Original Plank Floor Boards

[Fred]

What is the correct Stain or mix of colors (oils) to be used on the early boards, including the use on the curtain pan cover..

[Tom Wesenberg]

I have some original unrestored plank boards and they have black paint on them. It really shows well under the welting.

If I remember, I will bring one to the next national meet I attend.

[Joe K]

IIRC, Ford used "tailings" of paint from the rest of the build to paint floorboards. Of necessity dark because of the preponderance of black (for fenders.)

But color may vary. My single remaining original floorboard shows a kind of a muddy brown - quite dark.

Joe K

[wrndln]

When I was trying to figure out how the curtain tray was installed in my early 29 phaeton, I got some help from Dave Lopes. Sadly, Dave pasted away several years ago. Dave had a very nice fine point 28 phaeton. All I had when I started were the two pairs of holes for the hinges. Someone in the past removed the tray and replaced it with a plywood floorboard. He sent me some pictures of his curtain tray that I still have on my computer. His curtain tray door and side wood had a semigloss or satin black finish. Unfortunately I didn't ask him what he used, but his car was a very high points getter in MARC judging, so it must have been close to original. If you want to see the pictures of his curtain tray, email me at [email protected] and I can send you the pictures.
Rusty Nelson

[Jim Mason]

Ford used a asphaltum based coating that contained additional parafin and rosin. Rustoleum wrought ironblack looks similar

[DougVieyra]

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My research findings (and my original plank floor boards) reflect pretty much what Joe K has said. Remember that Henry often used 'scraps' left over from shipping crates to build his floor boards, so the boards often times varied in both width and in wood type, as well as finish. My original boards (oak) had a green hue to them.

- Doug Vieyra

[Blessyouboys]

Originally Posted by DougVieyra

Remember that Henry often used 'scraps' left over from shipping crates to build his floor boards, so the boards often times varied in both width and in wood type, as well as finish.

Have you any proof of this?

[Fred]

Originally Posted by Blessyouboys

Have you any proof of this?

Take a look at every 1928 & some into 1929 and try and find a set of front ones made the same ?? Even some with different wood & mixed & matched..

[Joe K]

Examination of my March 29 truck front (it's missing the lower board) shows that uneven scraps were used. The lines across the board are not parallel and at the top where the pedal slots are done its apparent the wood on either side of the slot is not from the same piece.

There may have been a butt-joint across the spot where the slot was later made. Someone with some smarts obviously anticipated the positioning of the afterwards executed slot.

I took that at the time as example that Ford was using the cut up boxes of sub-contractor shipments. (which would support a hypothesis that Ford specified not only the parts but also the box dimensions they were to be shipped in) But while a logical conclusion others on this board have pointed out the evidence is not necessarily proof without collaborating contractural or other documentation.

Plus, even in 1928-29, use of hardwood for shipping crates would have been exceptional overkill.

They may have been using Ford's own scraps - a labor intensive effort for sure - and you can see they certainly would get away from this by using virgin plywood for the later builds.

Joe K

[Fred]

Originally Posted by Joe K

Examination of my March 29 truck front (it's missing the lower board) shows that uneven scraps were used. The lines across the board are not parallel and at the top where the pedal slots are done its apparent the wood on either side of the slot is not from the same piece.

There may have been a butt-joint across the spot where the slot was later made. Someone with some smarts obviously anticipated the positioning of the afterwards executed slot.

I took that at the time as example that Ford was using the cut up boxes of sub-contractor shipments. (which would support a hypothesis that Ford specified not only the parts but also the box dimensions they were to be shipped in) But while a logical conclusion others on this board have pointed out the evidence is not necessarily proof without collaborating contractural or other documentation.

Plus, even in 1928-29, use of hardwood for shipping crates would have been exceptional overkill.

They may have been using Ford's own scraps - a labor intensive effort for sure - and you can see they certainly would get away from this by using virgin plywood for the later builds.

Joe K

If you look real close to the cut out pegs for the brake and clutch you will find a wood dowel pin stuck in each of the two end ones down into the next main board to give them more strength.. Most found today are broken off..

[1crosscut]

Originally Posted by Fred

If you look real close to the cut out pegs for the brake and clutch you will find a wood dowel pin stuck in each of the two end ones down into the next main board to give them more strength.. Most found today are broken off..

Sort of like this.

[Joe K]

Originally Posted by Fred

If you look real close to the cut out pegs for the brake and clutch you will find a wood dowel pin stuck in each of the two end ones down into the next main board to give them more strength.. Most found today are broken off..

Yup. Given both the long dovetail (not an easy thing to do even in softwood - and even harder possibly in recycled lumber) and the apparent conscious decision to reinforce an obvious weak spot (he probably got tired of the piece splitting and falling out) it's obvious a LOT of handwork went into the floorboards.

And a perfect recommendation to improve the process to plywood.

Wasn't it Iron Mountain where Ford owned (or bought) a plywood mill?

Check out the site http://www.dcl-lib.org/images/files/...rd%20Plant.pdf for pictures of the Iron Mountain/Kingsford Ford plant. Certainly an industrial town.



Joe K

[Tom Wesenberg]

Speaking of cuts, have you noticed the round sawblade cuts on the bottom side, that extend beyond the battery hole?

[1crosscut]

Originally Posted by Tom Wesenberg

Speaking of cuts, have you noticed the round sawblade cuts on the bottom side, that extend beyond the battery hole?

If these are the ones you are refering to they are there to allow room for the mounting hardware on top of the frame for the split brake cross shaft on the 28's and very early 29's. My truck has the one piece cross shaft but still had the cut out areas. Mr. Ford using up all of the old stock.

[Tom Wesenberg]

Good point Dave.
Actually I meant the ones at the battery access hole, which wouldn't be there if a saber saw was used to cut the oval hole. I'll be putting them in my repro boards.

[Joe K]

Originally Posted by Tom Wesenberg

Good point Dave.
Actually I meant the ones at the battery access hole, which wouldn't be there if a saber saw was used to cut the oval hole. I'll be putting them in my repro boards.

Good catch. The slot obviously cut first with a circular saw from the backside, and then completed from the front with a saber/jig type saw.

NOT a hole saw as I might be wont to do in expediency.

Edit: Hmm. Look at that hole for the gearshift. Obviously done with a hole-saw. Do you suppose it's the same diameter as the battery slot ends?

Joe K

[Tom Wesenberg]

I haven't looked at my original boards for years, but would think the end radius was cut with a hole saw.

[45GPW]

Originally Posted by Tom Wesenberg

I haven't looked at my original boards for years, but would think the end radius was cut with a hole saw.

Unlikely, I think.

The hole saw as we know it wasn't patented until 1932.

USPTO 1855873, 26 APR 1932. Inventor: William Henry Shortell. Assignee: Millers Falls Co.

In addition, the hole saw isn't an ideal production tool, since the cutter has to be stopped at the end of each cycle to remove the cut plug.

The likely woodworking options in the Model A era would have been a Forstner auger bit, a multi-spur machine bit, or a single-spur machine bit (similar to a fly cutter or machine expansive bit, but with fixed spur diameter).

[eagle]

My floorboards are painted with a black thick tarlike paint. Not regular paint. As far as I know it is all original.

[Mike V. Florida]

Originally Posted by eagle

My floorboards are painted with a black thick tarlike paint. Not regular paint. As far as I know it is all original.