Just sort of thinking here. I have read here some guys talking about the "Soul" of their ride. "Soul"? What is it? The chassis is the skeleton and the body is the skin. The engine is the heart. Where is the soul? I think the "Soul" is a combination of all the parts inherent in building one of these things to run down the road. Then every vehicle has a personality, at least to me they do. That's part of their "Soul". Soul to me is life and for certain these rides all have a life. Soul is a "Spirit", sort of. The spirit allows us to have an intimate relationship with our ride. (Don't we?) My coupe "Talks" to me and I'm not crazy, I just have a white jacket hanging in the rafters! LOL! ( We all do but don't talk about it.) Really, think about it. They all have a certain "Sweet Spot" running down the road. Mine likes to hum at about 68 mph. Car is actually quiet aside from the hum of the tires and Janis Joplin singing. The sweet spot! That's where her "Soul" is happiests! Just rambling man!
I know my 32 has a soul. And a lot of times she (she's a sedan named "B") doesn't like me. She gets ignored a lot over the winter, and sure lets me know it when spring rolls around and it's tune-up time.
I agree with this to some degree but not all hot rods have a soul, at least not in the way most of us view the "real deal" type cars. My car is considered by most traditionalists as being without a soul because of its lack of heritage, as it is a "modern interpretation" built with all new parts, even I can understand this. I do think any car that is built from the ground up has more of a DNA, than a soul. Sure, I had the chassis built and the body has more of Dee Wescotts DNA on it than my own but a lot of input from me went into both of them, as well as many of my hand made parts. Most everyone (generally) acknowledges that it has become increasingly difficult to screw together a 32 Ford and make it not look like a "cookie cutter" build, especially like the large number of street rod type hiboy roadsters built in the 80's and 90's, sorry about the stereotyping but it's just a fact. We've seen that proven right here with various 32's being transformed into more HAMB friendly cars and I am far from a traditionalist but I like how many cars have been made to look more like the cars from our hot rod roots.
DDDenny ; Ahhh- - - -but it does! Its "Heritage" started when you had the idea to build her. Let's face it, not everyone has really deep pockets to afford an original Henry or enough time to scround the deserts and barns for one. Growing up in northern California, I don't think any of us had any idea what or how things would turn out for us hot rodders. Life happens, viet-nam happened, collage, marriage and families, etc. So we go about our lives always keeping an eye out for something like an original to hotrod. So when the time comes to fill that empty hole in our "Souls" and the need to build something really gnarls at us, we cannot find or afford steel, so we go to glass. So what! Mine has an original 1932 Ford frame. Its something I guess. It does have a "Soul", a personality and spirit! It lets me know when she isn't happy from being ignored, just like a real woman! The only real difference of what I have now and what I remember as a teenager, it that the majority had flatties, olds or caddy engines. Only those with deep pockets had and were running the new chevy engines. I suppose it's where one grows up. But "Soul'- - oh yeah! Oh yeah, the DNA comes from all the parts combined to produce what is sitting in your garage! Happy motoring buddy!
Heritage,Soul,DNA, I don't know about any of that SHIT, but to quote a good friend Pete Charporis, When I get in that car and start rowing through them gears it makes me feel like I'm 18 again and when you are as old as I am that is a real good FEELING!!!
Yep, and other than my current daily drivers I've had almost exclusively 4 speeds, T-10's, Super T-10's, Muncies, both close and wide ratios, the journey started at 16 and I'm now 64. In my two current manual transmission cars, one has a Muncie M-20 and one a Richmond Super T-10. Man I miss the 60's and 70's, the best time to have had a hotrod.
Well guys, that's swell readin for sure. Hey, it's just a friggin car !!! oops, I'll catch shit over that Here's one of my fav. 32 stories from building 32's for 35 years. A young guy 30 somethin, comes in the shop (Flatlanders HRP) one day(1990's) & has this 99 point 32 he just bought in Hershey. Beautiful 5w. We tried to talk him into getting a not so good car for his "chopped" project. Nope ! So he brought us a 427 side oiler & a Dove Racing Top loader. Chopped it 3". Built custom outside exhausts etc etc. Really strengthened the chassis for the big Ford. "course we sold off the mint fenders & all other not wanted or needed parts. I took him for a ride when he came to get it (he wouldn't drive it ??) He wet his pants on the way back to shop. Fastest street 32 I ever built/drove. Build em - drive em. Alan
32's a bunch ! Well I didn't have the means to get a photo when taking a brief tour of the Speedway Motors museum I was in disbelief of the 1/25 scale 32 Ford dealership that spans about 1 cubic yard of floor space. It is unreal that someone has the skill & time to put forth such detail not only of the stone like structure but equally so the modifications to I believe 15 different body styles of the 32 Ford, a must see for all 32 guru's. I'm hoping someone has posted or can post a photo for all to view. will do so myself upon my visit next month otherwise. Thanks, Ron
When I bought it almost two years ago, it was this semi-gloss black primer, I've been touching it up with Rustoleum semi-gloss spray bomb.
