Hot Rods OLD HOT ROD '32 3 window in my shop with PICS!... Need some Measurements!

So I'm working on this old '32 3 window for a customer and really good friend of mine, and it has some weird old bodywork that he wants straightened out. I know that it was an old race car at some point, and then a finished hot rod... but I'm trying to figure out what was all done to it when it was chopped.

I'm not a 32 guy at all... so I'm not really all that familiar with how you go about chopping one. Like, I get the process, but the best places to specifically cut them, mainly to lean the windshield back, I'm not so sure about.

From what I can tell, it seems like they shortened the doors/floors around 2 inches? I think it may be sectioned an inch or so as well. Here's a picture with some handy little mspaint lines drawn on it....

If someone could measure their 3 window in these spots, I would REALLY appreciate it.


Here's some pictures of the work I've done so far. All the chassis/suspension work was done by my buddy Bobby the Leg down at King Customs in Chicago. It's the first door-skin I've ever tried to make... so I'm calling this my learning/practice one. I wanted to figure out how to brake the door down into pieces, and how to shape them correctly first, see how much the welding was going to distort them, figure out how to correct it, etc... then try to make the real skin out of as few as possible, and fold the outer edge over like the factory did


Cut out all the crap

Wheeled a lower skin, and made my first set of dies for my pullmax to form the bodyline:




The lower skin still needs some wheeling, and the bodyline has a little wave to it etc...but it's starting to look like something. I'll probably end up making the entire lower half of the door from scratch.

I'm thinking that I'm going to roll with the whole shortened door thing, just because I think it gives it a little bit neater proportions, but I think I might chop it a little more... 1/2-1" just to make fixing the window areas way easier, and I think it'll look tougher.

I decided to channel it too... it just looks way better. I threw some random parts on it that were laying around the shop and took some pictures. The headers obviously wont work, they're from my model A... just a mockup. I like the height of the cowl in the front, the back still needs to come down a little bit, but at least you guys can see where I'm headed. I think it's going to be a neat little car.

 

What a neat fucking car! The door looks great Jonny. Did you use your new machine for that?

That thing looks like a Weezner drawing!

 

Thanks man! Yeah... I used the big green bastard. Haha.

 

Here's a side profile shot before I cut all the floors out... Maybe that can help with figuring out whats all been done.

 

I dig it!!!

Nice work on that door!

 

wow!

 

I think that may be my new favorite Deuce! The proportions are killer!

 

it does!

 

Definetely wedge sectioned, and it does look to be shortened during the chop. But hard to tell how much it was shortened: not much. Hopefully someone will have some measurements for you. I wouldn't channel it too much or it will look too cartoony.

 

I'm diggin the side view just like this, not chanelled. What you're doing to this bod is amazing!

 

Here's a picture of the other side of the body... The cuts are just weird. At first I thought they cut into the quarters for some kind of repair after a wreck... but it has identical cuts on both sides, as well as one right through the middle of the rear window, from the roof opening to the trunk area.

 

cool car!

 

wow, that car is wild! Nice work!

 

it looks to be wedge sectioned . and honestly i wouldnt channel or chop it any further . i would like to know history of this car


Jen

 

Wow, that car has some attitude!!!
I like it a lot.

 

I really like the post-channel picture. It just screams hot rod to me.. Especially with that forward rake.

 

Cool rake!

 

Whoa!!! That is pure badassness! The proportions are perfect and as cactus1 said looks straight out of a Weezner painting.

 

Lookin very cool!
my weekly metal work blog www.themetalsurgeon.com

 

Just measured mine, green=11 1/2, red= 39, and yellow= 10 3/4

 

^ yes, a wedge section which I have never seen done before on an early car...and it looks so right on that car. The whole package is f'ing nuts...in a very good way. What a great car, sits right and all the good parts, caps, early Cad, etc. WoW

Bring back the old builds like they were, not how they are "copied" today. Awesome..

 

Here's the one I was thinking of, Caddy mill and all!

 

Thank you!!

Looks like this one is chopped 3 inches, shortened 1-1/2 inches and sectioned 1-3/4 inches at the hinges. Would you mind taking one more measurement? From the center of the door handle hole, straight down to the lower edge of the door?

 

That thing is wild... I like it.

 

Man, that car is the tits. It looks so mean when channeled.

 

This looks perfect

Just add a chopped grille shell and bob the frame

 

Holy shit yeah!!!


I think this is the fucking coolest cars I've seen in a long time. It's about time some 3w get a different look and this is how i'd do mine if I had one. Amazing!!!!


I actually like how the cowl is lower in front then the rear of the car (kinda wedged) but it looks dead nut on and cartoony in the same breath! So rad!!!!

What's the tire sizes???

 

that thing is freakin cool. I love the section and chop. Is that channel set where you like it? I hope so... perfect

Jeff

 

Looking good

 

Love the Caddy mill!!So does that pullmax machine have a bunch of dies with it?It's big but looks like a awesome piece of equipment.