Books about timber frame building

[jansens]

Timber frames for cars specifically, not an Austin 7 though. My Austin 7 was aluminium skin on steel tube frame (still going through the process to get it on the road) but my next car, a Riley 9, is an ash frame with metal skin. The metalwork doesn't worry me (well, much...) but I am not a woodworker so the timber frame for it will be a completely new experience. One I want to have though.

You can get lots of books on metal working, English wheeling, building bucks, hammer forming, welding, coach-building history etc, etc but I haven't yet found anything on the ins and outs of actually making a wooden framed car. Does anything even exist? 

Resources on web sites and YouTube are limited. There are a few small examples (quite good ones too) about but not very many. What I am looking for is something that gives all the obvious tips that aren't obvious if you've never done it before. What glues to use, what screws, what timbers work, which direction the timber grains should run, how and where to make simple joins, how best to shape the timber, useful tools to have and so on. 

I know these are skills that take years to master of course but there must be somewhere to start? I guess a lot is just general carpentry (any book recommendations there are welcome too!) but car specifics must come into it to at some point.

Simon

[Chris KC]

Simon, if a book exists you will find it on "Abebooks" - you might have to get creative with the keyword search but entering "coachbuilding" has thrown up a few possibles. Sorry, I don't know of a good book myself.

[Peter Sweeney]

Wheatly and Morgan produced 2 books in the 50s on Vintage and Thoroughbread car restoration and maintenance. Reprinted through to the 60s. They contain some good information. I don't thing you will find anything like a 30/98 Vauxhall in a hedge now. I couldn't then.

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Number5 in the Osprey Restoration Guides is How to restore wooden body framing by Alan Alderwick.

[Davemayle]

Simon, well worth looking for books and videos on aircraft construction in wood. There are a few publications which are aimed at amateur aircraft construction which I'm sure would guide you though most construction techniques needed for a car body.
Dave

[Tiger]

There is a short article on the Cornwall site.
Titled Bending Ash Frames

[Malcolm Parker]

There is a good book titled 'The restoration and preservation of Vintage and Classic cars' by Jonathan Wood published by Haynes.  This has a chapter on bodywork repair which includes a section on building a timber framed body from scratch.  I took the plunge when I built the Pytchley and I am quite pleased with the results.

[Jeff Taylor]

For many years I've had an American book on my bookshelf titled 'Antique Auto Body Wood Work for the Restorer' by C. W. Terry with Arthur Hall published in 1969 - ISBN: 911160-02-7

I also have a copy (mentioned above) of the Osprey Restoration Guide 5 'How to Restore Wooden Body Framing' by Alan Alderwick - ISBN: 0-85045-590-1

When I bought my 1936 Series 1 Morris 8 Tourer (all of it ash framed) back in the early 1970's, I remember visiting the local library to borrow a copy of Wheatley & Morgan's 'The Restoration of Vintage & Thoroughbred Cars' - ISBN-13: 978-0713404609 even though the Morris was neither vintage nor thoroughbred !

https://isbnsearch.org

[Lowespeed]

There is book entitled : "Wooden Bodied Vehicles" Buying, Building, Restoring and Maintaning by Colin Peck ISBN 978-1-84797-491-4 £25
I bought mine from Beaulieu while at the 750 MC A7 rally.

[Hugh Barnes]

Lowespeed has beaten me too it. I have a copy that I bought remaindered in a bookshop a couple of years ago so might be available cheaply. It seems to cover the basics...

Ah....

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Wooden-Bodied...3XEALw_wcB

[Chris Garner]

Of no interest to Jansens but I have a copy of " Wilson's Combined Works, Building Construction, Carpentry and Joinery " and which belonged to my uncle, a time-served joiner. He was one of those employed in building the Cadbury Estate in B'ham. An amazingly detailed book which I imagine would tell you everything you ever wanted to know in this field. 
Sadly he was killed on his motorcycle when in his twenties.