MTFCA Forum

Hello
Please review the two pictures attached. See how the trunk has been molded (bondo’d?) into the rear of the body?

It is not a fiberglass body. The body and trunk are both steel. Is it safe to presume that this is the result of an improper “restoration”?

Until I saw the same thing on a FB post today, this car is the only one I have seen like this and I plan to cut it apart and fix it this winter, but now seeing another one I thought I would check to see if I was missing something that I don’t know first.

Thank you in advance.

Wow, that's really cobbled up. No it should not be smoothed over at the seams. Looks like they cut off the flange for the wood trim along the top edge too.

Quinn

If I were faced with this, I'd be inclined to contact the guy on Facebook and ask him if he'd like to own a pair of 'em, or leave it as is and accept it for what it is.

The amount of work I see involved to make this right would lead me to simply look for a better project. The horrors you are going to encounter would be more than I could personally bear.

I do wish you luck. It's not a lost cause if you have the talent and time, and the wallet for the parts you will need...but it is going to be a huge amount of work for little return.

The more you spend to initially buy the car, the cheaper it will cost in the end to make right.

If you have not bought it, DONT! It can be fixed, but would take a lot of work just to get it useable, unless you only want to drive it without the top. It would not ever be a show car, or even a good "unrestored" You would need to know how to cut and weld metal and completely paint the car. The upholstery is not correct either. If all the other parts are there, and running offer maybe 1,000 or less, or else, look for something better. I suspect someone had ideas of putting a big engine in it and making it into some type hybrid car.
Norm

The body is probably rat rod or perhaps speedster material.

Thank you for the replies. That is largely as I suspected.

It is mine, I bought it in spite of its obvious issues and lack of an interior. The seat covering looks like Draperies!

I do have welding/sheet metal skills and a Mig a welder. I also have another ‘26 trunk sans the lid and floor. It has had very little prior repairs. I also have Speedster seats and other related parts as I never intended to get close to original with it.

I also have a set of bed irons in stock and contemplated removing the trunk turning it into a pickup.

So I will think on it some more and do some closer inspection.

Maybe I will just pull the body and build a Speedster out of it.
It starts instantly and drives real nice.

Thanks again.

Maybe even the wrong trunk…

Does anyone know of a good way to get the Bondo off? (Or is it White Star?)

TXGOAT2 wrote: ↑

Fri Dec 09, 2022 2:32 pm

Does anyone know of a good way to get the Bondo off? (Or is it White Star?)

Several variations of using heat - suggest to look at a few before you decide https://www.google.com/search?client=fi ... ving+bondo.

Looks like a cut-off touring body that has been "married" to a trunk.

Because you are thinking about going with a Model T speedster, before going to the trouble of removing the 26 roadster body, think about making it a 26 T Go-Job, as in a late 1930’s low bucks high school hot rod. A mildly worked T engine with high compression flat head and a bigger carburetor, maybe change to 1926 T wire wheels. You can get a hot rod chopped windshield, ( don’t chop a good windshield ) , a 2 1/2 inch drop axel and re-arched rear spring. You can go with or with out fenders depending the look you want.