Restoration, or maybe interpretation.... I don't have all th

Apr 18

Restoration, or maybe interpretation.... I don't have all the original pieces or access to another truck, or even pictures, in which case I take the approach, it has to look good and it has to work. In the case of the doors, I have the originals but am still having to make minor alterations. The front edge of the original doors had a piece of steel trim that is mising and that is beyond my sheetmetal fab skills to replace, so I filled the gap with wood. The latching hardware is missing/worn out, so what i'll do is use repro outer handles and adapt them to bear claw latches. Not purely strictly original, but not every budget allows for that.

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Apr 18, 2026

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Replies (13)

· Apr 18

Beautiful work. How bad was it to start? I think you posted in the other thread a before picture but it didn't look that bad. Sometimes coachbuilt bodies were not made to the highest degree of precision as they were made to order by hand. I was shocked when I saw what Dutch Darrin did in the hidden places behind the interiors on his bodies.

· Apr 18

@alsancle These are photos of the truck before the father of the current owners started working on it. This was long before I got involved. Unfortunately most of the original wood was burned, all I have are the doors. And yes, as the saying goes, you don't want to see how the sausage is made. Does not matter who is making it.

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· Apr 18

@NewOldWood Wow what an ambitious project! Looking forward to seeing the progress.

· Apr 18

@NewOldWood your wood working skills are amazing! What is your past experience with building frame parts for a car? I'll be venturing into this arena some day in the future to replace a few pieces on our 1929 Chandler Sedan.

· Apr 19

@Chandler-Six Thanks! I've done it, it can be quite challenging, depending on what you are starting with. The shape can be hard to get because the old wood is usually rotted away and the sheet metal may not hold the shape you want without the wood. Definately not entry level wood working. If you get into it and have any questions, advice is always free...and guaranteed to be worth at least what you paid!

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· Apr 19

@NewOldWood Do I spy that cool 34 hunting conversion?

· Apr 20

@alsancle Nothing gets past you, does it! 😀

· Apr 20

@NewOldWood The internet is full of sleuths. I saw that car in person 10 years ago and thought it was the coolest thing in the world. Hope it found a good home and on its way back on to show field. I think if Pebble did a Hunting body or shooting brake class it would be a lock for acceptance.

· Apr 20

@NewOldWood - very well done. You are a true craftsman.

· Apr 18

Love those joints! Is that Ash?

· Apr 19

@BuickGuy68 Thanks! Yes it is.

· Apr 19

@NewOldWood Is Ash used perdominatly in all wood framed cars? Do you know why? I know the coachbuilders in the 20s and 30s prefered it.

· Apr 20

@alsancle Every non Ford wood bodied car I have seen has been Ash, although there may be European exceptions. Ash was very common and thus inexpensive, and it has an attractive appearance. It also has good structural qualities, impact and shock resistance in particular. It was also commonly used for things like axe handles and baseball bats. Fords Iron Mt plant opened in 1924 after Henry bought 400,000+ acres of Maple forest in Michigans U.P. Which is why Fords are all Maple.