vintage roofs

[j_nigrelli]

only recently was i made aware that most pre '36 cars had a "soft roof" and not solid tin. i guess i never really wondered why models had the welting molded into the roof but always did think that that section looked quite good painted flat black. (ratter in training? ed.)

anyway, is there a website which would show the correct wood framing and composition of the soft roof? i have to believe chicken wire and horsehair batting plays a part in all this....

thanks!

[bob paeth]

The reason for the "soft tops" in the cars circa 1936 and before is because technology had not progressed far enough to stamp the bodies in sheet metal without wrinkleing. The first vehicles done with solid tops were called out as "turet tops". To construct a model with a "soft top" such as you would find in a diorama of a junk yard is fairly easy. Cut the hole in the top as shown by the molded "lines". Simple ribs would be installed from side to side. I,m not sure whether all of the soft tops had chicken wire and padding but padding was a must to give these tops the "proper contour". If you are building a replica "soft top" just cut out the section, cover the piece with fabric, round the fabric over the edges of the cut-out piece and re-insert it back into the top.

bob :shock:

[j_nigrelli]

i'll give it a try. i'm a "ribs guy"

[62rebel]

For more info check out a Ford Model "A" restoration site or book; they'll have detailed data on how many and what size ribs and what kind of batting they used.

[soonerolds]

Here's what i did. Not necessarily accurate, but maybe it will give you some ideas.

[Guest zebm1]

Back in tha mid 60s when guys were still using 1928-35 coupe bodies for Modified racers, yu used to be able to find these kinds of car bodies in tha auto graveyards. Tha graveyard in Bartow, Fl had acres of pre-Korean War cars...Fords, Chevies, Chryslers, Dodges, etc.

Anyway, we used to go thru these yards looking for parts and I saw many of those coupes and how tha holes were covered. They had wood frames with 3-4 wooden ribs perpendicular to tha coupe's length. Tha wooden frame was covered by what looked like waterproofed heavy black canvas, stretched tight over tha wood frame. This assembly was then pushed down into tha hole which IIRC was flanged, and screws with metal plates clamped tha canvas-covered frame in.

BTW, that Salvage yard in Bartow had an original "Phone Booth" Model T that was still in original Ford Black.

I hope this helps yall visualize what tha assembly looked like.

Zeb

[Guest zebm1]

I did a quik cruise of tha web and came up with this photo study of a 1930 Ford 5 window coupe, that might answer yur questions. Have fun, :twisted:

look towards tha top and yu can just make out tha flanging

and here's a soft-top coupe

and a little eye candy

Can yall tell what's my fave Ford Coupe..... :twisted:

Zeb

[bob paeth]

Any body know what the car is in the garage ?

Bob :?:

[Biscuitbuilder]

only recently was i made aware that most pre '36 cars had a "soft roof" and not solid tin. i guess i never really wondered why models had the welting molded into the roof but always did think that that section looked quite good painted flat black. (ratter in training? ed.)

anyway, is there a website which would show the correct wood framing and composition of the soft roof? i have to believe chicken wire and horsehair batting plays a part in all this....

thanks!

Virtually all closed body cars prior to 1936 used a fabric top insert, over wooden bows, simply because of two factors:

First, mild sheet steel didn't become available until about 1927-28, the generally used carbon steel sheet metal not being capable of the deep draws needed for making a one-piece all steel "turret top".

Second, the very squarish, upright styling reflected not only the tastes of the day, but also the fact that almost all car bodies prior to about 1930 or so were built with a composite structure, ash wood framing, with sheet metal skin over that. It's much easier and cheaper to keep a body square and upright when framing in wood.

Those fabric inserts were supported by a series of crossbows, almost always wood (although the "main bow" connecting the B-posts of the body tended to be encased in stamped steel channel, for strength). Over the bows, a piece of common, ordinary "chicken wire" (wire mesh, woven to about 1" hexagonal mesh) was laid over that, and a layer or two of cotton batting (not horsehair) was then laid on for padding (this cotton batting is virtually the same as a cotton mattress pad, as you might have on your bed). The surround of the opening was fitted with wood tacking strips below the sheet metal. The top material was stretched over all this, and fixed in place by roof tacks, which look very much like carpet tacks, but are about an inch long, driven through holes punched around the edge of the opening in the sheet metal, into the wood.

A molding of some sort was always used, early on those were metal cap strips, later roofs used a soft PVC or rubber molding, which served as both trim, and as a seal to keep rain water from leaking in around the edges (sometimes that worked, sometimes not).

Biscuitbuilder

[j_nigrelli]

see!

i just Knew there was chicken wire in there somewhere.

hah; you guys think i'm a complete neophyte.

thanks for the very thorough explanation.

now where did i set my tack hammer...?