Fender & splash pan changeover 30 Standard Roadster

Steve_Mack_CT

Steve_Mack_CT

Senior Member
Changing to non welled front fenders and better splash pans/running boards on my roadster. I know to remove steering wheel support before lifting the body. Anything else to look out for? Appreciate any tips -thanks.
 
Steve_Mack_CT said:
Changing to non welled front fenders and better splash pans/running boards on my roadster. I know to remove steering wheel support before lifting the body. Anything else to look out for? Appreciate any tips -thanks.
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  • Take the choke rod loose from the carburetor or you will lift it with the body and bend it.
  • Remove at least the upper floorboard so you don't hang up the starter peg shaft and the accelerator pedal shaft.
  • Be careful you don't smash into the throttle linkage with the firewall, you might want to take it off as a precaution.
  • Remember that the rear fenders are attached to the running boards and the body, so when you lift the body you should disconnect the rear bolts on the running boards first.
  • Be careful you don't stress the wiring harness to the junction box, also to the rear lights.
  • Don't be surprised if the bolts that hold the running board to the running board brackets are frozen. If you keep turning them you will destroy the slot in the running board bracket that they fit in. Last time I did this job I had to cut two of the eight off with a cutting torch.
 
Radiator to firewall support rods. Hood.
Rear bumper brackets from rear body subframe crossmember.

Raise slowly and check often that nothing is binding. Good luck.
 
Wait a minute.Back up a little.You only need to jack that body up 1/4 inch.The only thing I would be concerned about is the steering column.You're not picking it up 3 or 3 inches,you only need to take the weight off so you can slide the aprons out.You MAY have to pick up a little more than a quarter inch in a spot or two if those funny little flat head bolts are positioned under a subframe flange,but I can't recall ever having to do that.Also,the body really is up off the frame except for the body block positions and the front cowl feet.One thing I learned many years ago was to remove the front fender brace off the car.If you remove it you can slide the fender and splash aprons off as one unit,straight out until everything clears the body.Two floor jacks,and really only finger pressure on the handles to raise that body.You might not even feel resistance when jacking,so go slow.Just do one side at a time,it really is an easy job.
 
I do believe there are two Very Flat Dome Headed bolts that hold the Splash Aprons to the frame! Maybe 1/4" - 5/16" .
 
And doh - don’t forget to remove the spare tire arms from the frame before you try to install the new splash aprons. If the drivers side came from the factory with welled fender then the spare arm may be riveted to the frame, so you may need to drill or grind the rivets off.

Big thing is to take it slow and continually look for things being stretched, bent, folded or mutilated, and fix those before continuing.
 
Right,you won't get anywhere without removing the spare tire arm first.Nothing will move with that in the way.But,just the bracket is riveted or bolted to the frame,not the arm itself.On a 28 or a 29 the arm drops down verticaly through the top of the apron,and down into the socket with the nut on the bottom.On the 30-31 the arm goes through the SIDE of the apron,and into a socket horizontally with the nut on the inside of the frame rail.Both types use tapered sockets,and it can be a real bear getting the arms out of them if they are rusted at all.I have changed 15-20 engines for others in my shop over the last 20 years,and if they had nicely painted fenders I removed them first.On the 30's I would have to take a few body bolts out to slide the front section out.I've used wooden and nylon wedges before.You're really not jacking the body up,just kind of relieving the pressure on the body blocks.
 
Keith True said:
Right,you won't get anywhere without removing the spare tire arm first.Nothing will move with that in the way.But,just the bracket is riveted or bolted to the frame,not the arm itself.On a 28 or a 29 the arm drops down verticaly through the top of the apron,and down into the socket with the nut on the bottom.On the 30-31 the arm goes through the SIDE of the apron,and into a socket horizontally with the nut on the inside of the frame rail.Both types use tapered sockets,and it can be a real bear getting the arms out of them if they are rusted at all.I have changed 15-20 engines for others in my shop over the last 20 years,and if they had nicely painted fenders I removed them first.On the 30's I would have to take a few body bolts out to slide the front section out.I've used wooden and nylon wedges before.You're really not jacking the body up,just kind of relieving the pressure on the body blocks.
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Thanks for expanding on that, Keith.
 
