with the steel cars getting harder to get,,,,,,,,,,would you own or buy a glass car?? i always thought........... NEVER..........but now looking for a driver i find myself considering glass......... comments?????????????????
Well I have always wanted a 36 three window, but will probably never be able to purchase a steel one at a good price, my next project might be a glass 36......so if it is built right!!!! I guess no problem!!!! John
As long as you don't mind being itchy when you work on it its ok. there is nothing wrong with glass as long as you like it. oh ya it won't dent or rust . I hate working on fiber glass. did that full time for about 7 years. I build steel cars now. glass can kick your ass.
the reason i ask is i am looking at a 34 coupe, chopped, black,and has the "look"...........and like others i cant afford a steel one......... opinions on a nice car like this done right,,,,,,,,,,value??
Get whatever you want. Nobody else has to buy it.. or drive it.. or like it. I'd consider it, but I would consider an aftermarket steel car first. Honestly, I don't know why, I think it's just the stigma of all the chunky ugly fiberglas cars I've seen. But I've seen some nice ones too, especially recently. There was a yellow glass "trad" '34 on this site recently.. kicked much ass.
I think value is what you put into it. There are a lot of got glass bodied cars out there. If you like it, do it. I've seen a few and they looked pretty good. Even aftermarket steel bodies, like those from Brookville can be expensive.
This question has been beat to death but... I said it here before: The reason "traditional" hot rods were made from what they were made from in the first place is because those bodies WERE CHEAP back then. Period. They're no longer cheap - fiberglass is cheap, so isn't that a "traditional rod" today? Steel snobs, pile on now.
Nice fenderless 34' on www.hotrodhotline.com Looks traditional but has auto/air. Very nice car to see in person. Been for sale for a long time though. It's in Santa Barbara. I think it's the mid to high 40's. If you get a fiberglas car, ask around to see how others like the make. I had a JRS body. Looked good but not enough reinforcing. The bodys coming out of Australia are great. Price is now $42.5K
I looked at this car Sunday , and its a nice car, dont care for the air, but its there so..........2 things that are pricey to fix,it has ugly mustang discs on the front and the rearend is a little to wide, they used a chevy rear end, needs ford to tuck wheels in nice. I am considering car. Thanks for the input{Car sits right and has the "look"}
My roadster is glass. It is not a period perfect traditional hot rod but I think it has the right feel. I could never afford a steel 32, original or repop. And I have wanted one ever since I got into this hobby in the 50s. So glass it is. My project 26 T is a steel car. I'm building it the traditional way. With old parts and some imagination. Some here will say my T is a real hot rod because it is a steel original. And my roadster is not because it is built using repop parts and a glass body with hiden hinges and a slightly stretched cockpit. That is OK with me. Because I know that it is not the sum of the parts that make a hot rod but rather the spirit in the builder.
I'd rather have a lower model, beat up shitty steel car than a high end glass car. Just my opinion. to me, a glass car is like a fake representaion of a car... it's soul-less.
the car itself is soul-less, not the builder. I personally like stuff that has a history, a past... Why not go buy a prowler?
Maybe before this goes down the glass vs. steel path we could take a minute and recognise exactly what is available in glass. Someone mentioned a '36 3W? Glass isn't my preference but I've never really stopped to think about anything past the various models of 32-34 and the random goofy "phantom" body. This probably isn't going to change anyone's mind or anything but could be interesting to know anyway.
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