Hello all, I'm a newbie to forums. Be gentle with me if I make rookie mistakes but please don't hesitate to educate me if I go about something in the wrong way. I'm 61 and plan to retire in April 2025 after about 30 years in the aviation industry. Before that I owned a small general automotive repair shop. And before that I worked in, then managed a couple of auto part stores. I'm here trying to learn everything I can about sourcing components and building a repro Pro Street '34 Ford 3 Window Coupe.
Congrats on your upcoming retirement, good luck with your street rod project. Your plans for a pro street type rod will make the Off Topic forum the appropriate venue for your project, as I assume you will be looking at using newer suspension tech (like IFS), etc. The other forums concentrate on traditional customs and rods, utilizing old school cool, such as drop axles and flat head Fords. These forums are great for learning the techniques and heritage that is the very bedrock for the car culture we enjoy today. While I am currently working on a steel bodied '36 Ford fordor project car honoring my departed dad ("Legacy '36"), I also have a 'glass Outlaw Performance bodied street rod, not pro street, but similar to what your considering. I enjoyed that build, but have two caveats for you to consider: first, do your research and buy the best reproduction body you can afford, it will be worth it in the long run. Secondly, and this didn't hit me until my current original '36 project: working with an actual old car has a way of connecting you with the history (known or not) of THAT car, it's 'soul,' if you will, that you won't feel with the 'glass car. For me, I think about the '36, and how somebody bought it NEW almost 90 years ago. How many moms were rushed to the hospital in it to deliver? How many funeral processions has it been in? How did it end up on Little Joe's Antique and Used Car lot in 1975, where my dad bought it as a father/son project? What would he (and all the previous owners) say if they could see it now? I definitely feel a sense of stewardship to bring this piece of history to its next level. I like my 'glass Outlaw Coupe, but don't feel these same things about it. It actually didn't even exist until I paid for it to be made for me. Sorry to go long on this, and please understand this is ME sharing MY thoughts on the subject. I'll close with a couple of pics of the aforementioned cars. Oh, and welcome to the H.A.M.B. !
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