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IIIJ.L.:l' '-.. .u.<r_,- ••• _.....,-'--' •...•. ~--------------II=~~~~--

Shown b low iscompleted roadster. Exciting new "sy to follow

pl",s reveal step by step howto build your own roadster!

ROADSTER KIT PLANS!

I )automotive. in,. Officially Authorized Reproduction by TBucketPlans.com

T e Bir T-Bucket StorIllil!lagirne,; iif' W0JUIwilli" that it"s ]9(55. and 'y,IollJ"~egetti!lllg, readi'):ll flo:r that Iil!l!ag,ic si~,teemltlh bj'rthda'y,l' am:clltine

cl~iltolerl)s,Ilicems,e tl1l'alt goes, wiitlh ilt. lLi!ke e\tef'y,l' other ~ecl-hl'oo;clecllil!lale 'y,IOllJ~age", a]side fl'wm gifls andl

competiitiltole atl1l'1eti'cs, W(l)'llJl~'m:e:Xltbigg,est passi:(l))rn is h:(l);t;nods, iF(l))rW<D:llJi¥(l);llJmge~' readers, that was an era!

before p:ers(l):tilJaJIWI1l1lJj>:lIlters,all'l,cl toIi:cleo ga'mes, when e~erw' !kicl witlh the tilllalIlillJ]a'1clexte~iitw' than had

cle~el~(i)!pecl hW' first gradle hadl startecl hllJil'cli'rng, 1il!l:<D'delcars, - aWlcl then t<D:feecll that i'rnteres,t began cliJ~ertim'g

IlllJ:rnclhm(l),m:e"i:l'to IDlUW'Ih@Jtr<D'cllrmag:aJ2!i!llles,ff(l):rm<D:re ~,m:<Djwl!ed'gJeam:d! i'rnslDi'ratj'<D:m!.

5(l):" if 'y,HD1I,Jtrenot read')!l t(l)) slllffJ'er the llJ:rncoo:lm;ess of' crlli!silng' tfue I'ocall dlri:~e-iml behi'md tine wfue:el ollilllolilll's

s,tati'(l)rn \1'itlagolil'" W(l):!.Jrew'es, lig,ht l!lJDlam:cllW<D)ILWm<D'llJlthsrarts dlr<D'(l);llirngjwfueml W<D:l!J]s.ee the fJi'rs,t ad;~eutiserm:em!ts,

for a IF-lBllJc~et "!kif" tfu'at C.os,ts olilJl¥,S,]6~1.~:S.lF~elil' ilflW<D;lIJmJacl'rn"tsa\tecll up, efl'(l);llJghi of these $b: hiTI b:i'rthcla'y,l

p,~es,e:l1lltsJ~~o:m (S'~am:d'tillla t(l)) be [1!(l)!Set<D)that a'tilll<D:l!J]l1lif"¥(!);llJcO;llJl'cls,tiJIlIs,wi'rng; it at <D'fI'I:'y,I1$11(j)) cl<D,wrnandl $J9: aJ

m<D:lilIth e\teflJ if '):I(l);llJ,we~e: 0JI1lI:WaJ$,1.25, amJh:<D:lLlI~'"paft-ti'lil7le bagger' at the 1<D:callgmce~'y,I' sture: alii tha'l1l~s to

B!U~Ii)JE-lilgilileerri'ng i'n (!);miahaJ" lXieliJrraskaJ. Huh?:] Wih:o?'

Assembl your own 23 'T'wrth Bird engineering's asyto follow plans and instruc-tions. Front ends, frames,bodies and etc. individually.Also plans availabl separate-Iy at $3 (refundable whenyou place your order).

1

There is no doubt that the 1960s was the most exciting decade in T-Bucket history because the first

"mass produced" (meaning more than just one or two) fiberglass T-Bucket bodies were introduced by

Bud Lang and Curt Hamilton's Cal Automotive. And, thanks to their popularity, at unprecedented speed

fiberglass T-body manufacturers began to appear in record numbers.

By 1963, the pages of Popular Hot Rodding magazine (in just its second year) introduced what was

claimed as the first T-Bucket kit, the "Instant Hot Rod" produced by Ted McMullen's U.S. Speed Sport in

Santa Fe Springs, California. That was a breakthrough, but the frame alone was priced at $160, while the

ad announcing the new Bird Engineering kit just a year later included the T-Bucket body for less than

$10 more! And even more important for anybody living east of the Rockies, the Bird kit was from the

easily accessible Midwestern city of Omaha, Nebraska, which meant even lower shipping cost.

Of course, if you had been reading car magazines for a while the Bird name was somewhat familiar to

you, although as a manufacturer of go-karts and mini-bikes, which is how it got its start, thanks to an

entrepreneurial young man named Fred Schweser, Jr.

MOTORBIKE KIT

Send$10.00 Down$8.00 a MonthComplete withH.P. AH·61 encin.Ie l12 aiMllliiIMiIi

•••

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2

Fred Schweser's family had founded what became a large, regional chain of department stores, but

fresh out of college in the late 50s young Fred decided to pursue business on his own in what was to

become a booming business at the time: manufacturing go-karts, as The 500 Industries, Inc., one of the

first go-kart manufacturers in the country.

live _;)fIe'

errs " p«i.rttl' ons of 1~A MA. G CA.Ind th USAll PriC6 irtF.o.a. our plln'

Rush m New The 500 Industries, Inc., Fremont, N brule.:(I ~nclos 25c for po";"~'~"";;d"h~'~d'ii'~g)""'"······················ 0 •

Rush Dealer Plan 0(I enclo e 25c for postage and hi)nd·ii·~~)···········..···..·..·······~~···;:···

Name•••••• , ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• f ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Address ••.••.••••.•••••••••.••.•••••••••••••••••••••••..••.••••••••••••••.••••••.••••••••••••••••••••••t., ••••f.

City •....•.. ......•...•.•........•.•..••...•..........• Sf t•..----.------ •••••• ---- •• --------~::.: .. - •• -.:.::.;.::.:~:.:...:.::.:::.:::::.::.;:.:=:.:.:;.:-- •• -

Through The 500 Industries and, later, Bird Engineering, Fred Schweser's companies not only sold karts

and mini bikes direct to consumers, but also as private labeled products for the leading retail chains of

the day: Sears and Montgomery Ward. To give you an idea of the explosive growth of the karting craze,

Hot Rod magazine noted that in 1957, "the entire carting population of the USA assembled at the Rose

Bowl parking lot for an informal bash - all 30 cars strong!" Less than two years later, Hot Rod estimated

3

there were over 10,000 carts around the country! According to Fred, when they started producing go-

karts in volume they were making 20 a day and that rapidly went to 200 per day and at the peak of the

karting craze, Bird was producing over 800 go karts a day, ultimately selling over 1.1 million karts.

So, it's not surprising that having been adept at picking up on the go-kart craze, Fred 5chweser's

intuitions led him to what would later be known as the Fad-T craze. Evidently, from experience in the

karting world with local dealers in the 500 Industries era, Fred's Bird T-Buckets were a direct-to-

consumer, cut out the middle-man business model, which helped when it came to being able to offer

such very reasonably priced T-Bucket kits, which by 1967 included a rolling, ready to bolt in your own

engine version for only $695, which you could get for an amazing only $50 down, with your parents'

signed permission if you were a minor. Oh, man. Talk about "those were the days"!

What's really cool in the above ad from 1967 is one of the first references to Bird's new seat insert,

which was noted as "patent pending". Well, a year later U.S. Patent No. 3,409,323 was issued to

Frederick G. Schweser for a one piece insert body and we have included a full copy of that patent is a

bonus in this package and we think you'll find it fascinating.

