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Hot Rods Trying to build a 1920ish Ford roadster body out of this!

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by edwardlloyd, Mar 10, 2016.

  1. edwardlloyd
    Joined: Aug 2, 2003
    Posts: 2,072

    edwardlloyd
    Member
    from Germany

    I've decided to build a circa 1920 Ford roadster based on Model-A rails. I've a beautiful March 1915 brass radiator and loads of Model-A parts. A set of four 1932 wheels with tires and now I've picked up a running Model-A 4-banger with transmission.
    Now I do have a circa 1915-21 open car upper cowl and dash and windshield which I bought way back. But the rest of the body will need to be made up. This is a budget build so I'll have to build it myself.
    This is the only drawing I've been able to find. (Thanks Stewart)
    1920 roadster plan.jpeg
    The only problem is I've not got an English wheel, neither am I a metal beating genius so I started looking round for a donor car with all the right shapes. It had to be cheap, local and have lots of compound curves in it with no feature lines interrupting the flow. So I was looking for a 1990s bubble shaped car.
    Yesterday evening I picked up this. 15 miles away for 130 bucks.
    DSCN0718.JPG

    It's a 1997 Ford Fiesta delivery. I chose it because it'sgot compound curved hood and fenders devoid of feature lines. This is going to be the rear of the bucket. The delivery box at the back has just the shapes I need to make the trunk. It has a ribbed roof which will make the trunk floor.
    So today after a couple of hours with the disc cutter it looked like this. Still not finished stripping but it was getting late.
    DSCN0729.JPG

    And I now have all these interesting shaped pieces of metal in my shop.

    DSCN0727.JPG

    I'm not promising this will work, it's just an idea I want to try out.
     

    Attached Files:

    Last edited: May 7, 2016
  2. Jet96
    Joined: Dec 24, 2012
    Posts: 1,431

    Jet96
    Member
    from WY

    I want to see where you go with this. And, Hey the price was right....
     
    kbgreen likes this.
  3. 3quarter32
    Joined: Dec 10, 2010
    Posts: 498

    3quarter32
    Member

    That pizza guy is going to pissed when he returns. What a project. Gotta watch this one.
     
    clem, tommycarpunk, Mikel50 and 6 others like this.
  4. The37Kid
    Joined: Apr 30, 2004
    Posts: 30,629

    The37Kid
    Member

    What do you plan to take apart to get the wood? Bob DSCF1518.JPG
     

  5. edwardlloyd
    Joined: Aug 2, 2003
    Posts: 2,072

    edwardlloyd
    Member
    from Germany

    It'll be all steel Bob. No wood.
     
  6. I'll be watching this.

    I might have to use the same technique to build the roadster body I want.

    Glen.
     
  7. I like it. Very creative.
    Looks like your'e on the right track.
    Keep us posted now..............
     
  8. Wow...add a couple old Kelvinator fridges and you could build a deuce! Love the Hamb for enginuity.
     
  9. alchemy
    Joined: Sep 27, 2002
    Posts: 20,407

    alchemy
    Member

    I remember a post from way back where a fella took the front edge of a 50ish Chevy hood and made the side bun panel for a T type roadster. Looked like a natural.

    Let us know how easily the new steel welds and bends. I've heard that new body metal is hardened to make it stronger in form, but won't bodywork very well.
     
    Atwater Mike likes this.
  10. adam401
    Joined: Dec 27, 2007
    Posts: 2,856

    adam401
    Member

    Oh man Im actually in the process of scratch building a Ford Fiesta out of an old model T roadster I had kicking around. I wish we had coordinated we both could have saved a ton of work. Dammit.
     
  11. I heard of a guy that is building a deuce roadster from a vw bug. btw, It's hard to imagine someone selling that for $130.
     
    english gent likes this.
  12. Raiman1959
    Joined: May 2, 2014
    Posts: 1,427

    Raiman1959

    I'm gonna have to take a second look at my wife's mini-van now!!!:D.....man, that is gonna be some kinda project!...will be watchin' for sure.
     
    volvobrynk, Bandit Billy and kiwijeff like this.
  13. Sure seems like a lot of work when T bodies are so cheap. I got my T body for only a couple for dollars than you bought that Fiesta for.
     
  14. Love the air conditioned van, big improvement......:D
    This is going to be interesting.
     
    Ron Funkhouser likes this.
  15. I cant wait to see this build! please keep us posted. Your van should get a lot better mileage now. LOL
     
  16. onekoolkat1950
    Joined: Mar 23, 2008
    Posts: 1,865

    onekoolkat1950
    Member

    Hilarious!
     
    oliver westlund likes this.
  17. Way to make lemonade out of a lemon!:)
    But he's in Germany, not northern CA.
     
