What do you think - Running Board Step Plates Yes/No

B

billybronco1

Well-known member
Seems most pictures of these old Model A's have the step plates mounted to the running boards. I think they look good and add a little enhancement. My car (1931 Coupe) does not have these step plates and I was thinking of adding them. It does have the Ford plate on the door sills inside - what do you think?
 
Personally I've gone back and forth on this question, got my first A a couple months ago and thought that they step plates looked pretty cool.

After doing some research it appears to me that these were more popular back in the day on the 28's and 29's, I have a 30 DLX Coupe, so they were probably not original to my car year.

The biggest factor for me is this is a pretty permanent change to her, once you drill the holes in the running boards to mount them those holes are there forever. If you decide later you don't like them anymore at minumum you are ripping up the rubber, patching the holes and replying new rubber....a little to permanent for me.

That said my vote is no step plates.
 
Mine came to me with the step plates already installed, so that's the way it's going to stay. I doubt that I would have installed them myself had they not been there. They do look nice and serve a purpose though.
 
my stock '29 coupe does not need them due to the rubber on the RB, My '29 pickup does not have them and no protection but the paint on the RB, which with a few coats of clear over it has stood up very good. No plans to add them
 
I do not care for them, my sedan came with step plates installed so they are still on there.

Mike
 
31Abone said:
No,they look bad as do white walls..keep car as it was off assy line.
Click to expand...

I tend to agree - but what of the trucks with the embossed diamond plate pattern - which is particularly prone to "wear through."

And for a truck the current version of step plates look "woosified."

Maybe something done in REAL diamond plate?

I was going to show a pix of diamond plate available at Home Depot - but I kept getting hung up in ceiling tiles.

Go figure - a non-skid surface you apply to your ceiling - to achieve an "industrial chic" look.

Like you walk on the ceiling?

Sorry. Steam Punk is a fad. Or envy of a previous age untempered by knowledge of what that age REALLY was.

Joe K
 
What does Rootleib get for a pair od reproduction runningboards? Do you enjoy distroying that investment? Bob
 
"I tend to agree - but what of the trucks with the embossed diamond plate pattern - which is particularly prone to "wear through."

as stated above I have no problems with the embossed RB on my '29 PU, I do not wear anything but sneakers or leather soled shoes and wear was very slight, I put some clear coat with hardner in it and they are standing up very well, maybe if I had a bunch of gangsters riding on them shooting Thompson sub-machine guns I would reconsider..
 
I think they enhance the car and they look good with Whitewalls which I also like. There should be lots for sale used because I am sure the people that don't like them will remove them from their cars and sell them very cheap or give them away. Obviously they won't leave something on the car that they don't like !
Wayne
 
I too have recently been wrestling with this question.

In 1963, when I got my first car, a 1928 Chevrolet Sport Coupe, it had factory 'Chevrolet' step plates on it. Later on, when I got my '32 Pontiac Dlx. Sport Coupe, it too had factory (dealer ?) installed "Pontiac" step plates.
In 1964, when I got my 1928 Ford Phaeton, it too had a step plate (only one) on the Driver's entrance.

This was all LONG before there were any 'Parts Houses', and before there were any reproduction parts being made - such as the now ubiquitious "Ford" enblemed Step Plate (which never existed prior to 'repro.' manufacturing, about 1970 or so).

In those days (late '50's and 1960's) I really liked all the various and assorted accessories that the cars, including Ford, had on them - all a 'statement' that reflected both the car's owner, and the car's use. And I added several myself - any thing that was made and available in the 1920's and '30's.

One of the things I began collecting were original (1920-'34) Step Plates, both unique ones, and as complete sets. I still have that collection. It is from this collection of vintage 1920's step plates that I and wrestling with - do I insall or not .

One of the problems with having a low-milage car that was restored for fine point blue ribbon MAFCA/MARC judging, is that I had to stip off all of my original accessories. Now that forty years have passed since it was a "Show Car", and I have in those forty years, gotten used to the car without ANY accessories, including the car's original (1928) step plate - I lack the courage to "drill" a hole into a pristine running board.

But I want, and would like to have once again, my original 1928 Step plates back on the car. For me the question would be easily answered - YES ! - . . . . IF I did not have to drill holes in the running board. You can only be a 'virgin' once.

If I had reproduction running boards, I would not hesitate. I would put them on (as I have done on my late '31 Dlx Coupe).

- Doug Vieyra, Eureka, Calif - RAIN today - finally !
 
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This is kind of like asking if you like black coffee. To each his own. The only thing I could add was already mentioned above. My huckster has painted RB. They tend to loose the paint after awhile. So maybe it would be something to consider under these conditions.
 
All a matter of choice; my Model A does not have them, if my A was more dressed up with whitewall tires etc. I might think it would match the look of my car... I like my car looking like a poor man's Model A... just my cup of tea....
 
The only embellishment I like are white walls but even then not on all model a's, I think black wheeled cars look better without them and I have never been a fan of step plates even though I have installed a coupe sets on other peoples cars that want them.

Do what you want with it in the end your the only one that needs to be happy.
 
Chief always turned them around so you could use them to scrape MUD off your boots!
Minerva looked "sleek" without them. Vermin came with some old looking ones, if I ever take them off, the tiny holes won't bother me. They have a great "patina" & some of the blue is missing from the oval & I WON'T repaint it.
Bill W.
 
Well yes its like asking how you like your coffee "to each there own" I was more thinking about did the cars having these step plate back in the 1930's probably not for most. Might compare to putting nerf bars on your jeep today some do some don't. Seems the consensus is not to do it - I think I will save my money and go for the original look - thanks for your input.
 
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