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Projects 1932 Ford 3 Window with 389 Pontiac

Discussion in 'Traditional Hot Rods' started by Ken The Coug, Feb 16, 2018.

  1. The37Kid
    Joined: Apr 30, 2004
    Posts: 30,628

    The37Kid
    Member

    Free advice: Pull the engine & transmission, remove everything from the inside, steam clean everything Real Well, let dry. Buy two quarts of Hot Rod primer, apply. Rebuild or replace engine and transmission, install. Rebuild brakes & fuel & cooling system, wire it,add four new tires. Register and enjoy.:) Bob
     
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  2. Nitro crew chief
    Joined: May 4, 2008
    Posts: 200

    Nitro crew chief
    Member
    from Illinois

    I agree with Bob above. The Pontiac is there, I'd rebuild it, wire it and make it stop. That is a cool car as is sits.
     
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  3. mike bowling
    Joined: Jan 1, 2013
    Posts: 3,560

    mike bowling
    Member

    I,m with the "keep it as is " boys . That is super cool, and should stay that way. No cookie cutters, please.


    Sent from my iPad using H.A.M.B.
     
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  4. ClarkH
    Joined: Jul 21, 2010
    Posts: 1,412

    ClarkH
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Great car! Saw "Coug" in your handle and thought you might be local; looking at your bio I see that you are. I wouldn't steer too far away from what you've already got there, which is an authentic piece of history. In other words, this is another vote for Bob's advice above (The 37Kid)--although, based on his electrophobic post record, I'm amazed Bob can even mention new "wire" in a sentence.

    Early Bird swap meet is in Puyallup tomorrow, by the way.
     
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  5. brady1929
    Joined: Sep 30, 2006
    Posts: 9,253

    brady1929
    Member

  6. catdad49
    Joined: Sep 25, 2005
    Posts: 6,401

    catdad49
    Member

    A Three Deuce Deuce!!! Get it in the shop, clean it up, and assess. Be honest about what You want, what you have and what funds you have to work with. Being a family heirloom makes it even more special, but You already know that. Please share your adventure, Carp
     
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  7. Ken The Coug
    Joined: Feb 14, 2018
    Posts: 68

    Ken The Coug
    Member

    Ok the financing is done I have a working war chest of 30,000.00 plus an extra couple hundred a month in Over Time
     
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  8. Ken The Coug
    Joined: Feb 14, 2018
    Posts: 68

    Ken The Coug
    Member

    The Pontiac is blown up I have 2 quotes to rebuild it (sight unseen) both over 8000.00 if none of the really hard to get parts are ruined. Yikes.... No pics of it back then but not much has changed. I love the pontiac but 10,000 plus for a 220 horse power engine seems a lot
     
    Stogy likes this.
  9. Ken The Coug
    Joined: Feb 14, 2018
    Posts: 68

    Ken The Coug
    Member

    Thanks for your interest, I am sure I don't fully appreciate it....Yet Some things I won't change for sure, it will stay full fenders. I think the chevy 350 idea is dead. I am planning on a new firewall. I will take a pic with the tail lights in place for a better idea and post them. Not sure how I would fabricate a new backend
     
    Stogy likes this.
  10. manyolcars
    Joined: Mar 30, 2001
    Posts: 9,176

    manyolcars

    I have been driving and fixing my own cars for more than 50 years. My newest car is a 1966 and I rarely drive it. Its too new to interest me
    Google the term 'snowball' and dont do that! If you want to give your dad a ride,move fast. First rebuild the engine. Anyone charging you $8000 for that should be avoided. "Blown up' is not a valid descrption. Something is damaged. Fix that. While its out, check the transmission, rear axle and steering. Put all new parts in for brakes. Use DOT5 brake fluid. Its the best.Our military uses DOT5. Nuff said. As others have pointed out, if you change engines, axles and tail lights it wont be the same car and it may add YEARS to the build.
     
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  11. I like Dads vision ,
    700 hp to the wheels and 3' flames out the side pipes
     
  12. Asses, repair, and renew what is there! Even the firewall! Get two more '40 MCs and hang them back where they were. That thing is a time capsule and should remain as such! (Except running and driving again!)


