Interior wood needed.

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Chris Haynes
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Interior wood needed.

Post by Chris Haynes » Thu Jul 04, 2019 1:56 am

I am not having any luck finding replacement wood for my '21 Roadster. The Ohio guys only have the door wood and the Utah folks aren't making anything at this time.


Wayne Sheldon
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Re: Interior wood needed.

Post by Wayne Sheldon » Thu Jul 04, 2019 4:25 am

Well, you might consider re-wooding it yourself? I did my '15 runabout a few years ago (now I need to finish the car!). Wood plans may still be available. One of the long-time suppliers of plans is no longer with us, but I think Leon Parker may still be supplying plans. I do not know for sure, and do not have current contact information either. Bodies in those years varied a great deal. Ford used several different outside body builders for many years, and they varied from one to another. Bodies, and many details around the seat frames, floorboard risers, and other things changed from year to year. I think by 1921, most runabout bodies were being built "in house", and they likely varied some from earlier bodies. Among other things, some runabouts had wooden seat frames, others had steel seat frames.
I had bought a second-hand set of wood plans some years ago at a swap meet (they were cheap). When I went to use them and looked them over more closely, I found that although the plans appeared to be complete as drawn, they were not complete in the sense of the car's body. Much of the upper seat area and the inside of the doors was not included. The plans were not the same as my car, and with the missing areas, I had to do a lot of guesswork and design on my own. But it came out fine, and if I ever get the car finished and on the road I think I will be very happy with it.

In spite of the missing areas, and differences, it really wasn't that difficult a project and I am glad I tackled it.
By the way, when I looked closely at the plans I had bought? Turned out they came from Harrah's research!


John kuehn
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Re: Interior wood needed.

Post by John kuehn » Thu Jul 04, 2019 8:59 am

Isn’t there a company in North Carolina that makes wood kits for T’s? Not sure of the location.


BobD
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Re: Interior wood needed.

Post by BobD » Thu Jul 04, 2019 12:04 pm

I have a 2016 price list from Classic Wood Products in Greensboro NC. They offered wood kits for Model T’s and A’s. Their website is still active.
http://www.classicwoodproductsllc.com


Topic author
Chris Haynes
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Re: Interior wood needed.

Post by Chris Haynes » Fri Jul 05, 2019 12:45 pm

Classic Wood only make wood for the door. Nothing else.


fordt
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Re: Interior wood needed. Leon Parker

Post by fordt » Thu Sep 05, 2019 2:17 pm

I just received a return of my payment to Mr Parker for a set of 26-27 Roadster wood plans. It was accompanied by a note from his wife that he is suffering from cancer and will no longer be sending out his wood plans. Prayers all around for him! It sounds like we have lost a great knowledge resource in our hobby.


Scott_Conger
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Re: Interior wood needed.

Post by Scott_Conger » Thu Sep 05, 2019 2:32 pm

Not to dismiss your need, but there isn't much wood to replace, and is simple enough that I'd think you could find someone with a table saw and a band saw and make everything in a day and then alter in place.

http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/33 ... 1357364469
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Howard Tomlinson
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Re: Interior wood needed.

Post by Howard Tomlinson » Thu Sep 05, 2019 2:51 pm

I am with Chris on this. I have a barn find early 1923 roadster that needs the interior wood (roof leaked into the passenger compartment). I don't have wood enough for even patterns.

It would be nice for the club to have wood plans in the library. I can scan large size plans at my job, so I can offer that.

Howard


fordt
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Re: Interior wood needed.

Post by fordt » Thu Sep 05, 2019 3:15 pm

Scott_Conger wrote:
Thu Sep 05, 2019 2:32 pm
Not to dismiss your need, but there isn't much wood to replace, and is simple enough that I'd think you could find someone with a table saw and a band saw and make everything in a day and then alter in place.

http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/33 ... 1357364469
Not feeling dismissed, I HAVE all the tools you mention....which is why I wanted the plans, I assume they are measured drawings.....
And the loss of the knowledge is tough, if folks out there have sets of different years still from their restorations, it would be a great resource for the forum


tdumas
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Re: Interior wood needed.

Post by tdumas » Thu Sep 05, 2019 3:37 pm

Advertise in the classifieds that you need the wood plans for a 21 roadster. There’s a good chance someone will have a set that they no longer need or they might loan you a set.


Wayne Sheldon
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Re: Interior wood needed.

Post by Wayne Sheldon » Thu Sep 05, 2019 6:34 pm

I am very saddened to hear of Leon P's situation. I would imagine he has a large supply of plans or sources to copy. I would hope he and/or his family would make then available to the hobby in some reasonable way. However, now may not be the best time to approach the subject. Is there someone in the MTFCA or MTFCI that knows Leon P well and could politely inquire?

My current situation is not good. I am dealing with very sick family and on a very short leash both financially and my time. However, I MIGHT be able to help a little bit for a couple people. I do have a set of runabout plans that I bought second hand some years back. There WAS a place in town that could copy large plans. I can check, and IF they are still there, and IF I can get there and do it I can make copies of what I have and send them to a few people.

Be aware. The plans I have are not that good (the reason I have not offered in the past to copy them for others). I had had them for some years before I got my runabout and not looked closely at them. When I began doing my runabout, I noticed in the legend that they had come from Harrah's Research (probably from the '60s!). I suspect they were drawn up, from some old wood, and although real size (for smaller pieces), not entirely accurate, nor complete. Bad enough that runabouts between 1915 and 1922 varied across the years and from one body builder to another? What I got had NO drawings for the upholstery and top tack rails (not inner or outer), NO seat back, and NOTHING inside the door. Only part of the seat riser is shown, appropriate for the mostly steel seat riser. All wood seat riser and you are out of luck. Same thing with the front floorboard riser (if yours is steel, you're okay, wood? Good luck). Also, the sills and back piece is shown, but none of the wood for the deck, or how to attach it is shown.
Basically, what I have isn't very good. I was able to "wing it" on the seat and tack rails, and had acquired a couple doors with enough wood to work from. The rear deck I also did my own thing, and altered the sills slightly based on the original wood I had.
Where it will help a lot is the main sills, door posts, part of the seat riser. Even there, I had to alter things slightly to match the rotted original I had.

