What to look for - Slant window fordor?

[nkaminar]

Nice original heater. Try to restore that. The coolant powered heaters are really nice on a cold winter's day. The original spare tire lock is nice too. I have a ball valve in the coolant line to my heater so that I can turn off the hot coolant to the heater in the summer.

 

[Charlie Stephens]

One thing I've found out - the aftermarket fender well inserts are apparently a slightly different shape than the originals (we had that discussion here some months ago) and not all tires fit smoothly into them. From what I've been able to tell on the two 30/31 cars I've had with aftermarket fender wells, Goodyears (which are a true 4.75x19) fit, but Firestones and a lot of others (which are 4.75/5.00x19) don't - you have to deflate them to get them in, and if you then inflate them you can't get them out. I haven't tried the new radials but typically radials have a softer sidewall so I suspect they won't fit either. I was originally going to do just as Charlie describes on my '30 restoration but decided to keep the rear spare and put the trunk rack on the extended mount.

It is good that you mentioned the problem with the fender well inserts. Maybe a "wanted" ad here and on HAMB (https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/forums/wanted.30/) would turn up an original fender. I mention HAMB since the street rod guys don't like fender wells.

The fender mounted spare on my '31 RDPU is too wide for the well. I let the air out and carry a tire pump in case I need to use it.

Charlie Stephens

 

[ronn]

good point Charlie


they dont like them because they hide the spruced up engines..........

 

[JayJay]

It is good that you mentioned the problem with the fender well inserts. Maybe a "wanted" ad here and on HAMB (https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/forums/wanted.30/) would turn up an original fender. I mention HAMB since the street rod guys don't like fender wells.

The fender mounted spare on my '31 RDPU is too wide for the well. I let the air out and carry a tire pump in case I need to use it.

Charlie Stephens

There is a photo floating around taken inside an assembly plant (maybe the paint area) showing a bunch of original well fenders hanging. That picture shows the sort of oblong shape of the original fender wells, while the aftermarket wells are straight sides - narrower. Here (https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=320053) is a discussion we had a few months ago on this.

 

[Chris in WNC]

Do not move the spare to the fenders.
Makes engine access more difficult and does not look as nice as a rear spare!
Sidemounts were one of the few things I did NOT like about our slant.

Slant Fordor has plenty of easy cargo access in the back seat unless most of your driving is done with 4 passengers. If you MUST have a trunk, find an original Kari-Keen or McGuyver a spare mount on the rear of the trunk.

My take on this: restore the mechanicals, seal the roof covering, touch up the paint, replace individual interior components only if totally worn out and drive it as is.

This is the find of a lifetime at a great price!

 

[NH-A]

I don't plan on putting any spare tire wells in, I think they look ugly. That's one reason I liked this one in particular, it's untouched and exactly how it left the factory, besides the heater. I should be getting it tomorrow and will post a new thread and provide lots of photos.