Projects What Now?

About 6 months ago I pulled the trigger and bought a 32 roadster. I have since found out the history of the car. It was built in the late 70's and is essentially the same as new/ then. There is an article in Rod Action featuring it. Main change has been the wheels. I'm posting to get ideas on what I should do with it. It had a few mechanical problems and I think they are sorted out now. It starts right up and can be driven 50-100 miles reliably. I'm chicken to go farther but I'm getting used to it.
I found more history than I expected and I kinda don't want to change something that is historic...but then... The first owner lives semi-nearby and I have talked to him on the phone and Stritchfield by e-mail. They verify this is the original car.
My quandary is that I don't like several features and my "take" would make it a different car. I'm not afraid to do it (change exhaust, drop headlights, etc.) but I feel it is a bit "historic" and I don't want to wreck something that should be preserved. Tell me what ya think. Here are pictures:

 

Maybe...change the steering wheel. That's all!!!

 

Take a lot of pictures now, in case anybody wants to restore it to present-day. Then do what you want. Lots of famous hot rods were changed over the years. It just becomes part of its history.
My opinion.

 

What would you like to change?

 

Historic build.
Previous build 'changes' have not always gone well. Lookup history of the Kookie car, Norm got it right.

 

Ditto that.

 

Its yours now,but do as rickybop said.

 

Do whatever you want to do to make it YOUR car, I honestly believe being built in the 70's and featured in a magazine really doesn't make the car historically significant. HRP

 

Changes:
1.Add boptop
2. Rootlieb stock 25 louver hood and sides
3. Rams Horns and under car exhaust
4. Drop headlight bar w/ 34 headlights. This would mean changing shock/shock mounts. The frame is very molded around crossmember and shock mounts.
5. Overdrive 200r.
I'll try to show how beautiful the frame is. All welds ground clean and painted met. dk green. I finally got under car at a friend's lift and its like a show car under there. I'll try to show the wiring layout. Its beautiful. The more I look at the car, the more I respect the original builders Alf Ebberoth and Dick Stritchfield. Nice article in Rod Action May, 1981

 

If it were mine, I'd do what you posted, except for the locomotive headlights. The current lights look right, to me. And, I'd change the tail lights to '41 Chevy. I'm guessing that it's a Scrithfield build, so it probably drives really well. I'd keep all the original pieces when you do make changes. It's a pretty car. Just knock some of the disco seventies look off of it, and you're golden.

 

Leave it as is. The '70's look may come back.

Sent from my SM-T350 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

The 70s are already coming back....but mostly as modified muscle cars, not street rods.

You could leave it alone, and start a trend.

 

If its a scritchfield car, I wouldn't change a thing.

 

I'm with Chili Phil. I'd make the changes you suggest except the headlights. I like what's on it.

 

That’s pure 70’s.
I don’t regard the 70’s as historic really.
The H.A.M.B. doesn’t accept cars of that era for good reason.
I think that style was the first step into the goldchaining bathtub mobiles.
And I was a teen during those days and I still don’t aspire to those changes.
Make it what YOU want.
It won’t depreciate the cost or attraction in today’s market.

 

I agree with what @Chili Phil said. Headlights are fine, taillights need to go.

 

Nice car!
Me, the headers would be the first to go, though I'm also not into rams horns either.
Considering they are your neighbors I would also go with the Rootlieb 25 slot "Henry" hood.
The steering wheel and what appears to be an aluminum dash insert don't appeal to me like they may have at one time but would not be a deal breaker, the tail lights would have to go though.
As to a tire/wheel combo I much prefer a little wider rear tire and a little narrower front but the car looks great as is.

 

I like your 1,2,3 ideas. The head lights look fine. Maybe change the steering wheel. The question is how big is your budget and where do you stop.

 

Real Estate sales people told the "sheeple masses" for decades, that you should never stray away from "neutral" paint colors and carpets when renovating 'your' home...>>>for future resale. WTH?.

The big stock headlights is another thing that goes back to the resto rod years..but...dammit, everyone should make a hotrod the way you want before we get any older.

....and don't worry about needing to drive long distances to some event, if you are not comfortable. I have a blast everyday with mine. Had it out for errands at noon today. Heading to a hotrod clubs Christmas party tonight, a bit further than I normally go..and overnight temps say 14F. What's the worst that could happen? One way to know..is to go. .(.and I don't have a cell or triple A.)

.

 

You must be young. The 70s were just a few days ago. If it were mine, I would change almost everything on it. Change what you really do not like and keep what you do like. In all honesty, being in a magazine is no big deal, I have seen some real crap featured in magazines over the years.

 

Dick's last name is "Scritchfield" I believe. You may want to check on the proper spelling.


Sent from my iPad using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

Except for the headlight bar modification everything else is easy bolt on that can be changed back. Consider painted steel wheels with traditional looking tires, then the BLC lights will fit in better than the commercial lights. A '40 or banjo steering wheel mellows out the interior. Don't know if '48 Chev taillights will cover the billet holes that might be longer, but a trim plate painted body color when you paint the hood might be passable.

This would be a good subject for the photoshopped thread.

 

Chili Phil nailed it.It's your car. Make it what you want. Save the pieces for the next guy to do what he wants. I also like the headlights as they are.

 

Do what F&J said. But be warned, he's crazy. If the car is historically significant, that's one thing. But ( and I speak out of ignorance here), what makes this car one of the 10, 20, 50, or 100 32's ever built? It's a nice car and you don't want to screw it up, that I get, but is this thing going in the Peterson museum one day? Change what you don't like, (for me, tail lights and exhaust), and drive the pee pee out out of it. Save all the spare parts for the next guy. It is a very nice car, but have fun with it, not angst.

 

Whatever you do, you gotta conform to the current nonconformist look. The old nonconformist look is right out.

 

Unless you plan on starting a museum, just build it your way and don't look back. The car may be a neat old car, but I doubt it holds any real historic value. I appreciate history, but I don't want it to paralyze me.

 

Nice car... Absolutely LOVE the color!

Changes? Lose all the 'billet' bits; dash, steering wheel, taillights, wheels. With the amount of chrome you have, I'd go with chrome steel wheels (NOT 'smoothies' for gawds sake..) and chrome versions of the headlights you already have. Maybe a pair of '58 BelAir taillights (should cover the holes from the billet lights). Green metalflake steering wheel (or at least body color). Exhaust? Lakes style headers with caps, then run the rest under the car, keep the hood as-is. All this will move it back at least a decade in 'build style', yet keep the 'flavor' of the car.

Scritch knows how to build 'em, you just need to 'de-'70s' it.... LOL

 

I like the idea of swapping out the exhaust and hood, and you can always toss the headers and current hood up in the rafters to keep with the car, or hang them up in the shop as wall art. I'm with those who like the current headlights. I would want to swap out the steering wheel and tail lights as well, but I'd find a way to do it that wouldn't involve cutting up the tail panel (not even from a preservation standpoint, just because it'd be easier and the current paint job looks really nice). Some kind of dash overlay might look nice too. I'm not fond of the current wheels but you said they were already changed so you can do anything you want there.

What trans does it have in it now, that you don't like?

Having a former magazine car is cool, and if you were planning to totally redo it in a different style I'd say no, but some bolt-on changes wouldn't really destroy the history of the car, and would look a lot nicer. It looks to be an exceptionally well built and well cared for car, with just a handful of tacky accessories that'd be easy enough to change.

 

If you sold that car today the next owner could do anything and everything. It's your car now so do what you want with it and enjoy it. As S. Twain says"So you got a car...."

 

Spot-On! IMO