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1927 roadster on stock 32 frame?

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by redbeard, Mar 20, 2008.

  1. redbeard
    Joined: Nov 18, 2002
    Posts: 714

    redbeard
    Member

    I am looking at putting a 27 roadster on my original 32 frame,


    I know how the model A's fit, but how about model T.

    here is a pic of the coupe on it now, which is coming off.

    [​IMG]

    I don't want to butcher the 32 frame.

    I was looking for a model A roadster, but found a 26-27.

    thanks for any help
     
  2. Rusty
    Joined: Mar 4, 2004
    Posts: 9,486

    Rusty
    Member

    I was looking at doing this a few months back. You really got to narrow that frame big time. At the front and rear it is just way to skinny. Go to wescott and you can get a frame drawing and can compare but i have never seen a stock un modified 32 frame under a t
     
  3. Kevin Lee
    Joined: Nov 12, 2001
    Posts: 7,658

    Kevin Lee
    Super Moderator
    Staff Member

    Man... one of my favorite coupes on the HAMB... don't do it.
     
  4. Royalshifter
    Joined: May 29, 2005
    Posts: 15,817

    Royalshifter
    Moderator
    from California

    No offense but........why? That coupe looks cool just find another frame...if you mount the roadster you will have to widen the body or narrow the frame.
     
  5. Dave, is this the same roadster you bought almost a year ago? And if so what's the story on it? Is it an old hot rod survivor? What hood is the back half made of?
     
  6. DE SOTO
    Joined: Jan 20, 2006
    Posts: 3,857

    DE SOTO
    Member

    First off lemme say im downing this car by any meens...

    But i have a question ... I see guys like Keven saying this car is PERFECT and BAD ASS & such from time to time.

    I have also had a ton of guys tell me MY car is a Rat Rod.. Basically cus i have no paint.

    SO, Why is this car NOT a Rat Rod & is PERFECT even that it has no paint, rusty 1/4s & what looks like Galvinized sheet metal in the roof ?

    Like i said, I am NOT bashing this car... Just a lil confused :confused:
     
  7. Kevin Lee
    Joined: Nov 12, 2001
    Posts: 7,658

    Kevin Lee
    Super Moderator
    Staff Member

    If I can clarify my own position - I never said it was perfect, only that it was one of my favorites. It still needs a lot of work in my opinion. And if I owned it I would definitely be doing that work... as I drove it.

    I'm looking at it like this I guess. It looks like a lot of thought has gone into the overall look and stance. And I happen to remember he put this coupe together from several different bodies - which to me means he wanted it pretty bad. I also think the hood is neat. Funny though - I don't even know what engine is under that hood.

    I'm just looking at the overall car and it's potential. How it's finished isn't even entering the picture for me yet. Right or wrong I assume someone who would put something together like this will eventually find the time to finish it, patch the quarters, fill the roof correct, etc.

    I wouldn't call it a rat rod just like I wouldn't call your car a rat rod. They both seem to be headed a in a solid direction at the opposite end of things.

    Make sense?
     
  8. Easy, that coupe has style and STANCE. A rat rod does not show the amount of skill in getting a car to sit so badass. I would get started on bodywork and some good ol shiny laquer paint if it was in my shed.
     
  9. DE SOTO
    Joined: Jan 20, 2006
    Posts: 3,857

    DE SOTO
    Member


    See, Now i aggree with this statment as the car does have the look & stance...

    To stay on track a lil since i seem to have derailed this thread, Sorry Red Beard.. But i wouldnt take this car apart to run a "T' body..

    I know some kids that ran a T roadster on '32 rails & they had to hack off the rear section of the rails behind the cross member, but then they are Hacks anyways ...
     
  10. Dreddybear
    Joined: Mar 31, 2007
    Posts: 6,152

    Dreddybear
    Member

    That car is cool. If my opinion counts, I would leave it too.
     
  11. redbeard
    Joined: Nov 18, 2002
    Posts: 714

    redbeard
    Member

    Honestly I like the coupe alot myself, but I too would want to finish it more at this point.

