Rust belt guys ain't gonna believe this...

[DRD57]

We were shimming the body on my 32 roadster tonight to get the hood gap close and to get the doors to close OK. The drivers door has some cracks around the hinges so we knocked the pins out so we could TIG weld the cracks.

The door seemed a bit heavy so we popped off the interior panel and discovered the door was stuffed full of newspaper. I'm not talking a little bit of paper either. More like the whole LATimes Sunday Edition. We tried to unflod the balls of paper to see if we could read any of it but it was so deteriorated that it just crumbled into confetti when it was disturbed. We did find  a few shreds that we could make out a date from the top edge of the paper. March 8, 1942.

The most amazing thing is it was all completely dry and the doors are as solid and rust free as the day Henry stamped them.

Here's a couple of pics. The beer cans were added to the pile of paper for volume reference.

[Bib_Overalls]

Ya gotta wounder why.

[purplepickup]

Yeah, if that would have been like that here in Michigan, it would have been like a big sponge.  One winter's worth of salty road slush would have turned that door into scrap metal real quick.

[Roadstar]

Thats not fair.

Around here the newspaper would have been perfctly preserved and the door would look like that pile of crumbs on the floor.

[Anonymous]

I'da had ta drunk FOUR beers to do that job!!!

(Heck, even whole BEER CANS would fall outta holes in my doors...nevermind NEWSPAPER!   )

[moondisc]

Around here the newspaper would have been perfctly preserved and the door would look like that pile of crumbs on the floor.

That ain't no lie!

My 54 Merc was all solid except the right front door.
Rats built a big nest in it, held the mostiure, and the whole bottom of the door rotted off.
Best part was, the car was stored inside, and had never been out in the rain when this happened!

[SKR8PN]

If that woulda been here in Ohio,I can GUAR-AN-TEE that door woulda been toast..........
It is also a GOOD thing you found that BEFORE you fired up the welder

[purplepickup]

It is also a GOOD thing you found that BEFORE you fired up the welder

Sounds like something a northerner would say.  He ain't got anything to weld.

[Crosley.In.AZ]

enjenjo mentioned to me as I gave him the nickle tour of the crosley estates , that the metal parts I have piled behind my shop would disappear ( turn into iron ore) in less than 3 years in Ohio

[58Apache]

Non salt decayed sheet metal from Arid-Zona?

In most parts of the midwest it would dissapear before midnight

Here's my best guesses on why the paper ....

Insulation & help keep drafty cold air out in the winter?

Noise reduction so they could hear the vacuum tube radio?

Passenger can pull out something to read on a long trip?

Emergency "nature calls" supplies?

Large supply of "oil rags"? Maybe why door didn't rust?

Finally found a good use for an ultra-liberal newspaper - L.A. Times

Place for Bonny and Clyde to put their newspaper clippings?

Supply of cheap hair bonnets for the lady when riding?


                                         Steve

[Crafty]

amazing.. maybe someones primative attempt at sound deadening ?

[32tom]

amazing.. maybe someones primative attempt at sound deadening ?

Mine had the L.A. Times and the L.A. Mirror Jan 28 1952. Both doors and rumble seat lid are stuffed full. I pulled some for framing but I'll never remove the bulk of it. When I looked at the car the first time my buddy thought the doors were fiberglass when closing them. I bet there is a very different sound when you shut the doors now. I'm keeping mine as proof of an early L.A. connection.