Hi, On frame and body work for a 32 frame and a 29 roadster body. As I read American Stampings make the 32 frames after std, but I know ex So-Cal sell a frame ( A-V8 frame ) that fits the 29 roadster, and they told me they use the ASC frame as I asked if it was USA made. So does that mean So-Cal sell ASC rails as they come and one need mod them. I also read P&J also sell 32 frame for 29 roadster. I also read on web ( some forum ) Brockville sell frame that fit the 29 roadster, but when I did ask Brockville on this they told me they sell ASC frame ( I'll just wanted the bare frame rails ( nothing more ) but flat and curved as the 29 cowld and maybe mods at rear. Next question is the traditionally look on the flat rodster 29 body - but I do think look little strange at rear body wheel openings. ( Note I do want a 29 body, not a 32 ) I read Brockville ( as my body come from them ) make the body to fit a 32 frame, but I newer seen any pictures of it or what it mean in reality. Has they copy the 32 roadster rear wheel openings ? Maybe someone can help clear this out. -Big Thank's if so.
Hello Hank, I can't speak for So-Cal or Pete & Jakes, as for Brookville I can tell you what I know. 28-29 Model A roadsters are flat on the bottom, Brookville 32 frames are fabricated pretty much flat on the top from the front of the rear wheelwell forward. This allows for the body sit flat on the 32 frame. At the front of the rear wheel well the frame is stepped inward about an inch or so . I ordered my Brookville body with 32 sub rails in the rear of the body, but I didn't use a Brookville frame. My frame uses American Stamping frame rails that have been pinched front and rear. I had to remove the rear Brookville sub rails as they didn't follow the A-S frame and I made new ones. I had to modify the bottom of my cowl along with the cowls sub rails to allow the body to sit on the A-S rails. Bill
I cringe every time I see 32 rails that have been narrowed an inch at the wheelwells to fit a 29 body. It just looks wrong to me. Reminds me of tubbed cars of the 80's, and nobody with a highboy roadster wants that.
48stude. Brockville say ; rodster body for 32 style frame. ( my guess 'frame' is the rails or ch***ie ) You say 'frame' is that refered to body or ch***ie ? So you did order your body for a 32 frame ? alchemy, As I'm from Sweden I has hard to know the right technical words. So what you mean is one should order the Brockville std body ( not to a 32 frame/ch***ie/rail ) to get the 'highboy' feeling, did I get that correct ? When we talk 'frame' is that mean the body or ch***ie ? Me I think the flat wheel openings and the 32 frame jumps in behind the whee openings look very strange ( not as one see it much but it look odd )
Traditional hot rod builders don't use rails that are kicked in at the wheelwell. We would rather have the tin in the wheelwell modified to fit over the stock rail in that area. Either by pulling the tin outward, maybe t******* it up over the rail, or maybe even slightly bending the rail inward. But not with a big kick (notch) inward like Brookville does to their frames.
Walden Speed Shop makes a '32 style frame that a stock Model A body will bolt directly to. Here's a link: https://www.waldenspeedshop.com/ch***is
I’m after rails alone with the pinch in so that work is done. Not boxed. I like avoid wood under body but don’t like sink the body down on the rail. I’m not after a low roadster. I has a std center section and A-Ford rear cross and a std A-Ford front cross. This parts will be in place by rivets, not weld. Waldens stuff is nice, but not my style for this car. ( alchemy, I need read your answer more times = thanks. Any pictures of good look and less good ( your way see it )
I don't know if they still do but So-Cal used to make a nice 28/29 frame and ch***is using ASC 32 rails.
Yes So-Cal sell a frame for A-Ford ( A-V8 frame ) and they tell on web on right curve of cowld, flat upper side. They said I could order the rails separatly. -When I asked them on 'USA made' they said Yes ( from ASC ) then I said this rails is made after std and they said = Yes. It make no sence to me. I asked them if I sended my std 32 centre section and rear A-Ford cross and if they use rivets but no reply back ( I also said I could send them the body ) My guess they don’t do this kind of work ( old school style ) I asked now Pete & Jakes the same but so far no reply back. I also has try get a answer from Brookville on the 29 roadster body that sell at std frame and 32 style frame what diff. I order it for 32 frame ( but after read alchemy I must get more info ) I got information the rear of body/floor needs allot of work and I can’t understand why Brookville not 2022 make a body that floor fit for a 32 frame. How many restore a std 29 now ? Waldens ide is good, but not my way to go.
