Has anyone got any neat ideas for running boards? (32 Chevy roadster)
Printable View
Has anyone got any neat ideas for running boards? (32 Chevy roadster)
Make your own out of some 18ga and a couple of strategically located braces?????
I have an all steel 30 Model A roadster with a BBC with both running boards & fenders. My running boards were fabricated out of 14 gauge steel, professionally bent, and oh so strong. I have 2 extra heavy duty braces running length wise and the braces connected to the frame are really strong. I weigh 250 lbs. and when I step on my running boards they do not even bend a little bit. Unlike people who have fiberglass running boards that have to worry about someone stepping on them I have nothing to worry about and mine are so user friendly!!! :DQuote:
Originally Posted by tetzlaff
I used Red Oak on my 32, & 38, coupes ,& my 51 GMC pick up. It holds up real well as long as you put a good finish on it. OH yea don't let 4 year olds stand on them with sand in there shoes.:CRY:
Just for the heck of it I tried a quick on-line search. I have to say that I do feel for you Chebbie guys as most restoration suppliers seem to think that they didn't even exist before 1955 !!!!! I can buy a '30's Ford running board from numerous outlets like MAC's, LeBarron Bonney, Obsolete Ford, Dick Spadaro, Wescott's - and in OEM steel with bonded rubber, smoothie steel and 'glass.
Dave S and StylingZ have the best idea - find a sheet metal fab shop and have them make 'em up out of 16 or 14ga cold roll. I had some special doubled 16ga floorboards bent up for my '31 Ford and they were cheap, though the price of steel has gone up a lot in the couple of years since they were done.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bob Parmenter
That one must have been buried, but Uncle Bob can still find the goodies:LOL: :LOL: - I went thru 5-6 pages in Google ( metal shop fabs will most likely still be cheaper tho:eek: )
I have a great idea. Whether you find some, buy some, or make them yourself---cover them with rubber. If you paint them, they look beautifull, and you will spend the rest of your life yelling a kids to "Get the H#$!! off the running boards!!!"
Here is a picture of chromed or diamond plated boards which look great on a red '29. There is a problem with weak fiberglass boards. In my case I wanted to keep the weight down so I put a strip of 1/4" aluminum plate 4" wide under the 'glass boards and then added aluminum diamond plate on top. You could buy Model A braces and modify them, they are not expensive. I ended up with 'glass with 1/4" aluminum plate underneath and diamond plate on the top. It looks a little bit vulgar but the diamond plate bumps will hopefully solve the scratch problem for some time. If anybody out there thinks it actually looks good let me know but I am dubious myself and think most of you are just being polite. I am not sure about the metal on the nice '29, mine is aluminum diamond plate; if/when I get tired of that look I may have them covered with truck bed compound (black) but I have more important things to do on the car now and will leave the "false flash" there for now. I am trying to remember the running boards on a '35 Chevie coupe my family had back in the 1940s and I seem to recall a steel board with a checker pattern but I am not sure.
Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder
Go pick up the new Street Rod Builder on stands now. Pretty good step-by-step fab of running boards.
Charlie: I'd like to see pictures, if at all possible..............t
the filling station has steal or fiberglass running boards and aprons. jonathan