New floor boards for the "Red Flyer"

   I went back to Comries old saw mill in Ledyard and bought more old oakboards the same as I bought for the frame work for the seats. Originally Model A floors were made of plywood.  Henry Ford had a great idea to save a buck, he insisted that the floor boards for all Model A"s be made from the plywood that crated around the Model A 4 cylinder engines for shipment to the next factory.  Of course plywood did not stand up to the weather in a open tractor, so my father built some from pine 3"boards that after 60 years also rotted out.

                                                                   

New oak floor board Photos

                                                                             

                                                                                   

                                             This is what the oak boards were made from.

   

                The boards came out great after I cut them to size and drilled out for the shifter
                  hole.  Its amazing how 70 year old wood will come back to life if its been kept dry.
                                

   

Next I made templates out of cardboard for all 3 sections. This was the top section marking clutch, brake and gas pedal cut outs. 

 

I braced the 3 sections the same way the old ones were made.

I made sure I signed and dated the back side before I put on 3 coats of Marine Polyurethane. 

            Top section installed and holes were correct.  Installed new steering column inclosure brackets and made sure I put in the gray cloth padding that you can see up in the left corner.  That is so no engine fumes come into the cab.  Ha,Ha, right ..its a tractor.  padding protects the paint and wood from scratches, so I put it in anyways.                                                                                                                                                                                         

                                                                       

                                       
                              The finished floor boards match up with the seats and rear frame work.