4

SEAT INSERTThis fiberglass seat insert fits into a '23 Tbody and bolts to the frame with rubbermounts. Includes twin bucket seats. sides,transmission tunnel and firewall-all in onepiece. BIRD Automotive, Box 793, Fremont.Nebraska 68025

Before Fred's seat insert invention, the T-Bucket builder had to deal with the time-consuming chore of

"wooding" the fiberglass T-Bucket body to add rigidity and provide a structure for upholstery

attachment. He then had to 'glass-in a plywood floor, build a cover for the bellhousingjtransmission, and

then build a wooden framework for a seat. In one fell swoop, Fred's simple insert took care of all those

chores and more! You see, it was designed so that after you attached the insert to the body you could

fill in the space between the body and the insert with insulating foam which not only further increased

the body's rigidity but also dampened vibrations. It was sheer genius!

5

About now, you may be saying to yourself iii see those seat inserts all around - what about the patent?"

We", the patent expired in 1985 and because that's the way patent law is structured anyone is free to

use that today. Just remember that we have Fred Schweser to thank for introducing that innovation to

the T-Bucket world.

,_:o._~_$2__--Now you can bu i Idstre t roadster with asy to 101-low pl:lns! You get actualterns on many parts.Complete lor only $2I refundabJ on frame-body ord r ) 5 nd only2Sc for inlormation

MI"iI"'.IiIMiI~:ab~o~u~t~leVerything!"""" •••• IiWiIII~ •••••••• '"'II ••••••WIR C -9

ROADSTER Kll PLANS!Exciting new easy to followplans reveal step by step howto bui Id your own roadster!

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Villi,. Nebr. 68064

By 1968, ads like the one above replaced the name BIRD Engineering with BIRD Automotive, and the

mailing address had changed from Omaha to Valley, Nebraska. By that time, Fred Schweser was a very

skilled direct marketer and no doubt the change of name and location helped separate the T-Bucket

6

inquiries from those that came as a result of the go-kart, mini-bike and other product ads. It was quite

typical in those days for someone to send in a note saying just "send me info", so it must have become

difficult to sort out what was what. Of course, Fred was also using devices like the Dept. RC-9 in the

above ad to be able to tell which ads in which magazines pulled the best. In the above case, Dept. RC-9

was the Bird code used for the ad in the September, 1968 issue of Rod & Custom. And since Fred's

company had these other two ads in the same issue the need to use of different names and addresses

becomes apparent.

7

Like we said before, Fred Schweser was always quick to spot a trend so in 1971 BIRDAutomotive also

entered the booming dune buggy market, which was a natural considering Bird's fiberglass body

capabilities.

BUILD A - - ~DUNE BUGGY IIEasy to follow plans Icomplete with actual.photographs and pat- Iterns for building!

III

Also in 1971, Bird introduced their Deluxe roadster kit that came in the purchaser's choice of 5

metalflake colors which were embedded in the body. According to Fred, red and blue were the most

popular choices. Time payment then was by Household Finance Co. - remember "friendly Bob Adams"?

8

It should also be noted that in the late 60s and early 70s while Bird was at the peak of its T-Bucket

success that a couple of other strikingly similar T-Bucket operations popped up in the great state of

Nebraska, and you can expect to hear more from us about them at a later date, but if any of you know

about either Allied International Industriesor AerospaceEng.& Mfg. of Lincoln drop us a line at

info@tbucketplans.com.

~"!?t~r23 T Body, Box Grill Shell &Deluxe Frame ... Only $189.95.

PLANS only(Complete, 35 pagesillustrated with photos)Blueprint (14" x 18") $1.50Both for $3.00Complete ''T'' kit features Rosssteeringunit/"T" windshield/Tubularaxle/ Corvette tie rods/Dual radius rods,rear/Dual radius rods, front/Fiberglass"T" body/Radiator shell. Frame, 1% x3" x 120" seamless steel (boxed).Optional gastank, turtle deck on pick up

ALLIED box.NOW $595.00

3505 North 48th StreetLincoln, Nebraska68504

Phone (402) 466·2338

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$19900• 23 T BODY

• 23 GRILL SHELL• JIG WELDED FRAME

• PLANS, PRICES AND ASSEMBLY INST.

Tim. payment application avallabl.

TRI·CYCLE

~ ~ ~~ PLANS & DISCOUNT PRICES ••• $2.00 ea. I« ~ z", 0 AIRBOAT 0 A TV 0 BULL DOZERQ.. '" II) 0 DUNE BUGGY 0 GO KART 0 MINI BIKE Ien ~ ~~ 0 MINI DUNE BUGGY 0 TRAIL BIKE II0 "':z 0 TRI·CYCLE 0 23 T BLUEPRINTS

I0::: o ~8 0 23 T PLANS 0 GT·COBRA·CORVETTE & II.i.J Z )(! SPORTS CAR BODIESI-c IJ.I il_, RC4·3 II NA~E II ADDRESS II CITY STATE __ ZIP __ IL.. _

9

It's interesting to note that in 1973, Bird was still running what initially looked like the same ad they'd

run 5 years earlier, but they were highlighting the two different levels of kits, the time payment plan,

and the address had changed to Fremont, Nebraska, the original location for Fred's go-kart venture, The

500 Industries.

ROADSTER KIT PLANS!Exciting new easy to followpl,"s reveal step by step howto bui Id your own roadster!

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Now you can build your own.tre.t roadster with ea y tofollow plans! 'You eet actualpatterns on parh. Only521 (Refundable onkit order). Moneyback «uarant ••. Sendonly 2Sc for completeInform.tlon tOI

By the mid-70s, though, Bird decided to break the ad monotony with some trendy graphic illustrations.

10

All along, Bird had been selling a T-Bucket body, grille shell, pickup bed, seat insert, fenders and a

channel steel welded frame, along with their plans covering how to pull it all together into a completed

T-Bucket. According to Fred, more people wanted suspension and other parts, which led into a business

arrangement in 1980 with Mickey Lauria's Total Performance in Wallingford, Connecticut.

Here' one of he JD08t popular23' .street l"08<ister kits. TheStag n kit for only $2,995 can nowbe financed for ont $50 down andabout 103 It month with BIRD auto-moti e Pay- You-BUlld plan..Eaditage n kit oom. a8 shown In

the photograph plu you 8180 get 823' 'styled body and pickup bedoomplete wi h wood reinforcing kitinstalled. Features includ the TUflledBIRD 8utomotiv "roe,'welded frame(no ldin~ is necessary on th' kit).oompl te Iron end as shown itha 4" dropped front axle includingradiu rods, spring, ~ and etc..oompl te ~r &WIp(!IWonfncludinrear end IJess g$Il.rtI shoclts. radiusrod. te., all hatdwa:re including thebtake pedal a,_mhI , mea r I·ind r, steerinK ~r. steering column,chrome wheel pitman arm, aDo theradiator, chrome plated grille aben.10 gaUon Ill! I tank, oomplet wind·shj Id assembly IleRSglass) oompl tewirinR ha.rnefts, fuel llne with filter,12·\' headligh with mounting post,chrome windshield pport rods andmuch morAll th~ for onl 2.995 oomplete,or further informat.iQn about the

new BIRD Pay· ·You·Oriv planoontact BIRD utomotlve, 9140 W tDod, R d, Dept. RA, Omaha &-

braska 68114 or call (402) 397-3911.omple 001 r cat.alog on a1l ~ "'1'"

Streel Roadster ki is available foronl 5, Also lI! par catalog ( )'. amiable.

