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Looking through the forums gathering information on a 32 3 window coupe build.
Currently looking a superior glass works 32 coupe street rod roller for a starting point for my mid life crisis. Lol. I am 6'5 230 lbs and there bodies are 2.5 inches longer in the interior and local in oregon. Anyone with superior glass works experience please chime in. Any other rollers I should consider that aren't across the globe, I'm all ears.
Welcome aboard 1shotkyle! I hope you'll consider a build thread once you determine the hows and wheres etc. etc.
It is good to have you here!
Welcome aboard, mid-life crisis and all!
Just one comment of caution on Superior; either favorable or unfavorable comments could be somewhat meaningless in today's context. That company has gone through a few ownership changes during the last 20 or so years.......some were okay, some not. That comment could apply to just about any other company as well. You do have the advantage of geographical proximity, take advantage of it. There's no substitution for personal inspection. Some might recommend good companies that are thousands of miles away, and you may have a good experience with those suggestions, but then again, maybe not. Fit and finish are really critical on a glass body, as is the reinforcement structure. If you don't have sufficient personal experience to evaluate those things either cultivate a friendship with someone who does, or spend a fair bit of time educating yourself first hand so that you can tell the difference between good and bad. Even if you possess the skills and have the spare time, repairs to a poorly built body can be costly, and worse if you have to hire it out. You might start by taking a little drive out to Boring and having a look at the Wescott body (if they have one in inventory......that company too is not quite what it was when
Dee was alive). That's the gold standard of glass bodies.......and for a reason. Yeah, they're expensive if you only compare the dollar amount, but when the quality is considered they become a better buy (not necessarily the BEST buy, but better) over time. Of course at their price the steel reproduction Brookville body becomes just a bit more of a stretch......but again, it too has some positive trade offs that could help justify the cost. It all depends.............
First of all Welcome, I have a very good friend and "avid" Hot Rodder that lives in Beaverton. OK, now with that said, I'm going to PM you some pics of a vintage "tin" A Model that is over by my oldest son's house, in case you might be interested in Tin over Glass.
Em
Welcome to the site! A bunch of Guys should be able to help you with your questions about the '32 here. Bob gave you some great advice. I'd look for old build threads too that show different bodies and what the people needed to do to put them together.
Can't quit reading build after build. From what I foresee for myself to build hmmm.
20k 32 on rolling chassis
10k engine/trans and misc running gear
10k interior and paint. If the body don't need a lot of attention.
I visualize 40k in building a 32 coupe. Am I far off in outer space?
Some could quibble with your allocation justifiably, but as for your total you're probably light (unless you possess some very unusual skills) . I've worked with guys who've been very methodical in listing out everything they could imagine, pulled all the costs they could acquire from catalogs, online listings, and so on. They'd proudly demonstrate how thorough they were and had it figured to the last penny (in their mind). Of those who took the step and actually got into it, and those fewer still who actually went all the way with it................reality taught them they'd missed.................a lot. Experience is a cruel, but just teacher.Quote:
Originally Posted by oneshotkyle
Welcome, Kyle. At 6'5" & 230 I'd strongly recommend that you take time to go to some shows, talk to owners straight and sit in some cars. I'm 6'3" & 200 and my first build was a '33/34 coupe. I mounted Fiero seats to take advantage of all of the room, and I've got plenty of leg room. Now I'm working on a '32 Roadster with a body from ShowMe which has a 2" stretch in the interior, and the decrease in leg room has been a big surprise. The Deuce grew over the Model A, the '33/34 grew over the Deuce, and they continued to grow year by year. Just sayin' you really need to be sure that you're going to be comfortable to drive a Deuce before dropping this much money on a body.
rspears- I have will be checking a couple out shortly as the weather gets more hot rudder friendly. I have considered doing a 33/34 also but 32's just have that following. Lol. I remember reading that roadsters interiors are smaller than coupes to start with so I would never consider one for me, funny thing is I have drove big trucks for 20yrs and know what cramped seating is like. Sitting in the fetal position for hours on end. Lol. My dad has a 30 coupe 5 window and it is definitely out of the question. I need to get in a few 32's and get a better feel I agree. I may make a field trip up to superior glass works some day soon to
Kyle,
You're right about the coupe vs roadster space, and it also makes a big difference how one plans to use the car, as a driver that only sees a trailer if there's a problem, or as a trailer queen that only sees the road around some venue that's chosen. Mine are pure drivers, including 1/2 mile of gravel to get to blacktop.
