Hot Rods 32 Ford 3 Window

Got a question. I've always wanted a 32 Ford 3 window coupe. The problem is there are few left and here in Maine they are all gone....rotted into top soil. I see lots of 32's in photos here on the HAMB and I'm wondering what percentage are fiberglass. Thanks.

 

You're not allowed to build a fiberglass car and act like you've accomplished something.

Say it out loud and it sounds even stupider doesn't it?

If you're OK with a glass 32 3 window then you should go for it.
It isn't gonna be much easier to build, other than the likely rust repair of a steel car!
I wouldn't worry about what other people think...because you'll always get people who disapprove of anything anyway.

I'd say its more about YOUR enjoyment than their approval....

(Edit) I prefer OEM steel, mostly due to my love of the history of it all...but ultimately a person can have fun building and running a repo car.
I just can't accept the "real or nothing" attitude.
You can have a LOT of fun in a 'glass or repo steel car...)

 

I would bet most of them in the threads are steel, most of them in the classifieds are glass, see a trend here?

 

Without trying to hijack 48's thread are steel reproductions of a traditional hot rod more acceptable than a glass build?

 

steel is real , we built models when we were kids , hell some of us still are , "happy new year"

 

Who gives a shit?

If you want one build one..

Glass/steel/brookville.. Do what you can afford and want..

BTW There's a deal on the ford barn on a 34 3w glass car right now, comes with a hemi, original firewall, 39 trans and a bunch of early parts.. Not mine but I did see the parts and the hemi..

 

I agree Bill, I personally wouldn't want a glass car, but I don't knock the guy who has one. I've got a '33 Plymouth coupe, and one of the FIRST questions I get from people is "is it steel?" My answer 'yes' is usually followed by a nod of approval. I can see how a guy with a glass car could get defensive after answering that same question for the thousandth time, even if there was no disrespect intended.

I have a friend who has a 'glass 32. He and his son built it and it really is a good looking car. Before it was even done it seemed like he had a chip on his shoulder about it being 'glass. He even made up a little sign on a shrunken head that read "THIS IS THE LAST GUY WHO CALLED THIS A KIT CAR"

 

I can see pro's and con's to both steel and glass. The rust repair on a body that has been sitting can be tough but I think worth it. If you go with a glass car and decide to go fenderless and no hood you could always swap in a steel firewall and it would look better than the smooth firewall that usually come with the glass cars.

 

Agreed. I think it's great if you have a original, but who wants to pay that kind of money? If you're building the car to actually USE (as you should be) then who cares what the body is made of? I've seen cool 'glass cars and goofy-looking steel cars and vice versa. Build what your paycheck allows.

 

If you build a glass or repo body just don't write that it is a 32 Ford on the window card at your local hotrod show. Just write "32 Ford Replica" At least you will be intellectualy honest and not have to defend yourself with questions. One of my biggest pet peeves at car shows. It may look like a 32 Ford but it will never be a 32 Ford no matter how many stock parts you bolt on it. Just tell it like it is. I do. I'm not saying glass is bad at all. Some guys like it and don't care. Just don't pass it off as something it's not. That's all I'm saying.

 

I've got both, steel 30 Model A, and fiberglass,37 Cord, and fiberglass 35 Auburn. Don't care what anyone thinks. With the work that goes into them I KNOW they are not KIT CARS.

 

Once the car is built, painted and trimmed know one really knows for sure.

Just don't buy an Outlaw body in my opinion they are just wrong.

 

Mine's a Henry Ford steel body (w/glass fenders) I don't know where you are with your percentages yet but good luck finding out. In my view a glass car is like buying a new car. It's value is only going down as soon as you take it off the lot. You"ll never get back what you put into it when the time comes to sell. It's just a used car. Where as a steel car will always be desirable. My $.02

 

GOT TO GO ALONG WITH THE REAL STEEL guys...Once built a glass deuce roadster and just was never happy with it. It was a very nice hot rod and ran like a bad ass. Sold it after one summer and got a steel one....Been happy ever since.

 

Happy New Year!!

 

'glass is not traditional? I've only been around hot rods for the last 40 years or so, and I don't know all the rules, but there were 'glass bodied rods long before that. Please send me a copy of the rule book so I can know when "traditional" starts.

 

Usualy the giveaway at first glance is the firewall. But after that, the car "sells" itself. If the owner has a good theme going, nice finish, and a grin from ear to ear, it still works.

 

There are a lot of steel Murray( remember Ford didn't build them)built 32 3 Windows out there. Some junk some good. Thing to remember is not many where thrown away. They have been popular forever so people saved parts and pieces from being junked.

 

My 32 is glass (N & N Fiberglass) I run the ass off of it , at the time I couldn't find a steel 3 window or thats what I would have built . For the money that I ended up putting in my car I could have probably bought and built a nice steel car. Build what you want who cares what anybody else thinks , remember it's your $$$$$ and if your going to run it and you enjoy it thats all that counts.

Rocky

 

There is always one more 32 3w, it is your job to dig it out of where it is and 'have at it', i personally don't get all warm and fuzzy over them. I look to see what the guy did with what they had to work with, it takes just as much effort to build say a 32 5w or a 31 5w as a 32 3w. see the problem i have is that you are being influenced overly much by others folks' opinion of what is the 'right thing to have' or 'value' - i am just as happy grinding rust off a model 'a' tudor and seeing where we can go with it instead of wondering if i chose an accptable body, or i have the right jeans on or if my hair is styled just right.

 

The first 32 i built was a glass 32 3 window. Cost and lack of real knowledge was a deciding factor in going glass..(cost being the bigger of the two)
I do not regret it one bit. Had a lot of fun with it regardless of what it was made out of.
And when i sold it, i got an extremely fair amount back from it.
Granted, times have changed a bit since i sold it, but i did not lose a dime on that car.
My own personal thought would be this.
IF owning a car that looks like a 32 3 window is something you want, and you plan to drive and enjoy it and don't truly care what other's think, then build a glass one and be happy.
If that's something that will eat at you then you will never be happy with it.
Don't get me wrong, i'm building a steel 5 window now so i know all about the steel is real stuff, but, life is short and i'd rather have a glass one then none at all if it came to that.

Just my 2 cents, thats worth just that..

EDIT:
Just realized i went off track with my post. I agree with who posted up a ways saying most of the build threads on here are of steel cars, with my glass ones in the classifieds.


Tony

 

This thread is a crock of shit !!!

 

Mostly

Not exactly..build what you can find and afford.

Exactly

 

If you build a real steel 32 as a hi-boy, make sure you put on the window card that it used to be a 32 Ford, but it is now only part of a 32, because Ford never sold hi-boys.

In fact (unless it only has all stock parts), if you change anything, you would be more honest just calling it a HOT ROD......it sounds better than saying it used to be a 32 Ford, before I hacked it up.

 

I wonder where the steel corvette threads are. Must be in the classifieds!

 

bleh..

 

Well, thanks all for the responses. They certainly give me something to think about.

 

I always wanted a hot rod 32 Ford 3 w. .13 years ago I built a glass one. loved it. drove the hell out of it sold it, built another glass one with Hemi power. drive the hell out of it ,love it. acquired a real steel one 2 years ago, It is not chopped, and I will not chop cuz the body is so nice. even though I like chopped cars. So now I have 2 32 cars. If you really want a 32 3W like I did build glass. If I waited for steel I still would not have been having the fun I had so far.



Ago

 

Really ????


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