'29 cabriolet body parts

[wingski]

Another question. A guy who also owns a ’29 cabriolet told me that to get replacement body parts on my ’29, I’ll have to order ’32 parts. Is this possible? I know that my ’29 cabriolet body is bigger than a roadster, both in length and width and definitely heavier, but what causes the difference? If this is true, is it due to the fact that the body was manufactured by Briggs?

[Marshall V. Daut]

The '29-early '31 body parts on a Cabriolet are the same, except for the cowl. The '29 decklid has its rumble seat latch located differently from the '30-31 Cabriolet, but is otherwise interchangeable. The doors and quarter panels are interchangeable until the 1931 slant windshield Cabriolet came out in May. Roadster quarter panels will not interchange with a Cabriolet. Early '29 Cabriolet bodies did not have a moulding over the rear fender, as late '29-early '31 Cabriolets did. So, be careful when buying Cabriolet quarter panels.
Yes, the sub-frame and structural framework is wood. Low production body styles like this were farmed out to Briggs and Murray. It wasn't worth it to Ford to tool up for making the steel structural frame as seen in high production body styles such as the coupe and Tudor Sedan.
By the way, the late '29 top framework is the same as the '30-early '31 Cabriolets. You're in luck there if you need a top. The early '29 and '31 slant windshield tops are different, especially the early '29 style. It's a weird duck! My '29 Cabriolet is an early one and the top is VERY bulky when folded compared to the later style. Passengers in the rumble seat almost disappear behind the folded top, as viewed from the driver's compartment! Sometimes that might be a good thing, depending upon WHO is in the rumble seat
Marshall
May, 1929 Cabriolet

[Marshall V. Daut]

In regards to Cabriolet doors, I should add that the earlier doors had wooden upper inner panels (where the window riser attaches), while late '29 - early '31 Cabriolet doors had steel panels. Once the upholstered door panels and garnish pieces are in place, however, you can't tell one from the other. You also can't confuse slant windshield Cabriolet doors with '29- early '31 doors because, guess what! The front pillar is slanted!
Marshall

[Clem Clement]

Marshall,
Good to hear from ya. BTW, I never carry uuuuugly passengers in my rumble: She has a beeeeg fako Dalmatian aboard.
Clem

[wingski]

Thanks Marshall, Now I know that I have a late '29 because of the rear moulding.

[wingski]

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Marshall, is your cabriolet U.S. or Canadian? Mine has a lot of Robertson screws so I know it's Canadian assembled.

[Marshall V. Daut]

Mine is American-made. No Robertson fasteners anywhere. It has the seven-tooth steering, which was being phased out when my car was built in favor of the two-tooth. That in tandem with the lack of rear fender moulding and the clunky top make mine an early model. I like the later top better, as not only does it look better when folded, but it's a heck of lot easier to raise and lower. I can see why Ford changed designs in the middle of its 1929 run of production.
Marshall

[wingski]

Hey Marshall, my tank is stamped 7 22 29. When did production of the ’29’s stop and the ’30’s begin?

[Marshall V. Daut]

I would imagine the change was in December of 1929 with the other 1929 models switching over to 1930's at the same time on the assembly line. I seem to recall reading somewhere that the Cabriolet (which debuted in May of 1929 and was very expensive) was a poor seller. Ford had contracted with Briggs for a certain number of bodies to be made. But by the end of the 1929 model year, there were many doors and quarter panels left over from Cabriolets that were not ordered. So rather than change to the newer 1930 body panels and doors and eat the older 1929 panels, Ford simply used these pieces for the 1930 Cabriolet, which ended up being a better seller than the 1929 Cabriolet. That's why only the cowls are different, the 1930 featuring the newer exposed gas tank with smooth-flaired moulding design commonly seen on 1930 Model A's. Naturally, the hoods are not interchangeable between 1929 and 1930-31 Cabriolets. The 1929 Cabriolet takes the same hood as the Fordors, Town Sedans and the Town Car.
The Cabriolet Club could probably be more specific about when 1930 Cabriolets began production, if that December date I suggested is not correct.
By the way, Murray and Briggs did not both make the Cabriolet bodies, as stated in some otherwise reliable reference books. The Cabriolet was only made by Briggs.
Marshall

[SteveB31]

We have some cabriolet cowls, doors and rear quarters if you are needing some.

Steve @ Bert's Model A. Modelastore.com

[Marshall V. Daut]

Yes, Steve brings up a good point, especially for the '29 Cabriolet, if someone is trying to piece together a body. The Murray and Briggs cowls for the Fordor, Town Sedan and Town car will not interchangeable with the '29 Cabriolet cowl without some major modifying work. Besides the special bump provision for accepting the 1929-only cowl band, there are cone-shaped anchors on the Cabriolet cowl for the convertible top to seat upon. These were placed underneath the sheet metal exterior header strip and are a bear to replace if they are damaged, as seen on most "loose" Cabriolet cowls that have been stored incorrectly or roughly handled. Those plated pot metal anchors break off and must be replaced, requiring the peeling back of the exterior header strip. That's not the problem, though. The real problem is: How do you bend that now-distorted peeled-back piece back and have it be straight?
Anyway, be careful when buying a loose Murray or Briggs cowl. No cone-shaped anchors across the top, then the cowl is from one of the wooden-structured four-door sedan flavors.
Marshall

[Clem Clement]

Interesting Marshall. Thanks. Mine is a 30 with the regular door handles(not the little lift up ones.) It was redone in the 60's. We have LB upholstery, redone engine and too much fun.