Hot Rods 32 My friend drug home

WOW!!! Gonna be nice car in the end but what a let down to change it from such great history. I would have built it back like it was.

 

Hi! I'm the guy who found this car and apparently have disappointed many of you by changing it back to the street, when you would rather have had me restore it to it's original racing configuration. Let me explain what has gone into this decision.
At first I wanted to restore it, but to make it a street driver at the same time. I don't have a museum, and a race-only car would be a huge investment with little return for me. But I did try to unearth the history of the car to preserve it if possible. After trailering the coupe to every cruise night, car show, and hot rod shop within miles, after a year, I had still not run into a single person who remembered the car. I had gone to the NHRA Museum, and they could find no record of the car. I had called Rod & Custom with the same results. But the seller had told me that the car was a club project from Riverside, CA, and with his help, I was able to track down one of the club members. He told me that this car was the club's first attempt at racing and "they were better at lightening the car than they were at making it go fast". He told me that he didn't believe that the car ever won a race. Instead, they broke a lot of parts, quickly lost interest, sold the car about 40 years ago, and replaced it with a '55 Chevy for the strip. (Maybe another reason that nobody ever remembered the car was that there was never any name or sponsor painted on the primered grey car.)
I was still interested in making a dual-purpose car, with center steering and a set-back Ford flathead that I had. I knew it would be a rough ride, because it had an unsprung welded-solid banjo rear end. A single seat would be OK, because none of my friends would want to ride in it. I was just about ready to go ahead with the restoration when a friend stopped by to look at the car. My friend, as it turns out, is a NHRA tech inspector. He took a long look at the car, then told me "No Way" -that it could only run in a few Nostalgia events, and then not under 13.99, due to the poor gas-welding on the frame and the condition in general. (It was scary.)
So I'm left with a 1932 coupe that I can't race - but I could with a new frame. So that's the direction that I'm going. I sold the chassis, bomber seat, and miscellaneous parts to a young kid who wants to put a glass body on it and re-create it as a race car. More power to him. I'll help him if I can. But at the same time, I'll be driving a 1932 Coupe on the street that I bet people will like to talk about. Then I'll tell them it used to be a race car and show them the pictures.

p.s. Now, after all this time, a HAMB'er posts that he thinks that the coupe had an earlier life than the car club car. Maybe with a Reath 331 cu in Chrysler. I'll research this, but the die is cast. Look for it on the street.

 

I don't know what to say. I understand history is important when it comes to preserving the past. But, it isn't feasible when the car doesn't have an ol' magazine article, to refer back to. There isn't any provenance, following the car around. So what Jim is doing, is the coolest thing in the world! Putting a 32 back on the road. I can't wait to see that thing, motoring down the road.

 

Hey, Jim! Any progress on the 32? Let me know when you plan on going back out there.. I'll take pictures next time, I swear! I was too busy learning an asking questions last time! I don't have any more 'natural F' stories, though! Hahaha

 

Boy that looks almost like a Lakewood Chassis. Below is mine that is for sure.

 

Here's some pictures, of Jims 32! Gordon does amazing work. I need to intern there, at his place. I mean it, I'd learn soo much there!















This is next to the Duece. I like it, too!

 

awsome another one saved ill have my turn one of these days

 

Another Piece of History Gone to build Another Hot Rod Coupe .

I suppose after reading your post I understand.

 

Hey Jim I was wrong.. the roof was filled in last time I was there(the pics prove it).. it was the floors that weren't in!

Went and got my tshirts underway, then went and checked out Jims Coupe!

Heres a link to a video of Gordon Forbes doing some lead work! Just click on the link, to my photobucket acct! I dont know how to post videos like I do pictures!

http://s121.photobucket.com/albums/...urrent=GordonForbesleadingJimSigmunds325W.mp4



Door tops widened..







The top hinge was cut, so that the door now lines up 'properly'(I say perfectly, but the word properly works!)





Pic of Gordon, filing the lead..



This was already done when we showed..

 

Nice

 

Doesn't sound like there was much of a history save. Glad you're making your own. Have fun.

 

Progress looks good, keep it up !

 

This is a cool car, make what you want of it. Good work.

 

Wow!! Just read the whole story. Didn't see that coming. I was hoping to hear some good history. But hey,the car is looking dam good. Its all about having fun.

 

It's cool to be able to watch an ask questions, over at Gordons. Thanks, Jim. I appreciate the shirt help, too!

 

Making it your own...... That's the way to do it...... I like it.

 

Nice car , its yours build how you want it. get it on the road and enjoy.

 

Was over at Gordons, today.. Here's some random pics of the progress being made!

















JimSig is on the right.. Gordon on the left!

 

Jim picked me up and we headed over to Gordons, to install the motor and trans. The headers needed to be mocked up, to see where they were fit in conjunction with the cowl. I look forward to going back, next Tuesday!















I forgot to take pics with the headers on.. So be sure and stay tuned, for next weeks episode & make sure you drink your ovaltine kids!

 

I don't think there is any reason for the current owner to have to apologize for the direction he is taking the Deuce, the way it is coming out is first rate. If this were a historically significant car, like Luzader's 32 Ford, it would be a different story, but in the state he got it the car looked pretty much useless............cool, but useless, by today's standards.

We forget that not all cars built "back in the day" were built well, there was some really crappy/scarey stuff going on back then too. I bought a 34 Ford roadster ex drag car in the early 60's and the radius rods were made from water pipe. They didn't even use rod ends, but simply heated and flattened the ends of the pipe and ran a bolt through it. The welds looked like bubblegum, and the whole thing was out of square very much. To think someone actually had the guts to run that car down the quarter mile is mind boggling.

The new life this Deuce has been given will keep it on the road for years and years, and give the owner a lot of pride and fun. I envy him for finding it. The nailhead is just icing on the cake.

Don

 

First off, thank you for being one of the people who understand that. Second, I would like to thank Greg '51 Mercules' for starting this thread. I don't like to think I took it over, I'm just contributing to the cause. An I love a good BuFord when I see one!

 

Love it, can't wait to see it. I'm in Corona. Get it out on the street-

 

JJ Thank you for contributing to this thread. The last couple times Jim asked me to go look at the progress on the 32 I had other obligations.Post away.

 

Cool.. an I still have your H&J tshirts, set aside!

 

Cool this is a great thread. You should put these photos (or I can) on the 5w Reference thread. There's a lot of great work being done!

 

The car is looking great.

 

Hate to do this as a "quote" reply but I wanted to aim it specifically at this post: Can you 'splain the ''widening of the door tops". Of all the threads I've seen on chopping a car, I don't recall anybody ever doing this procedure.

 

As the top goes down, things move inward. That's how its was explained to me. So for the doors to match up like they did, have to widened at the top.

 

So today, Jim & I brought the coupe back to his hse. Here's some pics, I managed to take, during the process..