Projects 27-year-old Tries to Build a 1932 Ford Coupe

Id sell that interior to a street rodder if it was me. I hear ya tho, priorities... such a neat car

 

The money you might get for the grill should cover quite a lot of planned outlay. Theyre pricey items, when new, just need to find someone who needs a used one, or needs one quickly. They are made to fit particular grillshell, Henry, Vintique, Brookville etc, so not universal. Not sure if its possible to tell what you have from the insert itself.

Car looks good like it is and is reminiscent of one I had in the 90s. Maybe its the colour! Full fenders, Halibrands. Lovely!

Chris

 

Congrats ! Kool, Enjoy !

 

Man!!! That's a Sweetheart! Great score! I'm kinda' diggin' it without the fender's. Just sayin'...

 

Loose the rear spreader bar while your at it

 

You type too fast. I'm surprised it took this many posts for someone to suggest losing the tailights. It needs '41 Chev
units, but if you plan on driving it the daytime, get the Led ones. Glass lenses are the coolest, but today's inattentive drivers won't see them.

 

Wow looks HEAPS better without those fenders!

 

Nice find, good luck with the build.

 

I suspect with the "frontrunner" engine accessory belt drive, that the radiator and shell have been moved forward.

Measure the centerline of the hood to see if it is longer than a stock type four piece hood.

 

Hi all, yes the grille has been titled forward and I would like to correct that.

I thought I would share what the Craigslist ad said when I bought it. When I showed up, the car was located at a speed shop in California:

 

Says the body is uncut. Hmmm.

 

Looks pretty good as a highboy!

 

Great car. Also, is that an OT Shelby in the background?

 

Nope, just a standard 1965 Ford Mustang Fastback

 

Hello,

You have a nice coupe either way. The full fender version has some great looks and even the fenderless photos show a good base hot rod. The build looks good as a 32 three window should. But, I noticed there was something missing…

In a related sample: As much as I like Model A coupes and Joe Pisano’s hot version, something has to be said about a clean Model A coupe with American Racing 5 spoke wheels. Then looking at 32 Ford three window coupes, the Halibrands vs American 5 spoke wheels is a toss up.

All in all, the idea of “mag” wheels vs steelies is a personal choice. If you put some steelies on your coupe, it will look like a million other “steelie” versions, fenders or not. If you are worried about the title traditional, then steelies were first. So, there is that. But, it is what you want in the overall looks.

Jnaki

Your 3 window looks very good either way, full fender or fenderless. Both fit the “traditional” look with the fenderless looking more like a race car than street cruising.

But, for the overall look that a million people will see, a set of matching front wheel style all around or the 5 spoke wheels all around that will result in those “aawws or oohhhs.” When on the road or a neighborhood car show, wheels make a difference, as does a mild lowered rake. YRMV

What ever you do, get it safe to drive, including full braking, front end alignment/fix and wheel/tire round and balanced. It may look fantastic, but if it does not handle as one goes down the road, then it is not worth the effort.

 

Make it your own, you have lots of years ahead of you.

 

Great find !

Everybody likes their own thing of course. To each his own. Obvously, do whatever is right for you. Everyone has their own budget, so do what you can do nd keep the bank account happy.

I prefer full fenderd 32 original body style coupes. Almost a resto mod style if that makes sense for a 32.
Yes, I'd go with a standard 32 grille (I'd sell that Fink grille in a heart beat). Get new head light bar and headlights, new hood, like discussed previously. No way I'd get rid of the $7,000 interior.
Get the body and axle fixed, and a make sure it's a good, reliable, and safe....driver. (had hot rods), now want to just put in hours behind the steering wheel,.... drive and enjoy)
A million different wheel/tire combos....I'd probably be trying something different every once in a while

 

"Upon further review, post #30, 3rd pic, the tilt column & wheel is OUT!" I'd keep the interior (he said while sitting on mex-blanket clad seats, amidst the barren metallic structure, devoid of any interior panels) Sell what you can, there is some valuable equity there, in order to make the changes. Some of which can be accomplished while driving it without 'killing yourself'. If cars couldn't move til they were 100% finished, half the fun in this thing of ours would be gone. Mine couldn't be the only one that took its baby steps out of the garage fed by a hose in a jerry can. Or while sitting on a bottle crate.

