Hot Rods Ever wonder where your hot rod's frame came from?

When I bought the chassis for my 34 five window I was told it came out from under a really nice 34 coupe. The owner swapped the original frame out for a TCI chassis. That's all I knew about it.That was in 2007.
A few weeks ago, a guy came to my house to look at a Lloyd sedan I had on Craigs list and saw my 34 in the garage...we got to BSing and he said his buddy gave the original frame of his 33 coupe to a guy [yeah, he GAVE it away!] some guy in the same part of town where I bought mine...what a coincidence, right? I thought the entire issue was finished until I get a phone call last night from the guy who said he use to own my frame...would I like to come out to his place to see the original body that was on my chassis? I said "of course!" and drove out to his place today..took a few photos.
Now, this guy's gonna be 82 years old tomorrow so I fully expected to find a dropped front axle/flathead/halibrand V/8 rear -style car.
Judging by the imaculate condition of my chassis when I bought it with all the caged nuts for body mounts, anti chatter rods etc etc in perfect shape, I imagined the body would be pretty sano and I was right..it's fuckin perfect with no patches, original wood except for s little new wood below the back roll-down window. Even the original wooden tool box mounted in the right quarter was there and perfect!
But, alas.........the car is done in the finest 80s polished aluminum and stainless style including an LS chevy engine, automatic trans, pussy-foot suspension ot both ends and billet everywhere. Not really my cup-o-tea but that body! Damn! It's soooooooo perfect. He's using the original 33 polished headlights, new stainless bumpers, rechromed original grille and it's all 1933 stuff.
Thought you might like to see.

 

more.......
He'bought the car as a perfect black 33 deluxe coupe with original flathead for $1200 in 1972. He let it get away for a few years and somebody put a small block chevy in it. That's when I got the holes torched in my [his] frame rails and rather than fix it, he swapped out the chassis in the late 80s.

 

Crazy man. I would have expected on older style build as well. But good for him to be out there at 82 turning wrenches!! To me thats awesome!
I've always wondered what my 32's frame was under....aside from a 32.
Mine was Z'd a full frame's width, i'm assuming many many moons ago yet everything else stock was still in tact and uncut.
The Z appeared to be stick welded as well.
I'll never know though so i dont bother trying to find out.

Anyway, thanks for sharing.
Tony

 

Man that's wild!! I did wonder what body may have been on the frame originally as I was building the it for the cabrio. Probably never know.

 

What a waste of a good body. That chassis and engine would have been better with a glass body.

 

His car and he did a nice job of it. Just because it's not quite HAMB stuff doesn't make it a bad build.

Glass, Brookville, Henry. Don't be such an elitist.

 

I sold the OEM numbers matching frame under my 35 phaeton to a restorer as it was too good to modify. I sourced a 34 frame that had been in a paddock for 30+yrs.

 

I still cant' believe he gave the old chassis away. The only thing wrong with it was two holes torched in the side rails for exhaust pipes. I swapped a 53 stude coupe for the chassis which had a homemade woodie body on it with an unknown cowl, a busted chevy 3 speed trans and a blowed-up 327 and a 55 chevy rearend. I was able to salvage the frame, perfect red 56 ford steering wheel and the original heavy 32 axle with a nice drop to it and a primo pair of 40 spindles...still using them. Everything else was either scrapped or swapped at the swap meets.

 

Cool story and real nice 5 window.Amazing how things happen.

 

He`s old enough to remember flatheads when they were new. They probably bore him. He`s looking forward where many here are looking back. Different perspectives

 

At 82 years old he can do whatever he wants to do!! The more I read these self centered comments about other peoples cars the more it sounds like a Corvette Forum!! Pete

 

You are both correct it is his car and well done. In my personal opinion, He built a car with all new parts, all new technology. He just as well should have put a new body on the car, either steel or glass. Again my personal opinion.

 

To be out there in the garage doin' it at 82, he's my hero.

 

Why in the hell would you suggest he use a new body, when he has a perfectly good original body already in his possession. Give your head a shake !!!!

 

Hey Rocky, has he had the 34 on the road since he swapped out the chassis many years ago?
At 82, will he be able to finish and enjoy the car?
It would be cool to see a pay it forward to the old guy with a group of Rodders spending a weekend or two to get that car buttoned up for the old boy.

And good for him on the cherry body. The saying of "always start with the best body you can find" holds true. Of course when he bought it in 1972 at $1200, there really wasn't any reason to look at ( the future of) repop offerings.

 

To make that statement I don't think you understand where my thoughts are coming from. He built the biggest, baddest 34 he could. Exactly the way he wanted. He got rid of all the 34 Ford parts he could get rid of. He kept the body, but lost the heart and soul of a 34 Ford. Again in my opinion. My mistake it's a 34 not a 32

 

If it is a Ford frame, it most likely came out of an iron mine near Marquette, Michigan. ;-)

 

I don't see a '32 Ford. Am I missing something?

 

Great project that he started in 1972, bet he's had a lot of fun with it all these years, if finishing was a big deal to him he would have. Bob

 

My T was first a rod in '58, the chassis it has now was built maybe 10 or 15 years ago (the first version of the car was destroyed in a tornado, body survived) but I've heard the original frame is in a fencerow on a farm somewhere, I'd love to go track it down someday, just to see it.

 

Chassis under my 39 was bought sight unseem from AZ- perfect frame- no extra holes- $225.00-
Never wondered what it came from-

 

I like the way this turned out for the old guy and the new owner of the old chassis.
I also wonder why we want to see and touch things just because we know they once were on our cars? I sold cars years ago that I'd like to see once again.
I did find my 26 T touring several years after I sold it and my 33 Chevy restored 4-door. Made me feel good. Both were lookin good with happy owners. The 33 Chevy was painted factory original maroon and black just the way I was gonna do it. I swapped interest from original to rods and customs.
Some of you still don't get it....... those cars belong to other people. They can do whatever they want with their cars!
Maybe you screw up something others would do differently. When the old guy dies buy his rod and swap to a plastic body.

 

I found my frame leaning on a chain link fence at a yard sale. $75.

 

Rocky, I used to build my A Model frames, they're pretty simple. (4x2x1/8th, or 3/16 first time around)
The deuce ASC rails made the last project almost as easy. Tube, or boxing works out nicely under the
flexible-flyer early Henry body.

 

Nope...the way I understand it he hasn't turned a wheel with the car with it's new chassis although even though the wiring isn't done, he has had the engine running......an all aluminum LS. He used Street and Performance stuff and has a great story about that!
I got the feeling building is as much fun to the ol' guy as driving them.He's in no hurry to finish it.

 

Now that is neat Rocko that you got to visit with the guy. The rest of these posers er I mean posters, damn fat fingers, don't get it except for a few. . Like me working in the garage every day keeps us going. Our projects may never get finished cause if they did we would probably just fade away.

 

Maybe because he took something cool and turned it into a turd?

 

Well Son Of A Bitch!! I Love Turds!! Pete

 

Now Muttley, tastes vary.
Consider a NH pickup:

Sorry, the classic 'traditional' image depicts!

 

If you think this car is a TURD, could you kindly show me your idea of GOOD Hot Rod.