Crazy to think that his chrome cost was over double what the body cost ... while the body cost 4 to five times what used "oldie" cars would have priced for when this car was built. Can't imagine the inflation adjusted rate today. What an awesome T. Thank you sir.
You're right. A very interesting story and a good read, especially for folks wanting to know more about the old days of hot rodding.
A Glass T would be the only car I'd have. I would build one kinda like that but more like the black version of IVO's T with halibrands etc. Something I don't know if I'd spend time bringing a rusty body back for. It's on my list of things to do eventually.... Skinny Slicks FTW.
My dad built a Wescott deuce hiboy roadster in the early 90's before Brookville bodies were available. An awesome body even though it is 'glass -- he still has it but wishes it was steel. I believe Phil Cool's AMBR winner in 1978 was fiberglass -- It is a "newer" build but very nicely done.
Any clue what he built next? Seems like once it reached the cover of HRM then it was cast aside, the money was probably good since it was a cover car.
150 is about 1,200.00 in todays money and 375 is about 3500 in todays money but of course the price would probably be more like 10 grand for the body and 20 grand for the chrome because everything is overpriced now days. The article stated that it cost the builder of the T, about 375, which it said was "2 paychecks." Today, it's more like 5 or 6 paychecks to have that chroming done. Nice T by the way and makes no difference to me if it's metal, glass, wood, or paper mache.
Old cars have soul, a history that glass or new steel bodies don't have. I may not know the history of an old car I have, but I know it has one and that's neat. No matter how ugly, someone bought it new and it became a part of that person's life. I've had several old hot rods over the years and it's always fun to imagine some teenager working on it in a one car garage somewhere.
I don't have any problems with glass cars and I suspect I'm not the only one,I've had several and I have had a plethora of steel cars. Glass cars may not be real but they are real fun. HRP
I have always been ok with glass T's because they have always been around. I grew up reading 25 year old hot rod mags and saw them in the back of every magazine, so it seemed normal. Anything other than that bugs me. No rationale, it just does.
Never personally had a glass car and not yet ready for one; however I've worked on a few over the years. Sure glass would be easier and quicker but my model cars aren't repopped.
Cool read. Glass vs Steel...I'm building a glass 32 Victoria, but I'd prefer steel if I had the dough, it would be. But since I have a budget and the other option is no car, glass is just fine. Plus, ZERO rust. I did install door handles and other goodies to make it look more like a steel car. It'll fool the novices when it's done. When the lotto hits, Steel.
Hmmmm --- the June 1942 issue? 345Winder, would you mind checking your copy of Hot Rod Magazine? I was able to find a '16 touring body in a farmer's field, got permission, used the front half ala Grabowski or Ivo. Functional pass door. 324 Olds punched to 345. Previously ran 6 Ford-Holleys, now only 4. A friend of mine built a T-Bucket - started with a rusted steel body but decided it was too much work to cherry it (he was a bodyman), so he opted for a 'glass body. When all was said and done, he admitted that the glass was way more work than he figured on to "make it nice" Numerous 'glass companies sprung up in the '60s. IMO, this ushered in the T-Bucket craze.
I'm actually quite proud to say my roadster is a Wescott, Dee personally had a hand in its construction and he also loaded it with his forklift. These bodies are considered to be the best on the market still, though they have lost favor since the Brookville body came out. It's gotten so that most every car you see being built (non Henry) are B-villes, as nice as they are they have kinda turned into a "buzz" word more than anything in my eyes. For anyone who has never seen a Wescott body prior to being upholstered; check one out at the next big event that Wescott is a vendor, the tubular steel reinforcements inside are what their reputation was built on, that and their accuracy to Henry's. Just remember---rust never sleeps.
I doubt if there's anyone on the HAMB who would prefer a glass over a steel body. A couple of points, though: First is cost, obviously. There's been a lot of nice cars built for what it costs to buy a repro steel body, particularly the coupes. Second, is steel all that much more real? Steel has the look, the feel, the sound of the genuine article, but hot rods are a distinctly American phenomenon. It would bother me to drive an American icon with the largest identifiable part being shipped from across the Pacific. Third, most fiberglass molds were made during the Curse of Coddington/Buttera Billet era. In other words, slicked; no handles, hinges, or seams. Looked at some of the glass lately? New Age makes a dead nuts 32 five window, Eddie's Rod Shop has a 33/34 3 window... there's others. Like DDDenny said, Wescott's have always been flawlessly accurate. I recently saw a BeBop deuce with drip rails, hinges, handles, etc. that you really had to look at hard to tell it wasn't not steel. Most observers never caught it was glass, even at a national meet. If you can afford steel, go for it by all means. Just don't let someone else's snobbery about steel keep you from building what you want.
I personally have no problem with glass cars when they look like that one. I've just been blessed to have always had old Ford steel at my disposal.
"I always wanted one" as so many have said but I wouldn't start my build until I found a steel body. That is a beautiful T the only thing I dispute in your and the other article is that steel T body's weren't around to be found and bought in the late '50s. In Ivo's book Tom said "everybody knew all you had to do is go to the desert to find a T body." I still see body's at swaps. If you can't find a steel body you don't want one bad enough. I took these pictures the last couple of years. The top C cab belongs to a NorCal landscape contractor who has found a few Ts lately. Fiberglass just doesn't have soul. Okay just my opinion but that's the only one I can give. Gary
The Zipper is almost 20 years old and there are some hairline cracks on the dash rail. Other than that, it is in excellent shape. The body is reinforced with 1" square tubing and when you shut the doors, it sounds as solid as a Packard! In as much as 'glass bodies have been around since before Ryan was born, I don't understand the snobbery surrounding the issue
I don't mind glass as long as they look right. The wescott bodies are spot on to originals, but I've seen a lot of bodies, especially 3 window coupes that you can tell a mile away it's a glass body because the proportions in the roof or the doors/windshield are just a little off. And don't get me started on the street beast 34's!
My old Deuce roadster was a glass Westcott body car. Even seasoned veterans thought that it was a real deal Henry until I told them different or did the knuckle test. HRP
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