Factory Applied Rust Proofing? (PICS)

[fivefix]

I recently removed the door panels on my 30 Tudor and cussed the fool that applied rust proofing to the inside of my doors. In looking at pictures posted by fellow Barner "kwisor", I noticed the exact same looking material applied to the door. I attached Kevin's original 30 Tudor image with the driver's side door visible and a close-up image of my door.

Did the factory apply what appears to be rust proofing material to the inside of doors?

[Barry B./ Ma.]

All the Model A's that I've seen have the heavy tar glob and a square pad of what looks like thick tar paper. I think it was more for sound deadening. They didn't worry much about rust in those days.

[Tom Wesenberg]

What Barry said!
From what I see you sure have nice rust free metal to work with. In fact the paint looks excellent too. Is it original paint in these two pictures?

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

Fivefix,
Why you CUSSIN' the guy that put the globs of stuff in your door so it didn't sound like a "TIN CAN" when you slammed it??? GEEZ!! Bill W.

[Craig Lewis]

here's mine...

[Kevin in NJ]

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From what I can tell it is tar like material with mineral fibers in it. When you sandblast you find little white strands of a fiber material.

Under the material you will find the original rust proofed (bonderized I believe was Ford's term) metal.

[fivefix]

Originally Posted by Tom Wesenberg

What Barry said!
From what I see you sure have nice rust free metal to work with. In fact the paint looks excellent too. Is it original paint in these two pictures?

Tom,
My door is the close-up of the 2 photos. Interior paint you're seeing is original, but I have a brushed on exterior coat from the 60s.
Dave

[fivefix]

Originally Posted by BILL WILLIAMSON

Fivefix,
Why you CUSSIN' the guy that put the globs of stuff in your door so it didn't sound like a "TIN CAN" when you slammed it??? GEEZ!! Bill W.

Bill,
Ouch. It's my first A restoration and I didn't know. Sorry.
Dave

[Farrell In Vancouver]

All the doors I have cleaned had a wash of that stuff. I was worried it may contain asbestos ( lots of small fine fibers!) so I did not blast it. Just used a heat gun and putty knife to scrape it off into a double bag. Adhesion was not complete on any of the doors and a rust trail behind from rain can be found on most. A little bedliner will do the same sound deadening work and prevent further rust, and its a lot lighter too.

[Charles Reese]

here's the deadening material (looks like the stuff in the old style drip water) air conditioners ... gotta believe they put this in during the assembly, no way to have installed once the door was skinned!! ... kind of a hay-like material. sorry, i had already sprayed a coat of primer before i thought to take pix.

[BrianBurkert]

To replicate this stuff, when I trimmed my Brookville roadster, I applied Dynamat to the inside of the panels. Works great!

[Growley bear]

The book titled, "Model A Ford construction operation and repair for the Restorer", contains an interesting comparison between Ford and Chevrolet on the page preceeding page 1. Bonderized Protection vs. Rusty Fenders.
Ford fenders and other enameled parts are Bonderized to prevent paint peeling and the spread of rust from metal points exposed by accident.

The MAFCA paint and finish guide states on page 3 that the body was spray painted with nitrocellulose lacquer. Fenders etc. were dipped in Black enamel.
Ford did not make an effort to paint the underside of the floor pans, wood, or sub-rails. They have been found to be, most often, raw metal or red oxide primed steel with some body color overspray.

I believe that the red oxide referred to is the Bonderized Coating.
During the disassembly of my 1930 coupe I found a hardened tar like
material inside the doors also. This was no where else on or in the body which led me to believe that the reason for it was that the door would have a more solid sound when it was closed. It was put there as a damper for vibration.
I have not had the opportunity to view a copy of the Judging Standards as this might be covered more thoroughly there.
Maybe some of the Ford Barn members have more intimate knowledge of this also.
















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[BILL WILLIAMSON]

When working wrecking yards in the '50's, it was in all the doors, Ole'Henry wasn't unique! I used lots of the brush on undercoating, slapped on a square of a surplus navy wool blanket, then heavy undercoating on top of that! My '32- 5 Window doors shut like mahogany doors, THUNK! Bill W.

[Mike V. Florida]

Both cars in my household have the "tar" looking stuff.