I've seen a lot of talk about them and know that there are a couple of companies that make them but I was just wanting a heads up on who all builds them out there. I have a talented friend who wants to start offering turn key rides and he is just wanting to make sure he talks to anyone out there offering the new steel body for '57 Chevy convertibles. Point me in the right direction if you know of someone. I know of Cars Inc, Woodies and a few others but wanted to make sure I was giving him the full range of available bodies out there. Thanks
Steve's Auto Restoration sells the bodies. I have seen one in person and they look great. I believe that they are stamped in Detroit at least they were.
The company that makes these is RealDealSteel, headed by Joe Whitaker and Randy Irwin formerly with Classic Chevrolet International (now Ecklers Classis Chevrolet). The range is now even more than the 57 convertible, check out the website here. http://www.realdealsteel.com/home.html I have heard that these are easy to spot, because the panel fit is too good. A good deal if you want to pro street or pro tour something where originality is not an issue.
Buy the time you buy a complete body than all the nick nacks to make it look somewhat like you want, than paint & body work, upholstery, etc. can't you just go out and buy an original '57 Hard top or sedan? The Vert might be a wash also...........
My father in law has a coverted hard top, it came out great. Those new bodies are very expensive, like 24 grand I think.
Its gonna take some foriegn competition to get the price where its affordable and that is -very- likely to happen...... A customer brought some 70's floor sections and quarter panels,from a nonUSA company for a job last summer and they were very good fitting parts. It was a suprise.
Are these still being built around original cowls to dodge the paper work issues? or are they 100% new bodies?
Its not just the price of the bare body its finding and buying the rest of the pieces that are not included. I'll bet you'd have years of building and well over $150,000 before it was done. You could buy a running driving original for less.
I agree on that point. You know someone is in the works to get it done and that is what my buddy is sniffing around for. If anyone knows of a company importing this type of stuff, give me a heads up and I will send him on the hunt. He's looking at doing complete turn key convertibles for under $90,000 and thinks that there is a market for them.... who knows if he is right but it would be sweet to get one that is brand new all over again.
Your friend needs a new battery in that calculator.... the cost of that new body and even more importantly the peripheral missing multitude of stainless trim/ premium used seat prices even rough/drivetrain/ wheels/ tires /wiring kits/ upholstery/hardware/ etc etc etc....its gonna cost that much at his house. not gonna be any room left for profit at the 90K level..... I'm a cheapskate myself and I really don't think it can be done for that. Hell, a pair of quality bumpers nowadays is near 1200.00
I haven't researched this but I would think just acquiring all the top mechanism would cost a pretty penny. I'm not really sure if you could buy it rebopped , I know you couldn't back when I was playing with tri-fives.
Watched chop cut rebuild last weekend and they did a 56 convertible with a body from real deal steel. They didnt quote any prices but I think the only used sheetmetal they installed was the dash. I kind of thought it was a waste because the convertible they called "too rusty to fix" didnt look that bad to me and ended up as a parts car that they used very few parts from and didnt even use the frame.
Trailer guy: Contact Real Deal steel direct and get the correct info. Woody"s in Bright Indiana is a dealer for their product but I don't think they have exclusive rights. The bodies are all new steel, including the cowl. The offer the verts, hardtops and sedans in all three years. RDS also builds the '40 coupe bodies that Dennis carpenter sells and will soon be distributors for the '32 5 wndw. Tell Joe that Tim sent you.
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