JayD, I used a rodster body from Show Me Rod and Custom and I am very satisfied. Two of my friends also built with Show Me Bodies and they were equally pleased. Show Me 32 roadster have 2" stretched cockpits and doors. That is more significant than you might think. Show Me Rod And Custom is located between Springfield and Branson, Missouri. Call Doug White and see if you can come down when he has a body you can inspect. 417-443-7002 http://showmerodandcustom.com
It also depends on what body style you are looking for. I want a 32 five window and there are not too many that make it. I know RussNoMore makes a glass body And I saw a steel one on the internet once but can't remember who made it. I went numb when I saw the price on it.
Here's a 5-window body that's selling for $3000 right now. It looks pretty nice to me. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1932...002QQitemZ120160696805QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW
Also, these guys make the nicest 1932 5-window bodies I've seen. It's the only one I know of that comes in stock and chopped roof height. http://www.ravonstreetrods.com/5window.html
I forgot to mention that these bodies (both stock height and chopped) are $6930 each, for anyone who was wondering.
Deuce Customs.....Ken IS one fo the good guys in this biz. His bosies are built to strict Oz standards and they comly. Fully sdteeled out, NO wood and instrusins bars in the doors with your choice of window and door lock mechansims. See attached pix....and no i dont work for him, Im just a happy customer !! Rat
Why not take a look at Brookville's 30-31 A body? Cheaper than the 32 body by quite a bit last time I looked. They're easy to set up on a 32 frame. No frame pinching is required although you'll probably want to cut the horizontal legs of the 32 frame near the front of the wheel wells and spread each rail outward 3/4" to make a good fit. Some guys do like to pinch the frames and that's not too hard to do. Even so, the A body fits the frame quite well. For an excellent example of frame pinch take a look at the Rolf built A coupe on 32 frame. You can find information on it here in the HAMB archives as well as an address for Rolf's site where the entire build - with many pics - is posted. Imo, the 30-31 on 32 rails makes a better looking roadster than does a 32 body on 32 rails. And, in case you're wondering, 30-31 cockpit measurements are just about the same as the 32 cockpit. The only real exception being the 32 cockpit is 2" deeper.
Wow! I just looked up the Duece Customs bodies from Australia and I'm Impressed. It's got everything I'm looking for, outside door handles, hand crank windows, etc. The firewall and cowl lip look like a factory 32. And the price is not too bad, considering the quality. I emailed them to see what shipping direct to Alaska would be. Did someone say they had an outlet in the US?
How big are they? Would someone around 6'1, 245 lbs have a hard time fitting in one? I might even get a coupe and cut the roof off if it'll give me some extra interior room. I've always liked those A roadsters on '32 frames.
While we're on the subject of glass 32's, has anyone seen a 5 window body that was channeled? Is it something that could be done from the manufacturer or after the body was purchased? I just prefer the lo boy look over the hi boy.
I had a shell valley cobra and it was quite strong and built pretty easy. I have been lookig at the and lone star, lookin at about 12 to 14k minus body work and motor/tranny.
I know we're talking glass here but OG body and OG frame this might be worth it... http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Ford...002QQitemZ120162648033QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW
Thanks, that was easier said than done. Damn he sure does post a lot (and not worthless trash either), I looked at his last 500 posts and didn't go back far enough to find the start of his build. That Rods Bods body is killer, has anyone ever seen a body with a non-filler roof or are they all filler for a reason, i.e. structural support, ease of manufacturing, or it's the popular thing to do? Todd
You should be able to set up an A roadster wth good leg room and good ergonomics. The pic shows my 31 on 32 rails roadster with 4" firewall setback as well as a few shots of the mid-90's ChryCo soccer mom mini-van middle seat in the car. Note that this is the genuine middle seat for two passengers. There is a similar rear three passenger seat that can be installed in the middle seating postion using factory installed floor mounts. More than a few of these vans are found in junkyards with the three pass seat in the middle position and the two pass seat gone. I'm 6' tall, have a 32" inseam and weigh 196#. The seat base is set up so the seat can go another 2" back and still be usable even though part of the cushion is under the rear cockpit rail. My 5'11", 240# pal can get into my 32 roadster's driver side ok. It has less legroom due to a thicker back cushion. He could probably do ok getting into the 31. Both the 32 and 31 roadsters have non-tilt steering columns. The same guy mentioned above swapped his nice 29 A full fendered roadster w/top for a 46 Ford sedan. The 29 has a tilt wheel column and I think an Escort rear seat. It was comfortable once you were in, but the shorter 29 doors made it a little more difficult to enter than either of my roadsters. An A - or 32 - roadster is so easy to set up with good ergonomics that I'd think twice about cutting the roof off a coupe so as to make a roadster. Pulling the package shelf in the coupe's will give you quite a bit of legroom.
