Projects Looking for racing History on this 1932 Ford 3 window

how cool is that?

looking at the chop the original builder could be here on the HAMB but too ashamed to admit it.

 

He was probably just a kid doing his first chop. No big deal we can fix it!

 

Does the Plexiglass suggest a particular time and type racing? Was Plexiglass used for coupes doing mostly dry lakes racing or drag racing (or both)? Reason I ask is my old race coupe has a Plexiglass windshield and looks very similar to the John Barnes coupe as far as having a radical lakes chop. It also came out of So Cal 25 or 30 years ago. I've often wondered about its race history too, and figure somebody on the HAMB knows about the historical use of plexiglass, lightened bodies, etc. on Deuce coupes.

 

Quote:
Originally Posted by Human Fly
The guys from DeLuxe had some roof patches and header for sale at LARS if your chasing panels.

Thanks! Do you know how we can get in touch with them?

Kevan, Bryan from Deluxe Speed Shop is Deluxe Speed on here.

PM. me for email if you need it.

Can't wait to see progress. Duncan

 

Thanks Duncan!

 

Check 9:26 in this video i think its it
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5fZadBIBrA

 

Both pictures were taken at Pomona, early to mid-50s, by a guy named Norm Grudem, who sent them to the late Bryon Stack, they're on his "Gasser Madness" site...I have to agree, think the second car with the airplane scoop might well be the coupe you found...

 

a guy could show a picture of a cat turd from an old race car here and within 15 minutes someone will have a picture of the car

 

It's always scary to remove old paint and filler, never know what you'll find. It was probably just considered an old coupe at that time, and the work was just quick and dirty to get it to the track.

 

Thanks Kevan & Jimmy B looks like u hit it.

I'm kinda liken the dustbuster look!

 

cool coupe, kudos to jimmy b for digging up some of its history.
Al.

 

The only thing I could get out of the previous owners is that the body came out of Lake Elsinor and was raced at El mirage.

 

hey its scott, deluxe speed shop , Im sorry I dont have much left for 32 3w parts . I thought that I would never find another 32 3w so I sold what I had at LARS in june. But...4 days after I got home from the LARS I got a call about another one priced right! So I am now looking for some of the stuff I just sold.I met John about 5 years ago and liked the car alot. I get out to calif. about once a year and always seem to run into him , tell him I said hi and if I had parts he would be welcome to them . Scott

 

This place is amazing.

 

Unreal! Jimmy you rule!
Kevan, cant wait to see how it turns out!

-Shiny

 

Badass!! I saw the car a few years back at Moon BBQ and fell in love with the roughness and toughness of the chop. The louvers in the deck lid rule! Cool to be learning so much about a legit hot rod!

 

That's pretty funny 49ratfink, but oh so right!!

 

Wow, great history

 

When you re-do the chop, are you going to reslant it? Gonna chop it lower in front, or raise it in the back?

 

It's already low enough in the front so I think I will raise the rear slightly to compensate. it wont take much and It will basically look the same when finished. Plus there are some seriously nasty welds inside so I will be able to clean those up at the same time.
Since it now has some documented history I dont want to do too much to change it. But it's had a hard life and I think it deserves to be cleaned up a little. Regardless of the history John drives the crap out of this car so he really wants the roof straitened out and a wants a stock hinged windshield.

 

Did a little work on the coupe today. Since these 3 window parts are hard to find and expensive I decided to see if I could just make the A-pilar patch. So far it's turning out ok and Im pretty happy with it but still needs some work.

heres how it looks now


And the patch

 

Looks awesome! Great work.

 

That is such a cool car. I have spent a lot of time checking it out at events. Great history as well. Patch looks great. Good luck with your build.

 

WOW Kevan! Thousand times better already!

 

gotta liove the power of the hamb! that A piller is looking better already. I would change much... just put metal back were it should be and of course hinge that windshield.

jeff

 

Damn Kevan, just seeing your patch is getting me excited for this car !

 

Wow! That is some great patch work. With a first attempt like that, I think you could scratch build all the pieces you need. I love John's car.

 

Happy to help. Yeah the earlier version is more practical, both are awesome in their own right. Sorry I can't help with the owners name from that period I don't have that kind of reference material. Great job on the A pillar patch panel. FWIW I would keep the proportions of the chop as is just fix the shoddy work. I would also keep the door cutouts as evidence of its history.

Happy to help!

That is pretty much how it works, I recognise something and go looking at a particular folder, if I don't find what I'm searching for I look at everything. In this particular case the chop looked kind of familiar so I went and looked at the folder with the early Pomona drag photos and sure enough I had those images saved.

 

Thanks Jimmy, I did some work to the car last week. Unfortunately door cut outs were done badly and looked like crap so the metal needed to be replaced. Im all about saving as much history as possible, but since the car will be restored closer to the first early version there was no need to keep the holes. John will keep the old pieces of course and everything is being documented with plenty of pictures.



The cowl vent was gas welded shut so the whole cowl top was just a warped nightmare! After many hours of hammer/dolly work and heat shrinking it's finally looking good again.