Anyone with any advice or even a video on welding a 30 coupe top onto a 30 sport coupe body? bartmcneill@yahoo.com
well I know it'll fit, but you'll need coupe doors and there may be a difference in the door hinges, it's certainly been done before, so do lots of measuring and take it one step at a time
I thought the coupe rear roof panels were bolted in place? And you could bolt the roof sections to a Sport Coupe body? Or is that a 28/29 thing?
Australia never got 'proper' coupes until 1933, but we did get sports coupes/cabriolets. A number of Aussie 'coupes' were created at the time using the back section from a fordor sedan body. I don't have any details, sorry, but they looked pretty good in a country where we didn't have the 'real thing' to compare them to! Cheers, Glen.
It is a 28-9 thing. The 30-1 stuff is a one piece where the sides are concerned... Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
30-31 the quarter windows are part of the same stamping as the quarters and the panel above the decklid is the same panel as the rear window unlike 28-29 where it is bolt on. Im not a fan of cabrios or sport coupes so id already have that roof welded on with no regard for the nay sayers. sport coupes and cabrios are like factory coupsters. I've built a coupster. They are very stupid looking. Good luck, go for it.
Glad you came over to the HAMB.. It looks like your only option is to cut along the bottom of the reveal of the new top and then test fit to see what needs to be done.. It would help if you had a coupe door already bolted in place to see how it's going to fit and line up.. I've never done it but I think once you get it that far you'll be able to see more of what you need.. Sport coupes are cool but I'd rather have a standard coupe.. Keep us updated...
From the looks of what you have available I would say a careful cut right in the middle of the big reveal would be the smartest? Or an even more careful slice right into the upper/smaller reveal? I definitely wouldn't start with a cut below the reveal on the sport coupe because you don't have that part of the donor roof!
If you cut the new top at the bottom of the reveal you will almost be able to set the new top and reveal right over the reveal on the body to see how you want to proceed from there.. I agree you don't want to cut anything off the body...
Thanks guys, the input was great. I am just doing the research right now although I am wanting to get after it. I need to get my stock tudor sedan finished up and sold and do some work on my 69 Mustang convertible to get it ready for summer. see www.picturetrail.com/bartmcneill if you want to look at pictures.
I mentioned this on the Ford Barn, and will say it again here, maybe someone will even have the piece. Find an uncut 30-31 Coupe rear window section that has the panel in front of the rumble/trunk opening. Bolt this into your Sport Coupe body and you'll have something to align the quarter window sections to. Find Coupe doors or add the missing tops to yours as well to align things. Bob
Yes I would like to have a nice rear section. I have the tops of the doors and they will be an easy weld on. I will probably try to trade louvered trunk lid for a smooth one. I like the smooth look, even for the hood, when it is on.
Do a search for McKee on here. He has done the conversion. Model A SportCoupe to 5 Window conversion is the heading. I'm about to do the same, I have the top cut at the revel line and it all lines up perfectly with the Sport Coupe doors. Just have to make up some angled steel sheet and shrink it and bolt it to where the wood along the top of the rear body would go. Then weld to that. Here are some pictures off of his post.
I did the same thing.... kind of...... http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=561557 Mine was a coupe that someone had cut the top off of, and I wanted a hard top car. We had a t-bucket growing up and I would personally rather have a car you can drive in the rain, and lock it. But check out my build. I did exactly what you are wanting to do. Jon
Yes.............Look here <------ I am not a big fan of sport coupes either so I found a 5 window roof and welded them together, easy job
After taking apart and re-building a few model A's, and seeing the innovation in the design of these cars, I'd venture to guess that everything will line right up. Find someone in your area that has a coupe, buy a case of beer ,and invite him (or her, excuse me ladies) over on a Sat. and compare apples and bananas. I know on the inside of both my coupes(30-31) under the quarter windows is a very fine break in the sheetmetal that looks an awful lot like a welded joint.Also traces of lead work on the outside in the same area.That roof section looks like a bit of a challenge; I ended up with the back end of a coupe that's in about the same condition. Good luck with it- save another one!
So-cal Tex, that is exactly where I was planning to do the welding on my body. Still got a while to plan. Need to get rid of a 69 Mustang coupe and a stock 30 sedan so my shop will have room. What kind of top you filling the hole with? stock, flat metal or ribbed metal?
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