Perhaps an odd question but I spoke with a guy with a 32 3 Window for sale but sadly at some stage its been turned into a roadster. Im just wondering if any of you guys can recall ever seeing a roof section for sale - wondering how often if ever something might come up. Thanks.
I know of two people with topless three windows. One of them has another car that he has put a roof on. Besides the roof and garnish moldings the doors become an item.
Have you given any thought to finding a roadster top cowl section? Someone here should be able to photoshop that to seehow it would look.
Been there and done that, after 6 months of being jerked around ( seems the boss is always out of town ) gave up. Guess if you're backed up for years with orders you can't be bothered with someone trying to fix an old one. I'll try again in 5 years, when the boss gets back.
I was standing at the Brookville booth at the NSRA Nationals in Louisville ( 2007 ) with a friend ... and another fellow was there wanting to buy a new 3W ... They offered him slot #142 ... because the guy that was originally #142 had been told he has cancer and 6 months to live. The new guy ... He had to pay the 5 grand deposit ... right then to get #142 ... This did not sit well with my friend ... because they offered him a lot higher number. He and I both thought that it was cool that they gave the original #142 guy his deposit back ... but thought that his spot in line should go to the NEXT guy in line who has been waiting for months ... not the NEW GUY with the 5 grand deposit
I don't know what they usually go for, but there was a 3 window top at the swap meet at the NSRA nats this year for $750 I think.
look around on the old vintage stock car sites,you see alot of old torn up deuces and stuff like that on their sites...Those guys only use the body pretty much from the door handles up...
I remember seeing the top at luoisville. It was cut into a back half and front half. I think it was about $700-$800 a half. I don't remember any doors though.
I found this in the woods when getting my 34....Yep, thats part of a top. At least you'd be 35% there
i think you could find one..it may just be pieces like Chris posted. get enough pieces and you'll have a top i'd try a wanted ad in Hemmings and on the Ford Barn
I guess I don't understand what's going on here. They are in the business of building and selling new bodies. If you know anything about how the 3w is stamped you'll realize that in order to sell you the parts for a top they would loose the parts needed to build a complete body. Then the bank of parts already committed to complete body assembly would be one short. Maybe not a big deal to you but when you have your assembly and stamping schedule set for the next year if they do it for one guy why not the next 50 who want the same accomodations. With their investment in dies to make these bodies they won't show a profit on the '32 3w for at least a couple years. Now if you happen to have 3-4 million laying around doing nothing you should put it to use and have your own dies (and a multitude of supporting hardware) made and give them some competition. This is only a guess but I'll venture if you do you'll be a lot more interested in selling $25,000 complete assemblies than a few hundred dollars worth of stampings so someone can save an origonal body. Prove me wrong. Frank
The only thing comes to mind is maybe its profitable to cut up some of your stampings as you get constant sales from the guys looking for quarters/door skins etc with "no assembly required" as you would with a complete body order. Might actually be MORE profit in cut sections! Makes sense if you have a small assembly area with low output. Those 50 bodys worth of stampings won't make you any money fast if it takes you a month to assemble 5-10 units! Better to cut it up and make a quick profit on any shelf stock that runs beyond your immediate production requirements...as long as you don't outstrip your suppliers shipping pace. That would be the key.
Frank, I was told by them that they have "seconds" stuff that was damaged during or after the stamping process that they could sell me. Guess I was a little too impatient. If I had 3 or 4 mill layin' around I'd be buying up nice originals not poppin' out fakes.
if the "roadster" body is a decent price, snap it up. As long as you are not in a hurry, you will eventually find all the parts you need to build the coupe. Spending a lot of time on this site and that other place will help too.
I too remember seein the 3w roof section at the NAts. Surely somebody knows somebody who can get you in touch with that guy to see if it was sold.
buy the roadster and sell it to someone looking for a unique roadster, use the money for your search for a complete coupe body.
It isnt that sort of deal as its priced at market. Think I will save almost $20K and buy a complete A body
Whatever the degree of difficulty is finding a 3W roof over here in the USA ... I would imagine it would be much more difficult in Australia. I sold a 1932 Ford 3W modified dash to a fellow in Australia and the money exhange rate was about 3 to 2 ... then the shipper had to get the container full ... then shipped and as I understand it ... the container sat in Australia ( held by customs ) for awhile ... it was almost a year before he actually had the dash in hands.
Need some inspiration? check out Jim Sibley post on the Willys coupe he is saving from the scrap heap! Sedan roof parts with some whittlin, and theres some pretty talented panel beaters out there that could help if budget allows. Buy the thing if its priced right! Good luck John
I could build you a top. I did this one on a 29 murray in 60 hours. Its removable, it would have been A LOT easier if it was mounted solid.
This one is on Evilbay ... Buy it, keep the stuff you want/need and sell the rest ... http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1932...160832760QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item230160832760
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