Jm "!l"

11

23'Featured in Hot Rod magazine.

Advan et;Il ,b"",LJ ull'l',J",.,,,,,,lJl .,-,,](1- "I!>o a S nd or ~D"'" 96 oag

c" ••Iu' ""d ',111 r ,," r:<>lnrrml\ I'r t.n • •

1499 bIIsic kit·

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Rlbh'nt! ,231c," :mag ttt. t.:kl'I!'f'\oo;,!

1"'31

••••u

In essence, Bird then became the marketer of Total Performance's nicely designed T-Buckets, which also

included the front and rear suspension, pedals, master cylinder, steering box, wheel and column, as well

as transmission and motor mounts. So now the purchaser received what was a much more complete,

well-designed kit that put them very close to being on the road.

12

The Bird and Total Performance alliance also produced an ad that has had lasting impact 30 years later.

Now you can own you, UClllrtg now 23 'T' wIth 6 now krls to cheesehoml Bird aulomollve-s Pay·As·You·Bulld PIlin you can bUild now andp.y I.a'e'! Buy FACTORY DIRECT and SAVE'

1981

~33(J1rP $?~~·99Body&Cba is Kit up t 5

201013

But, by this time, according to Fred Schweser, it became more difficult for Bird as a manufacturer of on-

the-road products like T-Buckets because of escalating product liability insurance costs and other

Department of Transportation red tape. In the early 80s Bird wound down its T-Bucket production and

shifted focus to the production of mini-cars, which basically are go-karts with a body. They produced

these in volume up to around 1990 as promotional items for use by companies like McDonalds, Burger

King and Pepsi.

Comments on the Bird T-Bucket Plans:• The Bird plans are rather unique because instead of recommending rectangular steel tubing for

chassis construction they layout how to fabricate sheet steel into a channel-type frame. Of

course, this would assume you have ready access to a press brake. On the other hand, maybe it

was very clever marketing on Bird's part that made it easier for someone to decide to purchase

the Bird frame which was already fabricated and welded using steel channel construction.

• Another somewhat unique feature of the Bird plans is their use of a rectangular channel front

crossmember, rather than the tubular construction used on 98% of other T-Bucket frames.

• A front firewall support tube was also indicated in the Bird plans, which is a nice feature from a

strength standpoint and also serves as support for the steering box.

• The plans also included a very nice under floor-mounted brake and clutch pedal assembly.

• Bird's front axle design is totally unique: it specifies using a 1949-53 Ford passenger car front

end assembly, including brakes, and shows how to cut off the spindle supports and then weld

them onto a tubular axle.

• Here's my favorite quote from the plans: "Shocks are up to each builder. Many builders do not

use them, figuring that the bouncing is part of the fun."

• The plans include a suggested way to make a windshield frame from aluminum channel, which

could even be done today as a low-budget technique.

• Overall the plans are very comprehensive for the time and the version we've included is from

the early 1970s.

Thank YouTo Fred Schweser for taking the time to discusssome of the Bird Automotive history and grantingpermission to reproduce the Bird plans. I'm not the only one that thinks what he did was monumentalin the T-Bucket world and the many younger T-Bucket fans who read this will certainly recognize thatas well.

14

I would also like to thank the friendly couple above who took time at the 2005 T-Bucket Nationals to

discuss their Rambler flathead 6 powered Bird survivor T-Bucket with me and who also loaned me their

original Bird plans.

If anyone knows them, please pass along my thanks and please let me know their names so that they

can be properly acknowledged. Their Bird T-Bucket is quite recognizable by the distinctive rectangular

front crossmember and unique spring mounting arrangement, as well as the Bird one-piece seat insert,

whose distinctive molded-in bucket seats are visible in the above photo as well as the one that follows.

By the way, it's quite easy to identify a Bird pickup bed, thanks to the molded-in name.

15

If I'm not mistaken, this cute T may now be owned by Frank Pedersen, co-owner of Frankenstein Trikes

in Pleasanton, Kansas. I'd appreciate any further updates on it.

Note: If you own or have owned a Bird T-Bucket and have pictures and information, please send copies

to info@tbucketplans.com and I will try to include that in further editions of this publication.

And if you don't have them already, you'll also want to checkout the details and purchase our other products.

http://www.tbucketplans.com/how-to-build-a-t-bucket-hot-

rod-roadster-for-under-3000-kickin-it-old-skool!

16

http://www.streetrodplans.com/

http://www.hotrodtruckplans.com/

17

N.q. l...,Jor tlz.ePUN....r;J it! automotive, inc.

Soatlll8'Wit/t.'We70's :.

l'- .' __ _,\ 11·--·(1IIro r.,-_.)....

Dear Roadster Enthusiast!

Than k you for your letter! H ere is your com plete in form a tio n.

Now, you can order factory direct from Bird Automotive a com-plete roadster kit designed for any sm all popular Ford or Chev roletV -8 power plant. These kits are like the plans, and come com-plete with everything you need to get starte d in a real hurry'

.The Standard Roadster Kit includes a precision jig -welded channelframe complete with trans mission and ra diu s rod mount, shockmounts we lde d with all the necessary holes fo r the steering gear I

springs and etc.

In addition, you also get a 23 'T' style fibe rglass body co mpletewith dash and firewall. A brand new (Patented) one pie ce fib erglassseat insert that slips into the body featuring tw in bucket seats, sides,floor, transmission tunnel and fire-wall is also in cluded. Also, agrill shell and complete instructions .•• all for only $249.95 ,

If yo u order the Deluxe Roadster Kit by Bird Autom otive, in addition toall the above ite ms you get your choice of five beautiful metalflakecolors (shown on the back of th e brochure) red, blue, green, gold orviolet, for the 23 'T' body and grill shell. A matching set of four fendersis also included in the same metalflake color.

In addition, the De luxe Kit also includes a big 11gallon fu el tank withgaug e, welded fram e, seat insert and matching upholstery ••• all foronly $399.95!

You will find that you will be off to a good start with either kit. Over 5years of development h ave gone into these kits, and we fe el that youw ill easily save hundreds of dollars over the conventional me thods ofcons tru ction. Your roadster will be ideal for Sunday afternoon at thedrags, to and from school, or th at Saturday night date.

You are probably asking yourself, how can these kits be so in expensive?There are actually several reasons why the Bird Automotive kits are solow cos t.

First of all, we build thes e Roadster Kits on a mass production basisusing assembly line methods. The more we build, the lower your costw ill be! Bird Automotive operates on a very small profit margin, makingup for the small margin by volume.

• P.O. Box 793, fremont, Nebraska 68025.FREMONT, NEBRASKA 6802S721-8250 Area 402

lig. l....Jor t!t.ecp'Ul(g[ it! automotive, inc.

Soatff/Jf~it1i. 'GIl:70s :lII

L'- .' __ .,,\ II·---t ...r·I---):a..

Page 2

Secondly, we have spent almost 5 years in development of the patented seat insert.This method of construction will save you time and hundreds of dollars over theconventional methods of construction, and is available only from Bird automotive!

We don't stop here. Bird automotive sell s direct from our factory to you . . . thuseltrrunattnq ALLmiddlemen. Thereare no salesmen, distributors or dealers commissions!No one will call on you. You buy direct from the factory at a savings of almost half theprice of other roadster kits! Here's proof of what we mean. Just check the latest copyof HOT ROD, CARCRAFTor any other automotive magazine, and you will see pricesalmost double the Bird automotive Kit prices.