 

Great find and way to go.
I agree with Jnaki, make it safe and drive it.
I am in the exact spot you're in. I have a 3 win with an early FE motor, c6 and coilovers. Unchopped, full fenders and coilovers. I hate the motor, but it works, have another direction to take the e ture car, but when time and money allow.
I just upgraded my rear axles. Car has a '57 9", sent them to Dutchman in Idaho and had them remade in 5x5-1/2" bolt pattern and had the drums re-drilled to match. Now I can run 16" '40 wheels or divcos.
The cost was $550, not cheap, but if you have to buy new axles, they can double drill the flanges 5-4-1/2" as well.
Sounds like a great car! Get out and enjoy it.

 

Hood sides…matching 5 spokes for the front…stock grill insert and dropped headlight bar…new rear spreader bar and some traditional tail lights.

 

Glad to see another young guy in town get a hot rod.

 

How about a pic of the ‘target’ vibe?
With fiberglass fenders, smoothie running boards, and buggered rear rim I get why the highboy direction is appealing to you for sure.

 

I think this is going to be a trend in years to come, buying nice albeit dated cars and then un-street rodding them. This is obviously a really nice car that was a quality build to begin with. There just needs to be a stomach in the subsequent buyer to rip out perfectly good interior, paint, wheels, etc., and basically consider a "finished" car to be a builder no different than starting with a body and chassis.

I'm stoked to see this end up good hands and excited to see where the journey goes next.

 

@Chaduro any more progress?

 

I’m building a 3w...that went to a 5W.
Long story.
Its Very hard find a 3W body ( body alone ) and if they are up to 30-40K so the 5W is way more easy to find.
I can say at 20K its crap, but Ok one might get lucky (?)
Personally I like the 3W as they is more on its way to a 33 as slimmer look.
I guess you payed, but if you has a Henry body/frame and payed decent = Congrats !

I can warn you to go ’traditional’ ( read ; just use old parts ) as that is my experiance so far on my own road.
I love the look but they get to be like tractors, chopped its hard to see out, old transmission is a joke and parts its ridicules expensive ( most time its just pure junk )
Parts cone often just ’as the part’ so its a huge work get it complete and parts always need cleaning, hot-tank, blastering, machining and bent, broken, threads is gone etc etc.

If I was you I should do small fix and just run it for now ( you has time )
If you get on the nostalgic ideas get new stuff as its dont make sense mess with the old junk parts.
Parts like old S/W gauge, correct lights, rearaxle and ex a Flatty will kill any economy then add a paint. chrome, tuck interiour etc.
Well the dollars will roll big time.
Just to chop a 3W is not easy.

Enjoy the car and think it over some years what to do. Time is the best friend, then you can get ( collect ) parts when you find good parts in a good price.
My car/project got fast into big money and it wil take years to get all parts ( huge work ) and get it out, but it was my choice.

-I can tell you one thing how crazy it is.
My FH will get a Scintilla and on e-bay it was a a angle mount and it showed all those years beat-up but at 700 USD I gave up.
Just this parts plus freight and a complete car get silly pricing no one ever will pay for ( maybe later )
Its cool stuff but I think in some years all this will fall in pricing.

But fun to see you find one and had afford it, hat off !

 

Good luck,I'll be following!

 

X2!!

 

Fix damage-drive it. Fantastic find. Newc

 

The best advice that I have for you is ...., NEVER sell this car ! Keep it your whole life time, as your hot rod car.

I wish that I had any car of the first fifty some vehicles, that I owned before I got married, and became a dad at age 27.

 

Chaduro, Correct me if I'm wrong but those pictures of it being loaded/unloaded are at Mike Abbsy's shop in Azusa, CA right?

Mike did a lot of work on my now non-traditional '55 Chevy pickup. I haven't been by his shop lately so I don't know when your car was there but there's always some nice stuff there.

Will Mike be doing anymore work on it?