The 32 Cabro has some really funky lines and has never been as popular as the roadster. The reveal lines missing from the top deck lid area is very awkward but I myself have always wanted a cabro. I still am in love with the purple one with the hemi that Rockymountain Street Rods has currently.
If this were true, then why aren't the Don Montgomery books and (late '40s/ early '50s) issues of Hot Rod and Hop Up full of cabriolets instead of roadsters? Why was there a club formed named "The LA Roadsters", and not "The LA Cabriolets"? Seriously the Cabriolet has been sort of a "bastard child" of the '32 Ford model line for a long time. They never have been as sought after as a roadster, and probably never will be. That's not to say that they have no appeal...of course they do! And they can be made into awesome hot rods as seen in the pictures above. But it has been proven that it is more difficult to make a "good looking" hot rod out of a cabriolet than a roadster. Personally I'd like to see someone buy the car that actually had some interest in keeping the car long enough to make into what it has potential to be...a neat '50s style car with some history. All it needs is a little TLC, and change the right pieces here and there and it could be an awesome car. I'd do it myself, but it was out of my price range long ago. I do agree that fixing the windshield would help the looks of the car a lot. Hopefully whoever ends up with the car next will put a little effort into it, and not just try to make a 'quick buck.'
I'll agree cabriolets don't look as good as roadsters, but in Indiana, cabriolets are ideal. Heat & air. Wouldn't trade it for a roadster.
I agree with your comments. I do think the roadster was by far chosen over a cabriolet. I think what was shown to the world in magazines of that era was the Southern California Hotrodding World. Perfect weather was/is the norm there, and stripping a car down to be as light as possible for the lakes was the important thing. So, I'll agree that a roadster that has a removable windshield, removable top, and no heavy glass in the doors would be more desirable for someone doing time triles on the salt. And because that was being covered in the magazines, that is what became the fastest, coolest car. Why I said it was the hot ticket was from the story I heard from someone around these parts that had a hot rod for the streets, to be the cool kid in highschool, not the record breaker for speed. This old timer was a young guy here in Irving Texas who ran around in a 32 roadster back in the late 50s. His top had been bent badly when the wind yanked it back while driving around in his roadster, so he didn't have a top for it anymore. In the wintertime, him and his best girl came out of school to find the entire interior of his roadster full of frost and snow. He had to scoop the snow off the seat for his girlfirend before he drove her home. On the way to her house, he passed a used car lot with a 32 cabriolet on it for $300. He said he begged his dad to help him out with the money to get that car with roll up windows and a top that wouldn't blow off, and he was going to do a body swap with his already built roadster, but he didn't wind up getting it before it was sold to someone else. I hear ya. More old roadster pictures than cabriolets. Way more of them made and laying around all over the place. But, for the car at the top of this thread, I would say that trying to turn this cabriolet into a roadster wasn't the best idea. I would put it back to a Cabriolet, and I still think it could be a cool hotrod. I want to say I've seen a picture (Maybe Birth of Hotrodding) with all the car clubs represented, and I thought there was a cabriolet in the mix even with all the required open cars that were the only cars allowed to run on the salt in the beginning. (Rules were "roadsters" only, right?)
I'm pretty sure the Monkey gas man had this one on the lot. It's got a channel but has the posts. I think this ones alot better looking with the W/S post on and Monochromatic white paint. In fact I like the way it looks just needs a Killer motor.. It seems like our freinds overseas like to take more pictures of the Cabriolet in the 1950 more then we did.. I think Hotrods of the 1950's had a few shots.
That thing is an original '32 with HISTORY. If you can document it, it's worth a lot more than anyone here has guessed so far. Cris
"The LA Cabriolets"? HAHAH thats funny. That car does look alittle crude and being a cabro it will never be as desireable as a roadster, the same shape roadster would have people fighting over it for 25 grand.
Very good point! -------------------------- Check out these seats from the above 1961 cabriolet magazine car! Are these from a barber shop or a movie theater? View attachment 418237 ..
ive always loved that car too, it was either buy that at the time or my 36 roadster, i wish i could have bought both! titus
I'm a begger not a chooser,i have sen Dueces go from cheap old Fords with not too much value to high dollar projects requiring big dollars as an entry fee. Who cares if it's a cab? it's DeUce ...hear that? D-E-U-C-E ..ONLY WAY I'LL GET ONE IS TO BUY PLASTIC AND THAT IS NEVER GONNA HAPPEN!.
look to me to be either Chysler Airflow ,1st class railroad or bus seats or possibly Aircraft seats.Very "Arte Streamline" though. ..
yes,i AGREE NOW,I have seen those usually in the expensive rows of theatres,You could layback and watch Bogie talk down some beauty. They have back again in those modern metroplex places.
I read dayly here on the hamb how we sure wish we could find a real honest to God survivor with patina to kill for for and when one is offered up time and again all we get is excuses instead of action..... hey don't shoot the messanger, just sayin. Also, its depriciated ? as much as it ever will unless its crushed!
It has always been my impression (from the language in period feature articles on Duece cabriolets) that the cabriolet was more desirable than the roadsters. I was going to say that the much lower production numbers of the cab explained why there were fewer photos...but then I looked at the production numbers...not much difference: 2-door DeLuxe roadster: 6,893 2-door Standard roadster: 520 Cabriolet: 5,499 Maybe it is a regional difference. I can see why the cab would be more desirable in cooler climates, and the roadster more popular in places like California. In fact, when I think back on period cab hot rod articles, it seems most of them were in East Coast style. Personally, I would prefer a cab over a roadster.
W.T.F. are you talking about...... The car has been offered to several hambers for half the price it is now. Three or four people have owned it in a year, all trying to make a buck off of a cent. There is a point where it stops. Common sense does come into play. Just because it is old, and someone modified it in the past doesn't make it a hot rod or desirable...... for 26K.
i'm always without news about this 32 cab i need some help about his history ,somebody know where i can find somthing about it ??
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