[madmike3434]

Trolling ebay for whats for sale for 25-26 Chevrolet

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1925-1926-1927-Chevrolet-Roadster-or-Touring-Car-Dash-Panel/264578401347?hash=item3d9a1a0443:g:BroAAOSwk8JeA7pC

mike lynch.........HAIRBALL

[sixball]

I'm always looking for stuff for it on eBay.
The biggest difference I know of between '25 and '26 was the trunk and back area. The trunk on mine is almost the whole top of the back part. The tulip piece behind the passenger compartment behind the seat is a small thin piece compared to '25. The lid goes all the way down in the back to the cross piece. That causes the wood to be different also. I also think '25 was the last year when the distributer ran off the back of the generator. From "26 to '28 that were driven by the cam. The necessary hole in the block weakened it. The racers preferred the '25 and earlier blocks with a '28 head which had 2 exhaust ports. Serious guys found a 3 port Olds head. The front crossmembers and motor mounts were different too.

The caption here says this is a '25 but it is a '26 you can see the trunk hinges high on the back behind the seat area plus outside door handles, the aluminum cowl trim and the bottom piece of the windshield is lower than a '25.. Also notice the 3 header pipes for the Olds head. This was a bad one!

[madmike3434]

I see that the rear area is different.
 
Neat looking old time hot rod, the side splash shields add to a more cleaned up look.   Big wire wheels I think I remember you saying you were going to run 19" on yours.

I do not remember an OLDS motor that was a 4 cylinder, their cars were 6 cylinders starting in 1923 and before that assorted mason V8 motors starting around 1915.

So the 3 port your talking about is a ** 6 ** cylinder olds, and not a flathead six as Olds were 1923 and up.  Picture shows a rocker valve cover, whats up with that. ?

mike lynch........HAIRBALL

[sixball]

Olds made four cylinder OHV engines from 1921-1923.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZzhoUFzwTdU

[chopper526]

Please don't beat me up here. You guys really know what you are doing with this wood, and it looks like you have enough to use for templates or to restore, but some of it looks intricate to reproduce and to me it just screams metal. Sorry

[madmike3434]

CHOP...........I am just a regular guy no expert or anything.  I had no experience with wood other than replacing the wood in top of my 35 3w coupe back in 70's .

The 35 roadster is a whole other can of worms, ( no termites ) .  If you have a piece of rotted wood that you can use as a pattern that's most of the solution.  Using a 9" homeowners bandsaw, drill press with 2" drum sander, a RIGID home depot laying on its side belt sander that moves up and down and also has a spindle for drum sand rolls, Assortment of wood chisels, Japanese hand saw, Forstner bits for making perfectly round holes in wood, plus the spade style.

 Got some books on it , but it really just really comes down to common sense , looking at whats there and how to do it right without mickey mouse-ing it . 

Theres nothing especially TRICK about measuring 3 times cutting once for the seat back fill in pieces that are not even supposed to be there.  But I will have upholstery I can quickly remove and throw in trunk to show off the seat wood work, I am very proud of.  I think making wood replacement parts is a whole lot easier FOR ME, than making metal.  Sounds better too, thump, like a real chevy , not a tin can ford CLANG.

mike lynch...............HAIRBALL

[madmike3434]

Continuing on with showing wood parts for 34-35 Chevrolet roadster that have been redone.

These pictures show the metal panel that sits between the rumble/trunk lid and the seating area.
The wood part that fits under it attaches to the wood stringers that run along the trunk opening each side.
They extend thru the wood seatback surround.
Note the slots in that piece, 1/4" wide, that's for the wood to expand and contract as the metal lip from the piece fits into it.
Weirdly the panel and quarter panel float in that opening, and there is nothing sealing it to stop water infiltration.
 On my coupe also has this but because its a FISHER body the seams are filled with lead.

On the long curved parts note the cutouts in the wood and sunken holes made with FORSTNER BITS.  Those cutouts are for support metal or wood that go down to the floor. On the lower one its for the rumble lid support pinion that allows rumble to open.

mike lynch...................HAIRBALL

[madmike3434]

Olds made four cylinder OHV engines from 1921-1923.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZzhoUFzwTdU

At one point I had a company called GASKET KING , and had 28,000 pre 1948 headgaskets, selling them in Hemmings motor news.  I bought the complete company samples of every head gasket they made from 1909 up to 1948..     I do not remember ever having cylinder head gaskets for 1921--23 olds , nor ever being asked for them.  I wish I still had my 1899---1930 issue of Fitzgerald gasket company application book .  I'd like to see what a stock head gasket looks like and the part number.

Mason made motors for gm, just wondering if its a 4 cyl OHV chev 1916--1928 with an oldsmobile cylinder head made for it ?  Pictures u posted say OLDS.



