Why a fabric roof?

[Bullrhider]

Can anyone shed light on why so many of the early vehicles (from many manufacturers) had wood and fabric roofs? Tradition? Cooler in summer? Cost? Lighter body weight?
Thanks!

[alexiskai]

Difficulty fabricating a steel roof that would meet the requirements (cost, shape,reliability, noise, etc).

[David in San Antonio]

From what I can recall reading (in other words, the accuracy is not guaranteed) there were no stamping presses capable of making a car body with integral complete roof until Budd. I suppose Ford and others could have formed a separate roof center section and welded it in place but that would have added other manufacturing steps. I’m guessing if Ford thought it would lower the cost of production it would have been tried.

[gdmn852]

Hello, I also read about the limitations of steel press size in that era , the larger press were used for front fenders in particular. The Ist Fords common built with all steel roofs were the 1937 Models , disregarding the 1931 Budd truck cabs .

[Gary WA]

Depression times plus metal was valuable!

[Big hammer]

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Larger hail back then, hail bounces off the fabric tops

[nkaminar]

I will go with what David said, post #3.

[ronn]

it was too large a section to stamp at the time.

[updraught]

Going to school in the same town as the Ford factory here, a circulating story was that a guy at the factory was stamping out pieces day in day out.
One day the press didn't come down.
So he looked up to see what was holding it and was turned into strawberry jam when it came down.

[Bruce of MN]

Some unfortunate accidents then and now.

[ronn]

strawberry fields forever.............

[rotorwrench]

The evolution of auto manufacturing wasn't always very rapid. The Dodge Brothers contracted with Budd to manufacture there solid top models in the 1920s but those cars were also more expensive than a Ford. Their preponderance to wanting Ford to build more expensive cars was the very reason that Ford paid so much to buy out their shares of the company. They took the money and started building more modern but also more expensive cars.

Budd also pressed a lot of parts for Ford during the model A era and later. As Ford built up funds for expansion at the Rouge, they eventually had the pressing capability to build cars with solid tops. It was always just a matter of time.

[P.S.]

Many years ago, my dad spoke to a man who worked at the Highland Park Ford plant and later, the Rouge plant. He said they did have the capability to stamp metal tops if they so chose. However, the insulation and sound deadening and cost dictated the popular (at the time) wood bow, cotton filled vinyl top continued well through and beyond Model A production. It was many factors.

[WTSHNN]

This question comes up once a year or so and there are some well thought out responses in those threads if you wanted to search for them.

There were presses capable of stamping out large body panels such as those on AA panel trucks. Those panels were larger than the roof of a coupe, tudor, or fordor. So the technology existed.

I own a Budd Steel Top truck and if you look at that design and the later V8 cabs with the steel roofs you know they could have deployed it on the passenger cars, definitely the coupe if not the fordors and tudors. Ford made a design change on the roof between '31 and '32 where the rear seam of a '31 was across the top of the roof and in '32 they had the roof panel curve downwards to meet a horizontal seam at the top of the back of the cab.

I've heard the other concern was heat and sound dissipation on the steel top. I've driven it in 100 degree heat and don't think it gets any hotter in there than other body styles.. I've driven it in downpours and, one time, in hail, it was loud but not unbearable.

-Tim

[Ford3window]

Originally Posted by Bullrhider

Can anyone shed light on why so many of the early vehicles (from many manufacturers) had wood and fabric roofs? Tradition? Cooler in summer? Cost? Lighter body weight?
Thanks!

It is my understanding that sheet metal in pre-1936 vehicles would not sustain being formed into roofs without tearing in the middle. As metallurgy was further developed that problem was solved and sheet metal could be formed into automobile roofs without tearing.

[redmodelt]

How about roads and frame flex. By time most cars went to solid steel tops, most had a lot more solid frame with less frame flex. While the late 31 pickup did have the metal roof, wasn't it still attached to wood framing?

[eagle]

The designs of the early cars came from carriage makers and manufacturers.

[Model "A" Fords]

Originally Posted by Ford3window

It is my understanding that sheet metal in pre-1936 vehicles would not sustain being formed into roofs without tearing in the middle. As metallurgy was further developed that problem was solved and sheet metal could be formed into automobile roofs without tearing.

Ford did make steel that would do the job. Many Ford drawings had marked on them "Material with qualities required to manufacture part"( not the exact wording but the basic meaning) including Fan Parts, Shackles and Male Door Dovetails. It is true today that metal has improved considerably, giving more choices for specific needs.

In the 1920s and 1930s, presses were capable of making that roof and Ford would have had them on site.

Most likely the fabric roof was easier and cheaper to make. Steel on this flat roof would require more support than the fabric to keep the shape. It would also require expensive press tooling, paint and soundproofing.