You know I HATE minivans, but I was kinda thinking the same thing when I saw one of those seats at the dump. Pricewise it sure would beat a glide seat and custom upholstery. I used a place for my truck seat that will make a new cover if you send them the old one. You can pick your material and design. Not too bad of a price either.
One thing I forgot to mention is how comfortable the van seats are. The one in the 31 is a mid 90's, ID'd to an extent by double fold down arms. I have one that may be an early 2000 middle ChryCo two pass seat. It's comfortable, but not quite as comfy as the earlier more generously cushioned earlier model. This one ID'd by a single arm rest on the right. Whatever you get, give it a test sit-down in the junkyard. Find the right one and you'll darned near fall asleep. Nice part about these seats is that you can pull them without tools. Designed for yuppie types. You know, the people who think a traveling tool kit is a cellphone and a credit card.... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ If anyone's interested in a fairly nice seat that looks like it would be an easy install - nice seat base etc. - in a 50's or early 60's era pickup I have one with fair upholstery you can have for free. Only catch is, you're gonna have to pick it up, I ain't gonna get into shipping it. Pics & measurements if you wish.
For a big boy you might check out the XL27 T-body from Shadow Rods. It'll fit a big guy, it's steel and fits a 32 chassis.
Absolutely. I'm about 6' tall, 240 lbs and have a tough time getting into a stock A or 32, roadster or coupe, but that could easily be fixed with a thinner seat. Hell, once I get wedged into that stock Ford, the pedals and steering wheel angles and placement are not too bad (except for being too close). But on most of the hot rods I've looked at and sat in, two of the biggest issues are the floor mounted pedals and oddly placed steering columns. They sometimes end up in some goofy and awkward non-stock locations just to be able to fit them into the chassis. So many cars look like they'd be far easier to drive and fit into if they simply had swinging pedals. And I've seen too many columns at very steep angles, placing the wheel in a bad position relative to the driver. But the problem isn't just the size of the envelope. An XL27 would be just as cramped if the layout were bad. The interior dimensions on a Model A or 32 are actually larger than my Miata. My Locost is smaller than a 27 T, but my 6'2" son fits easily. It's the packaging that makes the difference.
I just bought a 32 Wescott bodied roadster. It was built about 8 years ago. The body is great! The fit of the panels is great and there are no stress cracks anywhere. Steel inner-structure sure makes a difference
man your nuts you could buy an OUTLAW body and chassis all you need is a tube of super glue and a exacto knife and you will have your self a real 32 according to them why anyone would want a steel car is beyond me
I sat in a Shadow Rods XL27 roadster at the NSRA Nationals. I am 6'2" tall and about 210#. It was very comfortable and I had a lot of leg room. Steering wheel, foot pedals, and the overall "feel" were right on. My wife has a bad back and she will not ride with me for over an hour in my 32 Ford roadster. I asked her to sit in the XL27 and she said it was more comfortable. In short, my Show Me 32 Ford roadster body with the 2 inch stretch has significantly more room than a stock body. I don't know how thw XL27 measures up when compared to a 32 roadster. But the XL27 has more leg room and sits better. I want one!
The Jalopy Journal
