30 Chevy Coupe... Replacing wood that I don't have with steel question(s)

HRK-hotrods · Apr 8, 2009

I'm in the planning stages of my 30 Chevy coupe build. The car has none of the original subfloor wood left for me to use as a pattern. Are there online schematics/plans for the wood that list the dimensions also? I have found pics of the kits but no measurements.

Initial plans were to make a plywood base the same dimensions & shape as the original floor, then use that as a pattern to make the perimeter floor structure (in steel). Once that was done, I was going to tack the body together squared & aligned up with the doors on it to start framing out the body frame.

With no measurements or original wood to go from, it is kinda throwing a wrench into things. Any ideas, help or MEASUREMENTS would be great!

ohiotj · Apr 8, 2009

My father-in-law has a 30 chev coupe, and I'll be seeing him over Easter Sunday. If noone else can get the numbers to you, send me a diagram of where you want measurements, and I'll see what I can come up with.

I've got a 28 Chevy 4-door myself, and a lot of the lower wood is gone. Its getting the bottom couple of inches of steel cut out, though, so I'm going to have to eyeball a lot of it for my project

35Chevy.com · Apr 8, 2009

I seem to remember a thread similar to yours. Someone had a Chevy body and had to build a skeleton from 3/4" or 1" square tubing.

Welcome to the Chevy club I have a 35 2 door sedan

Gary

Kerry · Apr 8, 2009

35Chevy.com said: ↑

I seem to remember a thread similar to yours. Someone had a Chevy body and had to build a skeleton from 3/4" or 1" square tubing.
Click to expand...

That's what I did on my 31 Pontiac. The biggest piece of wood left in it when I got it was about 10" long.

Gregger Rod & Custom · Apr 8, 2009

Hey,

Check out these threads here on the HAMB:

"1929 chevy full sheet metal kit car"

"Termites and Bowties- Early Chevy Group"

They have a lot of good ideas in them.

junkyardroad · Apr 8, 2009

I am doing a 31 3 window now. Worked on it this evening in fact. Most of the structure is out now. I don't know if any is the same as a 30 though. I'm using 1 inch square 16 ga tubing and sheet.

Thankfully my doors were sound so all of the body is being built around them. I'll shoot some pics if you want em.

Ghost28 · Apr 8, 2009

Steel structure 3/4 inch square tubing. Check the thread (29 chevy full sheet metal kit car). As said before either thread has good info for your chevy. The structure that I am showing is for a 28 sedan but the idea is the same...ghost

29moonshine · Apr 8, 2009

on my 29sedan i tack all the body together then sat it on the frame the way i wanted it. then used a large piece of card board to make a floor pattern transfered it to a piece of 1/8 steel plate then welded it to the body. i used a piece of 1/4 x 3 "steel to make the door jams trimed the outside to fit the body so i could weld it to the body then drilled and taped it to mount the hinges for the door the rest of the wood i replaced wit 3/4 " tubing

HRK-hotrods · Apr 9, 2009

Ghost, I've been following your build and have got a lot of ideas from it. The main thing I am concerned about is keeping the original shape of the body. If anyone can supply the correct measurements for a 30' coupe at the floor in the doorjamb from cowl side to cowl side(my cowl is slightly twisted) and from latch jamb to latch jamb, I should be alright then. I am going to buy new rockers so that will give me the shape of the "bow" in the body.

I am looking forward to jumping into this Picking it up tommorrow!!!

8flat · Apr 9, 2009

I'll be doing this on my '33 Chevy 5w:

Get your measurements, set the body on a level surface, tack-weld the doors on (use outside tabs that'll be easy to cut off) with the gaps you want just to make sure the quarters and cowl stay put. Weld in multiple temp cross-braces (sq tubing) in multiple planes to hold the body square.

