Ok, heres the story. 2 years ago when we had downsized the shop (ie, lost my ass), I had to sell a really nice glass 32 3 window project to help out (sucked, but family first, right?). Anyway, we are going strong again and am going to build a car for me (already have a rod, building another). I saw a 32 5window GLASS body project for sale for not a bad price. However, I already have a 31 model A coupe body in STEEL. With all things being equal (probably one of my 392 hemis or a 460 Ford) Which one would you guys build if you were building for you? A plastic 32 or a steel A-bone coupe?????? I love steel, but,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, crap, I can't decide,,,,,,,,,,, HELP ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I guess it all depends on whether you plan drive the car or store leftovers in it? Plastic is nice, its dishwasher safe, microwave safe, and doesnt hold oders, but on the down side IT ISNT REALLY A ROD!!! its a kit car. I would way rather build the steel A, but thats just me.
if it were me i would build the 31 A, because no matter how nice you build a plastic 32 its still gonna be a plastic 32. where as the 31 may not be a 32 it was forged in the fires of the henry ford factory and because of that itwill look better than any fake any day. however this is all my opinion and taste, you are the only one who can decide what you like and want.
Well I'm not a basher of a car just because its glass. I believe that if a glass car is built with the right parts, look, etc, that it can absolutely be a great car still. But since you already have a steel A coupe, that would make it a no-brainer for me. Yeah its not a 32, but whatever.... Plus for the money you'd have in a glass 32' body alone, you could be driving the A coupe around Just my opinion
I don't think anybody will argue the fact that steel is the best way to go hands down. But to say all glass bodied cars aren't a rod, but a kit car............ I think this Hamb'er did a pretty amazing job for a "kit car"
That was kindof my "issue". Owning a shop, you have to somewhat lose solid lines on what is "right". I own a glass C-cab sedan delivery, BUT it has a blown 302 Ford in it. Although I am a die hard hemi or Ford man, owning a shop, you start to understand that the 350 Chevy is not the spawn of Satan as my father (and his father) has hammered into my brain. I would take a steel car most anyday over the identical plastic car. I wasn't asking a steel 32 over a glass one, I was asking a plastic 32 vs. a steel (and less desirerable to many) Model A. Semms the votes are in of steel over plastic regardless of body style, and my wife seems to agree. The point of I will have the A rolling for less money then just the body of the 32 is true 100%, and a driver of plastic or steel is always more fun then a project.
I agree he did an EXCELLENT job. but it is still a kit car. Im not ragging on it. I personally love that car. I would also love to find a kit of a porsche spyder, but lets face it they are a kit car unless you started with a real car... Anyway my post was strictly for laughs, I say build what you want and drive what you like.
The steel A with the Hemi, Never been a fan of plastic.Don't want to offend anyone ,just my opinion, Plus ya already got it. Gary
I've never had a plastic car but the idea of doing no rust-repair appeals to me. No dents to deal with either and window kits available...I dunno. Some day I want to try one of those tupper-ware bodies to speed up the build but for now, I'm gonna stick with steel. The 32s are worth more to sell. I gotta buddy who sold his plastic 32 coupe for 40 large....not sure any model A coupe will bring that much.
Go the real deal "A", there are some great looking glass cars, but...well it's up to you. I know what I'd be doin!!!
What he said, You have a shop so build the tupperware and sell it, you may run across someone that wants one and you can finish to there taste and make some money on it to fund building the "A". Or if you dont want to mess with it add some stuff to it and sell it off as a "kit" My neighbor built a 41 willys (shitbeast) he cussed the thing from day one but it finished up reallll nice and it brought close to 40 large too and he had mid 20's in it (not figuring his time).
Yes,and yes. Build the A for driving. Build the glass car for Racing, Blown motor full cage etc,you can tow it with thw A model Sparky
I'm not reading this post, because snobbery against fiberglass just gets me all riled up. Suffice it to say "I like cars that look old." That being said, build the Model A. A coupes are, to me, the classic hot rod body style. Something about that visor just makes them look tough and competition-oriented. Deuce coupes just look street roddy to me. That being said, there've been some awesome Deuce coupes built (Axle Idzardi's comes immediately to mind) - but the A would always be my first choice.
My preference for deuce coupes is well known, but if'n I hadda choose 'tween real or 'not', I'd build the A and put a deuce grille on her. Best of both worlds.
This is the best response and soooooo true. I would keep the A no matter what - hell have you seen the price of these lately
BUILD THE A! ha! took as long and as much, if not MORE work to build our T than any other rod. There's no such thing as a "kit" car, it's not like a model kit. Well, I suppose it can be if you option it out. If you start with a glass body, and source junkyards and flea bay for the rest that is by no means a KIT. Let's be realistic. Sure, it's not a true ORIGINAL hot rod, but the end result makes it a hot rod in my book. Build whichever you think will look better in the end. IMO, fiberglass is a real pain and I'll never do it again, steel is much easier to work with (that's right, those building steel cars are cheating, I said it!) and less toxic .
I like metal too but the only duece I will ever be able to afford would have to be a glass one. But then I would probably step up to a 33-34 if I was going glass. Build the A, I say.
Build tha glass, sell it. then sell the model A coupe body. take all that money and buy a steel '32 body and build that. I know I know they are hard to find but owning a shop you could prolly do it a bit cheaper ( and better) then Some one like me therefor more profit. the problem is this will take much longer than building one of the 2 you have.
I had to think a long time to whether I was even going to respond to this thread,..... But I guess my bad manners won out . I have built both steel and glass bodied cars (and will continue to do so ) and frankly people that refer to glass body cars a "Kit Cars" don't have a clue ! I have saved turd steel bodies that weren't as much work as putting together a glass body that was in pieces, and the chassis is always the same amount of work, So I guess Brookville, rod bods, roadster.com and Steves restoration bodies are "Kit Cars" to. The people I see going on about "my car is all steel" usually have something like a 1948 Hudson 4 Door ( no offense to people that have that car ). The car I am building for myself right now is going to be a "beater with a heater", as it sits there is less than $3,500 into it, I am trying to see how cheap I can build this car, the body came from a swap meet and was not assembled, reinforced, nothing,...... all the rest of the parts either came from swap meets or discarded parts form other projects. the top was chopped only 3" so now the top is chopped 5" ( still have to chop the doors) by the time this car is done it will have as much or more WORK into it than I have had in any "Real Steel" car I have ever built. and I resent someone calling it a "Kit Car". When it comes to building a car for yourself, you know what you want, don't let any group tell you what is cool or acceptable, that's what the "Gold Chain" crowd does.
Building a steel or glass car is not about the amount of work it is. I am sure in the 2 years I managed a glass only body shop I have done enough glass work to "have a clue" what it is about. I too have built them both ways, and in my humble opinion a real car has to start with a real car body. I have no problem with "kit cars" but if a glass 356 porsche is a kit, and a glass ferrari is a kit, and a glass cobro is a kit, isnt a glass 32 a kit as well? For that matter isnt a brookeville body also a kit? I mean if it wasnt produced when it was supposed to be isnt it all the same? Dont get me wrong, build them all. But now I am confused, why will we not call a kit a kit. There is nothing wrong with them, But the man that started this post has a real deal henry ford body in his clutches. I agree with building it to keep, and build the 32 to sell .
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