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Ford Model A Pickup Restoration March 2013

March has begun with a big parcel …

Ford Model A Restoration March 2013

The parcel is from Brassworks and it is my new radiator.

Ford Model A Restoration March 2013

It has survived the long way without any damage.

Ford Model A Restoration March 2013

Compared to my original version, this is a high quality replica with the correct thickness of sheet metal and the correct measurements. I do really recommend the radiators from Brassworks if you need a new radiator for your Model A and don't waste time with any no name products as I did …

Ford Model A Restoration March 2013

In the meantime I'm working on another site of my Model A and will continue later the work on my radiator.

Ford Model A Restoration March 2013

My new site is the wooden flatbed. This is made entirely of wood and the original one is massively attacked by woodworm and partially rotted by water. Therefore I need to made a new one.

Ford Model A Restoration March 2013

I use the same wood type as there has been used for the original bed. The two solid vertical beams are made from beech wood, the frame on top is made of ash wood. The basic profiles were made in the sawmill. The larger cross sections are glued since they do not have a standard size and the warping is not that much when they are made from more than one part and glued together. The steel sections you see on the picture are the old, refurbished versions.

Ford Model A Restoration March 2013

Through the wooden side members with a height of 30 cm these screws go through. The screws are made of two parts. One is a threaded steel rod and the other one is the head of the screw which is riveted at the head. Such things only come to light after sandblasting because the whole screw was heavily rusted. I had them then galvanized together with other parts.

Ford Model A Restoration March 2013

This side member later must take up the entire weight.

Ford Model A Restoration March 2013

From the old wooden bed, I made several sketches and now I have to transfer everything to the new timber sections.

Ford Model A Restoration March 2013

So far everything is roughly cutted out.

Ford Model A Restoration March 2013

This is the forward steel angle. Between steel and wood there comes a 3 mm rubber profile between. The two parts can now work a little bit when the frame twists.

Ford Model A Restoration March 2013

This is the back angle, it will be screwed to the frame too.

Ford Model A Restoration March 2013

The base of the entire bed structure is finished. Those rectangular hole on the left side will later be the door of the trunk - it is not a big one but it has a trunk!

Ford Model A Restoration March 2013

My next problem are the 30 cm long holes which I need to drill for the long screws. To do this drill by free hand you need a lot of luck to come out on the right position ;-) But since I need the luck for totally 4 holes, I preferred the safe solution and I built a setting jig. Just take a piece of (hard) wood which is at right angles with the ground. Then drill the hole with a box column drill.

Ford Model A Restoration March 2013

Now fix the piece of wood with a vise at the front side of the wood and the jig is ready to drill.

Ford Model A Restoration March 2013

Now I can drill the hole very easy and I'm sure that I drill at the right angle. In my case, the drill was about 5 cm too short, so I had to make a second hole from the opposite side.

Ford Model A Restoration March 2013

The deviation of the two wholes was about 1 mm, which I was able to compensate with a rasp.

Ford Model A Restoration March 2013

By the way, I also did all the other holes in thick wood with this jig. Drill the first 5 mm deep, then press the jig flat to the surface by hand (move finger away from drill at the back side …) and drill the hole. A simple tool but very useful for drilling holes in thick wood.

Ford Model A Restoration March 2013

Now I'll start with the frame which is made of ash. First I milled the edges with a router.

Ford Model A Restoration March 2013

For the connections at the corners I had to work exactly to make them fit properly.

Ford Model A Restoration March 2013

The iron which protects the edges do also fit.

Ford Model A Restoration March 2013

The basic structure of the flatbead is done. Next steps are the missing cross members and the side panels.