1940 Convertible Windshield Garnish - will coupe or sedan work?

B

barnfind

Senior Member
Trying to help a friend who doesn't do internet but the pictures of a 39 convertible I found look pretty much the same as 39/40 sedans.
Anyone know or have a picture if convertibles are different?
 
barnfind said:
I don't own a 40 but the inner windshield moldings appears to be the same from what I see in the best convertible picture I found:

http://imagehost.vendio.com/preview/da/danschmitt/405068-28.jpg

Is it just the height or width? Thickness? Mounting holes? Mirror cutout? Curvature?
All of the above?
Trust me, they are quite different. The cowls do not resemble one another (closed vs. open types) so it follows the moldings would be different. Even the 40 open car moldings are different than the 39 open car moldings.
You could use pieces of closed car moldings to graft in to the open car set to facilitate repairs.
And, as a retired tool maker I can tell you first hand that you could make a set out of closed car moldings. It all comes down to talents and time.
Click to expand...
 
The problem is he doesn't have a set to attempt a repair.
I I had a side by side picture I could decide how feasible it is to modify the sedan moldings or not.
Thanks
 
barnfind said:
The problem is he doesn't have a set to attempt a repair.
I I had a side by side picture I could decide how feasible it is to modify the sedan moldings or not.
Thanks
Click to expand...
It can be done but is a LOT of work. Are you VERY good with metal fabrication?
 
I wouldn't be asking if I didn't think it could be done if they are similar.
Would I try to fabricate from scratch? No - I would do that in fiberglass if
they are that different.

Again,

The problem is he doesn't have a set to attempt a repair.
If I had a side by side picture I could decide how feasible it is to modify the sedan moldings or not.
 
The 40 Convertible mouldings as Kube said are very different. The convertible and the woodies share the same cowls from 37-40. Even the dashes are different. They all look the same as the closed cars but nothing will interchange.
 
I just got a reply on another forum from someone that modified sedan moldings by simply sectioning them to fit.
My eyeballs are getting old but the pictures seem to confirm that it should not be that big a deal if you can use a hack saw and welding torch.
 
barnfind said:
I just got a reply on another forum from someone that modified sedan moldings by simply sectioning them to fit.
My eyeballs are getting old but the pictures seem to confirm that it should not be that big a deal if you can use a hack saw and welding torch.
Click to expand...
Perhaps you may want to read (once again) the previous posts. Your question has been answered more than once.
To REITERATE:
1) It (making a set from closed car moldings) can be done. In fact anything can be done with enough time, talent and $$$.
2) Closed cars are very different than open cars. The exception being '39 convertibles and '39 wagons are the same as are '40 convertibles and '40 wagons.
 
Kube is 100% right. I have a 40 Conv, Wagon and Coupe. Besides the difference in shape, the countersunk screw holes are in different places. You will need to make the center vertical piece too as it is way different then a closed car. If I had to make a set I would start with some new metal repros since they would get cut up anyway and fit them to your cowl. Good luck.
 
I have 2 responses from another forum from folks that modified 40 Sedan windshield garnishes without spending large $$$ or having exceptional metal forming talent or tools.
Based on that feedback, I will recommend that he spend some money on the next set of sedan garnishes for sale and we will try to modify them to fit or at least develop a "prototype" that can be sent to a professional metalworker.

If this was 1960, finding 40 Ford convertible parts would probably not be that big a deal but this is 2012 and it may take years for someone with no Internet experience or capability to somehow find the original parts. He's an unfortunate victim of a restoration shop and I am just trying help him get his project back on track and soliciting information to help him make a decision on how to spend his money.

The woody information was useful but probably doesn't make finding original parts any easier:

RE: 2)The exception being '39 convertibles and '39 wagons are the same as are '40 convertibles and '40 wagons.

thanks
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top