I stored the car for 12 years and when I turned 80 earlier this year I decide the time had come to get on it or I'd never get to drive her!
I knew from the initial inspections that a couple of pieces of wood would need replacing, but overall the car seemed to be complete and in reasonable shape. When I started the disassemble for the full restoration the task ahead of me came into sharper focus. I guess young fellows driving a sports car to school tend to be a bit hard on them; Here's a list of the damage that emerges as I disassembled the car.
The entire back end of the car- the side curtain box must have rotted out and was replaced; not employing exactly original dimensions, the two main body to frame mount were badly distorted and had been welded up, as had the cowl to frame brackets- these had been welded a couple of time and one was again broken. One transmission to frame mount had torn off and was replaced with an angle iron patch. One engine mount had a major weld in it and the left front damper had torn away from the frame and a 1/4' steel plate patched on.The headlight bar across the radiator had been rewelded a couple of times and was again broken. The rear axle had torn away from the spring on one side and neither spring had the correct number of leaves. Interestingly there was no evidence that the car had be in a serious accident.
Now the wood, as yes the wood-I'm a reasonably good amateur woodworker and had helped other antique car friends with wood replacement in the past. This TC seems to have been in dry storage most of its life if you consider about 40 years by the previous owner and 12 year in my hands. Most of the wood was there and suitable for patterns, some of it appeared sound but had suffered from what boat builders call Iron Rot- the wood around the fasteners is degraded to the point where the screws simply have no holding power. Where the four main posts join the main lower beam, the end grain exposure had allowed the water to migrate into the post and they were useless. As a result I have replaced almost all of the wood which after 75 years in not surprising.
My overall conclusion about these car is the if you are considering buy one and there is not photographic evidence that the wood has been replaced you should add the cost of a new wood body to your cost estimate, probably $20,000 in todays market.
Bryan Kemper
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