I've been a cabinet maker/finish trim carpenter for over 30 years. I remodeled/refurbished homes as a hobby in my spare time. If we lived closer, I'd be all over that wood work. I love the challenge. You're doing damn fine with the wheel spokes and wood for the car my Friend! Cheers! Zip~ p.s. I've got an older video showing my wood working in a couple videos. One was making door runners for a dresser and the other was on the woodwork I've done in my 152 year old brick Farm House.
A few suggestion; Ash is the wood for cars. All the manufacturers in Britain and the US use only Ash. It's lighter, doesn't split so easily. finer grain, and doesn't contain corrosive acids. Don't use Oak! When driving screws into wood, always use furniture (Paste, Butchers) wax as a lubricant on the threads. It makes them go in easier. The piece that goes over the windshield is called the "HEADER". It controls all the other top wood. I install them first. Give "Classic Wood" in North Carolina (I forget where) They make a lot of replacement wood. They could give you some tips. The "Whippet" is very similar to a Ford A and some A wood would probably adapt very easily. Use starting fluid when trying to start an old engine. Gas is not so good. Either you have too much or not enough, or it's old and is harder to ignite. Enjoy your videos very much! Terry
Jonathan, great woodworking. Glad to hear someone is getting rain. Here on the other side of the continent, we are without. Keep up the good work and videos please, enjoying them all.
Hope people remember to touch their caps 'doff them' when they see you in the Elcar Lord Jonathan. You'll be a skilled coach builder by the time you get the Whippet done. Btw I do like that car.
When i am putting screws into oak or other hardwoods...i predrill the hole. then run the screw into a bar of soap. then screw it into place. goes in easier and helps to keep from torquing on the head so hard it leaves marks.
I ain't gonna say it. But I can't stop myself. I would love to be there for you on the wood working part of this build. You are amazing. you are doing a great job. I do really like the rustic look of the wood that you are using. 👍 FINS UP 👍 😆 MAKES ME HAPPY
I'd like to suggest you cut off the cross-member where the wood is rotted and fashion and attach a new piece with a lap joint. My choice would be to use one of the West System adhesives which are used extensively on boats and are waterproof. Even if you can't cut off all the rot without damaging the serial number, West System has products that you can brush on (and I have injected into rotten wood with a syringe) that will harden the wood for further repairs. Love your videos, by the way.
I like your persistent attitude and step by step method in saving the 1929 Whippet! Weather you do a complete restoration or just fix it enough to drive and have fun I have fully enjoyed watching you save that Whippet. Keep on keep'n on
Excellent work , very interesting to watch , Jonathan ..I believe you are doing just fine . The hidden woodwork in those old cars bodies was never finished like fine furniture , and your replacement timbers are probably stronger than original . The floors I have seen looked like Marine Ply . I believe thrifty Mr Ford used wood from packing cases in which parts were delivered . He specified exact dimensions to suppliers so he could use the wood in the cars.
You said it Jon. I am working on a old car where the last owner pulled the wood all out of the car and it is a mess to put it all back together , if you take something apart for the love of God please finish the job ,don't leave it in pieces,, this car has been apart for 30yrs
Nice to see this project moving along... you stir a lot of different pots! My suggestion on the car's oak is to use White Oak rather than Red Oak. White Oak will not wick water with capillary action, whereas Red Oak behaves like a straw in glass; easily rotting in time. Yes to the Brass Screws! You have to think like a Boatbuilder, not a Cabinetmaker.
I think the buffer material between the body and frame is bulk seatbelt fabric. Can't remember where I saw that - either a Jay Leno restoration or videos from some high-end restoration shop out of Colorado (I disremember the name).
now correct me if i am wrong--but i heard from some old auto workers that Ford and other had special requirments for pallets being shipped to them as they used that wood to build the cars.
Jonathan,, You don't need a woodworker....Your doing just fine with what you done so far... The wood is like you said,,, some type of Hardwood,, Oak, Ash, or Poplar,,would be my guess...These would have been more useful for strength,, as Walnut, Pecan and Cherry would have been a wood more suited for Decorative pieces.... It's amazing to really see how much wood makes up the Skeletal Framework of these Real early automobiles....Almost to the point that the sheet metal was just a shell and the wood the strength.... I know you've already got a lot of the wooden pieces in place....And if they're not going to be painted/stained later on down the road .... To help against future water rot down the road,,, Here's a trick we use to use on the Farm around the bottom of barn's, shed's, and anything wood that's close to or has ground contact....Put them out in the Sun and coat them with used Motor Oil...The warm wood will Draw in the oil,, Keep applying coats till no more gets absorbed and it's good to go... It doesn't cost anything and It'll help to shed water and save the wood... Works good on keeping Termites away also....lol Keep up the good work,, she's looking good... Like you said,, Your not Restoring her.....
can you buy chicken wire at the local parts store? lol. oak planking at the body shop? What about using a piece of marine plywood for the floor? then paint it. it would last forever. Making good progress......
