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Looking for feedback on any experiences people have had with different manufactures of fiberglass Ford 5-window bodies. I am starting to gather parts for my next project and it will be a glass 5-window. I have had experience with Downs and would consider them again.
Thanks
I have a Gibbons 3w, great body IMO.......Larry
I have a New Age Body, 5 Window. My painter says i ts super straight. And it is very accurate.
http://www.newage-motorsports.com/custom.htm
Tell Ed I said "hi"
I have a Gibbons 3w, great body IMO.......Larry
Larry,
Do you have a Gibbons body ?.............:LOL:
I have a Gibbon 3-window. None of the wood is level or plumb. The underside of the body was totally unfinished. Overlaps on the underside where the body joins the floor pan and where the trans tunnel joins the floor were not glassed over - just a raw overlap.
The tunnel wouldn't clear the transmission - even after they "fixed" it. Gibbon tries to make their case for chopper-gun bodies, but I'd never get another chopper-gun laid body. The body glass varies in thickness from 1/4" to over 1."
I tried to get the window glass out of the doors to paint the car, but the track is glassed in, and I'd have to tear it out and rebuild it. The wood bracing in the trunk goes every which way, and there's no way to install upholstery panels there without a major woodworking job. I had to completely rebuild the window trim moldings, and they still need a lot of work.
Check the level in the attached photo. The level is level. The wood is off by over an inch in 42".
And here's the window trim from the inside. Want to hear more?
Here are some comments I submitted earlier.
I'm building a Gibbon-bodied highboy. Exterior finish of the car is excellent for a glass car. Gibbon forms their bodies in pieces, then bonds them together much like an original would be assembled. They do an excellent job of fitting doors, trunks, etc. The doors, trunklid, hinges, latches, etc. are nicely installed and quality stuff. I didn't have to do much with the gaps. The gelcoat they use is very nice also. It's sands well.
That being said, there are some significant problems. This is on my rod only - I don't know if it's endemic. However, if I ever do another glass car, I know some things I'm going to look for.
- The interior window moldings are not good. They don't fit the doors. I had to do major bondo and glass work to get a decent fit. They fit now, but I'm still not sure how I'm going to attach them. The finish inside the windshield around the "A" pillars is really rough. I haven't figured out how I'm going to get the molding to fit - if it will fit at all.
- There are problems with the wood body reinforcing being plumb and square. The package shelf in my '34 is about 1 1/2 " out of level side-to-side. I'm going to have to do some significant mods there. The plywood braces on either side of the trunk are not in line with each other. Fitting a flat 1/4" plywood panel to them for later upholstery took a lot of woodworking. It looks like all of the wood in my rod was placed by eye without any measurement. It goes every which-way.
- The finish on the underside of the body where they joined the body to the floor was simply awful. There is no other way to describe it. All of the joints underneath - i.e. driveshaft tunnel, firewall, etc. were not finished at all. Just gaps where the layers of fiberglass lapped over each other. The joint where the rocker panels joined the floor were equally nasty. Plenty of places for water, dust, dirt and mud to get between the outer body and the floor pan.
- I don't know what's up with the firewall and the fit with the hood. The channels for the cowl lacing are too deep. I tried the original cloth-covered lacing, and the hood sits inside the body edge at least 1/4". It looks like I'm going to have to fill the channel in order to get proper hood fit - or leave the hood sides off.
- There are places in the floor and firewall where there are three or four layers of fiberglass. It makes fitting pedals, steering columns, etc. really interesting.
Bear in mind that I built an all-steel chopped, full-fendered Model A sedan. This body is harder to work with than the A ever was.
I'm not trying to knock Gibbon's workmanship, because much of it is excellent. I just wanted to pass on my experience. This will make a nice rod - it's just going to take a lot more work than I thought. Kyle will stand behind his product. However, you have to ask yourself what you're going to do if you're 800 miles away, and start to notice problems once you get into the details. It ain't McDonalds . . . you can't go back and get a replacement Big Mac.
One final note. I would NOT get a dropped floor again. With a P&J chassis with the angled ladder bars, there is little room under the car for ANYTHING. It's possible to make e-brake lines and shifter cables work OK, but exhaust is a major problem to solve. Also, footroom inside the cab is really . . . no, I mean REALLY narrow. If you have a manual trans, I'm not sure how you would get three pedals in there. This is NOT Gibbon's fault - it's the buyer's choice.
