Hickory Floorboard

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mbowen
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First Name: Miles
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Hickory Floorboard

Post by mbowen » Mon Feb 05, 2024 12:19 am

I have no idea if the floorboards in my ‘24 touring are original or replacements, but a shade tree modification to access a makeshift fuel valve, and the failure of a previous repair, both by previous owner(s), has necessitated replacement of the flat section just forward of the front seat. I have some leftover 3/4” solid hickory tongue and groove flooring so I decided to try my hand at using it to replace that floorboard. I figure that if hickory is strong enough for spokes it should be strong enough for a floorboard.

So far I’ve glued four 3-1/4” wide strips together to make a 30” x 13” blank. My only woodworking tool is a skillsaw, but I have a neighbor with a fully equipped shop who I’ll get to plane it down to the 9/16” thickness of the other floorboards, cut it to size, and rabbet the front edge to mesh with next board forward.

More updates to follow as I progress.

The only thing keeping this floorboard in the car was the transmission.
The only thing keeping this floorboard in the car was the transmission.
The boards wanted to buckle under pressure from the clamps, but this cast iron head was the right amount of weight to make it lay flat while the glue sets. I’ll add hardwood cleats to the underside once it’s been planed to thickness and trimmed to size.
The boards wanted to buckle under pressure from the clamps, but this cast iron head was the right amount of weight to make it lay flat while the glue sets. I’ll add hardwood cleats to the underside once it’s been planed to thickness and trimmed to size.
Miles
1924 Touring “Bonnie”
1925 Express Wagon “Clyde”


jiminbartow
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Re: Hickory Floorboard

Post by jiminbartow » Mon Feb 05, 2024 12:52 am

I could be mistaken and anybody correct me if I’m wrong, but, I believe 3/4” is slightly too thick for the clamps on each side to hold the floor down. I made my floor a long time ago for my 1926 coupe and I seem to recall that I had to plane down the edges so the clamps would twist over the flooring. Jim Patrick


Allan
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Re: Hickory Floorboard

Post by Allan » Mon Feb 05, 2024 7:09 am

Jim, you missed the planing down to 9/16" once the glue has dried. On the old car I am working on at the moment, this Australian bodied car has 5/8" floorboards. These are softwoods, usually knot free. Finding the same timber will be a challenge.

Allan from down under.

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mbowen
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Re: Hickory Floorboard

Post by mbowen » Mon Feb 05, 2024 8:16 am

jiminbartow wrote:
Mon Feb 05, 2024 12:52 am
I could be mistaken and anybody correct me if I’m wrong, but, I believe 3/4” is slightly too thick for the clamps on each side to hold the floor down. I made my floor a long time ago for my 1926 coupe and I seem to recall that I had to plane down the edges so the clamps would twist over the flooring. Jim Patrick
I’m new to the hobby and have never seen floor clamps. Photos please. My ‘24 touring doesn’t have them, and in the 2300 miles I’ve driven it, I haven’t seen the need. I’ve even read that people who haul their T’s on open trailers remove the floorboards to keep them from blowing out, so I’ve just assumed it’s gravity and people’s feet that hold them in.
Miles
1924 Touring “Bonnie”
1925 Express Wagon “Clyde”

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mbowen
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Re: Hickory Floorboard

Post by mbowen » Mon Feb 05, 2024 8:37 am

Allan wrote:
Mon Feb 05, 2024 7:09 am
... On the old car I am working on at the moment, this Australian bodied car has 5/8" floorboards. These are softwoods, usually knot free. Finding the same timber will be a challenge.

Allan from down under.
Check with whoever sells wood for marine or aviation purposes in your area. In the US the first place I’d look is Aircraft Spruce and Specialty. I have no idea what Henry used for floorboards; I’m using hickory only because I already have it on hand.
Miles
1924 Touring “Bonnie”
1925 Express Wagon “Clyde”


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Re: Hickory Floorboard

Post by jiminbartow » Mon Feb 05, 2024 8:58 am

I can’t find my camera but I found several pictures online of the 1926/‘27 floorboard hold downs. There is one on each side at the edge of the floorboard that, when turned, one edge goes over the edge of the floorboard and holds it down and keeps it from coming up from the wind blowing underneath. Jim Patrick

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Rich P. Bingham
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Re: Hickory Floorboard

Post by Rich P. Bingham » Mon Feb 05, 2024 9:42 am

Hickory will be great for floorboards. My '13 runabout has ash floorboards (Wilson body). They are 5/8". Ford production bodies specified 9/16". Ford used several species for body framing. Poplar was . . . well, popular. :lol:
Get a horse !