Just a little short of cash? .. " let HFC finance your Roadster Kit for you! Just fill outthe yellow credit application (if you are not 21, your parents must complete it for you)and return it to us with your $10 down payment. Allow about 10 days for processing.

Or, if you are in a hurry, you may send the full amount, or 50% down and we will shipthe Roadster Kit to you with the balance C. O. D. If time is short, please mark yourorder rush for extra fast delivery.

Don't delay any longer. Get your order in today so you can get started on your veryown street roadster. Pass this information on to a friend. If you want more brochures,order blanks or credit applications, we will be glad to send them to you.

Sincerely,

BIRDautomotive inc.

P. S. Enclosed is some additional information on other models that we build that youmay be interested in.

• P. O. Box 793, Fremont, Nebraska 68025.fREMONT. NEBRASKA 68025721-8250 Area 402

Roadster PlansPage 3

Section A - Frame

We feel that the strength plus the lightness in weight, make channel far superiorto either round or rectangular tubing. It is easy to work with, even though itwill require some help from your Io ca.La te el fabricator to form. 8 gauge materialis used throughout.

" «I,1. You will need 2 pieces of 81 x 6 1/2" hot roll sheet steel (.1644 thick). Make 90

degree bends as shown by the dotted lines. These are your frame side rails.

Il~

r--r- -- ---- ----=----=---=--=---1-' It.~------- ------~-l

8' ------------.It&H ~

, :~

2. Take a piece of 51 x 9 1/4" hot roll sheet steel (.1644 thick). Bend 90 degreesas shown by the dotted lines. These are your front and rear spring plates aswell as cross members for your frame. Cut one piece 24" and the other 28 1/4".

~---------------~1r------ ---- ----- --1-' '1'~-------------- ~/ ~~.

3. Cut the left side rail as indicated. (Note: Be sure that you make a right and,~, left side by turning the rails so that the flange is in toward the center of the

fr arne , ] The front of the frame is to the left side as shown.

I. wA~ 7,·, ~/__ ~\

,t!.*tt:1

f:-3t.:.JM~~7~·I ~(-·----------------~

autoluotive,II

~.Page 4

4. Now cut the right side as shown below. The front of the frame is to the left.

~ 'I1' ~U~'~__ ~~ r y' ~

~~b=========================\~t~_:1_'L- 7'~~' ~'

Using the pieces that you have cut from the side members. cut the kick up railsfor the right and left side as shown (Nate: The flange is still in).

~r".

5.

,tI,)

6. Cut a notch m Doth the right and left side members as shown below. Next. make2. only pieces out of 8 gauge steel as shown. These will pe used to strengthenthe kick up plates of the left.

~II

7. Now weld the kick up to the main side rails. Note the distance of 12 inches be-tween the bottom and the top of the rail. Be sure that both are identical.

~~l":__ ..__.... _

Page 5

8. Now complete the welding of the frame as shown in the diagram below. Tackthe frame lightly to hold in position before you weld. Note the position of theside rails and also the spring mounting front and rear parts of the frame.

I

I·,

00'

9. Now check the distance between 'x' and 'y'. They must be the same, or yourframe will not be lined up. Now complete the welding. Weld around all jointsinside 'and outside. Your frame is now complete

0' !

~---------------------- ~8~' ~

//

/

//~/

FRONT AXLEPage 6

/

//

/

.r·._ .•.. ..t.•

Section C Rear EndYour choice of the rear end will depend upon what kind of engineyou are installing and also what you will use the roadster for.We would suggest that you consider a 1939' - 1948 Mercury, 1949 -1953 Ford or 1955 - 1956 Chrevolet rear end •. All are popular andavafl abl.e at a r eas onabl e cost. Whichever rear end you decideupon, be sure that you choose a late model with hydraulic brakes.

Page 7

1. Disassemble the rear end assembly completely and check the gear and bear-ings. You will probably have to replace the bearings, but it is better to doit at this time than to replace them later. Clean and remove any mountingsthat you, will not need. '

2. Make 2. radius rod an spring support brackets as shown on page 7.of the bracket will depend upon which rear end that you are using,have to change accordingly.

The raC11USand you will

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3. Weld the brackets that you have made to your rear axle as shown below. Besure that you have 90 degrees as shown on the drawing before you weld. Therear axle is now complete.

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Page 9

Section D Radius RodsTo make the radius rods, you will need a tubing bender for 7/8 inch OD tubing anda 3 inch radius die. All four radius rods are the same, except the two front radiusrods are threaded for castor adjustment.

1. Cut off 4 pieces of 7/8 inch OD x .156 wall tubing to the length shown below.Thread 2 ·pieces SAE thread to match the tie rod ends you are using for thecastor adjustment for the front axle.

1+----------- '71' II------------~

2. Bend the tubing as shown below. Be sure that you center the tubing in thebender before you make the bend.

l~·---------3~f-"----------~3. Heat and flatten the tubing as shown below and drill two holes (1/2 inch)

,,

~~CJ4"-::-Make 4 pieces out of 1/4" plate. Actual size shown below.4.

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5. Cut 4 pieces of 1 3/8 inch OD x .134 wall tubing and center and weld as shown below.

Page 10

Section E Front and Rear end mountingYou will need a conventional Model IAI spring for the front end, and you willprobably have to make the rear spring if you can not find any available. Thespecifications ar~ given to you below. CAUTION: The spring exerts a greatdeal of force and care should be given when spreading.

1. Secure 4 early Ford shackles as shown below -. Also buy either used or newrubber bushings for them. Use either 3/4 inch or 7i8 inch depending uponthe spring that you use. If shackles are unavailable, you may have to make them.

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2. as shown toshackles

'»3. Next you will have to secure a rear sprmg to the aproximate specifications

below. The ·measurements are when the spring is spread. You will need a4 leaf 1 3/4 inch spring. You may have to have one made if you cannot findany available. Insert spring i.n shackles using rubber bus hingsaas shown./*'-~'- ,I .

---- '((,7.;1"

4. Below is the bolt pattern tor the holes to be drilled in the front and rear cross-me r.rbe r of your frame. Drill the 5 holes as shown by the pattern below. Also,make 2 pieces out of 1/4 inch material for the lower spring bracket as shownbelow. You nee d to drill a larger hole in the center of these br acke s to permitthe spz+ng bolt to come through in the lower ~racket.

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pATr~ sz: 11"'''..1-4J •••••"T''''1 .,'" ~, •..•..•..• jJ

Page 115. Bolt the front spring and axle assembly to the frame as =hown below. Bolt the

front radius rods to the front axle supports using 4 tie r od ends as shown. Nextmark and drill a 1/2 inch hole in the lower part of-the frame for the rear radiusrod bolt. Insert rubber bushings and bolt to frame. Adjust for 6 degrees castor.

6. Now bolt the rear spring and axle assembly to the frame as shown. Bolt therear radius r'ods to the rear axle supports. You will not be able to bolt the frontpart of the radius rods to the fr arne , as this part ha.s not yet been constructed.

Page 12

Section F Engine and Transmission mountsThe engine and transmission mounts, as well as the firewall and steeringgear support tube are made out of 2 inch o.D. x . 120 va.Lltubing. Youwill have to have someone with a 2 rnch tube bender do the bending for you.You may be able to make the mild bends yourself using heat and a homemadebender made from a car jack.

1. Your engine mount will depend upon the type engine that you are using. Shownbelow is a suggested mount that you can make yourself. Note that the tubinghas been cut and welded in this cas e. The .length of the mount will depend howfar back you set your engine. Make 2 end pieces as shown on page 13 and weldto the ends of the tubing as shown. Weld engine. mounting brackets to tube also.You are now ready to bolt to the frame aproximately as shown below.

i(JUT ••.

