30 Murray Town Sedan that needs the wood replaced.

Are there any books, tutorials, instructions, or videos that explain the process? I would like to get enough information to convince myself that I can't do it.:)

Is it possible to replace the wood and not have to re-paint the body? My paint is good (from 10 to 20 foot) so I'd like to salvage it.

Does anyone have a rough estimate of cost to have someone replace the wood?

Thanks,
Gerry
Click to expand...

I hate to say this but no there are no instructions/drawings for the wood available.
 
Well now I'm kind of stuck on what I should do. I want to keep this car because it belonged to my Dad, but I know that at minimum, the wood on the frame needs to be replaced. While I would love a perfectly restored car, I'd be really happy with a safe and functional daily driver - which is what my Dad wanted, too.
I can afford to buy the wood for the entire car, but after reading the replies, I don't think I have the ability and patience to do it.

Gerry
 
Gerry, you are a VERY prudent man for being honest with yourself in your last sentence. Many people are not honest with themselves and ruin good cars because they never see their project through to fruition.
 
I know this is sort of sacreligious, but has anyone tried to jig and cleco the body up with all the right fitment and then use steel to weld bracing in place of wood? For judging standards I know this to not be acceptable. But if I want a stock looking Town Sedan I can enjoy, get to look great and get in and drive without getting a Ph.D in Carpentry from the University of Hard Knocks, then I am going to do it. Am I missing something?
 
mach0415 said:
I know this is sort of sacreligious, but has anyone tried to jig and cleco the body up with all the right fitment and then use steel to weld bracing in place of wood? For judging standards I know this to not be acceptable. But if I want a stock looking Town Sedan I can enjoy, get to look great and get in and drive without getting a Ph.D in Carpentry from the University of Hard Knocks, then I am going to do it. Am I missing something?
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The big street rod shops do this on a regular basis when building Model A's or early Chevy rods. Check the monthly rod magazines at the newsstand.

I have never seen a "restored to original" type Model A with wood replaced with metal bracing.

After recently rewooding a Victoria, I can say rewooding a Town Sedan is not a job for the faint-of-heart, the easily frustrated, or the unskilled!!!!!!!
 
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Richard Wilson said:
The big street rod shops do this on a regular basis when building Model A's or early Chevy rods. Check the monthly rod magazines at the newsstand.

I have never seen a "restored to original" type Model A with wood replaced with metal bracing.

After recently rewooding a Victoria, I can say rewooding a Town Sedan is not a job for the faint-of-heart, the easily frustrated, or the unskilled!!!!!!!
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Understood. And it will be done correctly with wood. I just wondered if it would have been a Henry Ford-approved way of doing things, #1 had he been alive and #2 if cost and production retooling were not an issue, as Henry was a mizer.
If I had to literally resurrect one from the dead, one piece at a time, I would definitely try it with steel. I also know a few 1940s-1950s period correct mild customizers and street rodders who make their own fabricated body panels for As and Bs to perfection, down to the gauge, and insist on using original wood/wood kits.
 
Gerry -

All of the wood in any straight-windshield Model A fordor makes it one the most taxing body styles to restore. My nephew and I re-did all of the body wood for our '29 Briggs fordor a couple of years back. While it was not a project I was particularly looking forward to, between the two of us, and with pieces from an old (not complete) wood kit, we managed to piece everything back together. If you are able to re-use any of the original wood, I would suggest that you also consider that avenue as well as you go through the process. Although one person could probably do most of the job by themselves, it would be much easier and much less frustrating to have a second pair of hands involved. Many of the components are cumbersome, and the overall process itself is daunting enough with even good tools and a second person. I won't say that I wouldn't do another one, but it would have to be a project that I allowed myself plenty of time to do. If you know of someone who has good wood-working skills that can lend a hand, I would encourage you to consider the task - the rewards are certainly worth the aggravation. Good luck should you choose to go that route.

Dick
 
These Town Sedans are an all wood body structure with the body panels attached to the structure below that you see in Brent's photo. In order to replace all the body framework the metal panels will need to be gently removed and set aside to be reinstalled on the new structure. Of course then the body will have to be fitted to the new wood framework in order for all of the panels to line up with proper seams, gaps and openings which will take a lot of fitting and shimming for it to come out right.
Maybe someone that has done this can give you some firsthand knowledge on the scope of this task.
After getting into my '29 Murray T S I am thankful for good solid wood because replacing it is not a job that I would consider doing myself.
 
Thanks to all for the replies. I'm not sure what to do now. Since this was my father's car, I would like to keep it, but I'm pretty sure I don't have the patience/skill to do the job properly.
I think I need to win the lottery and have someone restore it properly for me. Anyone have some winning numbers?

Gerry
 
Brent,
After reading your second post I was a bit confused (which sometimes doesn't take much) but seriously by the statement you made "I have a 1929 four door and i am looking for a drawing/blueprint of the wood with measurements, like this one only for a 4 door". Is that picture not of a 4 door? Also can you tell me if there is much difference between the fordoor and the blindback (straight window)wood?
Thanks for your time.
Joe Grobleski
 
Dad's Dream said:
Thanks to all for the replies. I'm not sure what to do now. Since this was my father's car, I would like to keep it, but I'm pretty sure I don't have the patience/skill to do the job properly.
I think I need to win the lottery and have someone restore it properly for me. Anyone have some winning numbers?

Gerry
Click to expand...

Gerry
I replaced the chassis wood and the top wood in my 31 Town Sedan and found the chassis wood to be a whole lot easier than the top. I was able to purchase each "kit" separately. If it's only the bottom (chassis) wood that needs replacing I'd go for it. The top was another story. Best of luck what ever your decision is.
 
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