Projects 32 5W Build - The $4K Swapmeet Body / The Old Chrome Coupe

Neil,I checked out your coupe at GNRS. Be proud of your vision and execution. Gary

 

Great hop up annual feature!

 

Neil, have followed your build since day 1. Now looking at all the recent pics of the finished car it seems a shame to put paint on a perfect 32-5 window body. I assume paint is the next step. Congratulations on a perfect 32-5 window.
I don't think I missed it in your build thread but what is the story on the partially dropped headlight bar

 

I'd call it a mild dropped headlight bar, and I felt it added a bit of 50's quirkiness to the car. Now everyone uses the same heavily dropped headlight bar. In the mid-50's it was all over the board, from stock bars to really heavy drops, but I liked the mild drops seen below. So I dropped an original bar to my liking. It's probably not for everyone...

 

I think your low stance makes up for the lack of low headlights.

 

As they say, beauty is in the eye of the beer holder...



It may get a front bumper, but I think it's getting close to the vision in my head

 

Would be a shame to obscure the view of that beautiful axle!

 

That's exactly why it doesn't have a bumper on it now!

I'm still on the fence about the front bumper. Maybe I'll try one on there this weekend and report back.

 

Agreed. I have an all chrome front under my '32 and dont run a bumper, front pan, or the spreader bar, so it can be seen.

 

I'm still on the fence about the front bumper. Maybe I'll try one on there this weekend and report back.[/QUOTE]
I always have said that I don’t need a front bumper cuz I’m responsible for that end but I need a rear bumper cuz I can’t control the idiots behind me.

 

That's why I asked, I just knew there was a good story to it and I didn't want to miss out.

 

Restraint is often lost on modern builds.

 

The gentle drop on the headlight bar goes right along with the old man chop. Mild, not spicy...

 

I realize in hindsight that inferring restraint in this build might be ironic given the slathering of chrome, but to me, this build demonstrates an inherent understanding of the power of restraint.
Perfect is thrown around too often, but it's applicable here. And you're not even done yet.

 

Looks absolutely beautiful, Neal. I don’t get out too often, but I’d love to see it in person sometime.

 

Good to hear from you! Get it touch sometime.

I tried out a front bumper, but the old chrome brackets I used set the bumper a little too low. I'll pull them back off, slot the holes and see if I can get it to sit where it's supposed to. Then I can decide if it gets a bumper or not.


I got a message from a friend last week that this Sunnen hone was free if I wanted it.

I brought it home Friday, found a broken wire in the motor. Fixed that, and everything functioned as it should. I dumped a little oil in the sump and the coolant pump worked too.

Saturday morning I started on disassembly and cleaning everything up.



I got it primed and painted on Sunday



And started assembly today.



Need to finish rewiring the switch and a few other small things? But it's almost ready to put to work. I will have a smaller Sunnen hone available soon if anyone is looking.

 

I thought this before and after shot shows how nasty everything thing looked, but how well it cleaned up. Pretty big contrast.

 

Nice work on that Sunnen machine.

 

The Midas touch...

 

Nice work on the Sunnen machine.
I wish you were my neighbor, I need my new kingpin bushings honed.
Ha ha.

 

it looks sooooo clean without the bumper.

 

I gotta disagree, the front bumper completes it.

 

To me the 25 louver hood will make the lines flow.