    And more pictures please?!
     
    Stogy, Tim, Nostrebor and 3 others like this.
  13. It's sort of really difficult to completely destroy a 220 hp engine aka "blow it up".

    It very well could be scrap after sitting this long but until a tear down happens is all speculation. And an $8000 quote for a rebuild is secret machine shop code for "I don't want to do that job"
     
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  14. el Scotto
    Joined: Mar 3, 2004
    Posts: 4,698

    el Scotto
    Member
    from Tracy, CA

    Rad car. Remember what you have there *actually was a period correct hot rod* and that kinda shit gives a lot of H.A.M.B. dudes a stiff noodle so there's a bit of respect that should be given to that car.
     
  15. Ken The Coug
    Joined: Feb 14, 2018
    Posts: 68

    Ken The Coug
    Member

    Ok guys I love all the help. First did I post this in the correct section? Or should I have posted it in On the Hokey Ass Message Board Forum. Question when you say just don't street rod it what do you mean? How much does it really cost to have an engine rebuilt? I have 2 quotes both starting at 8500.00 I am not going to try to rebuild the engine myself. The engine obviously did not put out 700 hp, from anything I can find on it more like 200 to 250 max. I really am not sure about the engine I will post some better pics and maybe somebody can help me figure it out for sure. I will also put in the tail lights, I have some new ones but it would mean sheet metal changes to the back end. My Dad's dream was to put a ford 9 inch in the back-I am looking at a (CURRIE 9" FORD 56" STREET ROD REAR END & WILWOOD DRILLED DISC BRAKESI ) and put in a 389 or 400 pontiac. I didn't mention earlier that my Dad is in round 3 verses cancer and my rush is to try to get it on the road while he can still drive it. So the exterior and interior new wheels and tires will be a phase 2 of this project. For phase one this year I have @30K. (in loans) Once again thanks for your interest and thoughts. I will get busy and post some more pics.
     
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  16. Hollywood-East
    Joined: Mar 13, 2008
    Posts: 1,993

    Hollywood-East
    Member

    Welcome! You have a car just as it sits most of Us will never be able to afford, Or find.... Let alone have family History, That car has So many Kool features it's ridiculous.... Save that Engine, 8K to rebuild is a guy on Glue giving a price!! He Clearly doubled a even remote price to do it! Like 90% have said, Preserve that Baby as much as possible... You my friend are living a Lot of our Dream's.... Cheer's
     
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  17. Here's a '58 370 short block good rebuildable core, in case your block is scrap.

    https://www.ebay.com/itm/1958-Ponti...ash=item44167efa39:g:SIkAAOSwYxBaOLMx&vxp=mtr

    Here's the order - never deviate from it
    1 make it stop
    2 make it go
    3 make it pretty

    1- includes tires, brakes, suspension/steering/chassis ( chassis includes the rear end)
    2 - includes engine, Trans, electrical
    3- beauty is in the eye of the beholder and limited by the imagination

    Yes you've got that one posted in the correct section.
    This is reserved for the cream of the drop and elite period correct hot rods. Check out the sticky and guidelines for this sub section.
    You start changing stuff like disc brakes and 400 Pontiac engine it should be moved. A early 57 ford 9" would be fitting but not needed at the current power levels.

    I'll add it again, you're living the dream in case you missed it.
    Guys give their left nut and years of their life to painstakingly create a period correct traditional hot rod.
     
    Last edited: Feb 16, 2018
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  18. mike bowling
    Joined: Jan 1, 2013
    Posts: 3,560

    mike bowling
    Member

    Ask some local hot rodders (your age) to help you and advise you in areas you're not sure what to do. They will appreciate what you have, and I'm sure be glad to help.
    You've got a lot of capital to work with, but it can go quickly, especially at 8 grand for an engine rebuild. That's baloney.

    Sorry to hear about your Dads health - I hope you can at least get it going for him to take a cruise.
    Keep posting, ask questions, and more pictures please.
    Good luck with it. Mike B.
     
