LeBarron Bonney

Big Shark

Big Shark

Senior Member
I have an issue with my door panels on my 37 tudor sedan. Some of the holes that the clips pop in don't line up. I tried to contact LeBarron Bonney today, three times and left messages. Also e-mailed. Not able to contact a human. Anyone have any ideas? Or similar problems with panels? Bruce
 
been said on here that LB was sold and is/has been moved to maine. I had a hard time getting my order from them last winter, so much that I have not even installed the kit I had finally gotten from them. I guess Lee Atherton is rolling in his grave.
 
They have a space at Hershey this week. Could possibly be why your not getting an answer.


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I have the same issue with my 35 2door. Now I have a bulge along both door panels right where the creases run Parallel to garnish moldings. They screwed up with the holes around the door latches.

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I had the same problem with the door panels on my 36 coupe. Also, the side quarter window panels are not correct. Their quality sure has suffered. I have their 33 tudor interior and am dreading starting on it.
 
Chuck, I don't know when you ordered and received your '33 interior but the bottom holes on my door panels were off (1/4 " to high).I eventually made them work by fooling with the clips.I called and made them aware of that issue.I bought my interior in Nov 2016.Here is a pic of the panels installed.Still having problems lining up the middle bottom screws on the rear side garnish moldings.
 

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I ordered mine in 2015. I also had similar problems with a 1932 roadster interior 4 years ago and had a top for a 31 roadster that was too short and had to be replaced. My Dad and I used their interiors in the 1960's and 70's and never had these problems.
 
Because of inevitable wear and tear on patterns and variations in body components, especially wood-framed doors such as on '33-36 open cars, I learned a long time ago to order the panel cardboard pieces first, fit them to the doors and quarter panels, and then send them back for either replacement with an oversized panel or trimming and then the addition of the padding and upholstery material. That practice saves a lot of time and avoids disappointments. To expect a perfect fit from a kit when no two bodies are absolutely identical in all respects is unrealistic.


Ford recognized this when it built the cars by specifying that certain upholstery and top fasteners not be installed in accordance with the dimensions on the engineering drawings, but rather were to be installed in the assembly plants to fit the actual hole placement in the individual bodies.
 
I talked to the people at Hershey and a message clearing up all the rumors will be coming out soon. Only the custom work has been moved to Maine, they are still at the same facility.
 
The problems reported are not for open cars or wood framed doors. The second top they sent for the 29 roadster fit well without us returning the first one. They need to clean up their act.
 
My comments apply equally to closed car panels as well, based on four of them that I've restored using LeBaron Bonney upholstery. They have had some problems admittedly, but they are working diligently to sort them out.
 
I have seen the videos of their facility under what ever ownership was there 10-years ago or so. They have special computer controlled cutting tables. The panel boards are cut for shape and for clip holes by the computer aided system. The robotic arms do the precision cutting.


I have no idea what kind of variations exist in the various body designs and model years of the early Ford automobiles but I'm sure some variations exist. It sound like they need to do an audit of their program patterns and make sure that they haven't been compromised. There is also a chance of operator error in any machine like that. This stuff really can speed manufacture up but accuracy is all in the art of set up for the patterns. If their product is inaccurate then they need to fix it.

I've made my own panel boards since no one makes stuff for the mid century Mercury cars unless it is a convertible and the thick stuff is not easy to punch holes into. I would love to have the equipment that they have but it's too rich for my blood. I would buy LeBarron Bonney if they made stuff for the cars I have.
 
DavidG said:
Because of inevitable wear and tear on patterns and variations in body components, especially wood-framed doors such as on '33-36 open cars, I learned a long time ago to order the panel cardboard pieces first, fit them to the doors and quarter panels, and then send them back for either replacement with an oversized panel or trimming and then the addition of the padding and upholstery material. That practice saves a lot of time and avoids disappointments. To expect a perfect fit from a kit when no two bodies are absolutely identical in all respects is unrealistic.


Ford recognized this when it built the cars by specifying that certain upholstery and top fasteners not be installed in accordance with the dimensions on the engineering drawings, but rather were to be installed in the assembly plants to fit the actual hole placement in the individual bodies.
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Dave, like you, I have done this very same thing. Even with doors sans any wood, it is, in my opinion, unreasonable to think that all doors were created equal.

Guys need to remember (I know you understand) that these were low priced vehicles manufactured on a massive scale.

Convertible tops? If and when I have purchased one, I never, and I mean NEVER have the snaps installed for the same reason noted prior...
 
DavidG said:
My comments apply equally to closed car panels as well, based on four of them that I've restored using LeBaron Bonney upholstery. They have had some problems admittedly, but they are working diligently to sort them out.
Click to expand...

Dave,
I am in the same camp as you - LB is in fact working very hard to maintain / restore their great reputation.
 
In spoke with the new owner at Hershey and he assured me he was working hard to keep up the GOOD name the Co. had. I tried to express that COMMUNICATION was VERY important. ""He is working on it."" I was told. KERK
 
When we encounter problems in matching door panel clips, it is usually due to the panels having been replaced at some time with non-stock items. If you are using the pop-in two legged style clips, you have to drill corresponding holes in the door frame.
 
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