[Fin]

What would you guys consider the best glass body for a '32 Ford Roadster build? How about the best frame?

The car will be used for cruising, daily driving and road trips.
I'm planning on a mild 425hp or so small block Ford with a 4 or 5 speed & a 9" rear. I don't want to break the bank and plan on keeping the car basic.

What I do want is a good soft top and a Vintage heat & AC setup.

The Downs body with the hideaway sof top look nice.

Any recommendations?

Any manufacturers to avoid?

Thanks

[35terraplane]

Originally Posted by Fin

What would you guys consider the best glass body for a '32 Ford Roadster build? How about the best frame?

The car will be used for cruising, daily driving and road trips.
I'm planning on a mild 425hp or so small block Ford with a 4 or 5 speed & a 9" rear. I don't want to break the bank and plan on keeping the car basic.

What I do want is a good soft top and a Vintage heat & AC setup.

The Downs body with the hideaway sof top look nice.

Any recommendations?

Any manufacturers to avoid?

Thanks

Anytime you talk about building a 32,33,34. you can't put best and not break the bank in the same sentence, they don't go together, and then throw roadster in, you missed everything. Now every ones breaking point is different so where did you want to go, how much ball park. we can tell you things that each one of us thinks is the best, the prices will be all over the board, but we have to know what you are calling breaking the bank.

Bob

[302 Z28]

From experience, anywhere from a minimum $20 to upwards of $50K. The one I would tell you to avoid is already out of business.

Vince

[Irelands child]

Originally Posted by 302 Z28

From experience, anywhere from a minimum $20 to upwards of $50K. The one I would tell you to avoid is already out of business.

Vince

Vince - rumor has it that he is trying to resurrect the 'good name' that he ruined


Do a '30 - '31 - quite a bit cheaper, but wont be for too much longer if the rod rags keep pushing 'A's and OEM steel bodies start to disappear. About the only significant difference in appearance is that the driver's comp't is 3-4 inches shorter. See my AVATAR car

Dave W

[Centerline]

I have heard nothing but good about N&N glass bodies. The last one I had a close look at was an outstanding car. They make 32 roadsters, 3 window coupes, and 33/34 coupes. Cost for their roadster body is in the vicinity of $4500 and is probably the best bang for your buck out there.

When it comes to chassis, most like TCI but Pete & Jake's makes a good one as well as several others. It all depends on how much you want to spend on suspension systems and how much work you want the chassis manufacturer to do. All it takes is money.

Centerline
HotRodsAndHemis.com

Don't pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he'll just shoot you. - Anonymous

[327NUT]

I agree with Centerline 100%, there are lots of nice looking bodies but Duane at N&N is just a hell of a nice guy and will work with you on what if modifications you may want....worth a call.

[timothale]

I was hot for a 32, traded a 9 in disc and M II with Versaille disc stuff in a box and $1500- for mine, Usually most companies will laminate in a business card or tag the body. I have no idea who built mine. there are ripples in the quarter panels, like the original for the mold was not that good, also the door hinges and anchoring need work. I would have been easier to have not retired and worked a few more months and bought the best body i could find,

[Fin]

Originally Posted by 35terraplane

Anytime you talk about building a 32,33,34. you can't put best and not break the bank in the same sentence, they don't go together, and then throw roadster in, you missed everything. Now every ones breaking point is different so where did you want to go, how much ball park. we can tell you things that each one of us thinks is the best, the prices will be all over the board, but we have to know what you are calling breaking the bank.

Bob

Bob, some very good points.

While looking at used '32 Roadsters for sale it seems there are "plain Jane" cars in the 25k-30k range all the way up to 100k+ for very nice steel repop cars.

What I should have said intead of "best" was best bang for the buck, with a 30K-40K total budget. I will do my own build, body work & paint.

The only true "must haves" are a soft tow with real door glass ans HVAC.

I don't mind doing a little work on seams and gaps, but I would like trunk, doors & hood perhung and more or less ready to go.

The Downs bodies look good from what I have seen & read, and there is a shop about an hour away (Timeless Rod & Custom, Lula GA) that sells Downs bodies all the way up to a turnkey car.

My concern is that I don't want to make a major mistake on my purchase. Several years ago I wanted a C#bra replica. I started down the road with a few different companies, but I always "smelled a rat'. I went from looking for a low budget build to ultimately purchasing an aluminum Kirkham replica (that car was a peice of artwork).

There are several C#bra website were you can learn anything about everything C#bra replica related. With a '32 Ford replica the information is much more decentralized (although this forum looks like an excellent source of knowledge & information).

I've seen threads on other forums where guys are having to put a dozen relief cuts in a deck lid, recurve it with ratchet straps and reglass it to get it to conture the body. The same threads talk about the frame being 1/2" out of square and that is from the biggest replica builder in the USA!
That is not acceptable to me. Any frame built in a jig should be square, level, plumb, ect.


Thanks, Jim

[Fin]

Originally Posted by 302 Z28

From experience, anywhere from a minimum $20 to upwards of $50K. The one I would tell you to avoid is already out of business.

Vince

Thanks, Vince

[Fin]

Originally Posted by Irelands child

Vince - rumor has it that he is trying to resurrect the 'good name' that he ruined


Do a '30 - '31 - quite a bit cheaper, but wont be for too much longer if the rod rags keep pushing 'A's and OEM steel bodies start to disappear. About the only significant difference in appearance is that the driver's comp't is 3-4 inches shorter. See my AVATAR car

Dave W

Dave,

Nice car!

Mine has got to be a '32.

I have wanted one since I got the Hot Rod mag with Phil Cool's AMBR winner on the cover back in '78.

Mine will be orange just like Phils, except I'm going to go with Hugger Orange.

Thanks, Jim

[Fin]

Originally Posted by Centerline

I have heard nothing but good about N&N glass bodies. The last one I had a close look at was an outstanding car. They make 32 roadsters, 3 window coupes, and 33/34 coupes. Cost for their roadster body is in the vicinity of $4500 and is probably the best bang for your buck out there.

When it comes to chassis, most like TCI but Pete & Jake's makes a good one as well as several others. It all depends on how much you want to spend on suspension systems and how much work you want the chassis manufacturer to do. All it takes is money.

Centerline
HotRodsAndHemis.com

Don't pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he'll just shoot you. - Anonymous

Thanks for the heads up.

Jim

[Fin]

Originally Posted by 327NUT

I agree with Centerline 100%, there are lots of nice looking bodies but Duane at N&N is just a hell of a nice guy and will work with you on what if modifications you may want....worth a call.

Thanks

[Fin]

Originally Posted by timothale

I was hot for a 32, traded a 9 in disc and M II with Versaille disc stuff in a box and $1500- for mine, Usually most companies will laminate in a business card or tag the body. I have no idea who built mine. there are ripples in the quarter panels, like the original for the mold was not that good, also the door hinges and anchoring need work. I would have been easier to have not retired and worked a few more months and bought the best body i could find,

Thats the kind of horse trading I usually do!

Anybody have a '32 they want to trade for a backhoe or a skidsteer?



Is there a mulit quote feature on this site and I just don't see it? I feel like a post wh*re.

[OneMoreTime]

Has anyone looked at the Speedway 32..one of those could be complete and running at a price that is doable for the less well heeled guys..

Sam

[302 Z28]

Originally Posted by Irelands child

Vince - rumor has it that he is trying to resurrect the 'good name' that he ruined
Dave W

I had heard he was back in business but I cannot recall the new name. He is making a 33 Ford along the lines of the Factory Five Racing look.

Vince