Long story but..... I've always wanted a '32 coupe. About 8 years ago I came across one I could afford but it was an absolute mess! But it was in my price range and it was a '32. Don't know exactly when but at some point in its life it was torched into a roadster, literally torched. The car was purchased in Maine as a forest find, yup it was found in the woods, dragged out than swapped a few hands before it was offered up for the last time. When I first purchased the car it was Chanelled over a '32 frame that was extremely rough.... Again, everything done with a torch. I've been on and off the fence with this car, offered it up for sale, changed my mind... Put it back up again... Had folks come and look at it.... It scared the shit out of them! A big project, not for everyone. I'm going to build it. I'll try and post as many pics as possible. I found a '32 frame that had been Z'd, crudely boxed front to rear nd was a bit rough... Well I bought it, un-Z'd, removed all the boxing plates and installed a '38 X-member.
I spent most of today trimming and fitting the X member and installing the so-cal dropped front crossmember.
I have one of those 32 's nobody wanted stitch by stitch you will get it done .Upac parts are a great help
You never know if you don't have a go. Obviously it was affordable because it was one big jigsaw of rough pieces. Frm what you have shown, it will be a real challenge and a lot of work. I am sure you wouldn't have taken it on if you didn't have the necessary skills to do most of the work yourself. Which will obviously make it more affordable. Geoff aka whodaky
I got to get someone up there to renumber your tape measure....make it so 2-1/2 on the numbers is really 6". a little bird says there is also another chop and channel 5w 32 going together somewhere in Mass.... (where all the cool stuff is)
I didnt want to hide the reveal on the frame with a deep channel. It's actually 2-1/2 from the bottom of the cowl band.
My Dad has a 32 five-window that was the same deal, but it didn't have the top cut off. It was an old channeled hot rod that was crude and rugged, and the more it got passed around the more parts got robbed off of it. He finally ended with a bare shell with no doors, lid, moldings, subframe, or wheel wells. Now most of the sheet metal has been replaced, and the new chassis will hold an Ardun flathead and a Halibrand quickchange. It's been a long project but should be killer when done. The old thing deserves it.
I bought the 32 with just the torched body and shitty frame. Over the years I've collected all the parts to build it. It's being built as a dirty hot rod to resemble something that may have been built in the early 50's.
Here's the doors I picked up, they're 4 door sedan fronts, decent shape with dings and dents but still very decent. Hinges were already robbed, luckily I had a crappy pair of donor doors that had some nice hinges still on them. I made some 1/4" plates, drilled and tapped them and hung the doors. You can see the slot I made on the upper A pillar, that's where the 1/4" threaded plate was slid in for the upper hinge.
Pete: Yep, it's had a hard life. It doesn't appear to have much "rust out" however. My cabrio was real solid but cut up tremendously. You have your hands full but I'm sure you'll whip it. There's lots to work with, keep us up to speed, with pics. I'm rootin' for ya. Tim
That's why "nobody wanted it" he, he. Mine was not too rusty but was needing the same repairs from mid-beltline and up. I had to fab it all and make door tops, and even used Dodge inner door panels, because somebody did suicide hinges that never fit
Two ways to look at it: you're crazy to do it and it's gonna take you years to complete or You're gonna pound this project out of the park and walk around with your nose in the air like a top hot rod builder! I would pick option #2!! Good luck with it, we all support you! Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Go Man Go! That thing looks like a new UPC body compared to the 34 3 window we dragged home a few months ago. Wish mine was that good!
Wow! The stories that body could tell! What are your plans for a transmission? Wheels, tires? Great vision. You've made great progress already putting the puzzle back together.
Spent a few hours in the shop this morning. Made some cowl feet and re hung the doors. I just placed the roached quarters on the frame to get a visual.
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