Uncle Bob mentioned that others might mention "..good companies that are thousands of miles away....", and I'll do that. I researched for well over a year when I was in your place, and I kept coming back to N&N Fiberglass Reproductions in Belleville, Arkansas as the best value, defined as the highest quality for dollar spent, in my opinion. There's none of the changes in ownership or legacy of complaints with them, just good ol' country boys in a small shop cranking out their product and leaving a trail of satisfied customers behind. There's a reason that the guys at Street Rod Builder magazine (now defunct...) chose N&N for their "Low Buck Buckaroo" build back in 2007, where the concept was to build a '33/34 coupe on a budget, running gel coat sans paint. A link for your review - N & N Fiberglass
I have to agree with Mr. Spears. I wanted a 32 and then sat in a couple.. I built a 34 instead! 6'3" and 250ish...
I very much enjoy the longer sleeker look or a 34 coupe. N and N is a the top of my list for the high honors they get on the web. How much more interior space is in a 34 over a 32. Thanks for being so informative I really appreciate it
Just so you have an idea of my likes and plans.
Open wheel with rake with larger rear tires
Ifs kugel or heidts front
an ls engine with automatic overdrive
air conditioning and stereo a must
I plan to be able to hop in and head anywhere no trailers for me. Don't wanna have a cramped cockpit and need a little baggage room in trunk.
Welcome to CHR Kyle! I can't give any useful info, but it looks like it's getting covered for you!
I can't say for certain.. but my memory says 4 or 5 inches.. I know I had a hard time crawling into a friends 32. My 34 is very easy to climb in. And I sat in Mr. Spears 34 and was equally at ease there.Quote:
Originally Posted by oneshotkyle
radio?? :eek: what are you gonna do with a radio?? LOL.. :HMMM::LOL::LOL::rolleyes:
Deleted for good reasons
Kyle,Quote:
Originally Posted by oneshotkyle
Your message surprised me so much that I called Duane to chat. The story that I got is that he's always had only one gal that does the fiberglass work, she's been with them for about 11 years, and she works as needed to fill orders. She's taken another job, but she also made it clear that once she has her schedule figured out she may be able to continue doing some work for N&N if they need her. They have everything they need covered for now, plus short term future needs, and at this point the shop is busy filling existing orders, and they're looking at one where the customer wants a bunch of "extras", like frame & underside of body painted, engine & tranny installed, etc, etc which keeps Duane & Scott busy longer.
At this point they're giving it a little time before they start looking for a new fiberglass person, because that part of the business is covered for now and the gal that's been there is not a done deal on her new job. Bottom line, Duane's laid a lot of glass through the years, he's taught every person that's come through the shop how to lay glass right, and they plan to continue with the same quality product in the future. As for orders being "on hold" the shop is busy, they're booked out a ways, and they're letting people know that there's a little bit longer wait than it would be if you happened to call when things are slow. Didn't Duane tell you to call him if you decided you wanted a body in a month or so, and he'd love to make one for you? N&N is open for business, going strong, and God willing, will be for a long, long time.
Yes he did tell me to get back when I was ready. Which I will i
A couple of thoughts. (Regrettably, my '34 did not come from N&N)
If you're going for the lowboy look like mine, be advised that the large hump required by an auto trans really cuts down the footroom. Space for pedals is really tight.
Be very careful about the choice of wheel size. Tire choice for the big 'n little look is very limited in the traditional 15" wheel size.
Don't ask me how I know . . . ;)
Attachment 63105
Attachment 63106
Henry rifle- car looks sweet. And thanks for the info
A couple of other points to mention, mine's a highboy, but with a 1" channel in front, 1/2" rear to give just a hint of rake to the body which was a suggestion from Duane, and easy to do the way they do their body assembly on your frame. I used Duane's headliner insert, took out the wood strips across the top (for interior connections, not structural) to push it up closer to the inside top, and glued material direct with 3/8" of foam around the perimeter, 1/8" above the seats. I have about 1" of head clearance using Fiero seats, which sit only about 2" to 2.5" off the floor at my rear. The point is at 6'5" you're going to find it challenging to make everything work for a comfortable, long range cruiser, and you're going to be chasing tenths of inches, not inches. Also look at the driver's view through the chopped windshield carefully. Just my $0.02.
