VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - GENERAL Body - Sheet Metal, Paint & Wood 1929 Sedan body wood

Sorry I haven't added more pictures. Had some house related work to attend to. Soon I will have more.

Though this thread is titled for 1929 Chevrolet I am presently doing the wood for the doors from a 1928 Durant. This is a Budd built body but the construction is similar to early 20s Fisher bodies and probably some of the early bodies on Chevrolets from other suppliers. I will be posting pictures on my face book page "Automotive Wood Bodies" for anyone needing reference. Hoping they may help someone in their quest to restore any older Chevrolet. Every car restored is history saved.

Okay I have started to post the Duraht door wood starting with the regulator boards. This may be relevant to those with very early Chevs prior to Fisher being the exclusive body supplier. This Durant body was supplied by Budd and is typical of early body construction.

Okay so I got out the chassis wood for the Sedan. I will start making templates and begin the side rails for it, a Cabriolet and a Coupe. Hoping to document all three for future reference.

Hey cabboy, I see you are making Fisher deep tapered box joints like this:

https://scontent-sea1-1.xx.fbcdn.ne...ad51beaf2ca99022c732c331&oe=5A667A13

How are you doing it? Did you gave a custom cutter made? Is this done on a shaper? Tablesaw?

Believe it or not but I do these by hand with final fitting again by hand to get close fit. I want to get a shaper bit for this but haven't found a commercially available one large enough yet. I will probably get a custom shaper bit made for future use.

I tried to find shaper or router bits. It seems that they think 1/2" depth is all that is necessary for strength and that is about as deep as they go. That isnt much help when going around some angle to get away from a wheelwell.

How do you do it? A keyhole saw or something?

I was planning on just making a straight box joint on a tablesaw, and just living with the slight reduction in strength. I doubt I could get a close fit making those by hand. What kind of glue are you using?

I have various jigs to hold the pieces in the correct orientation and use a bandsaw freehand to rough out the finger joint. I also have plans for a jig for the bandsaw as well that may work to eliminate the hand work. As I get more finger joint work to do I will make some prototypes unless I get a shaper bit made first.

I have almost completed a master template for 1929 Chevrolet floor main sills. Coming I will be making three complete floors for three cars I am going to be working on. Just need to get the Durant done.

I finished the master template for the Sedan and will be starting the chassis wood soon. I have started work on the cross sills already.

Had a little me time today so it was time to profile the main side sills for the 1929 Sedan. Pictures on my face book page "Automotive Wood Bodies".

Started gluing the floor today for the 1929 Sedan. If I get some more free time I need to make pieces for the Cabriolet floor. Anyone need 1929 floor wood while I am at it?

Adding pictures of the 1929 Sedan floor as I go. Almost complete.

More pictures of the 1929 Sedan are coming online. Visit face book page "Automotive Wood Bodies" to view.

I was at a local swap meet in Toronto and CABBOY was there with his 29 wood floor parts front to back.

NICE STUFF, well done and top quality .

mike lynch

Thank you Mike for the kind words. Now I got it back home I will mate the kick-up assembly to the main floor and start aligning the pillars and doors. I am on a little hiatus from the Durant and it will be early spring when I get a Star touring and a Nash sedan to do so I should have a bit of time through the holidays to get my sedan done and maybe start the main floor for the Cabriolet. Should be a fun year.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Been busy with holiday celebrations. Got a chance to cut the rear belt rail for the Sedan and put the pictures on my Facebook page. I have promised a web site and hopefully time will permit getting one up for the spring.
There is more then just the 1929 shown. The 1928 Durant pictures can be helpful to people doing early four cylinder Chevs as the basic framing is similar. When I get started on the Star touring those pictures should be helpful for those doing early open cars.
So have a look at "Automotive Wood Bodies" on Facebook to see if there is anything pictured that can help you with your restoration.

Well I have been away for a while. Hoping to get back to it soon. Last item I made was the rear cross bar for under the rear window. As soon as it warms up I am going to clear off the chassis in my garage and start assembling the body on it so everything will be level and square. Later.

10000 views...pretty cool! I hope the pictures have been helpful to some. As the weather warms up I will be setting up the 1929 Sedan floor wood and starting to assemble the body. We will see how much time I have as I will also be assembling a 1928 Durant and come April will be starting the body for a 1924 Star touring. All pictures of progress on these cars will be added to my facebook page "Automotive Wood Bodies" for viewing. I know the Durant and Star are not Chev but the body construction techniques are relevant to any 1920s auto.

I started a Go Fund Me campaign for "Automotive Wood Bodies" to see if I can some help taking this to the next level. Once I can get established I want to approach some colleges to see if they are interested in offering "coach work" as a possible study for future craftpeople. I would like to help train future restoration and preservation experts. Why let this knowledge fade away.

start your own college and offer certificates of coarse completion to attending students, who pay a small fee to attend your college.

Why bypass government and teachers unions , you know the answer , they will stonewall you and not give you the time of day because THEY DO NOT UNDERSTAND. If you can form a class of 3--10 students for 9 months a year or maybe 12. Your students should have a prior understanding of work work.

Its not like this is a demand vocation, because most likely people already employed by shops of the caliber that offer wood repair are not going anywhere.

Question , how much demand do you see , or foresee , for people having coach building skills >??????

mike lynch

The 1924 Star touring will arrive on the 23rd of April. I will be posting pictures as it goes. Also hoping to have my 1929 Chev Sedan set up then and will have pictures of it as it goes together.

no response to my post on the subject posted, but U posted about the Star.

Should I delete my post as irrelevant ?

mike

I will be posting pictures of the Star as it's construction will be relevant to early Chevrolet touring bodies and may be helpful to club members.

Have you thought about offering an apprenticeship program? I think that would increase your production ability while they learn. I don't really expect many would see it as an opportunity for a lifetime career owing to low demand.