Check with Blackboard Hot Rods, around Bakersfield, Ca I think. He builds a perimeter frame, 2 rails and front and rear cross members, pinched for a 28-29 or pinched for 30-31 body. Very nice work, very nice pricing, and will do as little or as much to the frame, as you wish.
Sorry, I can't find a clear photo of the Brookville frame, but trust me it's not traditional at all and you would regret it forever. I am guessing their 29 body made to fit a 32 frame will not sit right down on a regular frame without more modification to the rear floor and subrails. There are plenty of ch***is builders in the US who will build you a fancy frame with rivets. Maybe not the big guys who have their standard styles and won't deviate. But lots of smaller shops who can do a custom order. Look at Union Speed on Instagram. They have done a couple very nice ch***is that I am familiar with, and are willing to go to any extent you need with rivets.
I found my old catalog last night to see how things were worded. To answer Hanks question if I ordered my body for a 32 style frame? The answer is yes . The body comes with rear subrails that follow the contour of the rear of the 32 ch***is/frame. The rest of the body is unchanged
I noticed in the catalog the picture of Geoff Miles car on the opposite page. That is not a Brookville ch***is/frame. That ch***is/frame was built @ Kiwi Connection in part by Gary Maxwell ( Blackboard Hot Rods) I think this is very misleading
I'll just came home from a local hot rod meet and there was a very nice cl***ic style 29 on a 32 frame. It was a stock body and stock frame. New owner was not shore on how the builder did ( builder was there somwhere but I will meet him tomorrow = it started rain ) but we could not see the frame was pinched in (?) On pictures ( ex Blackboard Hot Rods ) the pinched in A-body 32 frame look 'very pinched', but this roadster I saw today the cowl naturally followed the std 32 frame ! And Yes it had a gap under doors to frame but I could not see it, say it max 3/8 of a inch. ( as the body is straight and the 32 frame is not, it will be a 'gap', but on that roadster it was not much ( pictures tomrrow )
I'm not sure what you are referring to when you say cap under door to frame. Unless it's something like this ?
A recent re-release of the Revell '29 highboy model kit has this version of the 'stepped-inward' '32 rails. As soon as I opened the box, I saw it. The frame in that one was immediately relevated to the drawer of 'misc. parts', maybe sometime later I can cut off the error and restore the rear side rails. "Pro-Street Highboy"??? Not on my watch... Not even in 1/25 scale!
You know, I can spot that style of ch***is 100 feet away. But it makes building a 28-29 on 32 rails way easier if you can tolerate the looks. It's just not my cup of tea. Bill
Hank, Here's a very nice traditional hot rod with a '29 Brockville roadster body built on a '32 ch***ie in Sweden by a buddy of mine. I suggest you talk to him (in swedish) how he did. Just send me a PM and then I'll provide you with his phone number if you are interested to know more.
One of the neatest highboy 29 roadsters I've ever seen was a super simple car. The builder took a totally stock 32 ch***is, and plopped the 29 body on top after he cut the rear floor and subrails out. No pinching of the ch***is at all. It looked just like a kid in 1940 did the work.
alchemy, I got the point. To radical pinch in might look nice and fit the cowld perfect but maybe not the ’cl***ic’ way. But one cl***ic way I heard now is cut the lower part of firewall upp in mid as the upper is wide enoght for frame, then one add material to get the same size on the lower part. -That might be a neat and also a ’cl***ic’ solution. I also heard not to get the Brookville body for a 32 frame design and not flat the upper part of frame as that rise the body around 2” in front. So a std body and a std frame combo and use hardwoods -Bring in more ideas, pictures. Big thank’s to all for help.
Yes, way too much skilled work to pinch a deuce frame to mount a 29 body. Not very many were pinched back in the day…zero kids, but maybe a limited number of professionals did it. Became very popular with the scratch built street rod ch***is builders, and is much more prevalent today.
Many years ago my friend Gary bought my Highboy 32 sedan and after he drove it a while he decided to do a new ch***is. He had me make a few changes to the old ch***is (nothing to basic frame) and he put a 29 roadster body that he'd found in pieces hanging in an old body shop on that stock dimension 32 frame with only the back horns being bobbed and floor modifications. Drove the wheels off it and he still regrets selling it.
I used some ACS frame rails when I made my frame and pinched it both front and rear. To get the body to sit down you need to cut the rear sub rails up to fit over the rear kick up of the 32 frame. For the front I took a pie cut out of the front cowl to match the up sweep of the 32 frame
did that on my 1930 coupe... i bought a pair of '35-'36 tudor/3 w door patches... bead sort of matched the '30's door bottoms... they curl up towards the front, this let the body better match the top of the frame rail... pix on old computer...
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