Just googled OLSONS HEAD GASKETS, turns out the motor in question is a 1916--1922 Chevrolet and the gaskets are the same for the Oldsmobile 43A 1921--1923  But with 3 port olds head

interesting................mike......HAIRBALL

[sixball]

Please don't beat me up here. You guys really know what you are doing with this wood, and it looks like you have enough to use for templates or to restore, but some of it looks intricate to reproduce and to me it just screams metal. Sorry

Chopper, Believe me I hearing a lot of that right here from my friends. That would be the easy way and maybe the smart way but it's not the Cowboy way.  It was born a Chevy and has one more chance to die a Chevy. It's been this way for 94 years  much of that time              unprotected out side. It has survived at least one fire and a bunch of neglect. Who am I to to ignore the craftsman ship that got it here. Besides I desecrating everything else.

[sixball]

Nice pictures Mike. Maybe I'll redo the wood and replace the sheet metal with plexiglass.
I seems that there is either one more or one less hole on the Olds head that has to be dealt with to use it on a Chevy.

I put this on my HAMB build thread  and thought I put it here same as the picture posts. It is my present plan and I hope would keep the project moving while I take the new wood detour.

Posting and labeling the pictures my seem like I'm talking to myself. Well I am. Handling the pieces and trying to figure them out, photographing them, posting, and writing descriptions has given me a place to start that I think will allow progress on the body and frame at the same time so I can keep my "crew" involved. This is kind of like running a small business. :confused: Idle hands are the Devil's workshop and these guys idle hands will lead to no good.
The key seems to be the sills. They are to point where the frame and body meet. The body sheet metal wraps around the outer edge of the sill and is nailed to it. So the outside of the sill is the shape of the body.
There are mount holes in the sill that locate the body on the frame. As built the frame is mostly narrower than the body. I want the frame and body contour to be the same from the front of the cowl all the way back. To do that the frame will take some cutting, bending, welding, and a bit of lengthening to make it come out right.
That will change the relation between the mount holes in the sills and the frame
Here's the present plan. I will use the old sills as patterns to make new sills and bolt them to the frame. Then I will make cross pieces to build what Ford guys might all a sub floor. Check it, measure it, make sure it is right and gives me the curve I want for the body frame contour. It will have to include building over the pickup all the way to the end of the body.
Then we will shape the frame lengthen the existing cross members, build a rear crossmember and what ever else needs attention. When the frame is the right shape and length we can start on the suspension and mounts etc.
When the frame is the right shape I can put the sub floor back on and see where the mounts line up and make any other needed changes. That done I can use the sills for patterns for real sills and begin the new wood body frame construction. This way the build can go on in two places either in one shop or two until we are ready to put the body on the frame.

What do you think?
 

[madmike3434]

Here is what I think.  If you do not have the firewall to rear sill patterns, how about this for an idea.

Assemble the frame on jackstands.  Get a piece of 1/4" plywood 4 foot x 8 foot and lay it on the frame and bolt down thru firewall bolt thru the frame.

Mount the firewall,  door and quarter panels sitting it on the frame.

Out comes the marker pen and trace the body shape onto the plywood.   Now you have the beginnings of the frame sill wood plate pattern.  ... Trick is if you could find pictures of the trunk area wood and how its made would be HUGE.. 

 You may have to join the VCCA CHAT and post the question in the 1916...28 chev section looking for pictures of exactly what you want.   Hopefully somebody will be able to help you out.

mike lynch..............HAIRBALL

[sixball]

When you bolt the 4X8 plywood on the frame what do you do about the kickup area. I think my passenger side sill is up to the task of pattern making. I'm going down in the morning to remove the sill pieces from the cowl and see who complete the right side is. I'll get the thickness and figure what material I'll need. I will probably layer plywood with glue and screws. This is just a temporary work piece for reference. I may use some particle board left over from the chicken house.
 
 I started pulling my band saw out of the back of the shed. It's way in the back behind some big machine shop tools. I'll get some new blades and belts for my belt sanders.  My friend has a drum sander. I need to buy one of those osculating multi tools and an assortment of blades, I need one anyway. I'll get a Japanese flush cut saw too.

[madmike3434]

was thinking about rear of frame as I replied........but don't see picture posted of the complete frame.

Mark the kick up from below and cut away everything not needed.

On the 34 and down cars the kick up was made out of wood using many pieces. See if I can find that picture again.. My 35's the kickup is stamped metal.

picture is of all the framework in a 34 chev roadster note kickup area, yours may have been constructed similar.  ??  This will give the trunk floor a flat panel.

mike lynch

[madmike3434]

its 12.15 am, decided to try a google search on 26 chev for wood kits or plans.

came up with this listed on ebay

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Chevrolet-ONLY-Body-Manual-1926-1927-1928-1929-1930-Chevy-Fisher-Shop-Wood-/361478937725

mike lynch..........HAIRBALL

[sixball]

I've seen those before. I may even have one somewhere. I'm sure it would be helpful in a general way, the techniques and how to stuff. I don't think there is anything specific because Fisher didn't make the roadster or touring bodies. I'll look through my old Chevy books and maybe order one . There is bound to some helpful information.  Thanks for looking.