BTDT on my 31 chevy sedan. I took all th body off the wood frame. Some sais I would never get her back together. WRONG. I don't think they used oak because my wood was too soft for oak. I did use oak to repair the sill plates and made overlapped joints. It was a painful and trying job. some pics www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/members/capecodbob.38607/, www.hotrodders.com/forum/members/cape+cod+bob-albums-1931+chevy-page2.html
that overhead on the windshield, and the side splash guards are just terrible, but when you get the splash guards and windshield overheads done, everything will look completely different, and like an actual car. rust, she no good captain. save it all jonathan, it will work, and you can do it, I have no doubt. good job my son, tis a good deed, indeed. your method seems solid, if not the car. your methods will last through forever, but the car, well, not as long. brass screws, will hold it fast.
from what the dmv told me yrs ago, the only time it's legal to remove a vin tag is in a situation like with the whippet where you're restoring a rotten section of a classic car, however the tag must go back into the original position
Nice job, my friend. I think the word to describe your methods is "Practical". The idea is to enjoy the car, not look at a museum peice you can't take out and drive the wheels off. People seem to have forgotten how to fix things to use. They make it all pretty and then never use it because it might get dirty. Just think about all the projects you start, finish and use compared to the one long time restoration others do and then don't use. I've been the restoration route and it is not as rewarding as having multiple experiences with "Drivers". Build it to use it. Museums are for " Perfect Examples".
Hi, I'd say Oak too. Back then it could also have been Ash,which works well .Plywood has been around for over 200 years but the first US Patent was taken out in 1868.
Listening to Jonathan put me to checking on when plywood became available too. I learn a lot just listening to him and I thought I was a wealth of useless information. I never considered it was the adhesives than made plywood more available as they became better.
Most cars, higher end ones any way, used ash for body structure. Good luck, whole different type of body work...they also used to put felt or leather between the body and chassis to help with squeaking, plastic should work well.
I'm sure you have seen these but in case not... www.thornleykelham.com/sales/previous-stock/1929-willys-overland-whippet-saloon/ www.finecars.cc/en/detail/car/196903/index.html
From my search engine (whatever it is that I have): Plywood was introduced into the United States in 1865 and industrial production started shortly after. In 1928, the first standard-sized 4 ft by 8 ft (1.2 m by 2.4 m) plywood sheets were introduced in the United States for use as a general building material.
Are you familiar with the Willys-Overland-Knight Registry? You can get copies of the original factory drawings (including the wood framing) for most of the W-O-K cars including Whippet. There are alot of Whippet owners in the group, and many with spare parts.
15:00 on - exactly the problem I have on my '29 Model 96A: all the wood above the windshield perished (dry rot?).. My Whippet has been in storage for maybe ten years, but watching your videos has been the inspiration I needed to get the restoration underway, finally. Appreciate the videos that show what should be where in this car.
I was looking at a '24 Chalmers that was actually running ,but the metal doors were pulling away from the wood frames, and the owner was still asking five figures for something that was still going to require a full, wood replacement frame off. Of course, having zero skill myself, cost is always a BIG factor in what I'd be interested in buying.
I would replace the timber with the Vin number plate in and make a rebate in the new wood to take the old vin plate plus its surrounding wood of 1/4" or how ever long the screws are and glue it back in place, . You are doing a brilliant job, well done, Kind Regards Roger from the UK.
Hi Jonathan, nice work. I'm a carpenter and most of my work is in restoring older homes and remodeling. Your on the right track one piece at a time. Make sure you step back often to get the big picture. Things warp sag and distort and you might make a piece and realize later that and adjoining part is out place and you now your starting over. I love old vehicles and most anything mechanical and you just have to take it slow. Have a good day.
Which is better, flex seal spray, or flex tape? Daddy Phil Swift sawed a boat in half, and repaired it with flex tape. As for the spray, he cut a hole in another boat! Then he took that boat into shark infested waters!!! Now which one should I use if I were to create *a lotta damage?*
I know what you mean when it comes to parts for older vehicle i have been trying to find shift rods and hardware for my 74 f250 and seem to not be able to find them as the truck is a three speed on the column.the guy i got it from took them out and as far as i know trashed them because he said it was sticking between gears.it needed a bushing that i found i could use the wiper motor plate bushings off my junk 92 f150 so i replaced it.now all i need is the parts he throughout but i can't find them.
Man I dig all these old cars that you build, my dad and me and my brothers built old rides just like this and it was just the funnest thing to to me, especially cuz I was young at the time and it was a good learning experience keep it up brother they all are coming out awesome as usual with you.
Yea, you need some wood working tools! A planer would be handy for thinning the material, not a milling machine! You amaze me with what you can do with what you have!
wow! the peices you put in look original to me! its neat to see how those old cars were put together! the el car looks like shes cruising well, i love the veiw of that long hood and emblem out in front! take care!!!
You could always use stainless steel I seen them use in boat here in the salt water we have here..They cost more that is if you don' already, have some that given to you in your hard wear store.
