History History (and Build) of Just Steve's 1932 Ford Three Window

the gsta news letter was a bit too large for my scanner. i will have to rescan them on another scanner. looks like some of the printing was cut off

 

It is really special to be able to gather ANY historical info. on one's car(s), so for you to accumulate so much is a testament to first, how nice a car it was that folks remember it, and secondly, how diligently you have investigated and how much folks want to help. This really is a "feel good" story! I'll be following this one with great interest for a lot of reasons!

Dave

 

One of the best threads I've seen in a while. Eric, I'm happy you ended up with your brother's '32. Thanks for sharing everything with us. Great story.



Malcolm

 

Nice compliments guys I appreciate it. I'm having fun researching the history. Much of this Steve had known, but not all, so it is neat to see more information coming forward. There are a lot of lurkers on the HAMB coming out of the woodwork to help fill in the details.

 

Here is the Header, Steve could not find the driver side, If anybody know the manufacturer, or has one. Let me know, if not I can duplicate it,



Them are Belond headers if you want I can post a couple pics of the drivers side. The drivers side looks nothing like the passenger side. We are using a set on my dads 34 and it gets pretty tight with the starter

Them valve covers are SO cool I've been looking for a set for a very long time!

 

A little more for this evening. I received a PM and email from a guy that may have more information on the chopped 32 sedan featured in Cars and Clubs that went to Wisconsin (late 80's early 90's??).

Ken from Mankato who owned the chopped 32 sedan, sent me a few pictures in the mail from the 1960 GSTA show. He received these photos from Dave Bell. I think these help dial in the date the car was there.

This first pic shows the Amblers display and Bob McGinley's "Skag" 32 Drag coupe. In the background, upper left, you can see the 32 3 window with the white top insert. Next to it is the red Studebaker.



This is similar to an earlier picture I posted, a little different angle.


Jon (Katman1) mentioned that the injection may have been borrowed off of Bob Stacy's TE440 Dragster. (actually the other way around in that Bob had borrowed the Injection set-up for the Dragster) He sent me a link to Big Yohns site that has a lot of great drag racing photos from Minneapolis Dragways (and others).
http://bigyohnsracing.com/early-years3.shtml

"Big Yohn" was also a Cars and Clubs Co=Editor. I have reached out to him with this link to see if he may have any other archive photos from this era, or any personal perspective that would be helpful.

 

If you could email a few pics of the driver side header that would be great. I may just end up making a set.

Today I bolted the motor and tranny together and dropped it in place and checked the fit. Everything will be snug on the drivers side. I still may change up the firewall.

 

So this thread is bouncing around a bit, history on the 32, a little tech, and some history on MPLS clubs and other cars. But it's all good stuff.

I have two small updates, I got an email from Ron Johnson:

Hi Eric. I went through the whole HAMB series. I remember taking the first set of pictures of the Rhythm Rods garage and presume I wrote that story for Cars and Club as well. I had left the magazine before the second set of photos was taken. I probably also wrote the stories in the Gopher State Timer, as the entire staff was me and Ed Hess. I was at Cordova for the ATAA World Series in both 1957 and 1958 as well.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>
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But, I don't remember anything about the car you are rebuilding, nor do I recall the guys who owned it. I remember Jim McElroy, Boyd Harlan and Bob Stacy, but that's about it.<o></o>
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I have no photos of your car. Sorry I couldn't be of more help. You have a great project and I am sure that you will do a bangup job of finishing it to whatever configuration you settle on.
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I also received an email from Barry Weeks. He found a picture of the 32 sedan that was on the cover of Cars in Clubs. His pictures were taken when he hauled it from MPLS to Milwaukee in 2000. I bumped that thread with some new information and pictures: Here's the link, and hopefully more information will surface on the car.
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=9404959#post9404959

 

I'm so sorry about your brother, that's really heartbreaking. Man I'm so happy you got your brother's coupe. It deserves to be with you and it looks so damn cool I love all the parts you've shown and the story that's unfolding. Keep it up!!!!

 

The firewall looks fine, go with it!

Ill bug Barry at lunch on weds and see if he can remember the guys name he delivered it too, surprised he didnt!

JEFF

 

Barry shot me a couple emails with some additional information, so we'll see if we can keep tracking the sedan down.

This weekend I'll be looking at the firewall a little more in-depth. With the whole works moved back it changes toe-board angle, how the pedals come through, etc. I want to confirm this was thought out, which I think it was.

