1932 Ford Roadster - Two Different Door Skins?

mercman from oz

mercman from oz

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312389


Compare these two pictures of 1932 Ford Roadster Doors. In the top photo, you will see that the metal leading into the cut-out area around the Hinge is smooth, while the same area on the car in the lower photo has a raised edge leading into the Hinge. Were both doors available on 1932 Ford Roadsters from new, or is one an Aftermarket item? Can anyone shed light on this?
 
I have an original "real" deluxe roadster and mine has the raised rub around the hinges. I have seen guys talk about this before with half saying they came both ways and half saying they only came with the ribs. So this will be good for the experts.
 
The door skin sheet metal around the hinges was flat on early doors. In March Ford started using a stamped raised moulding / detail. Well worth getting David Rehor's brilliant book(s) 'The 1932 Ford Book - A Production Chronicle & Restoration Guide', this covers things like this and much more.
 
Would be interesting to know if these are embossed into the skin or applied to it. And if applied, what material are they made of?
 
It was part of the door skin stamping, not applied.

Actually there were three different door skins. In addition to the difference around the hinges, the earliest version had a drooped lip on the inside like a Model A roadster door. This was soon eliminated as the drooped lip made installing the door trim panel difficult because of the location of the '32 inside door handles. This change took place before the change around the hinges. The photos below show a drooped-lip and the later straight-lip doors.

The change in the lip is cited in the book, but I did not include a photo (and should have).
 

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Deuce-Addict has appropriately reminded me of another extremely early change in the phaeton (front) and roadster doors. The very first few sets of door skin stampings had three holes for the side curtain fastener attachment sockets above the belt line. It was quickly discovered that when the side curtains were attached in all three places that the curtain bound up to an extent to noticeably limit the amount the door could be opened with the side curtains in place. The forward-most socket and corresponding fastener on the door side curtains were quickly eliminated to eliminate the problem.
 
Hi David , so if I am reading this correctly

Actually there were three different door skins. In addition to the difference around the hinges, the earliest version had a drooped lip on the inside like a Model A roadster door. This was soon eliminated as the drooped lip made installing the door trim panel difficult because of the location of the '32 inside door handles. This change took place before the change around the hinges. The photos below show a drooped-lip and the later straight-lip doors.
Click to expand...

Every door with the drooped lip will have the flat skin around the hinges ?

In other words, no door existed with the reveal around the hinge AND the drooped inside lip ?

Thank you .
 
Correct, although the two changes weren't made at the same time. The first was elimination of the drooped lip and the second was the addition of the reveal around the hinge.
 
I suppose the introduction of the reveal was seen as an aesthetic improvement. It appears curve into the hinge cavity and eliminates the big gap appearance in the earlier style.

GB
 
I think the hinge rib added strength to the door.

Many years ago (pre-Brookville days) I made a small die and shaped up some hinge patches for a roadster door that was very rough. The hinge notches were really torn up. It was common for old Fords to tear right as those corners of the notch.
 
Deuce-Addict said:
The door skin sheet metal around the hinges was flat on early doors. In March Ford started using a stamped raised moulding / detail. Well worth getting David Rehor's brilliant book(s) 'The 1932 Ford Book - A Production Chronicle & Restoration Guide', this covers things like this and much more.
Click to expand...

Yes, the 1932 Ford Book is a great reference work.

I don't own a 1932 Ford, but I do own this book.

If an enthusiast is spending a tall five figures for a 1932 Ford, then there is no excuse not to have this title on hand.
 

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In addition, I remember my body man saying that he had to make different tools for the upper and lower reveals due to different door skin curves. Can anyone confirm? Don't remember if he also used left an right tools. He probably did because he was as fussy as you can ever imagine. It was magic when he worked with sheet metal, a real craftsman. He restored five (!) original Roadster bodies to enthusiast here in Sweden and sold his own maroon Roadster to Texas before he passed away at age of 81 some ten years ago.

By the way, Dave's book is the perfect bible for the picky restorer. Thanks Dave! Leif
 
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