Thread: Glass or steel- friend is 32 shopping

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Sounds to me he still has a lot of issues to work out. Steel or glass, coupe or vert, etc. A firm decision is what is needed, and that decision will many times dictate the best body and parts. Not an easy decision either because both have their strong points. If he has the time and money tell him to build one of each, that way he would have to make the decision on which one to drive today.

OBTW, there is also Bear Fiberglass. They make a number of glass bodies including a 32 3WC and a roadster. They use cool car ceramic insulation in all of their bodies and are out of Prescott AZ. There is a member here who is a builder from there who swears by them. I can't offer a personal opinion on them because I don't own one. But keep in mind it is always best to shop around.

A word of warning on the repop bodies - I have a Brookville '30-'31 that is, for no better term, a major POS with not a straight, level, smooth, correctly rivited panel on it - and my (almost) full description of the problems encountered is available if you are interested. A PM will get link in return.

But with that said, I have heard that their '32 roadster is a pretty good assembly and have seen a couple of them completed and should be considered. I had seen their '32 demo coupe at York this year, and while it has some ugly spots - has the makings of nice car with a bit of metal caressing.

Word of warning though - the steel used in manufacture is NOT of the same strength as the originals. It is what is known as draw quality so the engineering plastic dies that Brookville uses survive and is extremely SOFT, dinging and denting easily.