Hot Rods Can fiberglass be traditional? At least in appearance.

Yes

 

It's still a kit car. Doesn't mean you can't have fun with it, but it's still a kit car. Not unlike a dune buggy.

 

Obviously you have never built one.

 

Tupperware makes me itch

 

Jerry Cogswell built a Deuce roadster body for his drag car in 1959. That fits within the time period of "traditional" on the HAMB, regardless of what the self-appointed tradition police tell you.

 

Kit cars come with instructions.

We do this steel versus glass thing here on the HAMB every six months or so. There is no consensus, everyone is right, and that is the way it will be for all time.

 

they are here,, people just don't talk about it... Google: Paul Boz 34 coupe,, pictures taken all the time, Peter Vincent ace photographer NEVER mentions its FG. Paul's a great guy and had tons of fun with it !!!! think it sold at B/J somebody is having fun Betcha..

 

Car looks good, go for it, as people pointed out, a glass car in hand beats a steel car you can' t afford, have fun, enjoy the hobby, and do not let anybody rain on your parade.

 

It is every bit as traditional or more so than the bigits around here with a flathead and a T5 behind it calling it traditional. Or the early fat fender cars with air bags that call them "traditional". Some of you people don't have a clue what traditional means or is. Fiberglass car bodies have been made since 1949. That's about as "traditional" as it getsHot rodding is a hobby and any hobby inthusiast can do what they want and how they want in regards to that hobby, meaning no one can dictate to you what you HAVE to do or have. That is a nice looking Model A roadster and if you haven't bought it yet, what are you waiting for.

 

This comes up every so often. "Can a fiberglass car look traditional?" Well, yeah. You see them all the time..... first one I saw was a 34 ford 3 window coupe in DesMoines at a goodguys event. Was brush painted red, had a 50 ford engine, column shifted 3 speed. He cleverly took 35 ford wire wheel centers and welded them to VW 15 inch wheel rims for the front and fatter 15s for the back...used an original windshield frame and a painted grille and that thing looked great! I thought it was an original steel car at first...it LOOKED traditional.
My 34 steel body has taken all my spare money and over 7 years to piece together from parts sourced from all over the U.S. and many times I've thought
"Damn! It's be sooooo much easier, cheaper and faster to just score a Gibbon Viper glass 3 window body to plop on my original 34 chassis" but my body man would cringe every time I said it [out loud]...
I'm not smug about having a real steel 34....maybe my next one will be 'glass.
Tell ya the truth? I'd love to find one of those old 'glass model A 3 window coupes they made a few years back. I sat in one of the prototypes and aside from the 'glass stink, it was pretty cool!
But not traditional.
PS...my car doesn't fit in the "traditional" forum because it has an alternator, front discs and radial tires. That's alright. I knew when I first began building the car it wasn't gonna fit but after doing this for a few years, I know what works best for me.

 

Google: Dennis Kyle,1932 and pan down till you see one of the neatest, nicest orange 32 Ford roadster you will EVER see. O, its FG. I forget, when I see him smiling as he rump's on it.
And it makes my hair on my arms stand , when I think about it.

 

I would build a glass t bucket in a second! They have been around for ever, makes them
Traditional
To me.

 

I guess you didn't read Ryan's blog called "The Glass Image"

 

Were they around back in the day?

Did people think that they were cool back in the day?

 

Didn't any of you read Ryan's blog???!

 

'Wel said' its yer car do waht YOU want' build it for YOU not US............all the current catch phrases used over and over. You want the Street Rod mindset here. The envelope is always pushed by hurt feelings and a PC world.

 

Like most guys have stated, if you like it, buy it. Just cause it's FG doesn't mean squat over time. The point is to have fun and enjoy the hobby/sport, meet some really cool folks and drive the wheels off it.

 

I think so.. I'm building a 34 with a few metal "touches" added to the glass

 

Yes. Do a search for Groucho's channeled green metalflake 32 5w. It's 'glass.

 

Fiberglass was invented in the early 40's,used on WW2 aircraft. Pete https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiberglass

 

That looks like a very neat, fun little roadster, and yes, there is NOTHING wrong with a glass body.
I wise man once told me "it's the same wind blowing thru your hair"

Now having said that, the only really "traditional" thing about that Model A is the engine. Tube axle, 4 bar suspension, disk brakes, radials, etc all take it away from the "traditional" aspect, and would take a lot of money to swap out.

If you are looking to have a fun little roadster, buy it.
If you are looking to please the people on this message board, don't.

 

YOU NAILED IT! I could live with the fiberglass but I cringe every time I look at the front axle and rear suspension. Thanks for all the comments but I think I'll pass.

 

Probably 99% or more of the people who will judge any car will have no clue what's traditional or not...their judgement will be based on coolness, not traditionalness. That car IS cool.

My build is using a fiberglass body. Anyone who criticizes it on that count will be invited to donate a steel body of similar straightness and rust condition.

 

Fiberglass or not, when I look at this pic, be still, my freakin' heart! That's just bitchin.

 

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/remembering-the-kansas-king.981153/

here. THIS is tradition.

 

Well?
You buy it yet?

 

YES. Go back and read post # 22

 

I'm starting to itch reading this thread Yes to your question, but regardless, hotrods are supposed to be fun, buy it, drive it, and enjoy it.

 

This is so true, and can be read both ways, the key to remember is that you can have a real cool hot rod there. it can be styled in a traditional manner with upgrades for safety driving, radials discs 4 bar etc. I dig it.

What it cant be is a narrowly defined traditional rod for purposes here on the HAMB and you know what who cares?
My car doesn't fit either and it is an all steel car originally built in the 60's but now has radials disc brakes and even gasp led taillights...I like it. When I'm behind the wheel or looking at it in the garage after a long ride I smile. worrying about folks on the computer liking it doesn't affect me the same way the car does....go for it