Wood patterns for 29 U

chetbrz · March 23, 2007, 11:21:01 AM

Brian,

Keep at it.? This was my 48 when I found her in a yard sale in September of 2004.? After many, many, weekends since then,? I am now almost ready for the Paint Shop.? Hang in there you are in good company.

Probably another year to go before she becomes my weekend driver:

Remember the car is depending on you for its survival.? Just chip away a little at a time.? The first drive is always a thrill whether you actually have a seat or a old metal milk create.

Good Luck,? Chet?

12905 · March 21, 2007, 01:05:53 AM

As far as I can see, the 30U has considerably less wood at the front end. In my 29 the visor was attached to a large piece of wood that was contoured to produce a curve as the transition from the top of the windshield to the flat roof. Also, mine appears to have had two levels of slats - widely spaced underneath and running crosswise to the car (much like the 30 shown) and upper slats quite closely spaced and running parallel to the car's length. Also, the door pillars are metal clad wood, so the pillar material must have tied into the wood of the roof. When I got the car the four doors were wired together from left to right at the centre pillars. Cutting the wire meant the whole thing was in danger of collapse. This car is a definite basket case - the rear fenders are trashed and the front are battered but repairable, while the actual body metal is in very good shape. The only factors that keep me going are the original engine (number fits squarely in the middle of the body serial sequence, so I assume it's original) and the remnants of what I assume is original leather upholstery. The leather is definitely a look alike for an original pattern I have seen in cloth and is very thick - so much so that I think it must have been pretty stiff even when new. Right now I'm collecting all the info I can from this website, and in return am contributing whatever useful knowledge I happen to have.

30U sedan · March 19, 2007, 10:36:42 PM

this is a top view of the 30-U.

30U sedan · March 19, 2007, 10:12:52 PM

This is from the top.....

30U sedan · March 19, 2007, 10:04:05 PM

Here are the pictures of the 30-U roof. It sounds like it may not be of any help, but I'm posting them anyway because they may be a help to someone else out there. This view is from the bottom side.

DENNISKS · March 19, 2007, 09:21:50 PM

Chet & Brian

I just put the parts car in a storage trailer and it is too short to get pictures from the top. Would pictures from the inside help? Jusw\t as soon as I get a couple of free minutes I will take as many as I can.

The body is off of my car now and setting in the paint booth. Should have it in primer by tomorrow night.

Dennis

12905 · March 19, 2007, 06:43:34 PM

Chet (and everyone else that needs the info)

All this is going to be tremendous help to me. i have a complete wood shop including planer, jointer, table saw, band saw and all the hand tool goodies, so I will enjoy doing it. Only problem is - getting to it. My wife has me fully involved in renovations. On Sunday I just finished 56 cupboard doors and drawer fronts for our kitchen, dining room and living room. She has me starting on a bathroom tomorrow, but i will sneak in some time and I will post my experiences - or disasters as the case might be.

Brian

chetbrz · March 19, 2007, 05:30:45 PM

Tks Mr Plymouths...

Now if Dennis will share a picture looking down at his Parts car roof we could easily calculated the measurements of the checker board pattern.? I know I will wind up redoing this at some point along the way.? Personally I like working with wood so a project like this would be extremely enjoyable to do and I think the info presented is also a big help to 12905's original inquiry.

Brian, If you're handy in the wood shop this should be a nice project.? Would be extremely interested in your progress and any assistance you may need.? Maybe Dennis would be able to take a close-up of a strut joint where the checkerboard comes together so we can see the type of wood joint used.

Chet...

FourDoor · March 19, 2007, 02:23:31 PM

The biggest difference in the roof of a '28/'29 and a 30U is the outside edge over the doors. In the Q and U, the edge is made of wood and covered in the black rubber imprenated linen roofing material (now vinyl as a replacement) right out and under the drip rails. The 30U has a rolled metal edge and is usually painted gloss black not covered in roof material. You can see the difference in the photos. The Q/U roof is also much flatter than the 30U (and succeeding roof lines). The A,B and C posts do the mortise and tenon thing and are fitted right into the roof edge in the Q/U.?The 30U was the first of the 'insert' type roofs where the woodeh part of the roof can be removed in one piece repaired,reskinned and then dropped back in the 'hole'. The Q/U roof is part of the car's body and can't be so easily removed in one piece. It holds the sides of the car body together. The Q/Us are very wood intensive. Right down to the wheels!

chetbrz · March 19, 2007, 09:56:25 AM

Quote from: 30U sedan on March 18, 2007, 04:29:57 PM
I have pictures of the wood framing that goes around the roof of a 30-U. I wouldn't think there would be much differents between a 29-U and a 30-U, but I could be wrong. If you are interested in seeing them or getting patterns let me know.

