60 year project

J

Jrobbins

Junior Member
My father bought his first car in 1955 it is a 30 Model A Roadster and he still owns it.

His health is deteiorating so i want to get this done for him. I am getting it ready to be painted for him so order of assembly is what I need to know.

Fenders are painted already.

Doors have been professionally done and in primer.

Body is in primer and just setting on body blocks on frame because the rear quarter needs to be worked.

Do I have my body man work the quarter panels them install floor or do i install the floor panels first.
 
I it was me I would put the floor panels in first so he can connect the quarter panels and floor panels together. You really don't won't to beat on thing after you paint it. my 2 cents. Welcome to the Ford Barn.
 
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The body, including doors, were placed on a complete running gear consisting of sheet metal like the front fenders, splash aprons etc.
 

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I agree,

I would repair sub-rails as necessary and install the floor.

Then have the body man carry on with his work.

Good luck with your project.

Post progress reports.

Chris W.
 
Pictures before going to body shop.
 

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John, it is easy for me to say this as my advice will come across as a conflict of interest but IMHO, you need to seek the guidance of a professional Model-A restorer who understands what to do. That body has had 30 year old Arthur Howell patch panels installed, and the inner fenderwells are not even put in correctly. The shapes are incorrect, and all it will do by using them is create grief later on trying to get things to align. Originally the floor pans were installed using bucked rivets. The strength and the aesthetics using bucked rivets over screws is tremendous. The strength of properly installing the fender panels will be a plus too. Adding to that, spending money to have professional paintwork over incorrectly-shaped panels will likely haunt the car for a long time.
 
In the same vein as Brent, "Do it right, do it once."
If you're like me, if something is not right, it would bug the heck out of me till I give in and do it properly at likely great cost and inconvenience. As I say - the car is close to 90 years old. What difference will a few weeks make?
 
Planned on getting the rivets from snyders and bucking them in. The guy doing the work has a 4x rivet gun.

What inner fender panels would you recommend and is it the half moon shape that is wrong?

I love in a town called Waco, Texas don't think I've ever seen a model a here. I know my dad has a club about an hour away.
 
Planned on getting the rivets from snyders and bucking them in. The guy doing the work has a 4x rivet gun.

What inner fender panels would you recommend and is it the half moon shape that is wrong?

I love in a town called Waco, Texas don't think I've ever seen a model a here. I know my dad has a club about an hour away.
 
Jrobbins said:
Planned on getting the rivets from snyders and bucking them in. The guy doing the work has a 4x rivet gun.

What inner fender panels would you recommend and is it the half moon shape that is wrong?

I love in a town called Waco, Texas don't think I've ever seen a model a here. I know my dad has a club about an hour away.
Click to expand...


Yes, there are, --or at least have been quite a few Model-A's from the Waco/West, Texas area. I have restored a couple of cars for folks in the Round Rock and Georgetown area. I think there are several cars in the Temple/Belton area too. Austin has a strong club also. Also, there is a restorer friend of mine in College Station who has a reputation for doing nice work. I don't think Ross does sheetmetal & bodywork though, but he probably has a good handle on who does.

With regard to the inner fender panel, they lapped it over the outside of the body which pushes the fender out away from the body. In addition, the body sill has a couple of "jogs" along the edge however yours are just straight. This causes shock absorber arm interference. Also, the panel needs to be butt-welded into the quarter panel to provide the proper strength of the quarter, AND it needs to follow the contour of the sill and be crimped under the sill and properly spot-welded so that it will be strong. All of this keeps the doors shutting properly and the deck door fitting the quarters. Remember, the frame is not that strong on these cars, and the only way to have rigidity in the body is for it to be correctly assembled.

As far as the panel goes, when you compare the "crow's foot" shape of your panel to an original panel, you will see the beading is incorrect in dimension, shape, and location. The closest proper fitting panel comes from Antique Auto Sheetmetal in Brookville, OH. I will also suggest to you that a 4X rivet gun is too harsh on those pan rivets. It will not compact the rivet but merely flatten it in the waffling. You need to use a 2X gun on that rivet. John, I trust you realize I am not being critical, but merely trying to keep you from experiencing heartache later on in these areas.
 
I appreciate all the advise that you have given and plan on taking it to heart. I will try to find someone in the Waco area to get some advise from.

I do notice now that the drivers inner fender is different than the other side, I am planning on buying a reproduction for a roadster for the drivers side. I also have to buy a floor pan to go under the front seat riser.

Would you happen to have any pictures of how it should be crimped under the sill?

I have spent a lot of time studying your website and admire the work you do.

Thank you
 
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