'32 standard roadster project - some further progress
- Thread starter DavidG
- Start date
FlatheadTed
Well-known member
Well done ,Nice work .
BoxCar Tom
Well-known member
David, That car is phenomenal, your setting the standard, no pun intended, even looks better than your deluxe 6 wheeler from the 60's
Not to side track the thread but standard 32 roadster related,
When I bought my 32 standard roadster it had a windshield frame with an inside mirror bracket. See the below pictures. When we built the car we used the standard roadster inside mirror bracket as shown on page 16-8 in The 1932 Ford Book. Just wondering is the bracket in the attached pictures a variation of the std bracket or a Canadian version or just a bracket from a later model year? Thanks, Tom
Not to side track the thread but standard 32 roadster related,
When I bought my 32 standard roadster it had a windshield frame with an inside mirror bracket. See the below pictures. When we built the car we used the standard roadster inside mirror bracket as shown on page 16-8 in The 1932 Ford Book. Just wondering is the bracket in the attached pictures a variation of the std bracket or a Canadian version or just a bracket from a later model year? Thanks, Tom
Attachments
Henry Hopper
Senior Member
Fantastic to see the car in this condition....what did you start with, an original unmolested running car or a basket case of parts?Did the car originally have black paint assigned or is that your choice....the finish looks a mile deep.
Ian1932
Senior Member
David, can you send me a link on where to buy this body gasket? I see there are a couple different widths. Im guessing you build on top of it the cut off after the everything is bolted down? Thanks!
Attachments
Old Redneck
Well-known member
Very nice David. Haven't touch the 32 for a couple of weeks do to this cold spell. Been helping people with frozen water lines and act. Electric was off all last night but I have a back-up when that happens. Most people don't think of that. I see your 32 is a late car also. Looks great can't wait to see.
DavidG
Well-known member
Tom,
Given your reference to my first restoration of a '32 roadster, you know how long I've been at this pastime. Somewhere among my stuff is a unused example of the same mirror bracket as in your photos and it has been there for a long, long time as I've learned the hard way not to throw away things until I am absolutely, positively sure I will never need it.
I concluded a long time ago that it was not an original Ford part for two reasons. The first was its finish, which is black crackle paint, not something Ford used, at least not back then. The second is the fair number of U.S.-manufactured standard phaetons and roadsters I've had over the years (6), all of which had the requisite inside rear view mirror with the same bracket (mostly with quite a variety of replaced mirror glass) shown on page 16-8.
I don't think it is a Canadian variation either as the bracket on the Canadian standard phaeton on page 11-15 (shown below) conforms to that on page 16-8 as it has the same lip overlapping the rear top edge of the windshield frame and narrower angle to the deeper 'V' shape.
With respect, as nice as this one is turning out, it is not in the same league as my first one. One of the dumbest things I've ever done was to let go of it and I'd buy it back in a heartbeat if I could find it.
Given your reference to my first restoration of a '32 roadster, you know how long I've been at this pastime. Somewhere among my stuff is a unused example of the same mirror bracket as in your photos and it has been there for a long, long time as I've learned the hard way not to throw away things until I am absolutely, positively sure I will never need it.
I concluded a long time ago that it was not an original Ford part for two reasons. The first was its finish, which is black crackle paint, not something Ford used, at least not back then. The second is the fair number of U.S.-manufactured standard phaetons and roadsters I've had over the years (6), all of which had the requisite inside rear view mirror with the same bracket (mostly with quite a variety of replaced mirror glass) shown on page 16-8.
I don't think it is a Canadian variation either as the bracket on the Canadian standard phaeton on page 11-15 (shown below) conforms to that on page 16-8 as it has the same lip overlapping the rear top edge of the windshield frame and narrower angle to the deeper 'V' shape.
With respect, as nice as this one is turning out, it is not in the same league as my first one. One of the dumbest things I've ever done was to let go of it and I'd buy it back in a heartbeat if I could find it.
Attachments
Last edited:
DavidG
Well-known member
Ian,
I use body-to-frame webbing from Restoration Specialties (www.restorationspecialties.com) in Windber, PA. Their 1/16 x 2 version is a very good duplicate of the original. All four of the original webbing sections (two each side, one beneath the body in front of the frame kick up for the rear axle and one beneath the front fender) were the same width over their entire length and not trimmed at the front of the frame where it is narrower side to side, at least according to the original engineering drawings for them and all of the original cars I've seen where the front fenders have never been removed since they were first installed. The excess width of webbing just sort of curls down for lack of underlying support.
According to the original engineering drawing, one of the front fender sections of the webbing has a notch cut into it which theoretically lines up with the engine number stamped on the frame rail in front of the left foot of the firewall so that the number can be read without removing the front fender. In reality, original examples abound where there's no notch in the webbing or where the stamped number isn't aligned with the notch, in whole or part.
I use body-to-frame webbing from Restoration Specialties (www.restorationspecialties.com) in Windber, PA. Their 1/16 x 2 version is a very good duplicate of the original. All four of the original webbing sections (two each side, one beneath the body in front of the frame kick up for the rear axle and one beneath the front fender) were the same width over their entire length and not trimmed at the front of the frame where it is narrower side to side, at least according to the original engineering drawings for them and all of the original cars I've seen where the front fenders have never been removed since they were first installed. The excess width of webbing just sort of curls down for lack of underlying support.
