MTFCA Forum

The trim that covers the joints on the sedan has nails imbeded in them Whats the solution to replace the nails that have come loose from the body. Somebody must have restored one of these. I want to do a 4 door sedan. Help me with information 1926 T

I believe that the nails coming loose is sign that the wood beneath is no longer sound. I suppose you could put in some new nails, in different locations, or maybe even some wood screws. If they grab, you're good to go, but you would still need to blend them in, (french them), and then repaint.

If the wood is otherwise sound except that the nails have worked loose, you can glue in some match sticks or wood tooth pics and then nail. You could use small flat head screws as well. However, if the wood has rot or termites, you should rebuild the entire wood framework and restore the entire body.
Norm

has anybody restored a four door. I;m not getting much response.I have questions???

If you click on member Don Booth, and read his older posts, he has re wooded many Fordors. His posts are full of expert how toos and great pictures.


Here is one link:


http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/82 ... 1525684013

another Don Booth gem: https://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/5 ... 1475411253

tinner12 wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 03, 2023 7:52 am

has anybody restored a four door. I;m not getting much response.I have questions???

Not sure what more to say about the loose trim. If you have other questions why not go ahead and ask them?

Thank you I will look at these older posts

Tinner, our 27 Fordor is the second one Don did, after doing his own. I have learned from experience, that even kept in dry heated storage, all of the wood is junk in these cars. The original wood was not great quality, and even the best pieces of our car were as dry as a popcorn fart, and about as strong as one. Our car was kept in very good dry storage from 1960 until the restoration in 2013. it needed a complete re-wooding. Anyone who tells you that the wood in a 96 year old car is solid and strong, has themselves fooled.

I guess there are always exceptions to the rule but the all original (except for the red paint) 1926 Fordor I bought in 2004 and sold in 2021 not only had very solid wood, the wood was as hard as a rock! The lucky fellow who bought it and is keeping me informed of his progress is saving thousands of dollars in not having to do anything to the body which is very solid and in total alignment. I don’t this Fordor has ever been out in the rain in its entire 97 years since leaving the assembly line. Jim Patrick

I have been looking at Don Booths cars that he did. What a beautiful job. I have learned a great deal already. Really looking forward to doing mine. Lots of fun hours ahead of me. Even saw the Bill Mullins name from Spokane Wa. Bought some wheels from him about ten years ago for my first T. Thanks everyone for your replies

OK I have looked at the cars Don Booth did. I will refer back to his post as I restore mine. One question I have is how do you reattach the trim that is nailed on around the rear window and across the back below the window. The nails are embeded in a lead or pot metal trim. Do you drill new holes and then fill over the fasteners? See attached pictures. Is Don still here to answer questions? The body pictures are sideways. I dont know how to turn them

I,m trying to ask questions before I take the car apart. Don,t want to back myself in a corner

Well hear you go.

Vernon

with respect, why are you going to take it apart? If you mean the body, I have to tell you that you have chosen absolutely the wrong car to cut your teeth on with respect to replacing the wood. This body style is an enormous undertaking which would give the most seasoned and prudent people pause unless the wood is so bad that the car is coming apart on its own. And even at that, they would simply take a "pass" on the purchase. I believe that Don Booth is not doing these for his personal pleasure cars...they are cars that the owners became too overwhelmed with the scope of the task and went to someone with the skill and experience to pull it off.

my experience has shown that at least 50% of cars "taken apart" by someone new to the hobby end up getting sold for a song and hauled away in the back of several pickups. Don't let that be you.

If you really are up to the task, my hat is off to you...I've rewooded a runabout - a far simpler body. It turned out great, but took a very long time and is a task which I will NEVER undertake again...just isn't my thing. Perhaps it is your life's desire and if so, God Bless you and good luck. It's more work than you can imagine, and whatever you imagine, double it.

There are liquid products that can be applied to old wood to restore most of its strength if it is not too far gone. I don't know anything about these products except that some people have used them on old body wood with some success.

I would NOT take that car apart because of a loose piece of trim.

There are several approaches to refastening the trim piece and dealing with other localized problems that the car may have.

Gluing wooden plugs in stripped screw holes or loose nail or tack holes can make a lasting repair.

Proceeding without caution and patience is sure to cause problems.

Have you driven this car much? Do the doors open and shut well?

Note that the car probably had a few squeaks and rattles when it was brand new.

I am not taking the whole car apart. The metal on the pass rear has come loose with the trim piece from the side window Plus the whole top needs do be replaced. I dont see a problem with that. I did restore a 1926 Nash that I had to replace all the wood in the top. Bows rails etc. I have to replace the wood around the rear window but I have all the pieces, plus I have all the top pcs and new A pillars from Fordwood in Utah. They all came with the car. I have restored a 1924 touring that I made and replaced 75% of the wood. I know its a big project but I will enjoy a challenge. I still wonder how they put the nails in the trim piece?

If the trim piece is aluminum, it probably had holes drilled in it the to put the nails through and into the wood. The steel nails have probably corroded to a very tight fit in the trim piece. They would probably have to be carefully drilled out, then the wood repaired as needed, then nail the trim back on and lightly sand the nail heads smooth. If you've done wood and top work, you can probably deal with it. Some provision to keep water and dust from working in around the trim would be a good thing. I don't know how Ford dealt with that, or if they did.

I would use some type of epoxy or something that would rejuvenate the wood. Reattach the trim pieces and they should hold pretty well . The wood is probably dried out and slowly deteriorating BUT by the looks of the car the wood is still stable enough to last as long as you have the car.
Tearing down a 4 Dr sedan and restoring the wood is not for the faint of heart!!

Open Model T’s are fairly straight forward as far as the wood goes but the closed car body wood and especially the 4 Drs are a work of art. I’m not saying it can’t be done but it will take time and some that have tried it decided to sell their car because of losing interest. And that happens with all T’s when they are torn completely down.

I have the wood temporally installed to make sure it fits.Front window is 1/16 out of square. That can be fixed easy enough. Back doors open and close very nice with good margerines. Now I.ll take it apart and get ready to glue and screw

This is what I started with