32 Ford 5 W Coupe..Body to Frame Question

G

Gordon Ellis

Member
When I removed the body from the frame years ago, I found 6 small rectangular ,belt-like shims laying on top of the frame webbing. I carefully put them aside until some future time. That time is now. Two of the shims were about 5/16 in. thick, two about 3/16 in. thick, and the other two about an 1/8 in. thick. A reference in the Barn archives suggests that the thickest ones go over the two frame-to-body holes at the rear of the frame, the next thickest ones over the holes second from the rear, and the thinnest over the third holes from the rear. Is this correct? My memory fails me.

David G makes no mention of these shims in his exhaustive, excellent two volume book on 32's. That could mean that these shims were unique to this particular car. This is a Canadian built coupe.

Thanks in advance for any feedback.
 
I'm going to say those shims were probably used to get door belt alignment. Others will chime in I'm sure and educate both of us.
Paul in CT
 
Gordon,

If you download the "additions and corrections" starting in the left hand column of the Club's home page, you will find the reference to the shims. Most '32 passenger car bodies have two reinforced rubber shims on each side, but the number evidently varied by body type, just as did the number of body-to-frame attachments.

1931 flamingo,

While it sounds like they must be something of an afterthought (and they may have been), if they are left out, there will be door fit problems as they were originally used on all '32 passenger cars (at least those built or manufactured in North America).
 
Ford might have omitted the rubber shims on early cars, only to discover body cracks resulting from body being bolted directly to a very flexible frame. The rubber shims would allow a little give when frame twisted... I don't have any verification, of course, just thinking out loud.
 
Greetings

Are the corrections to the two volumn 32 Ford book? If so, how do you access them?

I have put my 5 window back on the frame but have not tightened all the frame attaching bolts. Would be interested in finding out if I need additional shims. Incidently, I didn't know about the rear mount shim and spring until I read it in the books.

jack
 
Please see my 2-21-12 post above to access the additions and corrections to the book on the V-8 Club website.
 
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