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2. Bend a 2 inch piece of tubing as shown below. Next, make to br-ackets as shownon page 13 and weld to the tubing as indicated. Weld the .two radius rod brackets,also shown on page 13, to the ends of the tubing. Fabricate your transmissionmount as shown and weld to the tubing. Bolt the complete assembly to the ·frameas shown.

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3. Using? inch x .120 wall tubing, bend the front firewall tube as shown berow ,Weld to "1/4inch steel br acketx as indicated and bolt this as s embly to the frame.

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Page 14

4. Now you are ready to bolt the engine mount, firewall tube, and transmissionmount to the frame. The transmission mount also serves as a front radiusrod support so be sure to bolt the radius rods BEFORE you bolt the t ransmiss-ion mount to the frame. Drill holes as indic,ated and bolt.· The location of theengine mount will vary with the type of engine and transmission you are using.This is a general location (for a 289 Ford with a 4 speed) and should be used asguide only.

, I

5. Note that when mounting your engine and gransmission, that the crankshaft,transmission, drive shaft and pinion shaft in the rear end should fall on thesarne 'imaginary' line to reduce misalignment and the U-joint wear •

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Section G BrakesIf you have made the front end according to these plans. you can use thesame brakes (1949 to 1953 Ford) and the same goes for the rear end. Wewould suggest that you replace the wheel cylinder. brake drum if it is inpoor condition. and also the brake shoes. A stock Ford 1964 Falcon mastercylinder is used. You will note that the brake and clutch pedel as well asthe mas ter cylinder are combined Irito one as sembly.

1. Using 1/ 4 inch material. fabricate the complete brake pede l , clutch pedel andmaster cyl inde r assembly as shown below. Note the use of compo (5/8) inchbushings to prevent wear. Also fabricate the brake and clutch pedel as shownand assemble. You will note that a mechanical linkage is used for the clutch..>;- N" _W-~h~ 1

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2. Parts required for the installation of the hydr aufts brake system include two 20"flexible'hydraulis hoses for the front brakes. one 10" hose with female threadson both ends to accept the 1/4 inch diameter rigid tube. two tee fittings with fe-male threads on both ends to accept the rigid tube and having a means of beingsecured to the frame by clip. a flareless tube tee fitting to accept 1/4 inch dia-meter steel tube. four 30 inch lengths of 1/4 inch diameter steel tube. one 20inch length of 1/4 inch diameter steel tube. a 12 inch length of 1/4 inch steel tube.two brackets for holding the 20 inch lines to the frame. a bracket to hold tee totorque tube. clips to hold the fittings to the brackets and tube clamps and selftapping screws. Be careful not to bend the steel tube to greatly at anyone point.Bleed the entire system to be sure that you have no air in the lines. Start withthe shortest line first (the left front wheel). Fill the master cylinder (removethe plug called the bleeder plug on the backing plates) and with all the fittingstight press the brake pedal and open the bleeder valve to allow aire to escape.Repeat this operation untill only fl.ui.de scape s , Continue with ail four wheels.For emergency brake. you may use the stock brake cable connected to a Model'A' emergency brake handle mounted to a bracket on the right side of the trans-mission. You will probably have to shorten the cable to use it.

'--

Section B Front Axle Page 16You will need the front end assembly (including the backing plates and brakes)from a 1949 to 1953 Ford passenger car. This includes the spindles, as wellas the spindle supports. Since the cons truction of the front axle is critical,we would suggest that if you are not an expert welder, that you either buy afront axle, or have t.~is work done by a professional.

1. Cut andYou will need a piece of seamless. 250 wall (1/4 inch) round tubing.bend as shown below. Heat will probably have to be used.

j -S·-ot~--..P~h:-.(-~~~~F-2. Cut off the spindle supports from the front end assembly and round off as

shown below. Next, notch the ends of the f:tont axle as shown for the ·spindlesupport brackets.

~_CUT~~

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3. Insert the spindles into the spindle support brackets you have cut off. Set upa jig and weld the spindles to the front axle as shown. Be sure that '.:he spind-les are parallel to the surface. The proper amount of camber is now built inI and you do not have to figure it out.

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/''''' •••••• ·,....i~.....:..f__I-r-4. Now make the 2 small reinforcing brackets and also the radius rod and sp ring

suppo r ta as shown on page 6.

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5. Weld the reinforcing brackets on as shown below. Weld the radius rod brack-ets. Even though the brackets are welded on the slanting part of the axle,keep them 90 degrees to the surface. Also tilt the tops of the spindles 6degrees back for the ,caster. Your front axle is now complete

""''''',1> 90" .

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Page 17

Section H Steering and shocksThe selection of a steering unit 'should corne at this time. You may use aFord or Ross gear. Be sure that when you turn the steering wheel shaftto the right that the pitman arm shaft turns counterclockwise. The ratiothat you select will depend upon what you intend to use your r oa.d ste r for.The aproximate deminsions are given here, but they will vary from unitto unit that you use.

1. Mount the steering gear to the firewall tube as shown below. You will have tomake your steering gear mounting for the particular gear that you use. Becauseof the distance from the center of the steering shaft to the pitman arm is great,be sure that you have a gear with the proper strength or you may have to makea bracket to support the shaft at this point. .Mount your steering wheel.

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2. Assemble the

shown.

3. Shocks are up to each builder. Many builders 40 not use them, figuring thatthe bounc ing is part of the fun. If you do decide to use shocks, be sure thatyou use a light shock (one designed for about a 1200 pound car) with about a4 inch travel. The type mounting will depend upon the type shocks that youselect. You can now mount your wheels and tires. Here again the type wheelthat you use will depend upon the hubs that you have installed. If you are usinga Ford hub (5 bolt pattern with a 4 1/2 inch bolt circle) you will want to usea Ford type 14" or 15"wheel. We would recommend that you stay with the full15 inch wheel. For tires, generally speeking, use the smallest nylon or rayontire that you can buy on the front and about the largest that looks good for thelfear. You may want to use 5:50 x ISis on the front and about 8:50 x ISiS on therear. Slicks are optional, and cannot be used on many streets for street driving.

Page 18

Section I Body, Seat insert, Pickup Box, FendersYou are now ready to bolt your body onto the frame. We would suggestthat you buy a 23 'T' style body in a metalflake color (this beautiful finishlooks like about 20 coats of paint) in colors of Candy apple red, blue, greengold or violet. If you prefer, you can order your body unpainted and paintit your own favorite color. Also available is a complete seat insert fromBird a utomoti ve . No need to have to work with fiberg la s s, wood or iron.This insert- comes ready and bonded to the body. The seat insert completeis available in black only. Also available are fenders, radiator grill shelland pickup boxes in matching metalflake colors. Write to Bird automotivefor complete information on these parts.

1. Shown below is the complete detail on the body which includes the dash and fire-wall. Note how the insert fits in the body. The insert includes 2 bucket seatstransmission tunnel and floor as well as sides foe the body. Bolt to the frame'as shown. Cutting for the pedels and other small parts can be done w ith an ordin-ary wood saw. Be careful that you do not get any fibreglass splinters when working.

