Fordor roof wood kit

[roblesterjr04]

Can anyone offer a suggestion on a relatively affordable place to purchase roof wood? someplace that offers the correct kit, and doesn't have to manufacture on demand would be nice. Thanks.

I've already tried Macs, and I don't know what they sent us, but it was way off the mark.

[Vern]

You are likely to find that most kits sold by the vendors come from the same suppliers, and will have some problems with the fit. The roof wood kit we got from Classic for the Victoria is close, but still needed a lot of notching & sanding to fit properly. And, they don't include the small rib that is fastened to the front header as part of the kit. Go figure? If you have the original pieces and access to the tools, or someone with them, you may be better of making your own.

[29Otis]

I got all my steelback wood kits from Bert's in Denver. I know they were made somewhere else, but they had everything I needed. As Vern said, there is a lot of fitting required.

[glenn in camino]

I just used Brattons wood for my 28 roadster. It worked out fine.

[Binger]

I bought a kit from Bert's for my '29 special coupe and I was extremely happy about the fit.

[Mitch//pa]

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Buy directly from classic here is the web site
http://classicwoodproductsllc.com/model%20a.html
You can talk to them directly about the product etc.
They sell a quality kit

[Terry, NJ]

As Mitch said, I bought mine from Classic wood in NC. I won't say it fit perfectly, BUT there was a minimum of modifications. Basically I was satisfied. BUT Another thing to consider, In 85 years of life, these cars were subjected to all kinds of shocks, bumps, impacts, and direct hits. The take their toll in changing body dimensions. Also, when the metal body has no wooden frame, it flops around like jello.I'm a believer that if the frame is made correctly, then the body should be made to fit the frame, not the other way around. Go to my profile and look at my picture album, "My A" The sills and the top wood are from Classic wood in NC the body wood (center) I made myself. There was too much rotted and missing wood to get any reliable duplication.
Terry

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

I guess a lot of what you are asking is something others have gone thru before. Not sure all of your prerequisites are doable. You are asking for something "affordable". You are asking for something to be "correct". You are also asking for someone to stock this kit to eliminate waiting.

All I am going to say about 'kits' is most hobbyists do not know how to identify correctly installed wood. Most kits I have seen lack correctly shaped wood. The fit of the joints is where the structural integrity of the body comes from. Below are some pictures of a 'kit' that a former customer purchased from the NC company and installed it in his Leatherback himself. Maybe this quality is good enough for most hobbyists? (I know it was for that restorer as he did not see the issues until they were pointed out to him) And, yes I do agree that kits are much more affordable than a custom-manufactured installation however I think the "fit of the kit" in the pictures below kinda speak for themselves.

Again, ...Quality Craftsmanship takes Time, --and Time is money whether it is someone making a kit or doing a custom fabrication. For us to cut, fabricate and install the bodywood (-including doors) in a Leatherback Fordor takes between 250-275 hours.

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[BlueSunoco]

250-275 hours, and at $7.50/hr. yikes!!!!

Just teasing

Had an appointment w/ an attorney over an issue a couple of years ago, life long family friend of my parents. Anyway, at the outset I asked him what his fees were and he replied "Two twenty five per hour and I charge on the tenths of an hour." I said to him 'Geez, that's less than minimum wage. Minimum wage in Illinois is what, seven twenty five per hour?" You should have seen him light up! Then he got the joke and laughed at it!!