Yeah, I hear ya. The Coupe is running a Richmond Super T-10. Having sticks keeps the kids from wanting to drive the cars. Wife says that at being 72 I ought to act my age? Really? The 60's and 70's were the best of times. At least for me. Exception being the time spent in "Nam. But that's another story. And yeah, I actually miss my old "35.
Every car I ever owned was a stick shift! Sissy sticks are for women. My wife wont drive my cars, she has to have slush box.
Always wanted a '32.. Very little "roadster weather" here, so I envisioned a coupe, and preferred the easier access 3window 'cos I'm tall. Norm's "Kookie 'T'" influenced my colour choices and building model cars in the early '60s dictated a '60s style, model car graphics, lotsa chrome rod. Then the realization of a devalued Canadian dollar, lack of skill and resources had me considering less than "gennie" options. So, an original Henry frame formerly under a hot rod sedan was a swap meet purchase, a 327 was traded for and a buddy with baby birds and rancheros had a good rebuilt 9 inch. I saved for years to be able to purchase a Wescott body with stock-style hinges, operating windshield, roll down rear window, cowl vent, rear fenders, gas tank, hood (top), rad, grill and shell for less than a steel body would have cost. The budget was still taxing, but, with the help of many friends my dream hot rod was built in my home garage and painted and upholstered by more friends. In the end it turned out just as I had hoped and ten thousand miles later it still puts a smile on my face when I slip behind the wheel! Are there more '32s on the road now than Henry ever built? I hope so! My full-scale model car: Dave
Get ready to bring out my 5 window which has been setting for almost 10 years. Was built by Barry lobeck’s shop in 2005 and is much the same as it left his shop. I’m currently upgrading the seat to fit me and we had these billet speciality wheels that they only made 100 sets to honor Barry when he passed away that have been stored since 2012. A few other upgrades but it’s a lobeck influenced hot rod. Plan on touring the south soon
Cliche, Facsimile, reproduction, played out, You hear labels thrown out about this year of Ford (more than any other I would argue). It is funny how one year of car can stir up so much emotion. Beside all of the opinions revolving around the 32 ,it has been, and always will be, my favorite car to look at. Being a younger person in the hobby I am not in a place in life where I can be fortunate enough to own an original one. I once stumbled across a real 3 window for sale, an old hotrod. It was rusted, missing some wood, had many suspension issues, nothing that couldn't be fixed. The problem was it was close to $30,000.00 . Even if I could have afforded the history, it would have been irresponsible for me to buy the car because I simply could not afford to put the car back to where it needed to be. Knowing that if I had this real car now it would still be rotting , I was very happy to see that in the last year someone with the resources bought the car and is doing the right thing with it. I also can't afford a new Brookville 3 window, but I was able to afford an abandoned project based on a Brookville. I did not experience the excitement of placing the order, or going to a big show at Pomona to take delivery of the new body, but I have the closest thing I could get to what I want. Folks can knock my car, or a glass one, as "not real" , but it should be noted reproduction bodies allow younger people to have a car close to what they want , and be involved in the hobby. This passes the torch on to the next generation, and rather than watering down what that sacred number (32) has become, for me the reproduction bodies elevate the originals. Maybe a real one will come my way someday, but for now I am just lucky to have what I've got.
And I think if more people would lose some of their pretentiousness on the subject they would enjoy this whole deal even more.
BtW, here is my fake car, if anyone was curious! Lol! Sent from my SM-J727VPP using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Yup, the "32 definitely brings out the devil in many. Wether its new tin built by the likes of Brookville or UP, glass by Bebop, Speedway, Gibbons or the hundreds of others, who really cares? Original bodies are almost used up, either by being scrapped, junked in creeks in the out-back, or perhaps, if one is lucky, a barn find with the barn lying on top of it. Just to have a "32, in one of its various styles and manufactured by various materials, is something to have. Something to pass down, look at in the garage or like many of us, something to drive. So to the purists, we wish we had your car and you had a Hudson! But don't look down on everyone else! In another 20 or so years, what's left anyway? The bubblegummers of today will be talking about the Honda's and Kia's! So give everyone a break and lets enjoy one of Henry's best! (Other than the Forty that is!)
Have really enjoyed my 5 window since finishing it. Have put just shy of 15,000 miles on it the past three summers. The old flathead has run great. 32 sedan is a future project.
This is my 32 , it was stored for 35 years in a Civil War era barn on a dry wooden floor enjoying its long sleep. It still has its 1953 G.M. Garnet red paint. I rebuilt the 4 1/8 by 3 3/8 flathead with Eddie Meyer heads and intake with its full race Winfield camshaft. I also rebuilt the 26 tooth Lincoln gearbox and its 40 ford brakes. This car is tight and quick and a real pleasure to drive.
The Jalopy Journal