    Stogy likes this.
  19. alchemy
    Joined: Sep 27, 2002
    Posts: 20,405

    alchemy
    Member

    Putting a 9" rearend in that car will lead to project creep and you will not be able to drive it for years. Do as most of these guys have said: rebuild what is there and drive it now. New master, wheel cylinders and shoes on the brakes. New brake and fuel lines. Rebuild that engine if possible (those quotes are a joke) or find another the same to rebuild. Maybe some wiring. Then new lube in the trans, and take it around the block!
     
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  20. I am on a similar journey with a car I bought recently that was stored for 50+ years. Here is a link if you care to check it out.

    https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...el-a-roadster-that-was-built-in-1959.1065002/

    While my engine was not "blown up" it was stuck, but with minimal work and cash outlay it is running again. It not like you need to be able to drive it across country at this point in time so the minimum should suffice as long as there is not a rod hanging out of the block, ha! These old original cars are what turns my crank so I get bummed when people start changing them around when they just need a refresh.
     
  21. Moriarity
    Joined: Apr 11, 2001
    Posts: 30,775

    Moriarity
    SUPER MODERATOR
    Staff Member

    [QUOTE="Ken The Coug, Question when you say just don't street rod it what do you mean? [/QUOTE]




    There is a very big difference between a traditional hot rod and a street rod. this is a traditional hot rod forum and we cater to 65 and older cars modified with parts and methods used before 1965. A hot rod to us has a vintage powerplant with period correct speed equipment, a manual transmission and Henry Fords original suspension and brakes. (upgraded typically with a dropped front axle and early f100 brakes). A street rod on the other hand will have a modern engine, automatic trans, independent suspension, power windows air conditioning....all the options a new car may have. Make sense? of coarse these definitions are generalizations. most people on this board would absolutely kill to have that unmolested historic hot rod that you have. and in my opinion it would be the same as painting a mustache on the Mona Lisa to change anything about it. If it is all about letting your dad drive it, wouldn't it be far more nostalgic for him if the car was exactly as he remembered it back in the "good old days"?
     
  22. fatkoop
    Joined: Nov 17, 2009
    Posts: 713

    fatkoop
    Member

    X2!!!
     
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  23. Ken The Coug
    Joined: Feb 14, 2018
    Posts: 68

    Ken The Coug
    Member

    Here are more pics I took tonight. I think the block is 68 now, I looked for any numbers I could find. I have just temped in the 2 different tail lights I have for it. The smaller ones are new from Drakes. I bought a cherry picker and engine stand off craigs list for 100.00 and got started. I have the interior but it is rough. The seat was not bolted down so I took it out to let you guys see. Anyone able to confirm what this engine really is? Your thoughts on the taillights .
    f18.jpg f14.jpg f2.jpg f3.jpg f4.jpg f5.jpg f1.jpg f8.jpg f11.jpg f12.jpg
     
  24. Oh man that's great! Those Buick Tailights got used a lot back then. My roadster had them when he first built it. The chassis looks really nice. Not a cobbled mess. Man that thing is cool! (Sorry I'll stop posting on your thread pretty soon. I get pretty excited about this stuff!)

    Is that a Hurst mount on the front of that engine?

    Does the engine turn over or is it stuck?
     
  25. WOW!!!! Dude, you don't need to do a full rebuild with that. Going by those pics it is clean, run lines (brake/fuel), rebuild brakes, do wiring and rebuild engine. You will be running your dad around sooner than you think, 30K? you may use 10K. For want of a better term you have good bones there.
     
  26. dumprat
    Joined: Dec 27, 2006
    Posts: 3,479

    dumprat
    Member
    from b.c.

    I think you need to take a look at what you have and what it would be like if you just fixed it back to how it was.
    Retain the family history
    Retain the vintage cool factor
    And it will be way less work to get back on the road.
     
  27. Chris likes this.
  28. Those Buick lights are all you need, perfection!
     
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  29. maneri
    Joined: Dec 8, 2009
    Posts: 242

    maneri
    Member
    from ohio

    just a thought but maybe 57 pontiac tail lite lenses--
     
  30. enloe
    Joined: May 10, 2006
    Posts: 9,534

    enloe
    Member
    from east , tn.

    58 impala taillights
     
    Nailhead A-V8 likes this.

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