Fiberglass Body

I sold my Dart muscle car- 440 Mag etc. Now I am hunting a 1932-5 window coupe. Steel cost too mutch, so how about fiberglass?
Anyone with info on body's-brand good or bad? Thanks, Mike dart1971

 

There has been a couple of great builds lately using a glass body. Sorry I dont have links to them but maybe use the search function and you'll find them. Good luck with it.

 

I spent a fair amount of time looking for an authentic looking 32 5 Window and think the two best bodies out there are either from New Age Motorsports or Russ Nomore. I have looked at both of these bodies and both are very high quailty builds.

They are both available with swing out windshields, outside hinges, manual windows, and cowl vents. The New Age body also has roll down rear window option and drip rails that you would have a hard time telling from stock steel. The Russ Nomore body is a little less expensive, but a nice body.

I got lucky and found an early Gibbon 5W that had never been built with external hinges and manual windows. I am in the process of putting in original windshield, roll down rear window, and cowl vent.


Here are links to both of their sites:

http://www.russnomorestreetrods.com/325window.php

http://www.newage-motorsports.com/

Good luck

 

Don't know where you're at in Georgia, but Bebop's up in Tennessee builds the best 'glass body I've seen. I do a lot of custom paint work, as well as build hot rods and they build as close as I've found to a "Scuff and shoot" quality body. I really like their attention to detail.

Plus, their prices are very competitive. I've always said if I could find a body that saved me $4-5,000 in prep time, I'd gladly pay more for it, but with their stuff, you really don't have to pay any more.

Here's a link to their site.
http://bebops-glassworks.com

 

Squeak Bell at the Kiwi Connection up in Bakersfield was selling glass thirty two five window bodies that were made in either Australia or New Zeland at one time. I saw them there about three years ago, and they were quite impressive. External hinges, swinging windshields, cowl vent, and drip rails. Not things commonly found on glass bodies.

 

I have a full set of 34 3W molds if you are up to doing the layup yourself. There are drawbacks (as most HAMBers are happy to point out) to FG...my plan was to use carbon fiber and epoxy resin instead to build a body that was super strong, lightweight, and did not have the usual FG issues.

 

There may be a smattering of truth to that but it shouldn't be up to us to tell the man to spend an extra 20,000.00 just so he can please us with a steel body on his car. Go out and price Gennie Henry ford 32 five window body shells and then calculate the work/expense to get the same up to par.

It's how he builds the car not always what he starts with that should be our main concern.

I just showed the Bebop 33 vicki body to my wife when I opened the link. A steel body that you can't find anywhere and they have the price of gold bricks when you do. The end cost to me would be pretty close to the same as buying a 28/29 body shell here locally and getting it up to the same shape. Maybe not having the cool "I welded every patch panel in myself" feeling but It might be ready for that cross country trip I have planned for retirement in three years and it would still have the flathead and other HAMB friendly pieces that I have stashed away for the project.

 

Build what you want and don't worry about all the negitive attitudes,,

I drove my glass roadster many,many miles and only had a couple of guys want to know is it glass or steel ?,,when I replied it was glass they got all high and might,,,glass sucks,,,but one of the guys was driving a clapped out Honda and the other guys was driving his late model pickup.

Everyone can't afford the stupid prices of a steel body and don't want to wait,,,

I say go for it!,,BeBop makes a good affordable body. HRP

 

Redneck Streetrods in Atchison Ks.

913 867 8346

Ask for Wayne or Willy. Both good folks and they do build the strongest body on the market.

Tell 'em I said hello

 

When I had my 32 I got asked so much I don't think people even knew the differance betewwn glass and steel, they just thought it was a question to ask to show they knew somehting about cars.... or not...

 

I know for a FACT ... that this steel 32 5W and parts recently sold for 20 grand ... in South Carolina ...











Plus a windshield frame, splash apron, a original seat, a nice firewall and a complete set of garnish moldings.

Figure in that you do not get a seat, rear steel fenders, a hood or a splash apron with the plastic 5 W ... The price on the steel 5W looks even BETTER.

The difference is purchase price of a decent 32 5W and a plastic 5W will be more than returned to you when you go to sell ...

JUST my opinion

 

Is New Age the only one that has a stock height 5w?

 

Great bodies - Someone mentoned Groucho's 5w earlier, it was one of the Aussie 'Rod Bods by Elvis' bodies from Kiwi Konnection 661 871 5494

 

Check out the coupe here that Dave ( Hot Turkey ) built,,,I would be proud to own this GLASS car...HRP

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=324514


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Doesnt matter whether you start with a steel or glass body. The price it sells for is determined by the builders vision and skills. You can destroy or build the value of any materials or parts you put together.

 

Tired of all the people that want to knock glass. He didn't ask your opinion of glass versus steel, just what is a good glass body, so shut the hell up.

New Age Motorsports is definitely one of the best I have ever seen. Very hard to tell from a steel one. I have also had experience with Rod Bods out of Australia and can vouch for their quality as well. Some of the others that have been mentioned are not up to that quality, and this comes from experience of having customers with them. Some times it's little things, nuances if you will, other times its more major like the Heritage that had both doors separate and split open!

 

Don't know what your budget allows,,but I just saw this on the ford barn. HRP

http://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6675

 

The conflict continues. Steel is still real and Glass still has class.

What it boils down to is: buy what you can, build it the best way you can and enjoy it just as much as anyone else.

 

Xs 3 on BeBops

 

Got to agree with hotroddon, there is nothing wrong with a glass car. Ask Duntov if it was a problem in selling what 57 years worth of Corvettes. Also, there are some really nice 32s out there that are glass cars, I can think of a handful around here, and several owned by guys on the board.

Don't bother to listen to the folks out there that think that glass is somehow second rate. Go with what you can afford, make it cool and no one will have any problems.

 

I recently purchased a glass body for a roadster project from Bad Ass Rods Manufacturing. Not the best but well rienforced with steel and decent enough that with a little work it can be decent . I believe that they are also making a 5 window coupe (I saw a three window ). They are price around $6500 . They are in Winder GA ph 404-282-0233 . Its a starting point . Ps they are using a resin board to strengthen the major panels of the body. Lots luck

GLASS DONT RUST !!!!!

 

Just have fun not all of us can get our hands on steel.Some of us don't what steel.Every one different thats what makes this so cool.

 

There's a guy in the Dallas area who really builds a nice glass 5 window... can't remember his name... maybe someone can refresh my memmory.

 

I got my 3 window from Squeek Bell nice bodys hears a pic i hope lol

 

Hi, I got my 33 from N&N fiberglass in Arkansas, and I absolutely am impressed with the quality. Some guys have just smoothed out the mold parting lines a bit and buffed and won awards with their bodies. I know they make 32's as well, not sure if it's the style you want. Price is extremely competive and service after the sell is great.

 

If memory serves me right I thought that Duane Jones at Kiwi Konection (Bakersfield Calif) was a dealer for Deuce Customs fg bodies out of OZ. One of the best on the market,,imho.I have been to Rod Bods in Nabiac N.S.W,Australia.Very professional & good looking bodies as well. Deadbeat

 

russnomore streetrods has one of the best bodies out there. I just bought a T body from them and couldn't be happier. Have had several friends buy sedans, coupes and truck bodies and all have been pleased.

 

Heres one I ran across on Craigslist a few weeks ago and it is not far from you. It has a lot of good parts and most everything you need to get started. You want buy this many parts anywhere else for the money.


http://huntsville.craigslist.org/cto/1777245767.html

 

Thanks Krooser,,,,That'd be me...but I'm not looking for any new business,,got all this old man can handle,,