i just got a new project car. 29 A sport coupe. but a previous owner cut the top off including the windshield post. i am planning on making a roadster out of it, because the rest of the body is in way too good of shape to let go. i need pics of model A roadsters, mainly the front cowl where the windshield stanchoins start, and the door tops because the roadsters are thinner. also maybe the door latch areas. any advise on this would be very much appreciated. thanks in advance, i know there is no better group of guys to ask. Josh
i was working on this very same thing i was planning to shorten the interior on mine ...stretch the pannel behind the trunk..ad a body line aroudn there too...i took 3 inches out of the subrails which inturn i would have to shorten the doors..i installed roadster cowl posts but you have to cut and raise the body line area 1-3/4 inches to match the bead on the doors...i then added a body line at the bottom edge of the body..you can just get roadster patch pannels for the 1/4's and recontour them to the shape of the coupe 1/4's...then 31 door bottom patch pannels for the doors..(they fit since i was shortening the doors about 3 inches) you will actually shorten the doors a little more then the 3 inches though because the roadster cowl posts are different length then the coupe parts and the doors attach differently... im at work right now and thats all i can think of... but if you have any questions i might be able to help...i havent finished mine becuase i decided to go with a "real" roadster that i just found so the sport coupe is on hold... theres pictures of mine on here somewhere i guess if you looked through the old posts good luck zach
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=UBB1&Number=594180&Forum=All_Forums&Words=5017&Match=Username&Searchpage=4&Limit=25&Old=allposts&Main=566397&Search=true#Post594180 ithink thats the link to a bunch of pictures of mine...i hadnt cut the rear section or done the doors yet when i put it aside but gives you an idea zach
This is only part Sports Coupe, so it might not help you much. ( I also used Roadster and 2Dr Sedan parts, but the rear sheetmetal is Sports Coupe.)
thanks guys, thats exactly the kind of info i am looking for. right now my plan is to leave the rear quarters how they are, and cap the top of them sorta like a roadster is. and the doors are taller than the quarters so i am trying to decide whether to cut down the doors(most likely), or raise the quarter line. looking to find roadster doorlatches and narrow the doors and door jambs a little. also any close up pics of the windshield post would be great. trying to decide whether to build around the coupe post, or buy roadster post, and modify the cowl to fit them. kustombuilder and metalshapes, you both inspire me to get going on this thing. those cars both look right, not like something with the top whacked off. josh
On mine I just notched the orig windshield posts, cutting the part out that goes on the inside of the windshield, and I think it looks good. I didn't narrow my doors, I'm not trying to fool anyone, just wanna get it on the road. Bear claw latches are easy to install, cheap, and safer that orig latches. It took me about 3 hours to install mine. Where my door is higher than the tops of the quarters, I am going to make a mount to go there that looks like a folding top mount, there again, just wanna get it running and have fun. Fido
Not exactly a roadster but here is what I did to a 29 4 door cowl. I cut the vent grid out of the dash and dropped it down. Then made some pieces that welded to it to cover the stubs from the old windshield posts. The windshield frame was a swap meet find that I notched and "V"ed. Then I peaked the top of the cowl to match the windshield after I laid it back. I am using a 26-27 T touring backhalf and some early 20s T touring back doors. I have used pieces frome 2 old garnish moldings to blend the doors to the cowl and will have another filler panel below the doors to connect the backhalf and cowl once it is all tied together with subframe. metalshapes I really like the look of your car, it just has at***ude.
you guys have more and more ideas brewing in my head now. after i finish some work on the shop, it will get started. i'll be sure to take step by step pics. that way there will be pictures of what i'm doing wrong so i can get yelled at. thanks again guys.
I have all the 28-29 roadster cowl pieces and a chopped windshield with stantions. I was saving it for another project but I may have to part with it all because of economics. Not real sure yet but will know in a few days if some other stuff I have on ebay sells or not. I also have the gas tank top with the filler removed and smoothed out and a pair of rough lower cowl sections. Howell's has those for $55 a pair so they aren't worth messing with.
i went down to sacramento vintage ford and picked up 29 roadster windshield stanchions and roadster door latches. plans are to thin up the doors and jambs and also cut the excess off the door tops. the winshield stanchions are going to get sunk into the cowl, but it wont look exactly like the roadster ones because the cowl sticks out a little further, and i dont want to reshape it. i will post some progress pics when there is some actual progress.
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