Hot Rods Found 32 roadster with history???

So a guy comes into my shop today and asks me if I know anyone looking for a 32 roadster. I figured it was going to be a glass car painted some bright color. Then he tells me that it was a 50's build he got from the original builder some time ago. The original engine was missing (ford v8 ohv) but he has a 50 olds motor and manual trans that he will sell with it.. The car was in Hawaii and he had it shipped here..The doors are molded in as are the rear fenders. The car is heavily channeled over the 32 rails but all the x was cut out and other crossmembers put in.. It has a F-1 box and an original set of MT slicks in very good condition. Dropped A axle and juice brakes..40 ford axle out back. What do you think this thing is worth? It is pretty rough....Trying to get some idea if it is worth the effort to put back on the road.. If there is some interest you can PM me and I can pass along his info if he OK's it.. I kinda want some idea or guesses of value before I post what he wants for it..I am still trying to decide if I want it or gonna pass....Jason.

 

Is it April 1st already?

 

Nope, This is real.... I was out at this guys house this afternoon... He is an older man with a few cars.. He has no interest in this car as he has a 34 vicky, hudson super wasp and a few others he is building.... I have no idea what this would be worth.. When I see 32s that are somewhat stock or restored, etc... that is easy to figure.. But this early home built I am stumped.. Jason.

 

The guys that are more knowledgeable on '32's will post I'm sure. Belt moulding looks odd to me, not a good looking car as is IMO. Wouldn't want to be into it for over $5,000. The cost of shipping it back from Hawaii has nothing to do with its value.

 

Hell Jason, if it's cheap enough you can part it out, I'll take the dash and gauges.

 

Not really looking to part out.. I would probably pass before cutting it up...I will let you know what happens though... Jason.

 

You might want to check out this thread......

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=211452&highlight=hawaii

 

This is no joke... I was with him this afternoon.. I am his wife. You can kinda see me blur by in the background of one of the pictures..

 

Hmmm...original 50's hot rod....steel 32 roadster....history or not...its gotta be worth a go at Jason. If the body's not too bad, I would go for it...as long has the guy don't want Barrett Jackson money for it...

 

Not only is it heavily channeled, it is missing about 2-3 inches along the bottom length of the body (from the cowl to the decklid). It also looks like 2-3" were taken out to shorten the body in length. The only thing I see of any value are the windshield stanchions, if they are in fact original bronze castings, then you could get $150 for those.....

When the the last time you saw a steering wheel that was as high as the top of the windshield ???

 

The body is not shortened but it did loose a couple inches along the bottom. It is a funky old build. The guy said he had pics of it from back in the day when the builder was running it around..Jason.

 

Similar but I believe different roadsters ... juding by the dash ... the tag treatment and the fender ridge ( bead ). Also the deck lid
is a lot worse ... Fuel cap is on the opposite side also

 

It is a diff. car for sure. I know that much.. It came from the island of Molakai. It hadn't been out for years. It was next to the owners house with a palm tree growing through it and covered in plants... Cars in Hawaii must have fenders by law.. It was common for guys to mold them in..

 

Looks pretty rough but I would say between $3000-$4000. JMO

 

How are people figuring on 3-5K? I thought Deuce roadsters were 20K+ for even shitty hacked up old ones. So what if the bottom couple of inches is cut off, that's easily repaired. How hard would it be to get the doors opened up again?

Jim Sibley could fix it.

 

That's one of those cars that with 8,000 worth of patch panels and at least 20,000 worth of labor you could make a decent "original" Deuce roadster out of- or you could pay Brookville 12,500 for a complete new body and be done without getting your hands dirty. No way to come out ahead on that one. I bit off the '32 no one wanted once- biggest waste of time I ever experienced

 

I'm with JimA on this one. Consider the body as scrap and put value on the rest of it. Buy it for the Olds motor and tranny. The flywheel for and Olds is very hard to find. Keep the slicks and the gauge panel. Someone will want the rails if they have serial #s. Sell off the front and rear axles and give away the rest. I'd offer $1800 and you might do all right at 2K.

 

I'll have to heartily disagree with most everyone else on this one. The value of this car is in its historic value as a genuine '50s build. Its worth much more than the sum of its parts! To me (as a genuine Model T cheapskate), I'd value it in RESTORED condition in the neighborhood $20K. As it is (with the Olds engine), I'm not sure...maybe as much as $7K on eBay.

 

I'd kill for a '32 roadster, but I wouldn't even think about paying money for something like that. It doesn't look like that body could be saved without thousands of hours of labor. The bottom of the body is gone, the doors are welded shut, the fenders are welded on, that grill shell is junk, and the list goes on. Unless it was a big name or well known build, the historical significance would go over the heads of 95% of the people out there.

 

Hawaii does have fender laws ... Dick Scritchfield sold his FAMOUS roadster because he could not use it in Hawaii when he moved there from Los Angeles.

I love 32 roadsters as much as anyone ... but unless you can enjoy this one ... basically the way it is ... it is only worth a few thousand dollars IMHO ...

 

I agree with this. And, I believe this is exactly how this car should be enjoyed. All the talk of "fixing" the body gives me a bit of a sick feeling.

 

I gotta admit that this is right. If the guys on the HAMB don't get it, I guess no one would.

 

hmmm...

If your looking to build yourself a pinched nose highboy, flathead, 39 box, banjo, 750 rears 450 front, etc,etc,etc,....then this is NOT the car for you....PERIOD.

If you need a value... heres a trivial idea....ASK the friggen owner what he wants and if its within your budget and sounds fair buy it...not to hard.

 

Not a 32 expert, but It looks like a topless 5 window coupe whatwith eveything shortened up and molded in.
It's a cool survivor though. I agree that you'd have to love it/build it just the way it is.

 

Judging by the cowl and the above the deck lid panel,..... This puppy was the genuine article. seriously guys, even glass 27 T body (body only, no floor molded doors and deck lid) starts at like $900.00, And glue it together yourself glass 32 Roadster bodies start at $3,000 ! and thats all you get, with everything thats there including the 1932 Ford frame, 40' brakes all around, dropped axle and stock wishbone,.. I would guess 3,500 to 5,000 would be fair,... IMHO

And another thing,.... I have seen post after post of guys bashing reproduction steel and fiberglass bodies on here because they "Have no soul !" so here ya' are guys a beat up old body with tons of soul,...... and your arms are to short to reach to the bottom of your pockets,.... that's priceless !

 

I mean I would build it pretty much the way it is but try to make some tasteful period changes along the way, just to make it look as good as it can look. It's still a '32 roadster from the 50's and we all have seen worse looking rides. That grill shell could be saved too. So was it sectioned or did they just hack the bottom off? Either way I still think it's alright, it was done then how can you debate it. I'd say $3-5000 on ebay maybe, seems like it would fetch less here or in general though. You have to think though finished nicely as an all period correct hot rod 32 it would be worth quite a bit, but that being said how much do you have to put into it to get there? ...Or you could just slap it together and have fun
-Dean

 

How many people you think want to spend 50k to restore a car that's going to be worth 20k when its done? Especially if it's as ugly as this one.

 

Looks pretty rough in the pictures and pictures usually hide all that. Im working on a 32 5w where i spent around 4500 in patch panels. I dont regret it but the body only cost me 1500. So i guess im in the body for around 6000. Anymore than that and I probably would have passed on the body. Im guessing around 5-3k. I would think you would spend 5k+ on patch panels.

 

Ditto, what Kevin Lee said....... That thing is crude even by 1950's standards!