Early 30 Pickup Floorboard Quandry

D

Daddysearly30pickup

Member
I purchased floorboard for pickup with emergency brake to right of shifter.
Size is perfect, however only the 2 screw holes closest to the seat base line up. Holes on each side are off as much as 1/2".

Vendor spent a while on the phone, graciously checking their inventory and verified screw holes in all floorboards their inventory were the same, and screw hole locations provided match what I received. Very nice and helpful.

The side holes in the boards provided are 2 1/2" from the front edge and 3 3/4" from the rear edge. Measuring the threaded holes in the cab floor, mine need to be 3" from the front and 3 1/2" from the rear.

Holes need to be moved so little they will likely veer off into existing holes when re-drilled.

Wondering if anyone has experienced similar and how they addressed this?

Thanks
 
I experienced this similar problem with my '36 Ford pickup. I went underneath the truck and drilled a pilot hole up through all of the holes that could be reached from below. The ones that were block from below access, I went from the top side and measured over to where they should be and drilled a small pilot hole hoping that I would line up with the screw holes. Once located in the wood floor board, I them drilled them to the proper size as needed.
 
Try this, cut off The heads off screws and put the shafts in the holes in the sub rails.
Leave them proud so when you locate the floor board the exact location of each screw is transferred. Then drill your holes. You could then dowel the incorrect holes to fill them in.
That is how I drilled the floor boards I made, I think I learned there was no set pattern for the hole layout, must have been a random thing.
 
I had the problem with my 29 truck. With mine, all were OK except the forward screw on the bottom panel on each side was 1 1/2" off. All others were OK. The forward top panel was the best as to hole location.
 

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The floor board holes are different between the 82A and 82B cabs.
Click to expand...
This true but more accurately said between the 1928-29 style bodies and the 30-31 bodies.

The reason for the "May" date range is that the 82A body "continued on" into partial 1930 model year, taking on attributes of the 30-31 style as it transitioned. Such as the flatter 30-31 steering wheel, 1930 style gas cap on a 28-29 style tank, and possibly even wheels and front bumpers from the newer style.

Earlier floorboards TEND to be the "Linderman Construction" made up of dovetailed pieces of hardwood. Later floorboards tend to be plywood.

Good write up of Floorboard attributes in volume 6 "How To Restore Your Model A" by Restorer Magazine p. 36 The Ford drawing A-35131-D they show indicates 1' - 2-7/16" for the distance in question and the drawing is revision 16282 dated 6-2-30 - which SHOULD be the later version floorboard.

More or less confirmed at Neil Mylar's article at https://aafordscom.ipage.com/aafords-pdf/body-floor-boards.pdf

Fractional notation dimensional tolerances are very frequently +- 1/16 inch.

Joe K
 
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Many years ago I was riding with a friend in his Model A when his battery which was not bolted with corner clamps moved and the cable shorted and a fire resulted. His floorboards were screwed down. We had to find a screw driver and after tearing up the floor mat unscrewed the floorboards The damage was severe but not the end of life for the car. Ever since that day I have never screwed my front floor boards down. I have always used original floorboards with the edge trimming intact. They drop into place quite tight, no rattles, no squeaks and the battery is easy to access. That under the floor fire is still clear in my mind.
 
I made a set for my '31 AA from measurements supplied in the drawing from the 'aafords' page mentioned above. When it came time to drill the holes for the screws, I ran short screws in from the bottom, and put some paint on the ends of the screws that faced up.
After putting some small scraps of the edge webbing on the boards to give spacing, I carefully put the boards in place, and leaned on them a bit.
I drilled the holes in the drill press to keep them straight, and countersunk the topside for the cup washers with a cone shaped countersink bit from the hardware store.
I did a little countersinking at a time until the washers fit flush.
 
I got the floorboards for my early 30 pickup from Mac's. (Part # A35130/31B) Snyder's also lists the same part number. The holes matched up and are 3" from the front and 3 1/2" from the rear as you described.
 
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