Building a 32 ford rat rod need parts help

Hi, I am interested in building a 32 ford 50's style probably buick nailhead or 283 or olds engine but I am unsure of suspension parts to use, I am thinking about a 40 ford rear with a quick change center section, some long radius rods but I am unsure about the front end, I would like to use all vintage parts, drilled eye beam, drilled radius rods, I would like to use some buick finned drums, what should the axle spindles and hubs be that I am looking for? If I do put a 283 I hear a 39 ford transmission is what I should be looking for? any help with this would be greatly appreciated or if you could point me in the direction of a website that would have this information I would be appreciated. Thanks dave

 

Have you check the archives,and the Tech-O-matic ?

 

To use with buick drums? 41-48 ford passenger hubs with round 37-40 passenger car or 37- 41 pickup, round spindles.
40 hubs will also work but take a little more work to use with the buick drums.

 

This might be a better question to ask at this stage. Do you already have a '32 Ford to build into a hot rod? If not you might want to investigate the possibility of aquiring one. They were somewhat rare in the 50's and havent gotten any more plentiful in the years since. That said, if the prospect of spending thousands of dollars to get the raw material to start building doesn't change your mind about a '32 then dive right in. I'm not saying there aren't '32' still around that can be had for reasonable prices, just that today's reasonable price is somewhat higher than 30-40 yars ago.
Now that I've rained (or tried) on your parade get familiar with the folks on this board and they can lead you by the hand if necessary into the wonderful world of traditional hot rods. Get to know Rocky, he usually changes projects faster than anyone, maybe you can pick up one of his castoffs He can also build some of the coolest stuff on a budget, along with others that frequent this place.

 

Hi, I already had a 32 ford 3 window full fendered car, currently I have a steel 41 willys, 54 chevy and 70 olds 442, so I know the cost of building hot rods always thought I should of taking up golf as a hobby much easier on the pocket, I would be definitly happy with a 31 roadster body but i am not having much luck finding one so I thought I would go the 32 repro steel route,and fit with all the old time goodies. But I am just not sure what parts I am looking for. Thanks for the suggestion on the spindles and hubs, now I just need to know about the rest of the suspension.

 

If you have your heart set on a '31 roadster just check with Brookville Roadsters. they make a drop dead georgous steel body that can be used for a replacement on a restored car. The best news is that it's only about 1/2 the price of a '32 body.

Frank

 

This is "Hiboy 32"'s coupe. It may be considered a rat rod but it was a field-car when he found it. It'll be a nice car someday....maybe.

 

and now....

 

Thanks Rocky . Those pics sure do motivate me.

My coupe isnt built to be a fashonable "rat rod". As Rocky said it is a real , genuine, in the rust, Ditch Rod.

It has a forty front axle, brakes, and split wish bone. The rear is a forty as are the brakes and the rear radious rods. The rear has an open drive conversion.


You might want to look for an "I" beam axle, prob differant than an eye beam.

 

find this and buy it.
If I ask nicely will you stop saying “rat rod”?

 

Hey wernt those two 32's in a rust in piece section of American Rodder a few years ago? Dueces in the middle of nowhere damn what luck

 

Yes , Rocky took that pic directly from that mag

 

If you don't have the skills to do the chassis yourself, contact HotRodDrummer, he and his Dad will set you straight. 'Cept it won't be a rat rod.

 

How about some pictures of your former '32 3w and the current '41 Willys. It will give us a feel for what you are like and how you like your cars to appear. I know that a "rat rod" (by the way, we are getting a little tired of the overused and misapplied term) would appear a little different than a "finished" car but a persons personality is always reveled in the appearance of what they drive.
Frank

 

They're out there. I took this photo about 2 weeks ago...

 

On the same trip these showed up on a trailer, Two complete 32's...

 

I feel that there has never been a better time than now for collecting tin. The old horder types are getting older and for obvious reasons there collections are becoming available. When I was a kid in the 80's I remember how excited my Dad and his friends got when they found tin and how much they had to give for it, as compared to some of the things I find that are available at reasonable prices today. Theres more tin out there than you can possibly have time and space to drag home.

