Hot Rods Can you convert this to a roadster?

Hi guys. Picked up this 1928 Business Coupe a few weeks ago.



I have the fenders but discovered they are not correct matches. So I was going to build this into a hot rod with the banger motor. But not it has got me thinking. Can I turn this into a roadster? I have the rad, front hood, doors, original motor and transmission, etc. I'm new to the hot rodding world so I wanted to ask you guys with more experience if this is acceptable or not.

Thanks very much,

Jonny

 

You can make a cabrioletster. HRP

 

Well I was considering cutting the whole top section off........lol

 

Start with a roadster.

 

You can but it won't be a roadster. Fix it up as what it was. You ask: You could probably buy a roadster body for less than what you would have in it if you did it right.

 

If you are a tall or big guy this will be bertter than a real Roadster. They have less interior room than the car you have. Make it what you want and dont worry if it started life as a real roadster or not. Look around here some there are lots of pics of Coupsters (Sport Coupe w/roof cut off) and Roadsters to give you ideas.

 

I've always liked the looks of those Coupes, but never run across one for sale. There must be hundeds of them that have been started as "Coupster" projects, with only a handful that look ok at the end. Bob

 

They make good ******* cars. The trick is the windshield, dash treatment and doortop treatment to make them look good. The extra ****pit room is a plus.

 

Thank you for the comment.

I understand what you are saying. After reading further things make a lot more sense. I did not know that the dimensions were different.

I just found an amazing thread from member 'Chopped50Ford' that has inspired me to do this. Yes I am taller so this should work perfectly.

Thanks for the advice. Careful planning before execution so it doesn't looked butchered right?

Awesome. I think I'm sold after seeing this. Much respect to the builder Chopped50Ford. You have really outdone yourself.

 

If you think you can make it look as good as the blue one above I say go for it!!!

 

As has been said, it can be done and look nice, but the door tops and windshield area are key, door tops tend to be too "thick" and closed car windshield pillars are awkward on an open car. If you work with the proportions a bit it can look good, and quite a few of these sport coupes got whacked into roadsters back in the 50's.

 

"Coupsters" can be made to have good proportions if the builder takes his time. As has been mentioned already, I think, is the use of roadster cowl sections - or fabricated likenesses - to mount the windshield posts and get the windshield height and angle correct.

A free-standing folding seat can be placed at a comfortable distance from the pedals, the area behind the seat becomes available for the fuel tank, for storing cruising "stuff", or for a roll bar, if so desired.

And the longer doors permit easier entry/exit for those of us who are "plus-sized" without giving the overall car any awkwardness at all. In fact, I think the longer doors look better than the short roadster doors. The extra thickness of the door tops an be accomodated by rolling the door panel upholstery up and over as was often done on early roadsters when the doors were permanently closed. Same goes for the area behind the seat.

Coupsters can have great looking tops, too. A talented upholsterer can use boat top folding hardware to create a very convincing likeness of a Model A roadster top, attaching it on either side of the body opening beside or just behind the seat back.

Yup. If you want a roadster but only have a sport coupe, I'd say go ahead and cut it. Just take your time and do the conversion with an eye towards esthetics. Good luck!

 

looks like he is from Canada I don't know where but some areas its very hard to find anything sheet metal that's in useable condition. funny thing is I found something like this last year but the guy wanted way too much for it $1500 for something that needed a lot of sheet metal work

 

Sorry I never saw one converted that really looked good to me. Gary

 

If you go the coupster rout. Find a roadster cowl and roadster doors. Widen the doors to fit. Or extend the quarter panels.


Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!

 

I'll vote on the side of saying go ahead and do it. Not every hot rod has to be a true roadster to come out nice. Hell, my rpu started life as a fordor sedan and while it will never look exactly like it began as a roadster I think it will still be ok. I could have bought a true rpu body, but I had this one and actually like the look of it.

I remember lots of hot rods back in the day that started as coupes and lost their tops along the way. Some were even in magazines. As was mentioned, the key is how you treat the tops of the doors and the windshield. It is a little more work to graft on a roadster windshield, but it does take away somewhat from the coupester look.

Good luck.

Don


This........



Became this.............






It isn't perfect, but when it is done I bet I will love it just the same.

 

Would look way better to just build a chopped sport coupe. Sport coupes are cool in their own way.







OR heres a thought.. buy up the rear roof panels and build a normal coupe. That is what i'd do..

 

Here is my coupster using roadster cowl doors & extended quarters.

 

Just do it. There is only one set of rules; your own.

 

If you can get it to road worthy ..go for it! It will be fun no matter what.

 

Do it. That's what hot rodding is about. Or at least it used to be.

 

Thanks for the vote of confidence. I think I can do a nice job with this one!!

Awesome. I will start to prepare things. Actually pretty excited now.

Thank you for the detailed post. This really helps a newb like me. I will keep a close eye on the proportions and do***ent everything for you guys to see. I knew I wanted to chop the top from the moment I got this car, not a fan of the height to be honest.

Thank you. I see you are from Windsor. I'm just north of Toronto in the Barrie area. Yes finding good sheet metal for cars is scarce in our neck of the woods. If you do, be prepared to pay big dollars for it. People want $3000 + for a rotted shell up here.

Thanks for your advice. That means you have to really pay attention to what you are doing to make it look good!

Hmm, I see. Perhaps for my first time I will stick with the stock Business Coupe. I'm still pretty new to fabrication and I think this would be easier for me.

WOW! This is such a sick car. What a f'n cool job you have done to that. Lots of work I see but it really shows! Thanks for the pictures and sharing your story. After reading all of these comments it really boosts my confidence in tackling this project. I know I can pull it off. Can't wait to start grinding!

They do look very nice but I dislike the doors personally. I need to cut it off! Thanks for you pics.

That is one bad*** machine. Awesome job man!!!

Gonna stick to these words.

Hell ya man.

Thanks. You're right.

Almost done cleaning this old shop. Should be able to get some work started this week I hope.

 

If you want something different.. pull the body apart, use the rear quarters and doors but get rid of the window frames (look at pics of roadster doors, they just roll over the top).. but swap the cowl for a proper open car cowl so you have proper posts for the windscreen. Thats where it always falls in my opinion, most don't get the windscreen right and it just looks funny. If you use an open cowl.. with coupe doors and quarters it'd be pretty cool and different.

 

This is pretty much the process in a nutshell. Not a lot of fabrication here other than finishing off the tops of the cut-off doors and the area behind the seat. Please...don't be afraid of this project - ***uming you follow 28A's program. It's not rocket science and will result in a really great looking car.

 

The biggest thing to making it work i think is to use a roadster cowl, if you want a roadster.. otherwise trying to convert a closed car cowl just will end up being a pain in the *** or not look right.

Use an open cowl.. with the doors and quarters you have. You'll end up with a proper looking roadster, but more interior room. And it'll confuse the hell out of people if you do the doors properly.

 

I think you could get away with a sweet pre-war or mid-40's look by modifying the doors in cabriolet fashion.

 

Not much coupe left then?

 

Don't know why not, right now it is a lot closer to being a roadster than a coupe.

 

I've followed a lot of builds on the HAMB, start to finish. More than a few were of the variety I didn't believe were being done, considering what they began with and what they finished up with. There is no end to the amazement to be had on the HAMB. After you've read all the posts, shake your head like a dog shaking off water. Then get to work. Amaze us. And, remember, those who say it can't be done will never try; and, those who don't know it can't be done, who try, often end up proving it can. So, again, amaze us!

 

So would I be nuts to graft the rear half of a 30-34 coupe to my 46 truck cab no engine cover 32 grill high boy style 'sorry for the hijack'