The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Need source for odd parts (AD)

I have to replace the three braces that fit behind the gas tank, between the back window panel and floor on my '51 and I need to find the felt pads that go between the braces and the rear body panel.

What is left of mine looks like very thick roofing felt so I went to Home Depot to see if anything there would work but all the roofing felt they have is very thin and I would have to buy an entire roll even if it was thick enough.

I also looked through the Filling Station catalog and even they don't have those pads.

Any suggestions?

Woody,

Jim Carter sells the gas tank pads (MEG125); however, it looks like the starting-year in his 55/55-59 pads is wrongs. You might want to call Mike Taylor at JC's and make sure the part they are selling is what you are looking for.

Tim

Tim,
That's not what I'm looking for. I'm looking for the felt pads that are sandwiched between the braces that weld to the rear window panel and floor.
BRACES

OK, Woody,

Sorry, I know what you are referring to. Last week I starting stripping the cab of my 54 3100 Hydra-Matic truck and that material chipped right off. I could not tell that it was the felt material - I though it was some sort of tar-based body-panel sealer. Sorry - I do not know what that material is nor where to obtain it (luckily my cab is rust free and I will not be taking those "ribs" off).

Tim

This is it,
http://www.chevsofthe40s.com/detail/11762.html

Bob

Woody, I've been looking for a heavy felt paper for most of the summer. I’ve been to all of the roofing supplies in the area and done a lot of online looking and it taint available anywhere. The heaviest felt roofing paper is 30# and that’s only 1/32” thick.
The closest that I've come is the 1/8” waffle pattern felt body deadener pn.121126B that Chevs of the 40’s sells. Only problem is you’ve got to buy $110 dollars worth plus shipping.
Took a couple of pics of one of my ribs: http://www.pbase.com/dennygraham/body_work&page=2

Denny G

Oops, I see Bob beat me to it.

you won't find heavier than 30# felt nowadays, used to be a 60# we called 'bulletproof paper" [replaced with Tyvek], but even that wouldn't be thick enough, just denser

how about some actual felt, like carpet underlay, which comes in various thickness, bit of contact cement to stick it, might find a flooring store to give you some scraps - might check the weatherstripping section of harware or builder supply places too, I've seen 1/4-1/2" felt on a roll for door/window bottoms

Bill

If you were looking for an asphalt faced product this might work. You would still need to find some company that would sell or give away some scraps.

http://www.specjm.com/files/pdf/VentsulationFeltRS2020.pdf

If you were looking just for felt, companies like these might sell it in the quantity that you were looking for.

http://www.thefeltpeople.com/?gclid=CJurk-SR3ZsCFRYiagod1z7rAA

http://aetnafelt.thomasnet.com/view...wool-and-wool-blend-felts?&forward=1

You might ask someone that does roofing if they have any scraps of the rubber liner that they use on a flat roof. It is rubber and about the same thickness as 30lb felt. You could glue it together to make it the thickness needed. I have a piece that came from when they re-roofed a building on campus. I ordered the piece that goes between the rear fender and running board and it looks like 30lb roofing felt is what I got there. I am going to use them as a pattern to cut some from the rubber. Just a thought.

Why not just double the #30? The stuff in the few vehicles Ive torn apart is just a little thicker then that, and is usually pretty squiched by the time Ive gotten to it.

As neil mentions, EPDM (rubber) would work also. Plus you could probably go down to a tire place and get some torn up inner tubes to use for free.

Thanks for all the suggestions. I had already considered everything that's been mentioned except for the $100 sound deadening material. It's pricey but I could find a use for what's left over... like glue some to the inside of the doors, etc.

After all, what's another $100?

When I was in construction ,last year, the brick layers were using a product to wrap the bottom of the window openings so that water could not get into the building it was much like roof felt but thicker and You could form it , I never asked what its called , if You have a brick shop around or know a bricky I would bet they would know.Mabe a construction site.
Mabe a construction glass company that installs the window frames on store fronts

Pete

Denny and Woody, another thought, you could use a torch down roofing material. Its much thicker and its basically a fiberglass mat with a rubberized asphalt coating. I was a roofer/waterproofer and still have a shed full of material if you want some scraps. Its roughly a 1/4" thick.

Jeff

Don't include me in that Jeff, I to much of a purest to use anything other than what was originally in the truck.
The waffle pattern felt paper from Chevs of the 40's is very close to the original material and it can be used in the doors, roof and toe board to kill the drumming. I believe the material was originally installed in the roof behind the headliner, behind the three braces behind the seat and on the toe board, at least that's the way it was in my '50 and I'm pretty sure that the truck is about 95% original.
Although it was used in the doors on many cars of the day I've never seen it in doors of the AD’s from the factory, but they certainly could use it.
When you look at the places that you can use it, the cost doesn’t seem so bad. Then you have to find a good stickum for it that will take the heat, stick to the treated felt paper and not stink like a tar and gravel roof.

Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL

Why not use body deadener material, the kind you put on the metal floor of the cab.

Go to www.classicparts.com and look up item 23-325 to see if thats what you need. Its 4 square felt pads. Costs $4.95.

Because in all likelyhood your probablly going to get four little square pieces of common 30# roofing paper. All of the anti-squeek and body gaskets that I have seen from the vendors are simply cut for a roll of roofing paper.
Denny Graham
Sanwich, IL

If your not looking for original type material, I used part of an old rubber pickup bed mat that I cut out the pieces on my band saw and they worked just fine. I will use the same material on my 54 pickup bed to frame.

Havent read many of Dennys posts, have ya?

Tks Jeff! Easy to keep them running, all it take is duct tape and a roll of bailing wire, the challenge is "restoring one"!
DG

Denny: I admire your commitment to "original" parts and restoration. I read all most all your posts.

Well I'm sure by now my old buddy Woody has a roll of that felt body deadener on the way from Chevs of the 40's. He's more of a purest than he admits to.
DG

Denny, when are you going to publish a book on the originality of these trucks? Youd write a great one!

Yeah, right, I can hardly spell my own name, and thank the Lordy for MS spell checker. This has been a grand learning experience for me all along. I have done a lot of study on my particular model. Tim Lederman and Bob bjr51 are light years ahead of me when it comes to the authenticity of these vehicles. Gene Schneider over at the VCCA is a wealth of knowledge and I learn something new from him almost every day. And there are many others here and at the VCCA chatter, to numerous to mention that contribute tons of accurate first hand information on the stock restoration of these old trucks.
So we’re veering way off Woody’s original question which, I believe has given him all the options that he needs to make a decision.
Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL

He is right Denny. All you would have to do is copy and paste your post that accompany the photos in your webshots and you would be good to go. I have $25 in my pocket waiting on the release now. You are also correct on the 30lb felt form the vendors. My rear fender to running board had the alignment lines printed on one.

I would like to hear more about that heavy felt paper that the bricklayers use. I spent several days running aroung to all of the roofing suppiers in our area and they couldn't come up with anything heavier than the 30# felt paper.
DG

Just a dumb question, however have you looked at mineral wool? (that fibrous brown stuff that falls apart after 40 years) That is what newer gas tanks are isolated by. At least in a few of the vehicles that I have restored. Even my fathers mid-90 mini-van used it.

I've decided to ahead with the felt from Chevy's of the 40s

And that's a big tums up to ya Woody.
DG

This is what I used on my gas tank, simply 'cause I had some laying around from when I built my Model A.

Great anti-squeak webbing.

http://store.bobdrake.com/b-5010-c.html

I think for that bricklayer stuff You could go to a builders supply store where they would sell construction materials for contractors , steel studs , screws , bolts .

Look at mac mastercarr

Pete