Page 19~--------------------------------------------------------------------------~Section K Wiring

One of the last major steps in the construction of your roadster, isthe wiring. You will have to make a battery mount either on the frameunder the seat or in the pickup box if you have one. You will also need abattery, ignition resistor, electric fuel pump, taillights, fuse block to holdfour fuses, terminal board with four connecting post, horn, horn relayvoltage regulator, headlight switch, directional flasher unit with mountingclip, headlight dimmer switch, starter-ignition switch, push button brakelight switch, headlights, headlight mounting brackets, license plate light,distributor, coil, spark plugs, fuel gauge with gas tank sending unit, tem-perature gauge with sending unit, oil pressure guage with sending unit,ammeter gauge, speedometer, three small panel lights, two gauge lightsockets, one plug-in ga uge light socket, starter with solenoid, generator,horn button, front part and directional lights, three #57 light bulbs for thegauge light sockets, two #1034 light bulbs for the tail and stop light assembly,two #93 light bulbs for the turn indicator lights, two #1176 bulbs for thecowl mounted lights, two plug-in sockets for the rear directional turn lights,two screw mounted light sockets for the cowl lights, four fuses, 6 voltbattery cable, 14 inch long 12 volt ground cable ignition and spark plug wireset , wire, three position toggle switch, crimp-on lugs, cable clamps and tape.Below is the wiring diagram. The numbers in the wires indicate what gaugeof wire to use. Heavy dots indicates a splice required. Each line representsa wire. Study this diagram before attempting to start. Use colored wires.

Taken from Car Craft magazine

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Page 20

Section L Fuel TankI Windshield I Upholstery I RadiatorYou can make your own fuel tank out of steel, but we would suggest that youbuy either a steel or aluminum 11 gallon tank. Safety plate glass should beused in the windshield and glass cutting should be done by a professional.The upholstery described is made out of a pleated material from GeneralTire and rubber. Radiator mounting uses a Mustang V-8 radiator that willfit the grill shell from Bird automotive. Youwill also need a rear viewmirror, wind_shield wiper to register and license your roadster. Be ableto produce bills of sale and etc. when applying for your registration.

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1. Youwill need about a 11 gallon fuel tank as shown below. If you want a fuelgauge be sure that your tank has a sending unit in it. We would suggest thatyou use flexible tubing. Size of tubing and fitting will be determined by theengine that you use.

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2.. Shown below is a suggested windshield. Aluminum channel has been usedaround the outside of the glass. Note how the bolts are set in the channel andpermit you to bolt the windshield to the aluminum post. Use 2 aluminum rodsto the headlights to hold.the top of the windshield as shown. Safety plate glassis used and the work should be done by a professional

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3. The upholstery can be as elaborate as you desire. If you plan on somethingfancy. we would suggest that you have your local upholstery shop do the workfor you. Below are suggested seat cushions with polyfoam backing that willwork in the seat insert.

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automotive, inc.Ng.l ....Jor thePUN...ll/ it!

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Now you can order Factory Direct from BIRD automotive the following parts tobuild your own street roadster. Any part may be ordered separately (i. e. youmay order a seat insert for only $79.95). Prices are affective May 1,1969.

STANDARDROADSTERKIT:Fiberglass 23 "T" Style Body, UnpaintedPatented Seat Insert, BlackFiberglass Grill Shell, UnpaintedPrecision Jig-welded Roadster FrameComplete BIRD automotive Instructions

TOTALCOST $249.95

DELUXEROADSTERKIT:Metalflake 23 "T" Style Fiberglass BodyPatented Seat Insert; BlackMetalflake Fiberglass Grill ShellPrecision Tig-welded Roadster Frame11Gallon Fuel Tank Complete With Gauge, BlackSet of 4 Matching Metalflake FendersSet of 2 Vinyl Covered Polyfoam Seats, Black or WhiteComplete BIRD automotive Instructions

TOTALCOST $399.95

UNPAINTED INDIVIDUAL PARTS·Fiberglass 23 "T" Style BodyFiberg la s s Grill ShellFiberglass Pick Up BoxSet of 4 Fiberglass Fenders

$ 79.95'29.9539.9549.95

METALFIAKEINDIVIDUAL PARTS~Fiberglass 23 "T" Style BodyFiberglass Grill ShellFiberglass Pick Up BoxSet of 4 Fiber Gla s s Fenders

$119.9539.9559.9569.95

OTHER INDIVIDUAL PARTS:Patented Fiberglass Seat Insert, BlackPrecision Jig-welded Frame11Gallon Fuel Tank With Gauge, BlackSet of 2 Vinyl Covered Polyfoam Seats, Black or White

$ 79.9579.9549.9549.95

• P.O. Box 793, Fremont, Nebraska 68025.FREMONT, NEBRASKA 68025721-8250 Area 402

TIME PAYMENT

No", ¥Oll call IillSllce ¥ollr order. · ·I

With an HFC Time Payment Plan, you can now enjoy your own roadster and pay-as-you-drive! We have madearrangements for you, with Household Finance Company, a very' large and reliable old firm, so that we canship your order at once and you can pay them later. Here's how it works:

Just fill out the lower portion of this credit application, (you must be legal age or have your parents or guardiansign for you) and return this yellow credit application with your $10.00 payment direct to BIRD Automotivealong with your pink order blank telling us what you want. That's all there is to it. There is a $2.50 processingcharge by BIRD Automotive if your credit is not approved and $7.50 is returned to you.

Allow about 10 days to process the application. Upon approval by HFC, BIRD Automotive will ship your kit toyou-that's all there is to it. Please be sure to print your name and address clearly below on the application.

BIRD Automotive, Inc.

------------------------------------------Creel •• AppllcCI'Iion

AMOUNT TO FINANCE $ .

NAME (print) .......................................................................................................................................................................Date , 19 .

Agelast First Initial

WII-es NAME , Age ...................•

. ADDRESS How Long.... Phone No .Sireet City Zone State

If at present address less than three years, list previous address ,............ How Long .Sireet City Zone State

Employed By Address : Phone No .

PT OccucefOSI Ion or upatron How Long : Pay Days Monthly Income $ .

.............................................................................................................. Position or Occupation How Long .If at present employment less than five years, list previous, employment

Wife Employed By Address

Phone No Position or Occupation How Long Pay Days Monthly Income $ .

Check One o Home Owner o Buying Home o Rent Amount Per Month $ .

Payments Made To ..l .: .Name Address

LIST Of DEBTS AND/OR CREDIT REFERENCESNAME OF COMPANY ADDRESS

.................................................................................... , , .

NAME " AGE .

STREET : PHONE .

CITY STATE ZIP .

DESCRIPTIONQUANTITY

Color (Deluxe Kit) Red ( .) Blue ( ) Green ( )Violet ( ) Gold ( )

PRICE

..All prices are FOB OU1'1 final assembly plant, Fremont, Nebraska, and alL salesare final. Positipely no returns without written permission. Prices and speci-fications are subject to change without notice. Add $10 packing to !lll orde7's,shippe~. Shipments made by truck unless othe7'Wisespecified.,

GRAND TOTAL

$10.00Packing $10.00

AMOUNT ENCLOSED

BALANCE DUE

FIRST .aIlIOI)loliH' in Roadsters

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Nov. 5, 1968 F. G. SCHWESER . 3,409,323ONE PIECE INSERT BODY

filed March 24, 1967 4 Sheets-Sheet 1

INVENTOR

Frederick G. Schweser

Nov. 5, 1968 F. G. SCHWESER 3,409,323ONE PIECE INSERT BODY

4 Sheets-Sheet 2

Ag.2

62

Ag.3

2628

Frederick G. SchweserINVENTOR

ATTORNEY

Nov. 5, 1968 F. G. SCHWESER 3,409,323ONE PIECE INSERT BODY

Filed March 24, 1967 4 Sheets-Sheet3

Ag.4 38

30

26

I¥ INVENTOR

Frederick G.Schweser

BfJ~~ATTORNEY

Nov. 5, 1968 F. G. SCHWESER

ONE PIECE IN~ERT BODY3,409,323

filed March 24, 1967

36 Ag.7

Fig. 8

4 Sheets-Sheet 4

54

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36

68

30

6818

12

INVENTOR

Frederick G. Schweser

ATTORNEY

United States Patent Office 3,409,323Patented Nov. 5, 1968

1 2

3,409,323_.' . '. ONE PIECE .INSERT BODY .

