30/31 Roadster help please

[brady1929]

Hello,
Looking at buying a 30/31 ford roadster body. Problem is there are no subrails or floor. He does have the subrail sides. What is involved in attaching the subrails to the body? Can I mock up the body and subrails on a 28/29 model a roadster frame? Thanks in advance.

[gdmn852]

Hello, the 28-29 roadster is different from the 30-31 . The cross sub rails are riveted to the body sub rails, repro need some handwork to get them to fit,Floor pans are also available as repro . Mine came from Snyders.

[Keith True]

If you mean can you use a 29 chassis to mock up on,yes you can.As long as you aren't trying to mock up the later style radiator you can do it.

[brady1929]

But how are the subrails attached to the body? What's involved in attaching the subrails to the body?

[gdmn852]

Hello again, the cowl outer panels are welded along the bottom edge to a bracket on sub rails the lower quarter panels and riveted to cross rails and also welded along inner edge of sub rail. A few pictures might help.

[Oldbluoval]

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You'll need 30-31 subrails. The repop leave a lot to be desired…but only things available. There are numerous brackets that attach to the subrails and also the uprights of the body. If those are gone or rusted off, lots of work.
That takes a above average skill set for a nice outcome. However, you can get a useable body put together and enjoy.
By your questions you may be a novice in these body styles?
If price is right (should be cheap!), go for it.

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Originally Posted by brady1929

Hello,
Looking at buying a 30/31 ford roadster body. Problem is there are no subrails or floor. He does have the subrail sides. What is involved in attaching the subrails to the body? Can I mock up the body and subrails on a 28/29 model a roadster frame? Thanks in advance.

Yes you can use a 1928/29 Frame however speaking from experience, you are in for a MAJOR undertaking if you have no experiences doing this task.

As Bill has said, there are some differences between the original vs. reproduction Sills and Cross-sills that will likely cause you much stress. If I were in your shoes as someone who has never done this before, I would probably make the recommendation that you purchase a Brookville Roadster body instead of the one you are looking at without the sills. If need be, get a loan for the price difference. I can likely assure you that you can get a job at McDonalds to make the loan payments, ...and you will have less hours working at McDonalds paying-off the loan vs. the amount of hours you will have doing all of the sheetmetal work on the one you are looking at presently.

[gdmn852]

Hello, Brent is right on this point, bought the 31 roadster and found it filled with bondo . Decided to go with repro panels and they are far from perfect, a few pictures of repro quarter panel that need fitting. The sub rails will need drilled and filed to fit the d nuts ,and as mentioned work to fit to adjoining panels.a lot of riveted and spot weld also . I suppose if you get it cheap enough and have a lot of time, it can be done, but a lot of labor hours invested. Good luck.

[Marshall V. Daut]

Whatever you do, resist buying '30-31 COUPE subrails to put in your roadster body! They will not fit properly between the back of the doors and the rear fender well. There is a different shape, width and curve between the coupe and roadster side rails. I learned this lesson the hard way in 1969 after paying to have what was sold me to as roadster subrails sent from California to Iowa. $$$$$$$$$ even 55 years ago! I discovered too late that they were from a coupe, not a roadster. But I had paid a roadster price for them. There was a noticeable bulge in the roadster body when trying to mate the quarter panel in this area to the coupe subrails. Your best bet would be to either locate a better body or if luck is on your side, one that has sat upside down in the back 40 mud since WWII and whose subrails are savable. The other chance is to find a hot rodder, who channeled an innocent roadster body by removing all the subrails. 'Might even be able to find such a thing still intact minus the body panels and cowl. Advertise in the hot rod and original sections of this website.
Listen to Brent's advice. He's undoubtedly been through this seemingly "easy" Frankenstein mating of disparate body pieces before and knows what he's talking about. It CAN be done - but without experience and the right parts that fit properly, you've got a tough row to hoe ahead of you.
Marshall

[ronn]

think swiss cheese with those fries!!!!!!!!!!!!!!