VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1937-1945 39 running boards

Has anybody here used aftermarket steel running boards for their restoration? I know only "smoothie" running boards are produced but are they as strong as the originals? I hate to spend a pile of money on them and have them turn out to be thin or not reinforced enough.
Thanks in advance,
Pat

I made my own running boards about 25 years ago. They have spot welded channels underneith to stiffen them, the same as the full pressed ones. Check with the supplier about the channels on thiers. IandI reproductions sell flat rubber mats which glue on. My mats are 25 years old and still look good.
Otherwise check on ebay as running boards do come up regularly.

I will be going through this process on my 38. It seems to me that a newly made smooth running board with a good rubber cover would look pretty much the same.

Do the new rubber glue on covers mount on the old style boards OK with all the ridges etc.? It seems to me that the old runnning boards had rubber covers that were bonded to metal sheets.

My flat mats have been glued on since 1990 and have never had to reglue or attend to them. They are they same pattern as the metal bonded mats, and have the edge over the outside of the running board.
You will have to bond them onto flat sheet if you use them on original boards. I know that IandI sell 1939 mats with or without the metal bonding. They sell them with metal and without for 1937-8 , Prt No. JM09 and RB01

I made my running boards out of Galvanised sheet, but ZincAnneal sheet is just as good and gives better rust protection than plain steel.

Thanks for that information. It just seems to be so much trouble restore the old ones and then have to pay a large sum of money for the metal bonded covers.