1929 coupe subrail question

[Martinbuilt]

Hi.
I'm piecing together a '29 sport coupe. This has never been a complete car.
This is also my first model A.
I have the Andrews books, but can't find an answer to this question.
The subrail extensions look like they should overlap the body subrails, judging by the corresponding carriage bolt holes.
My cowl still has the mounting blocks in it, but the blocks fill the entire space.
I would guess that the front end of the body subrail should key in above the wood, and under the front extension.
Am I wrong about how those parts all fit together? I'm thinking this wood has been in place since new.

 

[Randy in ca]

There's a picture in Post #7 of this thread from a couple of days ago that shows how the
subframe and extension meet:

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=341297

 

[rotorwrench]

The members have an joggle formed into the metal so they can overlap then there are rivets involves as well. The wood blocks are cushions for the steel members to attach to the frame and aprons. The front blocks should slip out with the body off the frame. The wood may be swollen but it will come out

The subcontractors like Briggs and Murray used wood for the body sills since they still used a lot of wood. This affects the Fordor models, the Cabriolet, and the station wagons that were made by Ford. The Coupes, Tudors, and open cars made by Ford all used steel subrails.

The Sport Coupe has a lot of wood from the belt rail up but most everything of structure in the lower body is steel. The B pillar is wood but Ford also had some hard rubber in there as well. Wood and hard rubber would hold tacks so this is where a lot of stuff was tacked together.

 

[Martinbuilt]

Thanks.
I missed that cowl thread entirely.
Part of the difficulty, is that someone torched my subrails near the front, so I'll have to make repair sections to try and key everything together.
I need to get those blocks out for a start.

 

[Randy in ca]

Some info and pictures (actual coupe) in this old thread:

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=257853

 

[Martinbuilt]

That's interesting. It looks in those photos like the body subrails are on top of the extensions, but sandwiched under the a-pillar feet.
I'll have to mock mine up and see if that works.

 

[AYooperA]

Here’s some additional photos that may help. You could fabricate the missing piece and try butt welding. .090” Mat’l you can form up in a good vice creating that step for the floor boards. You can cut in that 2” to 1 1/2” to fit later.

 

[AYooperA]

Martin built, didn’t see your photo until after my post. Looks like your cuts were in the door threshold area. Maybe find a donor piece to bridge that area or a repo sub rail. I had to do repairs to fix mine as well. Looks a little Frankenstein but in solid and not seen.

 

[Martinbuilt]

Thanks for those photos.
I may be overthinking it. If I can position everything so that the doors fit, it'll give me a place to start.
I appreciate all the input.

 

[rotorwrench]

Sub-rails or body sills are available in separate sections for repairs or a person can purchase complete sub-rails but the caveat is that the new reproductions have no body bolt or rivet holes in them. The set I have are around 15-years old and seem to be of the same gauge thickness of steel but I will have to drill all the holes through in the correct locations. I hope they are still reproduced in the correct gauge. The sub-rail extensions are also reproduced. The prices are a lot higher now than they were 15-years ago.

https://www.snydersantiqueauto.com/subgrouping.htm?cat=41653

PS: I noticed that the front halves are not available. The rears rust out in most cases so only rear sections are available as sections. So many old model As were cut up to make doodlebugs and what not that a person can find the coupe and tudor front sections with the cowl. I was fortunate that my 29 Sport Coupe was complete but the rear sub-rails were rusted and patched by shade tree methods.