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Re: Hickory Floorboard

Post by Original Smith » Mon Feb 05, 2024 12:51 pm

I doesn't matter, since they are painted. Just be sure to plane them down to the correct thickness.


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Re: Hickory Floorboard

Post by Jerry VanOoteghem » Mon Feb 05, 2024 1:38 pm

jiminbartow wrote:
Mon Feb 05, 2024 8:58 am
I can’t find my camera but I found several pictures online of the 1926/‘27 floorboard hold downs. There is one on each side at the edge of the floorboard that, when turned, one edge goes over the edge of the floorboard and holds it down and keeps it from coming up from the wind blowing underneath. Jim Patrick


IMG_8473.jpegIMG_8474.jpegIMG_8475.jpegIMG_8476.jpeg
Jim,

Your car is a 1926. His car is a 1924 and does not have those clamps. Your car does not have them either, (I believe), on the horizontal floor board, which is what he's replacing.

Miles,

You're going to have a very nice floorboard when done!


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Re: Hickory Floorboard

Post by James Yuill » Mon Feb 05, 2024 5:09 pm

My 26 coupe has the clamps holding down
the angled horizontal portion of the floor under pedals that rests on the side body gussetts. ..one on either side. Had to make my own since mine were missing..
used holes already on the gussett where original ones were. Simple project. There are none the the flat portion of the floor
JYuill

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mbowen
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Re: Hickory Floorboard

Post by mbowen » Thu Feb 08, 2024 9:47 pm

My and my neighbor’s schedules finally meshed today and got Bonnie’s floorboard squared up, cut to size, planed to thickness, rabbetted, and the slot cut for the brake handle. I’m very pleased with the quality of his work; he went at it as though it was his own. He even put a slight chamfer on the brake slot so the trim ring would lay flat. It looks so good that I’m having a little trouble resisting the urge to replace the rest of them…
Quite an improvement over the old one.
Quite an improvement over the old one.

Fits well with a little room for swelling. Looks too good to paint; I think I’ll try a few coats of clear polyurethane.
Fits well with a little room for swelling. Looks too good to paint; I think I’ll try a few coats of clear polyurethane.
Miles
1924 Touring “Bonnie”
1925 Express Wagon “Clyde”


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Re: Hickory Floorboard

Post by jiminbartow » Fri Feb 09, 2024 12:17 am

Outstanding work! I’m impressed! If you have a compressor and spray gun, a few coats of Minwax satin Pecan Polyshades will give you a beautiful, warm finish. Polyshades is polyurethane with oil based stain mixed in. You can brush it on, but spraying gives you a more uniform finish because it sets up a bit too fast for brushing it on. Jim Patrick

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IMG_8492.jpeg (71.73 KiB) Viewed 604 times

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mbowen
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Re: Hickory Floorboard

Post by mbowen » Sat Feb 17, 2024 5:37 pm

Did the floorboards (‘24 touring) originally have cleats on the bottom, or are these part of a repair?
IMG_3548.jpeg
Miles
1924 Touring “Bonnie”
1925 Express Wagon “Clyde”


Jerry VanOoteghem
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Re: Hickory Floorboard

Post by Jerry VanOoteghem » Sat Feb 17, 2024 5:50 pm

Miles,

My '25 Touring has them. I don't know if they're original, but they sure have been there a very long time.

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Re: Hickory Floorboard

Post by DanTreace » Sat Feb 17, 2024 7:30 pm

mbowen wrote:
Sat Feb 17, 2024 5:37 pm
Did the floorboards (‘24 touring) originally have cleats on the bottom, or are these part of a repair?

IMG_3548.jpeg
Yes. Cleats on the large boards is factory, keeps the boards secure and adds support strength.


These are original boards from my '24 touring.
24 FLboard rear view.jpg



And this is sketch I made of the rear floorboard for the '24 touring, from the original.


133634.jpg
The best way is always the simplest. The attics of the world are cluttered up with complicated failures. Henry Ford
Don’t find fault, find a remedy; anybody can complain. Henry Ford

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