New Fordbarn

[roadster31]

Good morning Fordbarners! Hey, I'm well pleased with the "New Fordbarn" it looks like even I can post photos -- even spell-check, font, pitch, and color change! Here goes a photo attempt: --- OK, well I might have to rethink the easy part. I have a new Brookville Roadster body that I bought from Brent, I had them put in an indented firewall and late 31 gas tank. I have restored a couple of Model A's in the past but they were only engine, brakes, paint and interior. This one I'm puting together from scratch so I have a thousand pieces and questions: Is it best to put the body on the blocks and frame to pre-fit all the parts? The doors need to be adjusted and a few other things like changing a few transition profiles. The body is on a rotisserie now with a fresh coat of metal prep and epoxy primer. Should I make an extension for the Rotisserie to include the frame? And a special thank you to everyone present and past that made the Fordbarn possible Regards, Elmer LaBrash

 

[Mitch//pa]

the front fenders go under the body and bolt to the frame so i would mount the front fenders up first and then mount the body to the frame. then fit your doors and so forth. by mounting the body to the frame will eliminate any body flex you may have so you can align the other items properly...

 

[roadster31]

OK, thanks Mitch

 

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

A) Is it best to put the body on the blocks and frame to pre-fit all the parts?
B) The doors need to be adjusted and a few other things like changing a few transition profiles. The body is on a rotisserie now with a fresh coat of metal prep and epoxy primer. Should I make an extension for the Rotisserie to include the frame?

A) Yes, ...after it has been straightened.

B) Not to do the bodywork. Just the pre-fit.


BTW, Mitch might be thinking about a '30 fender which is easy to confuse, but in reality, your later front fenders will bolt to one-piece body aprons. Naturally you want to fit the fender to the apron, but the apron is all that needs to be under the body.

.

 

[Marco Tahtaras]

The body is on a rotisserie now with a fresh coat of metal prep and epoxy primer.

Hi Elmer,

What type of epoxy primer? If it is similar to PPG DP products then it should be recoated with SOMETHING, often a primer surfacer within the specified recoat period which is usually something less than one week. If it's too late for that then follow the guidelines specified for your epoxy primer to make the best of the situation.

Is it best to put the body on the blocks and frame to pre-fit all the parts?

I assume Brent has experience with the Brookville bodies so I'd listen to him on this. However with even the best original stuff there are often problems or at least desired refinements that can only be identified and repaired before paint so pre-assembly is a must in those situations.

 

[roadster31]

Brent, Marco, thanks for the useful information. The primer and metal prep are both PPG: DP50LF epoxy primer, DX579 cleaner, and DX520 prep. I know I'll have to re-sand and re-coat the DP50LF prior to using a hi-build sandable primer on the original tank and firewall -- but if my memory is correct I'll have to go over the DP50LF with a primer surfacer or the epoxy primer can lift when I put the sandable primer on. This is going to be a great project, it is nice working on a body not full of Minnesota trim (rust) there is more than enough of that on the rest of the parts. Thanks again, EL

 

[Barry B./ Ma.]

Elmer I put a new Brookville roadster body on my late 30 chassis a year or two back and I sure would recommend mounting with blocks and pads to the frame and shimming to get the doors working right. I kept my body on the shipping 2x6s until I transferred it to the frame.