,J?red~ric" G. ~chweser, % Bird Engineering, Box 427,, Omaha, Nebr.. 68101 .

. Filed Mar. 24, 1967,.Ser. No. 625,644. 4 Claims, (Cl, 296--28)

ABlitMCT OF TliE DISCLOSUREThis "invention is a one piece -insert body, having in-

tegral .walls, seat means and floor means for use in COm"bination with a generally one piece roadster vehicle shellbody.of conventional construction; the roadster shell bodyand the -insert body having complementary overlappingflanges which are secured together to keep the insert bodysecured in the roadster shell body. Quick 'and easy as-sembly of the insert body in the roadster shell body isone great advantage of this invention. It may be made ofmetal 'or fiberized glass reinforced plastic.

Background oj inventionGenerally one piece roadster shell bodies are well

known, made .of metal or fiberized glass reinforced plastic.These ate generally. sold in kit form, and the purchaseralso buys separate seat parts, floor parts, upholstery parts,sidewall materials in kit form, etc., to make up a finishedroadster, in addition to a motor, chassis frame and wheels.The separate parts are both expensive, and very time con-suming in assembling them in operative position to com-plete the roadster vehicle. This problem of assembling anumber of different interior parts for the roadster vehicleis greatly simplified by this invention, wherein a one pieceinsert body is provided that is quickly and easily as-sembled into the conventional roadstershell body.

Brief summary of inventionThis invention comprises a one piece insert body for

easy assembly within a conventional generally one. pieceroadster vehicle shell body. The insert body is preferablyof molded plastic reinforced by fiberized glass, or may beofone piece of integral metal. The insert body is integral,and generally provided with side and rear walls, and usual-lya front connecting fire wall, and has integrally moldedseat members, which may be in the shape of bucket seats,but likewisf\ may be a bench seat, and also has a floor infront of the seats between the side walls. The back walland at least part of the side walls have a flange extendinghorizontally outwardly at an angle to the walls to over-lap with the top edges of the side and back walls of theroadster shell body; or overlap- inwardly extending flangeson the tops of such shell body walls and the insert bodyis secured to the roadster shell body along its flange, pref-erably by rivets, which rivets may also have snap fastenerelements secured thereby for cooperating with comple-mentary snap fastener element of a removable roadstertop. . ,

When assembled, the roadster shell body and insertbody may be reinforced by having foam of suitable weightor fiberized glass, or mixture of both, blown therebetween,thereby substantially converting the assembled insert bodyand roadster .shell body into an integral one piece unit.

Briej description of drawings

With the above and related objects in view, this inven-tion comdsts .in details. of construction and combinationo~ parts as will be more fully understood from the follow-ing' description, ..when read in conjunction with the ac-companying drawing, in which:.FIG. i is a perspective view of an assembled. roadster

vehicle having the insert body of this invention assembledtherewith in. '

FIG. 2 is a top perspective view ofthe insert body ofthis invention.

5 FIG. 3 is a top perspective view of a roadster shell bodyinto which the insert body of this invention is to be in-serted.

FIG. 4 is a bottom perspective view of the insert bodyof FIG. 2. "

10 FIG. 5 is a bottom perspective view of the roadstershell body of FIG. 3. .

FIG. 6 is a top perspective view of the assembled in-sert body and the roadster shell body... ....

FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 are sectional views on lines 7~715 and 8~8 of FIG. 6. .

FIG. 9 is an exploded sectional view, on a larger scaleon line 9-'-9 of FIG. 6. .

Detailed description oj the invention20 There is shown at 10 an assembled roadster shell body

12 and insert body 14, the insert body 14 constituting thisinvention for use in combination with the roadster shellbody 12. The roadster shell body 12, with its assembledinsert body is shown in a complete roadster vehicle 16,

25 ready for operation, in FIG. 1. Except for the insert body10, the roadster 16 is conventional. The generally onepiece insert body 14, which is this invention, takes theplace, in the roadster 16, of numerous separate individualpieces used by the usual assembler, such as seat upholstery

30 and pieces, floor pieces, side and back wall pieces and up:holsterery, etc., which must be laboriously assembled andfixed in position relative to each other and to the roadstershell body 12. It is this laborious assembly of many sepa-rate parts and pieces that is avoided by this invention.

35 The conventional roadster shell body 12 consists of apair of side walls 18, which may be decorated by falsedoors 20, the side walls 18 being connected at the back byrear wall 22, and at the front by a cowling 24 and firewall 26 cut out at 28 for the engine transmission to extend

40 therethrough. The bottom is open at 30, and flanges 32along the sides of the open bottom 30 extend inwardlyfrom the side walls 1:8 and provide supports for securingit to the chassis 34 of the roadster 16. In addition, theback wall 22 and the side wall 18, as far as the cowling

45 24, is usually provided at the top edge with an inwardlyextending horizontal flange 36 from which side wall up-holstery is normally hung. All these details of the road-ster shell body are conventional, and the one piece, usual-ly molded insert body of this invention is intended for use

50 in combination with this conventional roadster shellbody 12.

The insert body 14 of this invention is normally of metal,preferably light weight, or preferably of a suitable plastic,possibly of the high impact type, suitably reinforced by

55 impregnated fiberized glass, one form of which is on themarket under the name "Fiberglas," but obviously, anyfiberized glass or other suitable reinforcing fiber may beused. The insert body 14 is shaped to fit within and shapedclosely enough to the shell body 12 that there will be

60 enough contact points to completely support the insertbody 14 within the shell body 12. The insert body 14 ashere shown includes an outwardly horizontally extendingflange 38 along the top of its back and side edges thesame distance as the shell body flange 36, and is gener-

65 ally complementary thereto, overlapping the same andresting thereon when assembled together as in FIGS. 1and 6.

A decorative smooth plastic channeled beading 40, asin FIG. 9, may be placed about the edge of the insert

70 body flange 38, particularly if insert body 14 should. bemade of metal. The beading 40 is held in place by fric-tion when the flange 38 of the insert body 14 is secured

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V3 4

.to the shell body. flange. 36 by suitable, fastening means.One preferred means is by ','pop" rivets 42 placed throughaligned apertures 44 in shell body flange 36 and insertflange 38, and in addition, the "pop" rivets 42 also serveto hold snap fastener elements 46 in place thereon, for-cooperation with complementary. snap fastener elementssuitably secured on a roadster removable top or roof 48.As. thus: riveted or otherwise. secured together at their.flanges, the insert body 14 and the shell body 12 are.se-curely fastened together. Obviously, instead of providingthe insert body 14Jor horne installation by the user, itmay be factory installed, and thus in fact, be a completeone piece shell body and insert body all ready for mount-ing on a chassis, or may be factory assembled as a com-plete roadster 16. In any case, it gt"eatly reduces the timeand cost of the complete roadster over that with the con-ventional method.