If you decide to go with a Gibbon body - or any glass body, try to see one up close and personal at a rod show.
Finally, here's apparently what happens when Gibbon modifies a P&J frame. I don't think comments are necessary.
The New Age is also a choppered body. They chopper each piece of the mold, then assemble the mold, and hand lay the pieces together.
I bought a roadster body and returned it. I was not impressed.
I would love to build some 5w's in my shop, but I cannot find a suitable body. Redneck is planning to have one available sometime early in '05. He told me at the Nats that it would have drip-rails, outside hinges/latches/ dovetails, cowl vent, stock style garnish,etc.
We shall see.
Sir Speedy
I appreciate your reply. I have always been impressed with Redneck, personally feel they make some of the finest fiberglass bodies available. I will check with Redneck, from talking to them in the past and inspecting their bodies I would not hesitate to put them at the top of my list.
Thanks Again
Bob
Couple of rodders here are building 33/34 Redneck 3 windows. The bodies are very impressive. Worth the wait.
I've got a New Age 5 window body and after having some problems with fit and repairs I would say overall it's a good body - definitely well built and reinforced with steel tubing. It's also the only one as far as I know that has the drip rails. The things I don't like tho are the part of the cowl where the cowl lacing goes - VERY thick and doesn't look anything like stock. The window garnishings don't fit too good, and the one for the rear window is really out of whack. When I got my body the inner and outer skins on both doors were separated and I had to glue them back together. The windshield frame (the expensive swing out one) doesn't fit too good at the top corners and I have no doubt it will leak eventually. That said tho I still like the body and from what I've seen it's still the best 5-window one out there, for now. If Wescott comes up with one that'd be the one to get - I used their body for my roadster and it's great! My buddy has one of their three window ones and it's really nice period.
I have been following this thread with interest since I am waiting for delivery of a rolling chasiss/5 window body package from New Age Motorsports.
SirSpeedy, if it's not too much trouble, what didn't you like about the roadster body you got?
I've heard a couple of people mention the glass work in the cowl area of the 5 window body. Could you please post a picture of what you're talking about so I'll have a frame of reference when I pick up my roller. Is this something I should be making an issue of with New Age now? How hard was it to correct?
Finally, the photos that rocknrod and others have posted are very helpful as I contemplate things like horn placement and bracketry for the ebrake. Thanks & keep 'em coming.
Waiting for this body/chassis to be done is a little like being a kid again and waiting for Christmas. Meanwhile I'm following the comments on this board with great interest. Will post pictures when I get the car and look forward to posting progress photos as well.
Tom, I'd REALLY like to hear some of your thoughts on the body and chassis when you get it. You can Email me at deuceguy@shaw.ca. I've heard that they've changed the cowl lacing area since I got my body but I don't know for sure.
I WOULD like to compare notes with anyone who has one of their bodies tho, as well as feedback on their chassis.
Hello,
I would rather not get into the details in ths forum.
If you would like any information on bodies, you may email me at sirspeedy01@yahoo.com
Thanks.
On the New Age Company.
Ed the owner finally got rid of Rich the partner.
Ed was very unhappy with the way Rich would
send out bodies. And Ed was worried about his
name.
I too would like to hear about the body you get from
New Age.
My Opinion of My body is very good.
I love my Body and would not change it with anyone.
Don't worry You will love it too.
Sometimes SOME people do not know what good is.
I will give you MY pics and info if you e-mail me at:
rodmcafee@sbcglobal.net
I totally agree.Quote:
Originally posted by rocknrod
Sometimes SOME people do not know what good is.
I've contacted Redneck regarding their 5-window, following is their reply.
yes, we do have a 5 window on the drawing board. We are currently working on a 33' Roadster/cabriolet style car to be available very soon.
Work on the 5 winsow will not begin until the Roadster is complete. At this time I cannot give you an estimated availability date, but it will probably be a few years.
Thanks,
Wayne Keimig,
Redneck Street Rods
Hi,
I have a 41 Willys that I got from Antique and Collectable. It is outstanding. There are no mold seams to sand everything fit nicely except one door with a minor fit that I fixed myself. It fit the frame perfectly, the under side is excellent.
It took just 8 hours to put all of the body together including making blind fastener plates for the fenders so I can remove them by myself.
They have a 32 to fill in for the guy that originall started this thread as well as a 34.
I got my car on the day almost to the hour promised with no problems.