Build the floor skeleton with sq tubing like stated above, then simply buy a repro floor for a 33-34 Ford coupe, trim to fit, and weld in. (nobody makes one for our Chevys)

This is what I'm buying, $265 and free shipping from Vendetta Auto Fab:

<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 12"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 12"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CGary%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><link rel="Edit-Time-Data" href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CGary%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_editdata.mso"><link rel="themeData" href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CGary%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_themedata.thmx"><link rel="colorSchemeMapping" href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CGary%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_colorschememapping.xml"><style>  </style>[FONT=&quot][/FONT]

Mike has sold these to people building Chevy floors, they work great, and he can give you different firewall clearance options, depending on your engine choice.

If your '30 is a lot more narrow than my '33 (doubtful), you might use a different floor.

Gary

JeffreyJames · Apr 9, 2009

I going to replace a few wood pieces on my '31 and leave the rest because the wood is in good shape. The two main rails along the bottom will be replaced with 2 x 3 and the rest of the sub floor may be 1 x 3. 1 x 1 is probably best for the body support and cage.

8flat · Apr 9, 2009

JeffreyJames said: ↑

I going to replace a few wood pieces on my '31 and leave the rest because the wood is in good shape. The two main rails along the bottom will be replaced with 2 x 3 and the rest of the sub floor may be 1 x 3. 1 x 1 is probably best for the body support and cage.
Click to expand...

I agree. Unless you're worried about weight savings, I'd stick with 1x1 tubing.

JeffreyJames · Apr 9, 2009

Are you referring to keeping as much of the good wood or my idea for the bottom rails? I am trying to come up with a floor and sil rails that looks like it could have been a factory install. I am trying to brainstorm and see if 2 x 3 would be overkill or if there no heavy walled tubing that I can use so that those don't rails weight a ton.

In the end the 1 x 1 is going to be the easiest way but I am dead set on making this think look like I was never there...well except for the hemi and '32 Ford frame. Haha!

8flat · Apr 9, 2009

Sorry, I was talking about the tubing size. I think for most of it, 1x1 is a good size, but I've seen examples of 1x2 and it does actually look really good. I think 2x3 might be a little big, since it'll set your floor further above the frame...??

Just thinking out lout, I like where your head's at with making pieces that don't look so out of place. Check this guy's work, some of it is applicable to that idea I think:
http://retropower.com/1933_chevy_5_window_build_photos_1.html

JeffreyJames said: ↑

Are you referring to keeping as much of the good wood or my idea for the bottom rails? I am trying to come up with a floor and sil rails that looks like it could have been a factory install. I am trying to brainstorm and see if 2 x 3 would be overkill or if there no heavy walled tubing that I can use so that those don't rails weight a ton.

In the end the 1 x 1 is going to be the easiest way but I am dead set on making this think look like I was never there...well except for the hemi and '32 Ford frame. Haha!
Click to expand...

8flat · Apr 9, 2009

Oh, and as far as keeping some of the wood, I'm undecided. Most of mine was shot so I don't have a choice. I think leaving some of the old original Fisher hardwood in view would be cool, like maybe the header piece above the windshield?

JeffreyJames said: ↑

Are you referring to keeping as much of the good wood or my idea for the bottom rails? I am trying to come up with a floor and sil rails that looks like it could have been a factory install. I am trying to brainstorm and see if 2 x 3 would be overkill or if there no heavy walled tubing that I can use so that those don't rails weight a ton.

In the end the 1 x 1 is going to be the easiest way but I am dead set on making this think look like I was never there...well except for the hemi and '32 Ford frame. Haha!
Click to expand...

28 ponti · Apr 9, 2009

Don't know if it will help, but I have the original wood out of a 1928 Chevy coupe. I could trace the main side sill assembly parts with measurements on a roll of paper and send it to you. Ralph

PBRmeASAP · Apr 9, 2009

I replaced a few pieces of wood in my truck just to keep it chevy. A good chunk of the wood was already replaced, but i took it out piece by piece and replaced it with 1x1. I did do the rocker area first only to keep everything square.

8flat · Apr 9, 2009

Also: I remember Plowboy talking about buying a good cheap tubing bender that he used to build an inner structure on his little truck. This would sure save time to help you match up the curves you'll need.

