before and after - 'glass 32

Last year I was poking around trying to round up some Model A parts to build a hot rod. During that search I came across a complete 32 Ford Roadster replica. Beings I'm old and wanted a quick fix I bought the complete car. I've been working on it over the last year to make it less street rod and more hot rod. Here's the before and after. Let me know what you think. I've still got a few things to do but I've been having a ball with it.

Here's before:

 

Here's after:

 

Nice Car, I think some trim rings and caps would tie it together a bit,

 

Looks a good sight better for sure! It always amazes me what a wheel/tire swap can do for a cars personality. Looks like you swapped steering wheels as well? Anything else?

 

Thanks guys. The wheels are going to get some stripes to match the trunk lid and grill shell. Jeb McGregor did the striping. I'll post some pix. I have changed the seat belts, steering wheel, license plate set up, added the blue dots and a million other things you can't see in these pix. My goal is to have it look like a late 50s to early 60s car driving by. I realise it'll never be a gennie but it sure is fun to play with. Next big job is back dating the engine. In the after pix here the car is really dirty because we got caught in the rain last Saturday and I haven't had a chance to clean it up. When I do I'll post some pix of the striping Jeb did because it's really cool.

 

The hand print isn't permanent, is it?

 

Great job, way to improve that roadster.

 

Yeah-caps and rings.

 

I was thinking the same thing. I would lose the handprint.
Looks good.
A set of small caps and stripe the wheels would set it off.

 

Yeah, the hand print is permanent. I've been doing that to all my cars for the last 30 years or so.....Long story but that's what I do.

I probably will add hub caps at some point and also the aforementioned pin stripes on the wheels.

Keep 'em coming, I'm interested in ideas and opinions. Also, it drives really nice with the new bias ply tires. I haven't gone real fast in it yet but so far feels great!

 

car looks good! but i like the chrome wheels too.and the color. im really tired of flat black.lol

 

If you really want to make it look vintage, brush paint it caca green over the buetiful red then color sand it till you hit red.

That would be really dumb, but really cool.

 

LOL! I'm not sure if you guys have seen my 50 but it's got the real deal patina. I'm kind of liking having shiney paint. It's a nice change of pace for me. I'll let it age gracefully.

 

Just goes to show that what the body is made of has ZERO effect on the amount of fun you have with a car. A cool car is a cool car...'glass or steel.
My Pops has been having more smiles per $/mile(well over 100k and counting) than he would have at double the buy-in for a "real" one.



And you are absolutely right about wheels and tires totally changing a car...



Me and Pop's @ So-Cal/LARS for Father's Day a few years ago...

 

Vast improvement. Now if it were up to me, I'd have to have an unsplit '32 wishbone locating that front axle. You didn't outline your driveline details, but depending on your k member, at least split stock bones. Then you'd have a super clean, traditional looking roadster. Just my opinion. I like the signature hand print.

 

Ohhh.......I like your Dad's car. I think what swung me over was I couldn't build it for what I paid for it. And I knew with a few changes I could like the way it looked, for me. Now I've got a car to drive and I can spend some time on my 50. It needs some love for sure.

 

I agree with flatoutflyin, the 32 bones would really help. Split or unsplit. Just my 2¢.

 

I don't disagree about it'd look better with stock or split bones, maybe even hairpins. I wouldn't rule that out in the future. But it might be a few years. I'm having too much fun driving it now.

Thanks everybody for the comments.

 

Great changes ,belly button street rod to cool looking HOT ROD. Even if a hot rod is supposed to have a flathead in the front and a tool box in the trunk.

 

Thank you Kivi 4d! That's what I was shooting for. Here's a crappy pic of the pinstripe on the trunk lid. I don't have one right now of the grill shell. And another of the car before pinstripe or getting the axles and hubs painted black.

 

I like those American's on your red roadster but either way it's a very nice car.

 

I like the before...a little narrower rear tire, and '32 head lights. But you built it for you not me. Still looks nice though.

 

The hand print goes back to the American Indian. They used to put their hand prints on their ponies before going into battle. I started doing it as a joke many years ago and now all my friends practically force me to do it. But I like doing it.

I agree with going with 32 headlights. But I'll have to change the stands to do that. I think mounted on the upper shock mounts they're too far apart. Another down the road, winter project. I also want to put some round turn signals on it.

I'm going to try to sell the polished TTs and radials. Then I can get some cast TTs or maybe even some ET slots with PosiTrac rear tires and go for a 60's look. Another day.

 

I think cream colored wheels look good on a red car,just my $.02

 

Caps and rings would do a lot to dress it up but you have a problem there. The wheels you are running have the nubs on the outside so early Ford caps won't work....trim rings would but not the caps. Maybe some full caps ?

I agree that torque thrusts , salt flats, or chromies would really be cool on it. You will never get the 50's look with the fourbar so perhaps going with a 60's look would be the thing to do.

Don

 

Put some door handles and hinges on it.

 

I'd really like that, maybe on the next car.

 

I like it both styles. Just have fun with it.