What are these holes for?

C

c277687

Junior Member
I'm getting ready to install the top on my leatherback Vicky. See picture:

1) What are the red circled holes for? They measure ~ 3/16"
2) Do I nail down the top sheet metal thru the small holes in blue?
 

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What I know about putting a top on a 1931 Vicky wouldn't fill a thimble but I do know that all of the model A cars with the wood structure top (no sheet metal), which covers about all the coupes & sedan models, have some form of wire netting and heavy overlay to cover that large opening. The wire netting or chicken wire (whatever you want to call it) is generally tacked or stappled to the wood bows of the opening only. A layer of burlap material is generally used to pad the wire netting the another layer of heavy muslin material is placed over that. I'm not sure if the burlap is extended out to the metal recess or not but I know that the muslin would be. Some cars may just use the muslin but I don't know. It just depends on how it all lays out to keep the top flat all the way back to the valance or roof covering attachment at the rear of the top before the padding layer and the roof covering material are laid out. The cloth covering would be tacked down through those holes to keep it firm and tight but not too tight. A person wants it to stay nice and flat up there. If there is a ripple anywhere on there it will likely be detectable by a keen eye for such things. Most cars used a molding around there but that wouldn't work well with a leather back type. Any moldings would go around the outer edges of the final layer of top material to keep it tight and flat.

Hopefully another forum member with experience on the victoria body can help you further and confirm my statements here.
 
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Thanks Benson but this is beyond the point where I'm at. I need to secure the top sheet metal to the rails. Thank you for the link. I haven't been able to get to Marcos site for some reason.

Brad
 
Brad
Look in the January 1931 Service bulletins there is a large writeup on replacing the Victoria top. Also, MAFCA's new Victoria Body book has some information on installing the top.

The following is a portion of an article in the Victoria Association Bustle

Step 8 - When everything is properly fitted and clamped into place, you can attach the top ribs to the top inner rails with #10 x 1" countersunk screws. Attach the rear cross bow to the left and right outer rails by drilling pilot holes up through the outer rails into the cross bow, then install two #10 x 2" flat head wood screws. On the original installation, the inner rails were attached to the top side metal panels with special large flat head nails.
 
That's it! Thanks Bill. I thought there had to be special nails for the metal panels. Looks like I'll fit the panels with flat head screws.

Brad
 
Get all the recommended information and study it. If anything protrudes up from level on a covered top, it will be visible after the covering goes on. Flat head screws aren't all that flat and countersunk screws have to have a countersink recess to keep them good and flush.

Ford manufactured things pretty well to get excellent fit and finish which is remarkable considering the cost of these vehicles in their time. They may have been low priced but they were made to look good and last a long time. All these old cars are a Ford family legacy that is going to be around for more than a few lifetimes.
 
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