MTFCA Forum

Newbie here fellas. I have a 1923 Canadian low cowl touring that is in repairable condition but could save time and aggravation if the side panels from Lang’s will fit. They do not specify on their website if their 1923-1925 side panels are low cowl or high cowl parts. I understand the difference in low vs high cowl, as well as the firewall differences from early 1923 to late 1923-1925. It’s difficult finding if Ford changed the side panel configuration in late 1923 when they went with high cowl and firewall. It’s Sunday and I’ll call Lang’s Monday if no one can chime in. Also aware that the Lang’s driver side panel is doorless. Thanks.

If it says 23-25 it is high cowl

I purchased sections from Langs and found them to fit too poorly to make the effort to use them worthwhile. The entire bottom 6-8" was rotted or just missing from my body. I made wood forms where necessary and formed sections and welded them all together. It was my welding class 101 and I passed. You will put in almost the same effort with the panels you buy, so you might consider saving yourself some money and make your own. My panels are a patchwork quilt but the end result was a body that was metal finished and has no bondo in it.

Some more

End result:

Really nice work Scott !!

Thank you John

I credit this to an old book called "Metal Bumping" which was fantastic, a Miller-Matic MIG welder and a supportive wife who said "buy the d**n welder and get started!" I was afraid of the welding, but not the wood work, so the wood sat finished for a year before I got the gumption to buy a welder. No one would ever want to pay me for welding work...as that body represents probably 100 hours spread over 5 months...lots of hours thinking and then 2 hours of welding, then lots of hours thinking, again. I had to visualize the completion of a part before I'd attack it. Once figured out, even the most complex curve can be broken down to a few basic operations, sometimes repeated multiple times. I'd recommend hearing protection...I didn't wear any and I turned a mild case of industrial induced tinnitus to a really good case of constant whistling in my ears due to all of the hammering. Stupidstupidstupid.

Thanks for the quick reply Scott. Your pictures are helpful as my lower areas are also similar in rust thru. Your work is incredible. I can stick weld fairly well, but I guess it’s time to invest in a small mig welder for this project. Time to make some patterns and learn some hammer and dolly methods. Thanks again, your advice and photos will be helpful.

Fred

you are most welcome

I'm including a picture of the brace I welded up to bolt to the door hinge and latch face to keep the door opening correct. You must hang the metal on the wood structure, get the door aligned and swinging well and then remove the door and build the brace in place so when the skin comes off you can reassemble it into the sheet metal.

If it is a low cowl, it's a '23 or older. If it's a high cowl, it's a '24/'25. The "early" and "late" '23 is a myth that has lived on from earlier days, much like a battery will run down if left on a concrete floor. Dave

Very nice work Scott. You are very talented.

Excellent Scott, I commend you for taking on the sheet metal work yourself. Everyone should....if you dont try it you will never know if you can pull it off. Alot of the work you did on the bottom of your car looks exactly like what I had to do on my car and the same way I did it. And didnt it feel good when it was done and you looked at the great fabrication work you accomplished? I love these kind of threads. By the way your wife told you to buy the damn welder, my wife bought me the damn welder