"36 Coupe Body Questions

[TagMan]

I'm getting ready to start working on the body of my '36 3w and have a couple of questions about the trunk area. The car was partially disassembled when I got it and there were a lot of things missing.

My first question is about the vertical supports on the sides of the trunk that are visable in my first two pics - the one on the passenger's side is curved and the one on the driver's side is straight. The look to be manufactured that way, so my questions is: why? I get nervous when I see things that are non-symetrical from side to side.

My second question concerns the "plates" at the sides of the trunk interior - what is the purpose of the several small hols in the panels?

Thanks for any enlightenment you can give me,
-Bob

 

[296 V8]

The brace?
Im sure should be strait …. mine is (early 35)

The holes are there on mine also … im sure someone here knows

Nice orig floors BTW

 

[blueovalbob]

the braces should be straight. No answer on the extra holes, they are unused on mine.

 

[V8COOPMAN]

I get nervous when I see things that are non-symetrical from side to side.

Thanks for any enlightenment you can give me,
-Bob

The enclosed pic might be a more-extreme example of "non-symmetrical". DD

 

[Willit Stop]

Mine has straight braces and all the holes.Don't know why.

 

[Don Rogers]

The 2 braces should be straight...See enclosed photos. Also some of the extra holes are for upholstery and for the rumble lid bumper bracket if the car has a rumble seat.

 

[296 V8]

You could keep it like it is … to fit that one extra gallon of moonshine

 

[flatheadfan]

This is just a guess but, I am not so sure the passenger brace is "wrong." During '35 the passenger side of coupes and roadsters had a tool box which was bolted to the brace (which explains the two holes in the brace). Once the box was in place a gap existed between the box and the brace. It appears from your picture that the brace was factory bent inward thereby negating a need for a wooden spacer between the box and the brace. I suspect the brace you have probably was a carry-over part from '35.

Tom

 

[Don Rogers]

There was no gap between the toolbox and the brace. It was bolted directly to the brace as is shown in the enclosed photos and provided its primary support. I still vote for a straight brace.

 

[Randy in ca]

My early '35 3W has "bent" braces on BOTH SIDES which are symmetrical and appear very much to be factory formed, as does your right side one. I'll post some pictures later.

 

[TagMan]

Hmmm... my coupe is an early '36, so it may well have been some kind of 'carry-over' from 1935. I looked at the 'bent' brace again carefully and it sure looks factory to me. No hint of damage or intentional bending after manufacter. Just looking at it, I don't think I could straighten it out and still have it fit. Also, there's no body distortion in that area - the body is super straight.

Maybe the assembly guys had some of the old braces mixed in with the newer, straight braces and just installed whatever they grabbed ???

 

[Randy in ca]

So I checked the braces on my '35 3W body this afternoon and took a couple of pictures. They are shaped somewhat different than your right side one is, as you can see in the pictures. It's very hard to visualize that the ones on my body didn't come from the factory like that - there's no hint of a kink, crack, crease, ripple, etc. anywhere. Both sides are the same distance from the wheelwell (about 1.5" at the closest point). Like yours, this body is very straight and it's hard to visualize anything other than the braces being way to long if one where to attempt to straighten them out.

 

[Uptown83]

I had a mid year 35 5w and both of my braces are straight.

 

[Planojc]

I would leave it like it is since the body is straight. The bent one looks factory made.

 

[Firepower flyer]

I checked both of my cars for you and they are both straight.One is a 35 5 window coupe 100% untouched and my 36 3 window is a project car.I do not no if they are early or late built cars.
Joe

 

[keith oh]

If anybody would like to have a wood toolbox such as the one pictured in Don Rodgers thread I have a new repo. and also a original one which is in real good shape. The repo. was built useing the original one as a pattern and is very nice.

 

[blucar]

I find this tread to be very interesting.. Here's why;
I have owned my '36 Ford coupe for over 61 years.. I am the second owner of the car. My coupe has the accessory tool box over the right rear fender, The support "strut/brace" is perfectly flat just like the left strut/brace. The recess in the brace is for the two bolts that secure the tool box.
Many years ago, probably forty plus, I read an article about the accessory tool boxes. The box reputedly was intended for cars equipped with rumble seats.. The box was available either left or right..
Since the majority of the accessories available for the Early Fords were dealer installed, including rumble seats, I believe they were a $25. extra when dealer installed.. The question about why my car has a tool box is probably the result of the original owner wanting the tool box in lieu of having the tools floating around the trunk..
Several years ago I checked with LeBaron-Bonney about purchasing new upholstery for my car.. I sent them a swatch from under the armrest for sample color and type. I also inquired about finish panels for the trunk area.. I was asked if my car had the trunk tool box, I replied it did, I was then asked if the box was on the right or left?

 

[TJ]

That curved brace looks factory to me. I once saw a late 35 roadster the had two different cowl panels. One panel was smooth like a 35 and the other side had the stamped X in it like the 36. There was no evidence that either panel had been changed at any time.

 

[FlatheadTed]

Since the brace had to support the rumble side Upholstery and the tool box it needs to be straight ,I have seen several of these in 34 and 35 bent due to forcing stuff into the trunk .

 

[Hank the 36]

WOW, I love this detective work !! I learn so much.