Thread: Glass or steel- friend is 32 shopping

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Mine is steel, friend is shopping around for a 32 to build. Aftermarket frame is planned but he's torn between steel or glass bodies. He's not interested in Henry's & all the work to make it like new.
He really likes the look of the Speedway body (actually the whole car) w/ the 40 dash but I don't know anyone who has one.
He's looked at RodBods (mine), Dearborn & a few others.
He's also looked at Wescott, Downs & others.
All I know is a steel car sells for nearly double a glass car when done- and in the building stage- there's not that big of a difference.
He's torn between a 3 window or roadster. He's leaning towards the roadster because he likes mine (& the Speedway car).

He wants to hear some real life experiences- the positives & negatives of various bodys- steel or glass.
If you were starting w/ a clean sheet- what would you choose?

Henry's car is Gibbion fiberglass, they went out of buisnuess, probably due to quality control ( Henry's car is prime example ). Steel cars take more to get them right, they need a lot of body work to get them str8. a good fiberglass body, will be better. Unless it's original steel, prices seem to be about the same with finished cars. Downs, N&N, Wescott, there all decent. I don't think you can buy speedways steel body seperate, think you gotta buy the finished car for 50k

As with most any other purchase, it all comes down to how much he's willing to spend on the body! I haven't built one of the steel repop bodies yet, but have done a number of Wescott bodies. With the steel cage in the Wescott's they get my vote for the top of the line 'glass cars. Done some of the other 'glass one's too that range from pure junk to quite nice.... Careful shopping is the key!!! As with anything, the choice comes down to value vs. price!!!!

if he is looking to spend 11k like me im super happy with my brookville roadster body . it will also get you top money for the car on resale since every state in america makes glass ones now , not putting them down i had one once too . but the steal is what people are looking for now at least where i hear people talk ......keep in mind resale......

Repop steel may be bringing a premium now, but as more and more hit the market, doubt the price will remain as high as it currently is.... Not putting down the repop steel bodies, I love em.... just a cautionary note...

Would he consider an original steel sedan that is already built? Brand new motor, and he can change it around to personalize it. One of my customers has it up for sale.

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.

Since no one addressed the roadster vs. coupe issue, I'll give my two cents worth. My son and I built a 32 roadster, Kilborne body, KiwiKonnection frame, 302 sbf. Anyway, the car seats in the garage almost all the time. It rains every day or is so hot it's no fun. Yea, I'm old ,56. I'm trying to talk him into a coupe with a/c. We live in south Louisiana obviously where you live could be different.

Originally Posted by saltracer

Since no one addressed the roadster vs. coupe issue, I'll give my two cents worth. My son and I built a 32 roadster, Kilborne body, KiwiKonnection frame, 302 sbf. Anyway, the car seats in the garage almost all the time. It rains every day or is so hot it's no fun. Yea, I'm old ,56. I'm trying to talk him into a coupe with a/c. We live in south Louisiana obviously where you live could be different.

Know what ya mean, Salt!!!! If I should build another 30's car for me, it's gonna be a sedan!!!! Funny how age changes a guys preferences, isn't it?????

Originally Posted by Steves32

He's torn between a 3 window or roadster. He's leaning towards the roadster because he likes mine.

If you were starting w/ a clean sheet- what would you choose?

Why choose ... build one of each ...
If I had to choose ... I would go with the 3W coupe. I have owned my original steel roadster since the 70's and it is a lot of fun, BUT ... the 3W coupe has windows, a roof and A/C ... all very desirable features for going to rod runs and events. 600 miles ( one way ) in a open car in the heat of August ( NSRA Nationals ) can wear you down.



I have 55 thousand miles on the roadster since 1995 ... so I do drive it ... but a coupe would have even more miles in that same period of time IMHO. This was taken at Louisville 2007.



Indy 2007 ... ( photo in current issue of Street Rodder magazine ... page 66 )



Los Angeles Roadster show 2007



All Deuces Run to Blowing Rock NC 2007 ...

So you see ... I do drive it a good bit ... this being the 75th anniversary of the 1932 Fords ... there have been a lot of events to go to.

Here is a small journal on the 32 3W project ...

http://www.hotrodders.com/forum/jour...ge=1&reverse=1

I traded a lincoln versalles 9 , Must II front with 11 in brakes from my parts pile + $1500 for a glass 32 roadster body of unkown manufacture. I have to do a lot of work on it .the doors and deck are not hung, wood flors the quarters are wavey, they didn't have a good mold .It has some body wood in it.It had a bench seat frame and stock height glass grill shell. metal original cowl air vent, It doesn't look like it was ever mounted to a frame. you get what you pay for

I'm past 60 and still enjoy the roadster. It limits travel in bad weather but easily makes up for it in fair weather. I don't have a windshield on my Harley either. I drive a pickup with windows and A/C for required travel when its an elective ride I enjoy the wind, in fact unless its over 90 degrees or raining the windows are down in the pick-up.

IMO and I have built both but own a glass car. You will have the same money and time in each. He needs to decide what look he wants. Does he want the traditional old school look or more of a smooth look? Start there and also decide on how much he wants to drive and in what weather and go from that point

Originally Posted by Dave Severson

Repop steel may be bringing a premium now, but as more and more hit the market, doubt the price will remain as high as it currently is.... Not putting down the repop steel bodies, I love em.... just a cautionary note...

While I might be persuaded to agree with Dave that more supply of steel bodies will lower their perceived value in the marketplace, my cautionary remark would be that that supply also increases the total number of cars available, which would also lower the market prices for deuces (good ol' supply and demand at work again). I would bet that the differential spread between glass and steel will remain proportional..............said another way, if the market value of a steel car goes down (for whatever reason), the glass cars will go down at least as much. Beyond that, I have been contending for some time that in the future, as us old farts depart the scene, the market will favor steel over glass and the buyers will have an oversupply to choose from, which would argue for the glass cars dropping at a much faster rate than steel.