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Steel 32 ford 3 window rebuild

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Crafty B, Jan 24, 2009.

  1. Crafty B
    Joined: Oct 26, 2006
    Posts: 407

    Crafty B
    Member

    Hi Guys

    Here's the short story on this deuce... As most of us we are always looking for and dreaming of our next hot rod. This one came up for sale on e-bay last summer and it seemed that everyone was scared of the damage on the drivers side and never sold so I contacted the owner and got the history on the car. It was first built in the late 50's and redone in the 70's but it still retains some of the early speed parts,it has a SW gauge panel the matching auburn gauges, 40 ford wheel, completely chromed early mor drop axle with split bones. The top has been chopped 4" and it had a crazy rolled pan in the rear that I carefully removed. The owner was ready to sell but I needed to off a load of parts and a couple stalled projects to come up with the coin, but he was cool and we hammered out a deal. I made a call to a buddy of mine and he hooked me up with a really great carrier and 2 weeks from my first call the car was in my hands, he charged me 950.00 from Cal to MI ..now thats a deal!! My buddy Steve Demaagd a 32 nut (3 window, roadster and a sick 2 door sedan) and fellow hammer who goes by (mecutem) on the hamb called me on thursday afternoon and asked if I wanted to tear down the coupe and get it to a roller....YES!! We would work on both the coupe and his sedan to help get through the winter without losing our minds from boredom. Im a member of the RELIXS CC based here in Grand Rapids MI and we have around 15 members and all of our cars are nostaligic style rods. We where contacted last week by Gilmore car museum in Hasting Mi about hosting a traditional show in the fall so Steve and I are going to try to have the 32's ready for the RELIX RIOT at the Gilmore and try is the key word lol. The duece came with a set of new frame rails so that was a plus and Steve has a chassis jig so we tacked up the frame in the fixture. Im using the mor-drop with a model A cross member up front and a early halibrand quicky with a buggy spring out back. I have been collecting parts for a while for this build and the power will come from a 322 nailhead thats warmed up with all the goodys including a super rare Edmunds dual quad that I scored here on the hamb. Im running a vintage cragar bell housing and a t-5 trans...that all for now but I post many build pic's on this rebirth of my dream car. here is the address to the Gilmore gilmorecarmuseum.org ch

    Later Crafty-B HEY!! the website is up www.crafty-b.com
     

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    Last edited: Feb 2, 2009
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  2. krylon32
    Joined: Jan 29, 2006
    Posts: 9,397

    krylon32
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from Nebraska
    1. Central Nebraska H.A.M.B.

    Great start. Looks like the place where I picked a deuce pu cab.
     
  3. Crafty B
    Joined: Oct 26, 2006
    Posts: 407

    Crafty B
    Member

    can anyone help me figure out what ford engine this,I was told by that it was a 351 cleveland and it appears to have a factory aluminum intake because no name and a factory looking choke. I found 2F114787 stamped on the drivers side deck below the head

    Crafty
     

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  4. Crafty B
    Joined: Oct 26, 2006
    Posts: 407

    Crafty B
    Member

    frame mocked up in fixture
     

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  5. mecutem
    Joined: Oct 6, 2002
    Posts: 603

    mecutem
    Member

  6. 3wLarry
    Joined: Mar 11, 2005
    Posts: 12,804

    3wLarry
    Member Emeritus
    from Owasso, Ok

    gonna watch this build...:)
     
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  7. Deuce Roadster
    Joined: Sep 8, 2002
    Posts: 9,519

    Deuce Roadster
    Member Emeritus

    :)

    Always LOVE seeing someone bring a old Ford back from the dead to a up and running car. Especially a Deuce. Hope you got a set of doors and a deck lid with it ... because they are very difficult to find :( But sometimes a large part of the FUN is the chase ... of trying to find the impossible.

    :eek:
     
  8. willysguy
    Joined: Oct 2, 2007
    Posts: 1,224

    willysguy
    Member
    from Canada

    Good find, looks like you're off to a great start.
     
  9. Crafty B
    Joined: Oct 26, 2006
    Posts: 407

    Crafty B
    Member

    I do have the trunk lid and passenger door but the drivers door is in pretty bad shape,not rusted but bent and I would like to find a different door or the lower half of a drivers door and I could put my top on it

    Crafty
     
  10. Dreddybear
    Joined: Mar 31, 2007
    Posts: 6,084

    Dreddybear
    Member

  11. Harms Way
    Joined: Nov 27, 2005
    Posts: 6,894

    Harms Way
    Member

    Wow !,.....

    Am I glad to see you got this, I was watching it as it was on ebay (and even lifted all the pictures) and thought this car had nothing but potential ! If I hadn't just brought home 3 cars at that time, I would have tried for it myself. I am really glad you have it and that it's in Michigan, Steve is a very talented man in his own right, I am really looking forward to watching this build.

    If there is any way I can help, just let me know.
     
  12. ss34coupe
    Joined: May 13, 2007
    Posts: 4,239

    ss34coupe
    Member

    very nice project. keep us posted!
     
  13. Crafty B
    Joined: Oct 26, 2006
    Posts: 407

    Crafty B
    Member

    I think I was was more excited about this being in the car than anything. I asked the ower of the car to cover the dash insert with tape so no one could see it because I was worried that it would missing by the time it got to MI, when I picked up the car the first thing I did was look to see if if the gauges where there......gone..... I started to panic. I started to look things over and deep under a pile of parts in the truck was a bubble wrapped box and the gauges where inside WOW what a relief!!!

