Imagine that you have a deuce roadster body and frame for free. Imagine your life's dream is one kool channelled and chopped 4,5" 5W and you have good metal shaping skills. Now what are trouble and mod you have to do on your '32 roadster body you get for free? I start with red rounds in this picture. You may have dimensional problems? like lenght, body to stretch etc..? Luca
Here in California original '32 Ford Roadster bodies are more valuable than 5Ws. Sell the roadster and find a coupe. Lucky 1974 gave you good advice.
Btw, are you implying that yougot a duece roadster for free?? Have you ever driven or rode in a Hotrod roadster? Way more exciting that a coupe or sedan!
a removable hard top would be the way to go out of aluminum make it what ever dimensions it needs to be. then you can have both a roadster and a coupe have you seen the deuce site http://www.deuceslimited.com
I like that idea... make it a Carson style top that looks like some of the cool chopped roadster tops you see these days. Either cover it or perhaps just paint it a contrasting color to your body. Gary
Although it once was a 5-window, here is mine (avatar) w/f-glass lift off top. Pics are of the before and after look.
But just in case you have a Brookville body and still want a 5w I would consult with OZ40 here on the hamb. That feller is making a 5w from a 4 door!!! Search 5w-reshuffle
Lol, I said "imagine" why I'm looking for a detailed list of differences between roadster & 5W. Anyway yes Jeffrey, I found a cheap brook body near Italy for 5000 and my mind sayed me.. Why you don't put a top on it?? I just have Henry frame & papers, but 5W body are damn expensive! 13000$+!
You screw up an original deuce roadster body and some of these guys will reach thru the monitor screen and choke you!
I can relate to wanting a coupe and having to settle for what you can find... before the net and reproductions - genny steel was the deal... so I made a coupe out of a convertable but it is attached with 57 Bird latches and I have the benifit of both
Not really Trad, but here is a car that was a Magazine Build ( for a UK Magazine, sometime in the early '80s, I believe ). It was a Roadster, with a Lift Off Top made out of the roof section off a 'glass 3W.
I don't like the premise of the question.If you can get a brookville roadster body for 5k near you,why don't you buy it and sell it and you should have money left over for a coupe.That is way more work than the outcome is worth IMO.
Sounds like the Italian market is different. If I'm reading this right, he's saying that coupe bodies are going for $13,000 whereas the B'ville roadster bodies go for $5000. I'd save up for the difference and get a coupe body even if you have to build it from parts. Changing a roadster body to a coupe body that actually LOOKS like a real coupe body is a LOT of work. There are huge differences between the two. DO yourself a favor and get a beat-up 5-W body and straighten it out yourself. You'll be much better off.
A brookville in Italy for $5000 US has to be a steal. Your best bet is to resell it or build it and then resell it for alot more so you can afford to buy the 5 window. Are you sure it's a Brookville though? It's not that roadster body company from Sweden is it?
Shit my 5w will be half Brookville by the time I'm done with it.....maybe a bit more. hahaha!!!! I would probably build the roadster instead of the 5w right now. You will probably love it and if you still want a 5w after the fact then sell it and buy a 5w.
I'm with Jeff on this one. Drive it enjoy it a while! And a roadster can be sealed up pretty well against the elements and a heater will keep you nice and warm. I've driven mine in freezing temps, rain, snow and through the mountains. Mine has a Bop Top with flip down lexan windows that I made, a vintage air heater and heated seats. My wife and I have been very comfortable for over 50K miles. <table style="width:auto;"><tr><td></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From Lake City Roadsters Reliability Run 2002</td></tr></table> <table style="width:auto;"><tr><td></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From Lake City Roadsters Reliability Run 2002</td></tr></table>
I like the idea metalshapes posted even if the style is off topic. Equal parts of that and Tom Cobbs' roadster (which was a '29 with a liftoff top to compete in the coupe classes) and you could have something traditional, cool and practical.
if you wanted to make it look like a real 5 window you would need 3/4 of a 5 window to do it. if you had the tools and skills to make all the 5 window parts from flat sheet you might as well make the whole body.