Pulled the Box out of my roadster *A-camino vs Roadster?*

So I bought a pretty bitch'n seat at the Puyallup swap meet last weekend. I wasn't sure if it would not fit with the box, but figured I could not pass it up. I came home to try it, it didn't fit. The boxed is shoved foreward really far, so it is hard to drive. This seat just gave me a good excuse to move the box back to get a little leg room. I figured I would bob it down a little while I'm at it too.

So I got it out and thought, Why not just put it back to a roadster right now?
Well Im not going to right now cause I wanna enjoy it this summer while I work on other stuff. In the long run though, not sure if I should leave the box, or change it back? The box is actually pretty neat cause it was done during WWll for gas rationings, but at the same time, it is still a hacked up roadster. So what is your guys vote?

 

That is one TOUGH call. I think it's a great piece of history and really neat as is, but I know I personally would have a VERY hard time leaving it a pickup.

 

I think the box is cool, and after 60 years, it's definately a part of the car's history.
When was the last time you saw one?
Mod it to give you a little more room up front, leave the rest of it alone, and drive the hell out of it!

 

Roadster! Build a trailer outta the box! IMHO

 

So the question becomes do you want to look like a vegtable vender or a hot rodder. The box in the roadster thing was a neat idea used by folks that couldn't get a truck and needed one. But it just wan't a hot rod item.

If you want it to be historical keep the box but if you are building a rod I'd think that the t deck is what you are really after. of course that is just one man's opinion.

 

Man I love the bed.....I reallly really do but seeing the possibilities of that car without it as a full fendered roadster that whether you like it or not reminds me of your OGRE Brother's old coupe......and that's a great thing.

I say find another roadster in the condition of your brother's '29 roadster and put the pickup in that and finish this one off as a actual roadster since the condition is so nice.


And I am not sure the wide whites and steelies really fits with the bed. I think if you're keeping the bed then blackwalls are a must. Those WW are way too clean for a utility "truck".

 

Please convert it back to a roadster with a deck lid and start your own history!

 

That is a tough call. I like the history of why it was done but if it was mine and I could find parts to put it back, I would put it back.
Does look cool as is though so if it were mine i would drive for a while till i found parts to put it back.

 

well, here are a couple options!

 

Just shorten the P/U box ,to give your self some comfort room, and leave it for now.
You can all ways go back and do the full repair at a later date. That way you will have all summer to enjoy your new ride.

Have fun, ...............Jack

 

That is a tough call. Like the others, I like the bed because of it's history but it has a lot of potential as a roadster. Sorry I couldn't be more decisive.

Peter

 

I'll just add one last thing, and you seriously need to keep this in mind...

Remember the snowball effect!!!

So you choose to convert it back to a roadster, then you discover it needs more work here, then there, then you want to freshen up the running gear, next you cant justify all that work without addressing the suspension........ Next thing you know, you got a garage full of parts, an no cool ride for the summer

Nuff said?
Yea, I think it'd be cool as hell to put it back right. But that project needs to wait till November!

 

First thing I noticed was the I-beam "ladder rack", then I reaalized it was a spreader bar for the sling! The top and bottom sheet metal panels are not that expensive and could run all summer that way. The trunk lid is a bit more, depending on repro or original. Rumble seat internals will add $$ vs a trunk. I opt for the roadster vs p/u.
RB

 

Do you have the parts on hand to make it a roadster? That's going to take some work to get the tops of the quarters back to spec.
Sell the historical box to someone that wants it and put the $ toward a deck lid.

 

I would leave it the way it is! There are just enough cool roadsters on the streets, keep the unique look!

Just start to do some sports and fill the bed with tons of cool sports equipment
I could need a bed for my coupe

 

Ditch the box and make it a proper roadster. Just because it's old, doesn't mean it's important to hot rod history.

 

Couldn't have said it better.

 

I understand the box conversion was so that the owner could get more gas ration coupons since he had a "truck."
If the box was a commercially made conversion, do not shorten it... as Ta Hell said, it is historical, sell it to someone who wants it (a truck collector or museum?).

 

If it's original, then a small modification isn't going to hurt anything...solution: move the bed back to give you some leg room, shorten it as necessary, (it hangs over the bumper too much), clean it up - maybe the edges of it, the tailgate, if there was any, paint it up a bit and make it look presentable as the rest of the car,i nstall a new seat, and it'll look almost like you own a real RPU...

R-

 

Leave the box, be unique. Anyone can purchase the pieces to simulate an all steel roadster nowadays, it takes a real individualist to roll something out of the ordinary.

 

Another vote to convert it back to a real raodster. save the box and start looking for pieces of roadster bodies to build one with the box. You could use those beat up single pieces that seem to show up from time to time. they wouldn't have to be pristine to match the old box.

 

The box looks like poop. finish the back of the car off the way the hot rod gods intended

 

I say make it a roadster.


And yes, he has all the pieces to convert it to a roadster.

 

I vote roadster. If you're thinking about it this much then you need to do it. Good Luck!

 

I wanna know what happened to the t coupe?

 

you have had a truck, now you can have a roadster without buying one

 

my 2 cents roadster

 

I'm in the minority. Leave it a pickster.

Anybody can have an A roadster, they still make them new. Where are you ever gonna see another pickster like yours?

 

roadster=nice