Good point about the chop.. mine is 3 5/8" and I wish it were less at times. Like at stop lights! LOL
Yesterday I got to sit in a 32 coupe. It had minivan 3rd row bench seat and a 2 1/2 chop. It wasnt had to get in or out. Knees were a bit higher than I would have imagined. Lol. The chop top will keep you looking for stop lights hahaha. Really like the simplicity of the 32. Would love to see how that superior glass works 2 1/2 interior stretch feels. Now my quest to find a 33 34 coupe for a test fit. My question on 33 34 is most bodies in that year seem to have 3 inch or better chop top. Are they any lower than 32's with 2 1/2?
I think you're short on the cost estimate. My Oze base roller was $21,500, but just adding a radiator, Wilwood brakes, a stainless steel gas tank, a brake line kit (big mistake) and a steering column, plus $1350 for delivery drove the price closer to $30K. I spent $10,500 on my LS3 connect and cruise package. The my rear end gears, with a helical gear posi unit was about $1500. Tires and wheels were $3,000. I had $43K into the car on the day I started to build it. As I get near to painting, I've got close to $60K spent, but that does include a pair of upholstered racing seats. Upholstery for a car with no upholstery panels can get real expensive.Quote:
Originally Posted by oneshotkyle
There are many things that only cost $50-200 each, but add up to thousands, before you know it. I was shocked when I added up my credit card charges, for the first year of building. I spent a lot at Summit Racing.
Guess cost invested might vary from builder to builder. The 32 coupe I sat in yesterday and the guys father's 32 roadster were both less than 20k both old school small blocks and turbo 350's. The roadster needs paint and some more interior work but these guys drive them most every day. There cars helped me get more real expectations like not needing ls style engines ( big price). Not needing big power or the highest end stuff. Real simple real clean
Our ' 47 Ford cost us a bit over NZ$25,000 (about US$20,000,) about fifteen years ago.
Motor and box (350 Oldsmobile,) was under the bench, Jaguar suspension came from a wrecker for around $800, panel beating around $2000, most expensive item was painting at around $10,000, and the car itself cost $4,500.
(All NZ$.)
The rest was upholstery and incidentals.
And it could have been less if I wasn't so lazy and farmed a lot of the work out!
(Nah...at that stage of life I was working all hours I could...)
Kyle, if you're looking at a glass '32 coupe a premium roller from N&N would set you back about $14K, and figure another $1000 for wheels and tires if you go steelies, big & little. A nice crate engine is maybe $5K, and depending on your desires for tranny figure $3K or so, and another $2K for gears & locker, so $25K to get the big ticket items. If you plan to do your interior work yourself you might get by for $2K, but if you're having it done figure $5K, and same with paint - DIY maybe $3K, but having it shot at least $5K and likely more like $7K. I would think you can get a basic '32 coupe on the road for $35K to $40K, assuming you already have all of the tools you need, like a good compressor, welder, full range of hand tools, impact wrench, torque wrenches, engine hoist, engine stand, etc, etc. If you deviate from your plan and start going off on rabbit trails for more HP, beefier tranny, fancy wheels, etc it's easy to drop another $10K to $20K, and if you start chasing that special paint job you can drop more than $10K quickly. The key is to make a very detailed plan of what you want, then work the plan with no changes. My plan was to use a takeout 302 mustang motor & tranny for $1200, and the next thing I knew I'd dropped $14K on a new built engine, EFI, Tremec, etc. Plan the work, work the plan.
Rspears- still just curious on the interior difference between Duane ' s 32 and 34 bodies. Height and length. Hoping someone like daytonagary might give some insight to a comparison of both
Yeah, Duane might be a little testy since you announced to the world via CHR that he was going out of business ;):rolleyes: (just kidding), but you could always call Gary and see if he still has a '33 and '32 coupe sitting bare - Daytona Rod Shop - 1932 & 1934 Ford Street RodsQuote:
Originally Posted by oneshotkyle
Seriously, call the source and get the straight answer. I could measure the '33, but it would be inside the interior panels, and would be different depending on how one did the panels.