  18. Reminds me of a build in hot rod mechanix in the 90's. They built a t type of track roadster out of an old Toyota pick up bed.
     
    Atwater Mike likes this.
  19. Corn Fed
    Joined: May 16, 2002
    Posts: 3,278

    Corn Fed
    Member

    You need to drive the van around like that just to see everyone's reaction! Just be sure to do it on a warm day or the pizzas will get cold.
     
    Atwater Mike likes this.
  20. Pete
    Joined: Mar 8, 2001
    Posts: 4,748

    Pete
    Member

    I am totally going to watch this!!
     
    onekoolkat1950 likes this.
  21. Squablow
    Joined: Apr 26, 2005
    Posts: 17,390

    Squablow
    Member

    I'll be watching. I like to use existing panels with shapes already in them myself, although I haven't ever built a body from scratch. I'm impressed by how nice and clean the body was on that little delivery truck, we don't have those here.
     
  22. 38mag
    Joined: Jun 6, 2005
    Posts: 275

    38mag
    Member

    I built this body 1014225_3459790108740_346140887_n.jpg from 3 car roofs and 2 4' x 8' sheets of 20 ga.
     
    Lil'Alb, Okie Pete, Outback and 14 others like this.
  23. Atwater Mike
    Joined: May 31, 2002
    Posts: 11,625

    Atwater Mike
    Member

    Right on as usual, Alchemy. I have pulled a couple of the high tensile panels and played with them. They are thinner than my wallet! Harder than a whore's heart!
    About 22 gauge, and going thinner...I was able to anneal and weld them with oxy/acet, can't really say it was worth the 'shapes' available.
    VW rear fenders yielded a nice steel race car nose, with some clever cutting/fitting.
    Caution in selecting OLD GENNIE VW sheet metal! The Mexican stuff is also thin...
    like an underfed boy.
     
    Outback likes this.
  24. Atwater Mike
    Joined: May 31, 2002
    Posts: 11,625

    Atwater Mike
    Member

    ...And if you don't think THAT got some gears turnin'....
     
    sko_ford, need louvers ? and Hnstray like this.
  25. Tex Smith called it a "Funster". I gathered a bunch of parts and started to build one. I ran out of steam and sold off the parts
     
  26. BuiltFerComfort
    Joined: Jan 24, 2007
    Posts: 1,619

    BuiltFerComfort
    Member

    OP is in Germany so old cars are not as common.

    Try to save all the car parts you can.

    Hinges, wiring, light bulbs, etc. Wheels to roll around perhaps. Those metal 'beams' between the windshield corner and headlight look like subfloor. Radiator. Springs off the back, maybe. Inner fenders - if you have a fender law they might work to get you through inspection as real fenders. Seats for mockup. Etc. etc. etc.

    You have a car and want to make a car, so try not to throw anything away.
     
  27. edwardlloyd
    Joined: Aug 2, 2003
    Posts: 2,072

    edwardlloyd
    Member
    from Germany

    There's almost nothing in that car I need except the steel and some steel beams. It's going to the junkyard next week.

    Basically I'm just trying to reverse the recycling process:)
     
    Outback likes this.
  28. dutchrod
    Joined: Feb 5, 2009
    Posts: 449

    dutchrod
    Member

    Interesting build , i remember someone was building a 34 body using existing body panels but cant find it.
    The Beetle deuce in here is using beetle panels to build a 32 body.
    If you have the vision then go for it !
     
    Outback likes this.
  29. edwardlloyd
    Joined: Aug 2, 2003
    Posts: 2,072

    edwardlloyd
    Member
    from Germany

    The steel is very thin but very soft. It's pre high tensile. I tried welding a piece today and it came out OK. I had my MIG on its lowest setting and could lay down nice beads on it.
    I have a Rehm Welding Technology Synergic Pro2 240-4. It's an excellent welder.
    I bought it because all the body men I know swear by it.
     
    Outback, knotheads and Ron Funkhouser like this.
  30. Fords-R-Us
    Joined: Sep 29, 2011
    Posts: 58

    Fords-R-Us
    Member
    from NE Iowa

    Can't wait to see your vision come to life on this, sounds like a very ambitious project. After watching the beetledeuce thread on here, I think anything is possible, with the talent thats here.
     
    english gent likes this.

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