Wood frame: Stain or paint.

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Hi everyone!

I am back with another question for the pas masses. First, the mechanic is on vacation so, the frame/engine/radiator etc.. is on hold until he returns. 6 weeks. Doesn’t he realize there are PAS members waiting for an update! lololo

Anyway, I stopped by the body shop today and they were working on the wood frame. They were taking it down to bare wood. Is that orignal paint on the wood or is it stain that just turned an creasote black?

The wood is in amazing shape. Not even one inch of rot. there is a a two inch piece of woood replaced in the far back body frame. Not sure when or why replaced but that is it. Every inch of wood is solid and fantastic. The wood grain that is in this wood is spectacular. I cant wait until it is refinished.

side notes: Wiring harnes just came in. Radiator came back as well. Chrome is coming back in dribs and drabs. In about 4 weeks some large pieces of chrome will be coming back. i.e. bumpers and the Archer.

Rick

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Wood frame of the body, or wood frame of the top (bows)?

Normally, the body wood was painted black, some early photos (not Pierce) show workers “daubing” paint on the interior wood with a rag. This does not have a fine finish on it, as most of it was hidden. By interior wood, I mean the body framework which ends up behind the upholstery or under/behind the seat. A flat or semi-gloss paint would be appropriate.

Any body wood that shows after upholstery (such as door jambs) would be painted body color.

If you’re talking about the top bows, that might be an interesting discussion. The bows on my ’31 phaeton are, as far as I know, original, and have never been painted. They are varnished or sealed but the wood grain shows.

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I use a seaaler on the wood first, then paint it black. Top bows seem to be both painted or natural depending on the car. It seem to me I see more natural finish than painted. Some cars have the header painted body color. The 32 open car I am currently helping with was painted windshield header and natural on the rest. I like the look of the wood myself.

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I think the natural wood looks good on the 32 or so and back cars, later in the 30’s it doesn’t seem as natural a look, so to speak….I’m putting a top on a 1940 Packard 160 convertible sedan now, a lot of these restored have natural wood but I’ve covered the back bow and front header with bowdrill (rest of bows are metal) and it looks correct….

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The bows are stained or at least sealed. I was referring to the body wood. The wood that suports the body sheet metal is the same as the body color. The door jacms, seat frames, floor frames, wood compartments etc., apear to be some type of stain. Maybe its paint but looks like stain because of its age.

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If you have the body wood down to bare wood, seal it with West System, then spray or daub black paint on it. It would not have been stained.

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In the 1930 factory publication “The Story of Pierce Arrow” on page 49 says “When this wooden frame work is completed and braced with metal, it is completely dipped in water-proofing paint and forever sealed against moisture. It will never split, warp, work loose or become noisy.”

The accompanying photes a door frame.

So were the whole body frame dipped? Thet would assume a BIG vat of paint. What was the formulae for the “water-proofing paint?

On one my cars from back in 1912 which has it’s original body frame the coating was coated & STILL smells like creosote!!

Keep up the good work Rick!

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