1940 Ford Running Board Covers

[rotorwrench]

My experience with rubber on metal is mostly on the whirly birds and some on wing deicer boots. The door seals are rubber and the manufacturer's put them on with contact cement. With time and heat from sun baking, the contact cement becomes brittle & cracks. After that the corrosion starts and the seals start to fall off. I have spent hours removing the cement that wasn't affected in order to keep from ruining the door's outer finish. A person wouldn't think that aluminum could corrode so much but you would be surprised how bad the exfoliation can get. I had one machine that an operator spilled Coka Cola on the seat and door frame & didn't do a very good job of cleaning it up. That cost them a pretty penny to repair the damages from that.

If your vehicles are kept from being in the elements then it should be a lot less of an issue. If the vehicle is left out in the elements it will suffer. The steel corrodes just as bad or worse than 2024 aluminum in that case. This is where the vulcanizing was important. FoMoCo had a lot of experience with running boards before they went to that process. I'm sure that played a part in the decision to go that route. That is how I would do it as long as Hunley is still around. The cost would not be a problem.

[mike42]

Not to beat this dead horse to death, but.....I bought the covers and a pint each to attach to the boards. With your past experience.....is a pint each cover enough ?

Thx

Mike

[19Fordy]

You'll be covering the surface of the board and the cover. Do one running board first and then buy more Contac Cement if needed for the second board. Remember, no lumps, bumps or impressions are allowed. C-clamp those yardsticks you get at Home Depot to the lower outside lip of the board to hold cover in place while "cement" dries. Do a dry run first to get the feel.

[white64]

I used the contact cement but I am beginning to wonder how it will hold up to the weather, temperature changes etc. (it's great stuff for holding Formica to plywood in a kitchen though!) (Up here a 100 degree temperature swing through out a year is common! and a 30 degree swing in one day even more common)

Roughing-up the back of the rubber and removing the mold-release agent is very , very important!!!

Maybe the 3m stuff would've been the better choice... time will tell.

[mike42]

Thx for the info.....I bought two pints of Weldwood. I should have the covers next week.

Thx.....Mike

[rotorwrench]

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3M Scotchweld 1300 is commonly used for Deicer boots and works well. It uses MEK as a solvent so it is flammable when wet. The process allows the stuff to dry for 45 minutes with no humidity above 75% so working time isn't bad with a re-tack solvent if needed. Toluene is commonly used as a re-tack agent for this process but MEK will work too. There is another product called Bostik 1007 that sets quicker but the stuff is very difficult to get back off when the deicer boots are worn out. It uses a single coat brush on primer before the adhesive is brushed on (eventually two coats prior to install). Toluene is used as a re-tack agent on it as well but deicer boots are a very long piece of rubber so working time and placement can be more complicated than a running board would be. No clamps are used in this process just wide rubber rollers to work out the air bubbles but I've seen folks sand bag before just as a precaution. That would only work on the top of the wings though. Once this stuff is placed it is there for the duration. Deicer boots aren't as thick as the running board covers so if you can clamp it, go ahead. One other important step on the deicer boots is an edge seal cement that is applied after the boot is completely on the wing. I don't know how well this would work on a running board but it might not be a bad idea. It's just a little bit of insurance that weather won't get under the cover. It is a fuel tank sealer that is a dark grey rubber like material but it would have to be taped off with masking to apply it and it can be a nasty mess if your not used to working with it. Its just as hard to get off your skin as the contact adhesive is if not harder. And if you get it on clothing it would be there for the duration.

This is all a good way to attach neoprene rubber to a wing that can exceed 400 MPH but it's only general information for a process of attaching a running board cover.

[mike42]

Thx Rotor........I don't think my '40 will get up to 400 mph, but hey......you never know !

Thx

[mike42]

I took of the driver's side board today and started the process of removing the old cover. Believe it or not......the glue used in 1987 was still wet !! It came off with very little work. In some areas I used my propane torch to heat up the board and the rest came off with no problem. I wonder what he used back then to glue the cover to the board !

Thx.....Mike

[Capt Kirk]

Originally Posted by mike42

I took of the driver's side board today and started the process of removing the old cover. Believe it or not......the glue used in 1987 was still wet !! It came off with very little work. In some areas I used my propane torch to heat up the board and the rest came off with no problem. I wonder what he used back then to glue the cover to the board !

Thx.....Mike

I'm glad you had an easy time removing your old covers...I was waiting for this topic to come up in this thread. When I did my covers, the old covers were obviously original. They were cracked and brittle. I tried several different methods to get the covers off and what worked best is a flat blade on my air chisel. That rubber was really on there but the air chisel made short order of it.
I used regular hardware store rubber cement and the boards still look great.

[funrunr]

That's crazy that it is still wet. Are you replacing because of wear or because of malfunction?
I took my boards to International strippers in Romulus, Mi. and I left the rubber on knowing their acid would remove it which it did. Either way that or sandblasting will ensure you get the old stuff off. If you come down this way in Michigan I can loan you a set of driver boards to get you through the remaining driving season if need be.

[Capt Kirk]

It is crazy that the glue was still wet. Maybe that glue needed air to dry and once sandwiched between steel and thick rubber...it couldn't dry. An example of some aftermarket parts not measuring up.

[funrunr]

Originally Posted by Capt Kirk

It is crazy that the glue was still wet. Maybe that glue needed air to dry and once sandwiched between steel and thick rubber...it couldn't dry. An example of some aftermarket parts not measuring up.

If memory serves me correct the Argentina boards don't have the tiny holes in the boards like the original Ford ones. Perhaps that aided in sealing out air needed to dry the glue completely.
Mike42, Do you have any pictures of the boards along with the glue used also?

[Capt Kirk]

Originally Posted by funrunr

If memory serves me correct the Argentina boards don't have the tiny holes in the boards like the original Ford ones. Perhaps that aided in sealing out air needed to dry the glue completely.

I would guess that's it. If you had a perfectly sealed can of this adhesive from that era, it might still be useable...or at least still liquid.

[mike42]

Guys ......this board was all cracked and checked up. There would have been ample area for air to get in and dry. The other board that is still on is not cracked and checked. I think back in 1987 he may have used the wrong glue and realized it and used a different glue on the passenger side.

Funrunr thx for the offer, but I'll have this cleaned off tomorrow and putting the new cover on Sunday. Yes you are correct there are no holes in these boards made in Argentina. I can send you photos if you would like.

I'm going to use Weldwood Adhesive to put on the new cover. This will be interesting for sure !

Thx........Mike

[mike42]

I cleaned everything off the board and used thinner and Naptha also.

I've placed the cover on and used the wooden cloths pins as someone suggested just get an idea of fit. Looks pretty good so far. Nice covers from Drake.

It's kinda muggy here today, but will try to glue the catch lip today. Should I start from the middle and work towards the ends ? It says to leave about 2" of catch lip at each end for right now. Is that correct ?

Thx....Mike

[Milt/Las Vegas]

Originally Posted by mike42

Planning on replacing the rubber covers on running boards. Of all the people that you can buy them from.....who has the overall best product ?

Thx....Mike

I have a pair from Drake,plus running boards.

[mike42]

Milt I bought some already and in the process of putting new covers on.

Thx......Mike