 

Dad and I spent a few hours yesterday looking over the car and come up with a few ideas.

For the front upper shock mounts I'll cut down some F-1's and weld them to a square plate that will bolt to the frame. I have So Cal Bell style tube shocks coming, and will use them on the rear, though I am not quite sure where and how I'll mount rears yet...Space is pretty tight.

I have some ideas for a set-of headers that will be unique, and traditional looking. These will be inside the frame Lakesters with a tapered cone from 1.5" to 2.25" that will snake down between the frame and split bones....Space is really damn tight.

We looked over the firewall pretty close, and I decided the car needs better, so today I went to the local pick-a-part and found this '32 firewall. The rest of the car was as nice as it was but it will probably just get cut-up.....


Yes, that was a joke. I need to thank John for parting with this firewall, I almost hate to cut-into this one, but it's for a good cause right...I need to get some feet on order.

 

Wow!

 

Here's a few pics of them headers we have. I got a couple more that wouldn't load so PM me your email address and I'll send them to you

 

Thanks again for posting the pics of your headers. That gives me a few additional ideas.

 

I finished up some front shock mounts. These were Dodge mounts similar to F-1 that I heated and reformed the rear legs, bent them out at a 45 degree angle and then added a front leg (from an F-1) to pick up another mounting point. The rear two mounts will be bolted through bungs welded in. Something a little different and should be plenty strong.

 

Here's another picture of the driver side mount. I have all the pieces to start the firewall and headers now..

 

Subscribed! A great story. Can't wait to see how this turns out.

 

THANKS for the update! I remember reading the article and feeling your brother's excitement at making the ultimate score. I Al's loved his tech articles on Big Olds.
I love your plan for the car and I bet he would too. Between it and what Denise has done with Big Olds I'm sure your brother is very pleased with the tributes/honors.

 

Dan, Thanks...I was checking out your albums, I grew up in a 38 Chev coupe street rod in the 70's and 80's...The red coupe is great, I'd like to hear the story on that car.

GMB...Thanks!

 

Here are some pics of todays progress. I started to measure the engine placement, distributor location and transferring the measurements to the new firewall, and marking out a general shape, that I hope will be functional and pleasing.

I found out that RC magazine had a recent article on recessing a 32 firewall with a nailhead.
http://www.rodandcustommagazine.com/techarticles/1307_1932_ford_coupe_firewall_recession/
I'm assuming the car Walden was working on had a stretched wheelbase as their motor is further forward in the chassis and the distribtor clears with a flat firewall face. Mine won't clear and it appears the engine is as far forward as possible.

After taking several measurements it looks like I need a recess for my distrubutor.




I made a mock-up in card-stock, after holding it up and taking a few measurements I decided to add another inch to the height of the distributor recess.




I decided to use 16ga. Here's the panel bent up., and I decided it would be a good stopping point for today, Tomorrow I'll start trimming the old firewall and tacking panel in place, for another test fit.

 

NICE work

later jim

 

Looks good. Pretty ballsy standing on the stool to get pics for us.

 

And nice loafers!

 

Ha Ha... Leave it up to you two to comment.. I like my loafers, they are all leather and keep the sparks at bay..

I got the insert fitted and tacked. I decided to change the top up a little bit to tie in the stamped ribs. Overall fit is good, the very top back edge of the distributor is a little tight for my liking....Need to sleep on it.

 

Nice story.

 

Nice! Don't forget the height factor when doing your recess for the distributor. You can do a nice recess, that looks good with everything in place, but you can't pull the distributor out of the motor if you don't go high enough. I can't tell just how much you're gonna be into the firewall, but it's something to consider. Don't wanna have to pull the motor forward just to remove the distributor.

Keep postin' man!!

 

I have most of the external work done, I installed new feet from United Pacific.

I added some notches for the spark plug covers, and now I have some holes to file and work to finish the toe board, pedal, and column mounting.

 

Nice Job.

I was just thinking about if you have to pull a head, and remembered when I removed the heads on my 57 Buick, things were tight and certain head bolts had to be removed with the head. There wasn't enough room to remove the bolts fully first.

Of course, remembering which bolts needed putting in the head before refitting was just as important.

I only mention it because it may be relevant in your case too.

Keep up the good work.

Mart.

 

One good thing about a nailhead is you can do a lot of dissasembly to the engine without having to pull the distributor...and if it needs to be removed chances are the engine will need to come out as well.

Thanks for the comments, and Happy New Year to everyone!