MTFCA Forum

I hadn’t bought any T sheet metal form Howells in several years and was just looking at their website to find either they were scammed or something else. If you looked at the catalog they say it’s current and still have T sheet metal and other Ford parts up to 1940. Hopefully they are better than they use to be in turn around time. They appear to be the only supplier that makes the body panels for T’s. I’m in Texas and it would probably be better off to buy the panels in person but you would have to make the order first. And the turn around time??

John kuehn wrote: ↑

Sun Oct 13, 2024 3:21 pm

I hadn’t bought any T sheet metal form Howells in several years and was just looking at their website to find either they were scammed or something else. If you looked at the catalog they say it’s current and still have T sheet metal and other Ford parts up to 1940. Hopefully they are better than they use to be in turn around time. They appear to be the only supplier that makes the body panels for T’s. I’m in Texas and it would probably be better off to buy the panels in person but you would have to make the order first. And the turn around time??

They sell on eBay now. Was discussed earlier. In looking at some sheet metal, I don't see local pickup as an option - may need to contact them
https://www.ebay.com/str/0940fordsheetmetal

Yes I saw that too. Didn’t see a complete line of Ford sheet metal on Ebay but maybe I didn’t look close enough. I think they make the parts when needed for an order. That was the thinking about it several years ago. That could be right because some sheet metal might move faster than others.

Howell has been the subject of many discussions on the Forum, before. If my memory serves me correctly, the conscientious of opinion was that it was useless to try to phone them, unless you were lucky and caught them early in the morning before they began work, or late in the afternoon when they ceased work, because they don't stop production to answer the phone in between those times. As for local pickup, I don't know if they have changed their procedure on this, but 20 years ago when I lived in the Houston area and was needing a trunk floor pan and rear inner fender well patch panels for a 26-27 coupe, I made prior arrangements and then drove over to Beaumont early enough one morning to be waiting for them when they arrived at their shop.

Yes I remember the earlier posts about those folks. Someone had a 25 Touring that was possibly needing a new back panel and I thought about looking Howells up to find that they pretty much sell on Ebay. I bought a side panel and rear back several years ago for my 21 Touring and surprisingly I called them early in the morning and they answered on one ring and I got the parts in about 3 weeks BUT I was lucky! But that was before they were selling on Ebay. I did buy a trunk floor for my 24 Coupe as I remember at Chickasha when they were still bringing their trailer of parts with them but that was the last time they were at Chickasha.

John kuehn wrote: ↑

Sun Oct 13, 2024 6:17 pm

Yes I remember the earlier posts about those folks. Someone had a 25 Touring that was possibly needing a new back panel and I thought about looking Howells up to find that they pretty much sell on Ebay. I bought a side panel and rear back several years ago for my 21 Touring and surprisingly I called them early in the morning and they answered on one ring and I got the parts in about 3 weeks BUT I was lucky! But that was before they were selling on Ebay. I did buy a trunk floor for my 24 Coupe as I remember at Chickasha when they were still bringing their trailer of parts with them but that was the last time they were at Chickasha.

And they won't be at Chickasha, anymore !

Howell's makes ill fitting crap. I have a door panel I bought that is useless. No customer service. Won't respond to Email or voicemail.

Chris Haynes wrote: ↑

Mon Oct 14, 2024 11:47 pm

Howell's makes ill fitting crap. I have a door panel I bought that is useless. No customer service. Won't respond to Email or voicemail.

That may be true of some things they make, but not all. Naturally, the more curves and bends and difficulty in making a part; the more likely it is not going to fit 'like a glove'. Howell's quality should not be judged by one or a few parts. If they are the only American business making sheet metal reproduction parts for Model T's, we are lucky to have even one business doing it.

Since you're in Texas, it's a good idea to stop by in person after ordering to check in.

I've had mixed experiences with Howells. They do have some unique T sheet metal parts, but their turnaround times can be a pain.

When doing a little research about the 21 Touring I put together I found that Ford in the low cowl (17-22 era) and maybe a little later used up to 5 body makers to build the sheet metal covered wooden bodies for his cars. The late Leon Parker when drawing up plans for the wood for Model T’s found that out when drawing up the plans for the body wood.

That would mean that the sheet metal and wood structure weren’t all built exactly alike. That’s the reason nowdays the sheet metal won’t fit exactly when restoring a Model T. The same goes when using a surviving model T body that needs new wood.
You will have to tweak the wood a little and so will the sheet metal panels need to be trimmed or tweaked to have a good fit. In other words the wood wont always just drop in and the body metal won’t just lay in easily. I’m not restoring any more T’s but over time I found a little research about them and how they were built goes a long way.

The few sheet metal makers that make the sheet metal aren’t by any means perfect but until some body else comes along to make the metal their all that we have if you like Model T’s as a hobby.

Howells and Fordwood; it is my understanding that unless the item is in current stock already made (like if listed on eBay), neither make a run of a single piece until there are enough orders to warrant setting up the tooling.

MechanicalWheel wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 15, 2024 11:40 am

Since you're in Texas, it's a good idea to stop by in person after ordering to check in.

I did just that, as I stated in my first post, above.

Mark Gregush wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 15, 2024 2:40 pm

Howells and Fordwood; it is my understanding that unless the item is in current stock already made (like if listed on eBay), neither make a run of a single piece until there are enough orders to warrant setting up the tooling.

Mark, I think you are very correct. Howell's keeps track of what they have in stock AND what their vendors have in stock and schedule production to even stock, out. They can't make enough money off of just one part or sale.

I was going to say that earlier. In the real world Howells and Fordwood have to make money to sell their parts for a reasonable price to stay in business and when doing that what parts that don’t move fast they can’t spend time making them and not selling them.

As far as I know Howells is the only ones making T open car body sheet metal. Maybe in time other shops will make the open car body sheet metal. And they have to make a profit to do it.

ModelTWoods wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 15, 2024 10:06 am

Chris Haynes wrote: ↑

Mon Oct 14, 2024 11:47 pm

Howell's makes ill fitting crap. I have a door panel I bought that is useless. No customer service. Won't respond to Email or voicemail.

That may be true of some things they make, but not all. Naturally, the more curves and bends and difficulty in making a part; the more likely it is not going to fit 'like a glove'. Howell's quality should not be judged by one or a few parts. If they are the only American business making sheet metal reproduction parts for Model T's, we are lucky to have even one business doing it.

I judge them by the fact that they sold me worthless crap and won't make good on it.

Two different parts were not as pictured and I had to use my limited metal working skills, but I would buy from them again. At least it's a starting point after a long wait.