 

This one is sitting for sale also, complete and dry (no mill) and screaming for a little help...

 

I took this from someone elses hamb post. Car was/is for sale at $17.000 with title...

 

Here's the collection, the willys came out of washington state which is an ex-gasser which is called the Bandwagon,the Olds was the car I had in high school 25 years ago and just got back 2 years ago with the same tires I sold it with, and the 53 with the 54 nose is my everyday ride,the 32 I built years ago I like the car but I couldnt get used to the glass body not that anything is wrong with them but I like steel. sorry I offended anybody with the term rat rod but I just love that name,and I would be proud to put it on the back of my car. to me it says hotrodder with a nasty attitude.

 

As an answer to your original question if you're wanting to build a period correct car the best place for parts info is the old rod mags. You will definaltey get a rundown on parts that were popular and available at that time. Do your research. Nice cars you have there by the way.

 

wideglide is that place with the bodys in nor-cal ??? looks familiar

 

Not to hijack -- but I'd be interested in an answer to one of beat53's original questions -- bolting up a '39 trans to a 283? Is there an Offy-type adapter that mates these two? I've got the tranny, and a shot at a freebie 283, but was holding off grabbing it till I had the answer...

 

Yes, there is a adapter. Offy and Wilcap make one. I have the Wilcap one in my 40 Ford with 283.

http://www.wilcap.com/webdoc8.htm#A307 click here..

 

Bitchen. Thanks.... now if I could only score a QC for next to nothin'...

 

If your gonna use a 39 trans with a sbc use the chevy flywheel and a 49-53 merc clutch and pressure plate bolts right on, and if you use an unsplit wishbones try chevy 265 manifolds to clear them. I have used this before and it works great, only trouble is not having chatter rods.

 

So how does a person find the old tin? I'd like a '32 as much as anyone, but I want a coupe not a roadster. I'd pay the price of a Brookeville roadster for a coupe. Their coupe is just too much.

 

People please let's get back to the original question, could someone give me a parts run down on all the pieces I need, axles, hubs, spindles etc. keep in mind I want to use the buick drums. Is the 39 tranny the hot set up? I found this picture on the internet this is exactly what I want but there was no mention what parts were used.Thanks much dave

 

How do you know that's what you want? Not trying to be a jerk, but it's going to be your car and you're going to put a lot of time into building it. Make it what you want. First step is to define what it is that you want. Post-war? 50s? 60s? Resto-rod?

There is no one 'hot' setup. People did all sorts of different things back in the day based on what was laying around. Throw out your catalogs. If you're serious about building a period hot rod, they won't help (with a few exceptions). Get the Hop Up magazine reprint. Pick your period and don't buy anything that looks like it's newer than that. Become familiar with Vern and Keith Tardel's work. Search the HAMB for 'Prune Orchard'.

Get the Bishop/Tardel book.

Fwiw, In the picture above, I see a set of deuce rails, deuce K-member, '40 brakes, and that's about all I can positively identify. Banjo rear and dropped i-beam up front on split bones. Is there a rat rod in the picture that I don't see?

There's a very nice brake article in Tech-o-matic that lays out all of your options and will answer a lot of your spindle/hub questions.

Nice thing about the 39 trans is that it easily mates to the torque tube rear end. Not the strongest tranny in the world, but I'm sure there are people here who can help you deal with that.

...and don't be so testy. Most people here are less patient than I am and could give a rat's ass if you get the help you 'need'.

More focused questions result in more focused answers. This would be a good time to start a new post (if you haven't already) with one detailed question that people can respond to.

...oh yeah - and fill out your profile. There may be someone in your neighborhood that can help you some day.

 

Thanks 40tudor didn't mean to get testy and apologize if anyone took it that way, but you could of saved yourself allot of typing and cut that reply down to about 4 sentences and it would of answered my original question to a "T". Thanks, Beat53