Thanks guys! Keith I want the look you have - appreciate the advice.

Sidemount hardware is bolted to the frame. Not sure if I am undoing someone's addition circa 1965...

Ronn, the issue is I am not over invested enough. Pursuit of a cleaner look started with adding a clean original plain radiator cap and took off from there... ;-)
 
Steve,it sounds like your car started life as a Standard Roadster.If it was a Deluxe it would have had the bracket riveted to the drivers side frame rail.Round speedo or oval speedo? If it has an oval speedo it would have been made in June or earlier. The Deluxe came out in August,When you see a Deluxe with an oval speedo it means the car was Deluxified in the past,or somebody changed the gas tank and had to use the oval speedo.As one A guy put it years ago,has said there are probably more Deluxe A's running around than were made new.EVERYBODY Deluxified the Roadsters years ago.
 
Keith 100%. Car had a Deluxe top but Standard windshield and most other standard features. I suspect DSM and some other accesories were added.

Early 30 w oval speedo. We have had him for 10 or 11 years now and done a ton of mechanical work. This won't be a show car but a lot of fun to tinker with. I am trying to de-clutter a bit & get a sportier look if that makes sense. Again appreciate all the tips here.

Steve
 
Steve_Mack_CT said:
Keith 100%. Car had a Deluxe top but Standard windshield and most other standard features. I suspect DSM and some other accesories were added.

Early 30 w oval speedo. We have had him for 10 or 11 years now and done a ton of mechanical work. This won't be a show car but a lot of fun to tinker with. I am trying to de-clutter a bit & get a sportier look if that makes sense. Again appreciate all the tips here.

Steve
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Lots of "restorers" in the past glammed up their projects. My "restored" '31 true Town Sedan (not an upgraded Fordor, fortunately) came to me with added dual side mounts, spare wheel covers and stainless tire surround bands, bud vases, a kinda-sorta working AM tube radio and a bunch of other crap. Also came to me with a clogged radiator, dry and binding steering box, leaking windshield and roof, overbored engine with significant cylinder lip, and leaking front and rear main seals. I have gotten rid of much of the bling (those side mounts were loose and the covers and surround bands rattled like crazy) and fixed most of the mechanical issues. Simple is better!.
 
It was the thing to do up through the 70's and 80's.You HAD to make Roadsters Deluxe.You HAD to add side mounts,cowl lights,step plates,grille screens,birds on the radiator,rumble seats,luggage racks,dual tail lights,etc.What I heard a lot of years ago from guys that had Deluxe Roadsters with oval speedos was there was a 3 month period the old parts might have been used up.Trying to rationalize how their car could be original,not made over.When I asked a restorer that spent his life doing research on the A,he shook his head.He said,certain single parts,yes.But,for the car on the assembly line it would not have had all the parts needed for the earlier setup.Different tank,speedo,popout switch,instrument panel,speedo cable,and speedo drive on the driveshaft.I'm probably missing a couple.
 
Jay Jay sounds like you saved that car indeed!

This one has been a lot of fun to sort mechanically - fancy for go through everything but the engine. At least it came to me with a great running 29 I believe, engine with cooling, ignition, generator and starter rebuilt. We did front end, steering box & shaft, pedal to wheels brakes, shocks, front spring, exhaust, etc brake, shift tower, pressure plate, clutch and other stuff I am sure I forgot. Going back to solid motor mounts.
So we are down the stocker route so as much as the ancient maroon paint screams highboy I may have to be satisfied with a simple standard with minimal bling and maybe a couple banger goodies under the hood. I want to paint it at some point but we have a couple shiny cars already that keep me busy...
 
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