If one has sheet metal but no wood? I think these would work out well with just a bit of care and creativity. If one has some original wood? one may be able to alter a bit like I did. Seat back, tack boards and door being problems. The rear deck I altered the inner sill board by cutting it down to match the boards I had chosen to use for the deck and maintain proper sill height. It looks really good.


John kuehn
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Re: Interior wood needed.

Post by John kuehn » Thu Sep 05, 2019 7:23 pm

I had a set of Mel Miller plans for the 1919 T Roadster I restored. As I recall I bought them from him directly years ago. They covered the 17-22 Roadster bodies. Some of his relatives were selling them a few years ago at a website but I don’t think it’s working anymore.
From time to time plans for the closed T’s are discussed from people who have them on the forum but that’s been a while also.
Mel Miller plans are highly desirable now as his were the first that were made avaliable to Model T Hobbyists. I sold mine and don’t think his are avaliable now. Hopefully Leon Parker’s will still be available as time goes on. It could be a small source of income for the family. I agree they should be approached but of course it would need to be done in a thoughtful way due to his circumstances. He is another of Model T gentleman that has helped the hobby and they are getting far between as time goes on. I met him a few years ago and enjoyed talking to him.

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Angmar
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Re: Interior wood needed.

Post by Angmar » Fri Sep 06, 2019 10:24 am

I too could use plans or source for wood (18 roadster).
Still crankin old iron


Chad_Marcheese
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Re: Interior wood needed.

Post by Chad_Marcheese » Sat Sep 07, 2019 2:37 pm

I'm rewooding my '24 cut off touring currently. Anyone who "thinks" it will be easy is fooling themselves. And while I am not a cabinet maker by any means, I am a pretty good, above average fabricator, and it is a daunting task. I own band saw, table saw, routers, so its not like I don't have the tools to do the job. A good Model T buddy summed it up good the other day "There is not a straight piece of wood on a Model T". Alot of truth to that.

I have cutup more scrap Ash than I care to talk about. I have "most" of the original wood...which is what I am trying to use as patterns. I also have a set of Leon's - Mel Miller plans he was offering copies of. Sad to hear he is not any longer. But my original pieces do not fully agree with the plans either, so I am walking the grey area in between to come up with a shape of the missing sections of my wood.

In 4 days of work, this is all I managed to get done...the new sills were gifted to me by a generous member who used his originals and the rest of the wood kit he bought. And he said even with a kit he walked away from the project several times..

.
Speedster project 42.jpg
Speedster project 41.jpg

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Will_Vanderburg
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Re: Interior wood needed.

Post by Will_Vanderburg » Sat Sep 07, 2019 3:02 pm

"There's not a straight piece of wood on a Model T".

This statement, is of course, a fallacy. A touring has straight pieces in it. I know....I've had one disassembled down to nothing.
William L Vanderburg

1925 Touring
1922 Center Door Sedan


Chad_Marcheese
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Re: Interior wood needed.

Post by Chad_Marcheese » Sun Sep 08, 2019 7:00 am

Will_Vanderburg wrote:
Sat Sep 07, 2019 3:02 pm
"There's not a straight piece of wood on a Model T".

This statement, is of course, a fallacy. A touring has straight pieces in it. I know....I've had one disassembled down to nothing.
LOL, the only two pieces I so far have found that are straight and have straight cuts on them are the dash pillars. I hope for my sake, there are a couple more in there somewhere.

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Will_Vanderburg
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Re: Interior wood needed.

Post by Will_Vanderburg » Sun Sep 08, 2019 7:04 am

The doors have straights, as well as the drivers side panel. The arm rests are straight cuts with the top rounded over.
William L Vanderburg

1925 Touring
1922 Center Door Sedan


Wayne Sheldon
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Re: Interior wood needed.

Post by Wayne Sheldon » Sun Sep 08, 2019 7:00 pm

It is tough for me to judge how long it took or how tough it was to do. It took me a few months. However, then was even worse than now as far as my time goes. Most days I could only get in an hour or two, if any time at all. It was (still sometimes is) common for entire weeks to go by that I couldn't work on it at all (why what should have taken two years to be on the road is only half done six years later). And even though I am more of a metal fabricator or fixer of broken mechanics? I found doing the woodwork satisfying and enjoyable. I did not have proper equipment. I have a metal band saw that is slow but can do some curve cuts on wood. A drill press made some drilling easy, and the hand drill did much of the hole work. A cheap hand-held scroll saw went above and beyond what it was intended for, and an old patched together skill saw did straight cuts as well as creative angled curves. I do have a table saw, however it belonged to my grandfather and was/is safely kept in a corner of the shop. It use is limited by not having any adjustments for either angle or depth (which I can work around), and I had no place indoors to use it and did not want it to have to be outdoors for more than a few days.
My point of all that silliness, is to say it does not require all the nice woodworking equipment we would love to have to do one of these. A little careful creativity can do nearly all of it with ease using just an electric hand drill, a skill saw, and a hand held saber/scroll saw. And a work table or bench (I used a tinsmith's anvil!) to clamp your work to for safety! I used a rasp file to smooth out some of my rough cuts.
How long it will take and how easy it will be will vary greatly from one person to the next. Me? I found it enjoyable and satisfying work.

Oh, and I checked. The place in town that makes blue print copies? Still there.

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