    Crafty
     

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    Last edited: Jan 25, 2009
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  14. DocWatson
    Joined: Mar 24, 2006
    Posts: 10,273

    DocWatson
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Wow, great project, I cant believe people passed it up because of the damage!
    If all fails what about a Brookville door?
    Just out of interest, how did the damage happen?
    Doc.
     
  15. 63Compact
    Joined: Feb 14, 2007
    Posts: 1,178

    63Compact
    Member

    That is a sweet looking gauge panel, good luck on the build.
     
  16. Pistnbroke
    Joined: Jan 30, 2008
    Posts: 524

    Pistnbroke
    ALLIANCE MEMBER


    The Boss 302 had the thread in freeze plugs, and used 351 heads, If this is a boss motor it will have 4 bolt mains.
     
  17. Deuce Roadster
    Joined: Sep 8, 2002
    Posts: 9,519

    Deuce Roadster
    Member Emeritus

    Slightly off the topic but ...

    In 1972, I looked at a 32 3W coupe body laying at a truck shop, just north of Charlotte NC. It had been wrecked and the front left cowl, left door and part of the roof on the left side were pretty badly damaged. It was a body only. Nothing else. I wanted it but in 1972, I did not know anyone good enough to fix the body ... and I did not know HOW to really find the parts to fix it. So ... I passed on it and did not buy it. :(

    Fast forward to the early 90's and a fellow from North Georgia was trying to trade me a " damaged " 32 3W coupe body on a O/T non Hamb vehicle I had. He said he had most of the parts to repair it. So, I went to North Georgia and looked at the same 3W I looked at in 1972 :). The Georgia man had found a decent 32 3W cowl and roof section ... to fix the coupe but the left door was completely missing. I left North Georgia without the 32 3W body but we kept in touch and talking ... trying to work out a deal. The building the 3W was in ... burnt to the ground ( along with about 10 other cars ) ... so that was the final end of the Charlotte NC 3W ... :eek:

    I will keep a lookout for a 3W left door ...
    There are still some old dirt track 3w cars around and parts and pieces do show up every now and then.


    Randy
     
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  18. Weasel
    Joined: Dec 30, 2007
    Posts: 6,698

    Weasel
    Member

    The sure way to tell a Boss 302 from a 351C or Boss 351 is the timing chain cover. If it's a Boss 302 it has the Windsor block with 4 bolt mains on 2,3 & 4 only. The timing chain cover is a separate item. If it's a Cleveland of any variety then the timing chain cover is part of the block casting.
     
  19. alchemy
    Joined: Sep 27, 2002
    Posts: 20,405

    alchemy
    Member

    That is a Stewart Warner panel, but it's not the "Hollywood". They came in boats and other utility uses. Or could be ordered from a speed shop for your hotrod in the later 1940's to early 50's. The gauges probably came in it, not from an Auburn. But they are very similar to Auburn gauges.
     
  20. vendettaautofab
    Joined: Jan 9, 2006
    Posts: 1,602

    vendettaautofab
    Member Emeritus

    Crafty - your not too far from I.... I will be watching this one as well.

    Keep us posted!
     
  21. hotrodsneverdie
    Joined: Jul 17, 2006
    Posts: 754

    hotrodsneverdie
    Member

    Very cool car! Looking forward to watching the build!
     
  22. Crafty B
    Joined: Oct 26, 2006
    Posts: 407

    Crafty B
    Member

    thanks for the info on the gauge panel, I had to buy the water temp gauge and it was advertised as a Auburn Stewart Warner gauge and the fellow I bought the car from said they where Auburn gauges...they seemed to new to be out of an Auburn to me.... anyway there cool

    Thanks Crafty
     
  23. Crafty B
    Joined: Oct 26, 2006
    Posts: 407

    Crafty B
    Member

    here's a couple more pic's the day I got it home from the carrier
     

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  24. 32fivewindow
    Joined: Mar 22, 2008
    Posts: 226

    32fivewindow
    Member
    from USA!

    Cool looking body. When I got my five window, it was a dirt track racer body that had been wrapped around a poll or something at the exact area as yours. How is the inner structure of the door? As for a door/door fix/skin I'd check with Steve's Real Steel out of Portland, as he may be able to fix and re-skin yours or make you a new door. Just a thought.
     
  25. I'm looking forward to watching this one come together.

    Keep us posted.

    JH
     
  26. Crafty B
    Joined: Oct 26, 2006
    Posts: 407

    Crafty B
    Member

    I got the frame home from Steves chassis jig and will start the details on it in my shop asap..I cant wait!! I worked on the grill shell for most of the weekend, the bottom was smashed bad but I didn't give up and brought it back with lots of hammer and dolly work
    Crafty
     

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  27. Lone Star Mopar
    Joined: Nov 2, 2005
    Posts: 3,811

    Lone Star Mopar
    Member

    Ive seen pople on here work with alot worse! Looks like it should be a cool project. Is that truck from you avatar the one I saw on My Classic Car at the hunnert car pileup ? I couldnt get to good a look at through the small pic.
     
  28. Drive Em
    Joined: Aug 25, 2006
    Posts: 1,748

    Drive Em
    Member

    The screw in freeze plugs are on Boss 302's only.
     
  29. Crafty B
    Joined: Oct 26, 2006
    Posts: 407

    Crafty B
    Member

    yes... the truck was on My Classic Car at the Hunnert car pile up
    Thanks Crafty

    check out Crafty b Nostaliga Speed @ www.crafty-b.com handcrafted-sandcasted
     
  30. captain scarlet
    Joined: Jun 11, 2008
    Posts: 2,429

    captain scarlet
    Member
    from Detroit

    wow great find.

    Love those 3 window coupes:D

    I am looking forward to following your build.
     

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