Great company to work with.
acrods.com
bentwings
....Redneck is currently building me a '32 3 window coupe. Pete & jakes just finished the chassis last week & Wayne called and said that he is laying the floor right now. The car will be done the end of October {right on schedule, as promished}. I'm not sure if I'll have it shiped to me immeadiately or let them do some more of the work {oh, when I say finished I mean that the complete chassis & body will be done. Not quite a complete roller, but almost}. Anyway, Wayne has been GREAT to work with. Phone calls returned immeadiately, ALL questions answered, LOTS of good advice. I'm EXCITED. My life long dream ;) a '32 3 window! But then this post was asking about a 5 window, huh? Bill.....
Well, I know several guys with glass bodies out here to compare with, and Wescott's are REALLY popular, and they're popular for a good reason - they put out consistently top quality bodies that are the same as stock and everything fits them. My roadster is a Wescott and I still feel there is no comparison between it and the NA body in workmanship - at least on MY NA body. I have heard of several bodies, mostly on the east coast, that for whatever reason have several dimension changes on them so lots of NOS or original parts don't fit them. As an example Kilbourne roadster bodies are 2" narrower than stock bodies and have a few other measurements that are weird too - why would they do that? The more I've gotten into prepping this NA body for paint the more little "quirks" I've found, a major one being the inconsistancy in glass thickness in edges and at various spots in the body and REALLY thin areas where panels have been bonded together. I guess the only alternative for a 5-window body was a Gibbon, and from what I've seen of them (my buddy has a 39 convert and had to do an incredble amount of reglassing!) I'd still take the NA. I think if I would have known I would have passed on the 5-window and got a Wescott 3 window!
When it comes to fiberglass Ford bodies, from everything I have seen, heard, and read, you cannot go wrong with Wescott.
With Wescott not offering a 5 window, I get the feeling there is not a single manufacturer out there that has a reputation that you can order a 5 window body from and have confidence it is going to be what you expect.
I have a friend that is building a Down's 5 window. Overall has not been a real good experience there either.
:confused:
Okay folks, as much as I've mentioned problems I've had with my body from New Age I feel it's only fair to pass on the good with the bad!:) Yes I've had several problems with the body and have had to have my body guy do a fair bit more than was planned on, and it's not done yet, BUT, I've talked to Ed a few times about all this since I got the body and I have to say that I believe that he's doing his best to fix any problems with his bodies. He assures me now that he and his guys are doing a complete overhaul of the 5 window molds and are confident that all problems will be corrected ASAP. He also assures me that he regrets the problems that I've had with my body, and has offered to repair the problem areas, but that's pretty much impossible and illogical due to the fact I'm on the other side of the continent. Up here in Canada we get used to repairing things instead of sending them back cuz it's just too much hassle to ship back to the states - and unfortunately a lot of after market suppliers know this, and we're all sure that they have "Canadian bins" where the seconds go!;) Anyway, I do believe that Ed is doing his best and was mixed up with the wrong guy for awhile and that he'll get back to putting out a good product. In the meantime he has offered, without hesitation, to compensate me fairly for the problems I've had which is fine with me. It's taken more work than I planned but I'm still confident that I got the best 5-widow body out there!:)
Here is a link from Roadsters.com on 5 window manufacturers. I know that some of them no longer make a 5 window but I thought it might be a decent resource.
Roadster.com
Carter
Maybe I missed it, but does Redneck have a website?
http://www.redneckstreetrods.com/Quote:
Originally posted by Wasteddough
Maybe I missed it, but does Redneck have a website?
I have an '32 3W Outlaw body and could not be more pleased with the quality and workmanship. I was also very impressed with the 3W Bear body I saw at the SR Nationals. If you are interested in an Outlaw package, contact Yogi at www.yogisinc.com . He gave me a great deal on mine.
I have a 3 window wescott no problems at all, I talked to them at the nats. in louisville in aug. they said they have a 5 window body that should be done by sept. you might want to call them
new guy here! looking at 5 window bodies, have followed new age from when flatlanders owned it. i agree the best body, but saw a downs 5 window at lead east in new jersey and was very impressed. any feedback on this body?
I'd say one of the biggest things, as far as "realistic" goes, is does it have drip rails? That's the easiest way to tell a glass car - no rails! Cowl vent? Roll down back window? I'm the first to admit I had a LOT of extra work to do on my NAM body, but in the end I'm glad I used it rather than the others - they just look more like an original body.