The foregoing description of the insert body 14 is theessence of this invention, and the specific details of theinsert body 14 may be varied. In one preferred form asshown, the insert body 14 is provided with a pair of buckettype seats 50, seat backs or connecting rear wall 52 andfloor portions 54 separated by a center inverted channneldivider 56 and located between insert body side walls 58;the flanges 38 are integral with the top edges of side walls58 of seat backs 52 and channel divider 56, the seats 50,floor portions 54 and divider 56 providing an insert bodybottom. Obviously other conventional seat types may beused, such as a bench seat omitting the divider, or seatsmay be omitted altogether, the seat back merging directlyinto the floor, depending on the desires of the ultimateuser. Portions of the floor or side walls may likewise beomitted, In the forward area, the seat portions 54 mergeinto a transmission cover portion 60, and this portion 60arid the side walls 58 are joined together by a fire wall 62 35which fits under the shell body cowling 24 and againstthe shell body fire wall 26.

In addition to the support of the insert body 14 in shellbody 12 furnished by the overlapping complementaryflanges 36 and 38 secured together, the edge line 64 of in- 40sert side walls 58 with the adjacent portions of floor por-tions 54 bucket seats 50 and seat backs 52 may be madeclose fitting against the shell body side walls 18, as shownin FIG. 8, thus providing substantial additional support.However, the joining edge line 66 of seats 50 and seatbacks 58 is slightly spaced from the shell body back wall 4S22, as shown in FIG. 7, thus providing some flexibility tothe bucket seat 50 and their backs 52 and providing morecomfort to the driver and passenger of the roadster ,16.. To provide additional strength, yet without providing

toomuch stiffness, the assembled insert body 14 and shell 50body 12 may be reinforced therebetween by blowing in asuitable plastic foam or fiberized glass, or a mixture ofboth. Such material may be blown in between the shellbody side walls 18 and insert body side walls 58 as at 68th~ough an easily repairede temporary opening through 55either side wall or through the overlapping flanges 36 and38. When the plastic foam sets, it unites the shell body 12and insert body 14 into an integral one piece unit. In theback, ready access is provided through the inverted chan-riel divider 56 from the bottom through the opening 30, 60for blowing in suitable foam 70 such as a cushioningstyrofoam plastic, or flberized glass, or a mixture of both.The material at 70, behind the seat backs 52 may beselected to cushion more readily. Styrofoam is particularlysuitable for such purpose, or the fiberized glass is loosely 65packed; while the material at 68, between the side walls18 and 58 may be harder and more tightly packed toprovide more rigidity where such is desirable.

Mode of operation oj inventionIn operation, the insert body 14 of this invention, if

of plastic, will be molded as an integral one piece insertbody, preferably of a suitable plastic material reinforced'Y fiberized glass, to the desired shape, and including thedesired type of seat or seats, floor portions, side walls,

. etc. As above pointed out, one or more of these 'Variousportions may be omitted, according to the desires of theuser, as long as enough are included to make a com-pletely operative insert body. Of course, supporting the

5 insert body 14 in the shell body 12 is essential, and theoverlapping flanges 36 and 38 secured together are thebestwayof doing this, butof course the blown in mate-rials 68 and 70 between the insert body and the shell body,as described, may alone be enough to support the insert

10 body 14 in the shell body 12. If the insert body is madeof a suitable metal, the metal will be shaped and joinedinto an integral one piece insert body.

To asemble the insert body 14 in the shell body 12, the.insert body 14 is merely placed. down through the space

15 between the side and back shell body flanges 36, pushedforward simultaneously under the cowling 24 and flanges38 dropped into overlapping relation to the shell bodyflanges 36. If the flange apertures 44 are not preformed,they may be readily drilled in the flanges, using a tern-

20 plate suitable to the spacing of the fastener elements in theedge of the cover 48. The ."pop" rivets 42, with the fas-tener elements 46 therein, are then positioned through thealigned apertures 44 in the overlapping flanges, firmly se-curing the insert body 14 in the shell body 12 in a quick

25 and easy manner. Then if desired, the material 68 is blowninto place through an easily cut and easily repairabletemporary opening in one of the side walls 18 or 58, andthe material 70 is blown behind the seat backs 52 throughthe inverted channel divider 56. If no divider is present,

30 a similar temporary opening may be provided.In the drawings, like numbers refer to like parts, and

for the purposes of explication, set forth below are thenumbered parts of the improved insert body:

10-assembly of 12 and 1412-roadster shell body14-insert body16-complete roadster vehicle18-roadster shell body side walls20-roadster shell body false doors22-roadster shell body rear wall24-roadster shell body cowling26-roadster shell body fire wall28-cut out in fire wall 2630:......openbottom32--chassis cooperating flanges on bottom of side walls 1834-chassis of roadster 1636--->inward flange of shell body 1238-outward flange of insert body 1440-channeled plastic beading on flange 3842-"pop" rivets44-apertures in flanges 36 and 3846-snap fastener element48-roadster roofSO-bucket seats52-seat backs or rear wall of insert body 1454-floor portions56-inverted channel divider58-insert body side walls60-insert body transmission cover portion62_-insert body fire wall64-joining edge line of 58 to 54, 50 and 5266-joining edge line of 50 to 5268-blown in material between 18 and 5870-blown in material between 22 and 52(50, 56 and 58 insert body bottom)

Although this invention has been described in con-siderable detail, such description 1s intended as beingillustrative rather than limiting, since the invention may

70 be variously embodied, and the scope of the invention isto be determined as claimed.

Having. thus set forth and disclosed the nature of thisinvention, what is claimed is:

1. In the combination with a roadster shell body (12)75 having side walls (18), a rear wall (22) and a forward

53,409,323

fire wall (26), said shell body side walls (18) taperinginwardly in a downward direction, said shell body rearwall (22) connecting the rear ends of said shell bodyside walls (18) together, said shell body forward fire wall(26) connecting the forward ends of said shell body side 5walls (18) together; the improvement comprising a one-piece integral insert body (14) fitting within and sup-ported by said roadster shell body (12), said insert body(14) having side walls (58), a rear wall (52) connectingthe rear ends of said side walls (58) together, a forward 10fire wall (62) connecting the forward ends of said sidewalls (58) together, seatbottoms (SO) and floor portions(54) connected to each other and to said insert body sidewall (58) and extending inwardly from said insert bodyside walls (58), said seat bottoms (50) being connected 15to and extending forwardly from said insert body rearwall (52), said insert body rear wall (52) providing seatbacks (52) for said seat bottoms (SO), said insert bodyside 'walls (58) and said insert body rear wall (52) hav-ing a continuous outwardly extending flange (38) at 20their upper edges overlying on and being supported onthe tipper edges (36) of said side walls (18) and rearwall (22) of said roadster shell body (12).

2. The combination of claim 1, the further improve-ment of said insert body side walls (58) forming meeting 25

edges (64 ) with said bottom floor portions (54) andwith said seat bottoms (52), said meeting edges (64)resting on and being supported on the inner surface ofsaid shell body inwardly tapered side walls (18).

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein the roadstershell 'body '(12) has a cowling (24) extending from thetop of its fire wall (26) over the forward top edges of itsside walls (18); the further improvement of said insertbody fire' wall (62) having a transmission cover portion(60) extending rearwardly from said fire wall' (62).4. The combination of claim 3, and plastic material

filling (68, 70) inbetween said side walls (18, 58)' andrear walls (22, 52) of said shell body (12) and said hi-sert body (14). " ,

References CitedUNITED STATES PATENTS

2,980,4663,084,9733,107,6493,154,341

4/19614/196310/196310/1964

Barenyi -' -' 296-24Beckley 29,6-31Blend 296-37 XRBooth _'-__~'"__;_ : 296-24

BENJAMIN HERSH, Primary Examiner.L. DANIEL MORRIS, JR., Assistant Examiner.