According to the original engineering drawing, one of the front fender sections of the webbing has a notch cut into it which theoretically lines up with the engine number stamped on the frame rail in front of the left foot of the firewall so that the number can be read without removing the front fender. In reality, original examples abound where there's no notch in the webbing or where the stamped number isn't aligned with the notch, in whole or part.
Ian1932
Senior Member
Awesome! thanks!
ct1932ford
Well-known member
Is that an original windshield frame? I have been looking for one. If not ,whose is it? Again that roadster is a beauty.
DavidG
Well-known member
Henry Hooper and Ken Crans
In response to your questions, I purchased this car in large and small pieces over an extended period of time; the body and chassis are not original to one another.
Nor was my original intent to create an authentic as-built restoration, far from it. My original intent was to reprise the car I put together in high school (which was a very long time ago). That was a '32 with Lincoln hydraulic brakes and wheels, Zephyr gears, full Stewart Warner instrumentation, and a mid-fifties Oldsmobile V8. It was my one flirtation with hot rods and lasted only briefly as I had to sell it when I went off to university (no cars allowed for freshmen, no room at home in the garage, not a practical car for year-round use in suburban Chicago, and not enough money to rent a garage).
The chassis for the reprise was an outstanding original from someone nearby who only wanted the car's body for his project. The Olds engine was easy to find and I ended up with three of them and weirdly had all three rebuilt. The brakes, 16" bent spoke wheels, transmission gears, etc., etc., came with time. I decided to go further with the reprise and had a modified later rear axle and 'fifties pickup steering gear for it (things I couldn't afford back in high school). To shorten this story, over time I began to have second thoughts and in the end backed away completely from the reprise concept and reverted to originality. (Anybody out there looking for a restored Olds V8 from the mid 'fifties?)
The body is a hybrid. It is a Brookville body that has been highly modified to rectify its shortcomings compared to an original with original upper quarter panels in place of the Brookville panels as well as portions of the floor, greater flaring of the lower quarter panels over the wheel houses, and extensively modified doors, etc. Every component attached to the body is an original (windshield posts and stanchions, top irons, firewall, dash, etc.) It is now in a state that few would perceive that it is not a 100% original body, but it is clearly not my intent to call a sow's ear a silk purse.
All of the body modifications and the stellar paint job are the results of the efforts of my long time friend, Larry Jordon, who has willingly taken on those tasks for me for more than forty years. There are very few in the same league as Larry.
In response to your questions, I purchased this car in large and small pieces over an extended period of time; the body and chassis are not original to one another.
Nor was my original intent to create an authentic as-built restoration, far from it. My original intent was to reprise the car I put together in high school (which was a very long time ago). That was a '32 with Lincoln hydraulic brakes and wheels, Zephyr gears, full Stewart Warner instrumentation, and a mid-fifties Oldsmobile V8. It was my one flirtation with hot rods and lasted only briefly as I had to sell it when I went off to university (no cars allowed for freshmen, no room at home in the garage, not a practical car for year-round use in suburban Chicago, and not enough money to rent a garage).
The chassis for the reprise was an outstanding original from someone nearby who only wanted the car's body for his project. The Olds engine was easy to find and I ended up with three of them and weirdly had all three rebuilt. The brakes, 16" bent spoke wheels, transmission gears, etc., etc., came with time. I decided to go further with the reprise and had a modified later rear axle and 'fifties pickup steering gear for it (things I couldn't afford back in high school). To shorten this story, over time I began to have second thoughts and in the end backed away completely from the reprise concept and reverted to originality. (Anybody out there looking for a restored Olds V8 from the mid 'fifties?)
The body is a hybrid. It is a Brookville body that has been highly modified to rectify its shortcomings compared to an original with original upper quarter panels in place of the Brookville panels as well as portions of the floor, greater flaring of the lower quarter panels over the wheel houses, and extensively modified doors, etc. Every component attached to the body is an original (windshield posts and stanchions, top irons, firewall, dash, etc.) It is now in a state that few would perceive that it is not a 100% original body, but it is clearly not my intent to call a sow's ear a silk purse.
All of the body modifications and the stellar paint job are the results of the efforts of my long time friend, Larry Jordon, who has willingly taken on those tasks for me for more than forty years. There are very few in the same league as Larry.
BoxCar Tom
Well-known member
Dave, I'm like you, I own that chunk of metal since 1974 when I bought my third 32 roadster. After all these years I still don't know what to do with it.
Just another quick question. The hood and firewall lacing looks great. Where are you getting it?
Just another quick question. The hood and firewall lacing looks great. Where are you getting it?
DavidG
Well-known member
It's the hard core material like the original and it came from A&L Parts Specialties in Canton, CT, but that was years ago and I understand that despite their serious attempts to find a new source for it, no one makes it any more. Evidently its manufacture has some pollution issues that are costly to mitigate.
BoxCar Tom
Well-known member
Thanks, you confirmed the existing narrative regarding the lacing, I was hoping there is a new resource for authentic reproduction.