HRK-hotrods · Apr 9, 2009

Thanks guys! Ralph, PM sent... If anyone has any in progress pics they want to share, by all means, SHOW US We likes pics

ohiotj · Apr 12, 2009

bad71burb said: ↑

Ghost, I've been following your build and have got a lot of ideas from it. The main thing I am concerned about is keeping the original shape of the body. If anyone can supply the correct measurements for a 30' coupe at the floor in the doorjamb from cowl side to cowl side(my cowl is slightly twisted) and from latch jamb to latch jamb, I should be alright then. I am going to buy new rockers so that will give me the shape of the "bow" in the body.

I am looking forward to jumping into this Picking it up tommorrow!!!
Click to expand...

Got a few measurements from my Father-in-law's coupe today. Its mostly stock with no custom bodywork, so these numbers should be close:

Outer cowl side to outer cowl side at the floor: 39.5"

These numbers are close, but the seat was in the way, so they could be off a tad:
Inside latch to inside latch: 51.125"
Outside latch to outside latch: 54"

Log in or Sign up

30 Chevy Coupe... Replacing wood that I don't have with steel question(s)

HRK-hotrods
Member

from South Jersey

ohiotj
Member

from SW Ohio

35Chevy.com
Member

from New Jersey

Kerry
Member

from Inman, Kansas

Gregger Rod & Custom
Member

from Calgary, Alberta, Canada

junkyardroad
Member

from Colorado

Ghost28
Member

from Aurora, Colorado

Attached Files:

DSCF0761.JPG

DSCF0772.JPG

DSCF0784.JPG

DSCF0793.JPG

DSCF0791.JPG

DSCF0890.JPG

DSCF0887.JPG

29moonshine
Member

from pensacola fla

HRK-hotrods
Member

from South Jersey

8flat
Member

from Highwood Montana

JeffreyJames
Member

from SUGAR CITY

8flat
Member

from Highwood Montana

JeffreyJames
Member

from SUGAR CITY

8flat
Member

from Highwood Montana

8flat
Member

from Highwood Montana

28 ponti
Member

from glenmoore pa

PBRmeASAP
Member

from Near Milwaukee

8flat
Member

from Highwood Montana

HRK-hotrods
Member

from South Jersey

ohiotj
Member

from SW Ohio

Share This Page

Archive

Atomic Industry

Support

Subscribe

30 Chevy Coupe... Replacing wood that I don't have with steel question(s)

HRK-hotrods Member from South Jersey

ohiotj Member from SW Ohio

35Chevy.com Member from New Jersey

Kerry Member from Inman, Kansas

Gregger Rod & Custom Member from Calgary, Alberta, Canada

junkyardroad Member from Colorado

Ghost28 Member from Aurora, Colorado

Attached Files:

29moonshine Member from pensacola fla

HRK-hotrods Member from South Jersey

8flat Member from Highwood Montana

JeffreyJames Member from SUGAR CITY

8flat Member from Highwood Montana

JeffreyJames Member from SUGAR CITY

8flat Member from Highwood Montana

8flat Member from Highwood Montana

28 ponti Member from glenmoore pa

PBRmeASAP Member from Near Milwaukee

8flat Member from Highwood Montana

HRK-hotrods Member from South Jersey

ohiotj Member from SW Ohio

Share This Page

Useful Searches

Archive

Atomic Industry

Support

Subscribe

HRK-hotrods
Member

from South Jersey

ohiotj
Member

from SW Ohio

35Chevy.com
Member

from New Jersey

Kerry
Member

from Inman, Kansas

Gregger Rod & Custom
Member

from Calgary, Alberta, Canada

junkyardroad
Member

from Colorado

Ghost28
Member

from Aurora, Colorado

29moonshine
Member

from pensacola fla

HRK-hotrods
Member

from South Jersey

8flat
Member

from Highwood Montana

JeffreyJames
Member

from SUGAR CITY

8flat
Member

from Highwood Montana

JeffreyJames
Member

from SUGAR CITY

8flat
Member

from Highwood Montana

8flat
Member

from Highwood Montana

28 ponti
Member

from glenmoore pa

PBRmeASAP
Member

from Near Milwaukee

8flat
Member

from Highwood Montana

HRK-hotrods
Member

from South Jersey

ohiotj
Member

from SW Ohio