Yes I would like to see them.? It is interesting in that Dennis's parts car seems to have a roof that is more like lath board construction and yours is more like a frame and skin construction.? The lath board construction seems correct for the earlier models.? The 30U brought improvements like welded frames and maybe a better roof construction method.?? ???

tks,? Chet...

30U sedan · March 18, 2007, 04:29:57 PM

I have pictures of the wood framing that goes around the roof of a 30-U. I wouldn't think there would be much differents between a 29-U and a 30-U, but I could be wrong. If you are interested in seeing them or getting patterns let me know.

chetbrz · March 17, 2007, 09:50:02 PM

Quote from: DENNISKS on March 17, 2007, 11:44:12 AM
I have a 1928 Q Parts car that you are welcome to come make any patterns you may need. The car is on ok condition. Most of the wood is still in tact at least good enough to make patterns. As for a pattern for the floorboard. I am in the middle of repainting my car and have the body off of the frame. I can make you a pattern of the floorboard.? Give me a call if you would like to come here and make any patterns you need. My toll free number is 877-834-2266

Dennis

Dennis,

Can you take a picture looking down at the top of the roof. It will give the basic idea of how the roof was constructed. As far as the floor goes a couple of pictures are worth a thousand words.

Tks, Chet...

FourDoor · March 17, 2007, 12:32:07 PM

As an historical note , plywood was invented in WWI for aircraft skinning. The wings were fabric covered but many of the British biplanes had plywood sides. It was only 5 mm thick and made of 5 plys.

DENNISKS · March 17, 2007, 11:44:12 AM

I have a 1928 Q Parts car that you are welcome to come make any patterns you may need. The car is on ok condition. Most of the wood is still in tact at least good enough to make patterns. As for a pattern for the floorboard. I am in the middle of repainting my car and have the body off of the frame. I can make you a pattern of the floorboard. Give me a call if you would like to come here and make any patterns you need. My toll free number is 877-834-2266

Dennis

FourDoor · March 16, 2007, 10:07:12 AM

The toe board that runs up from the floor to the firewall was plywood as were any 'inserts'. The 'rim' of the floor was done in a hardwood, most likely ash. The plwood dropped on to a lip in the hardwood and was screwed in place. It's one of the easy things about restoring a '28 or '29, you can put modern plywood in and nobody will know the difference.

chetbrz · March 16, 2007, 09:35:49 AM

Quote from: Plymouths on March 16, 2007, 08:41:19 AM
Just the plywood.

Plywood was probably the flooring.? See below...Excerpt from Milestones in the History of Plywood

From Doors to Running Boards: The First Plywood Markets
During its first 15 years the softwood plywood industry relied primarily on a single market-door panels. But in 1920, "super salesman" Gus Bartells of Elliott Bay Plywood in Seattle began generating customers in the automobile industry. Bartells had earlier established the first plywood dealerships around the country, and was equally successful in getting car manufacturers to use plywood for running boards. The market took off and the industry enjoyed steady growth during the Jazz Age. By 1929, there were 17 plywood mills in the Pacific Northwest and production reached a record 358 million square feet (3/8-inch basis).

More info see link:? http://www.apawood.org/plywoodpioneers/history.htm

Chet...

FourDoor · March 16, 2007, 08:41:19 AM

Just the plywood.

chetbrz · March 15, 2007, 02:05:51 PM

This is an excellent subject. I also would be very interested in anyone?s pictures or drawings of the original floor and roof construction for the 29-U 4 door sedan. My current floor is tongue and groove oak over plywood. Looks OK but I would like to know what was there originally.

Tks, Chet?

Sebastiano · March 14, 2007, 05:16:51 PM

Hi! I would help you baut I own a 29U Touring...
best wishes
Bye Seb

12905 · November 10, 2006, 12:21:35 AM

Does anyone have patterns for body wood surrounding the roof (4 door)? Slats are not a problem, but all my upper wood is rotted out, so nothing left to copy. I'll pay for any patterns, or swap if practical.