    Kevin is correct that this is made from two bodies, and at the time I was just building it slash mocking it up to work out the bugs, and most old timers thought I had just drug it out of a barn or field. I will admit that I wanted it to look like it came out of a Don Montgomery book. The roof was already "filled" by the farmer I got it from, and honestly I like all the stuff they did out of neccesity, like the hinge pins are just screws that fit.

    I don't know if this car should be finished as I am afraid it would lose something. I would not call it a rat rod, but many people do. I have learned along time ago to let that type of shit just roll of my back. No one will take away all the pleasure I have had building and driving this thing to hell and back. I do recognize that it does not represent the level of craftmanship I admire and think I may someday be capable of, which is why I have turned down any magazines that have wanted to feature it.

    It has a flathead ford and 39 tranny with a banjo rear, there is nothing later than 1951.

    here is a pic of it with out the hood, maybe you can see the motor.
    [​IMG]

    But the reason all this talk of change is that, I found a 33 ford five window. So I sold my boatail roadster refered to above, to get the 33. I don't need two coupes, and I really enjoyed having a roadster, so my thought was to keep this great original 32 frame and running gear and put a roadster body on it.

    If you guys say a 26-27 won't fit, ok, I kind of wanted another 30 anyhow. I just ran across
    a 27 that was a pretty good deal, and I am going to look at it today. I wanted to have an educated idea of whether I would need to modify my frame much.

    It already has been bobbed and narrowed in the rear to fit under the A anyhow, so I guess it is already "hacked". I just don't want to mess with the K member, since everything fits with the motor tranny etc.

    Honestly I pretty much sold the coupe body already, and I am confidant that I can create a roadster that is just as cool as this coupe, but be more finished, as far as body work.

    I appreciate your guys kind words, but everything seems to have fallen in place, I am not swapping anytime soon, and the guy buying the coupe wants to basically make the same car, with out the flatty.

    Hell I am sure all of you have been at these kind of cross roads before, and as my freind would say, these are gold plated problems.

    thanks for all the help.
    the hamb is an amazing bunch of hotrodders under all the bs
     
  12. 29hotrod55kustom
    Joined: Dec 19, 2005
    Posts: 701

    29hotrod55kustom
    Member

    every ones right, it takes ALOT of work to put a 27 on deuce rails. the entire frame needs to be narrowed and the rear rails need to be bobbed. would the frame need to be pinched as well, like on a model A?? just wondering cause 26/27's dont have quite the narrowing in the cowel section as model A's do right?
     
  13. Dreddybear
    Joined: Mar 31, 2007
    Posts: 6,152

    Dreddybear
    Member

    Redbeard, sorry to sidestep a bit, but do you have any more pics of that pickup? It sits perfect.
     
  14. Shaggy
    Joined: Mar 6, 2003
    Posts: 5,207

    Shaggy
    Member
    from Sultan, WA

    It's been done, i'm gunna find out this summer, i belive you have to narrow the shit out of the rails, or you can widen the body there was a post a few months back with a couple widened t roadsters on 32 rails
     
  15. ModelAHotRod
    Joined: May 14, 2007
    Posts: 40

    ModelAHotRod
    Member
    from MO

    I love it! Subtract the rust and add paint and that's what mine will look like someday:rolleyes: Thanks for the inspiration!
     
  16. Ryan
    Joined: Jan 2, 1995
    Posts: 22,583

    Ryan
    ADMINISTRATOR
    Staff Member

    Personally, I think you have too good of a profile to mess with. I think it's time to start polishing her up... The potential is incredible. I love that little coupe.

    As for a T on deuce rails... It can be done. Below is the only picture you will get out of me though. :)
     

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  17. Paul
    Joined: Aug 29, 2002
    Posts: 16,902

    Paul
    Editor

    I grabbed this pick off the web somewhere..?
    don't know anything about it

    it appears to have a belly pan under there
     

    Attached Files:

  18. 296 V8
    Joined: Sep 17, 2003
    Posts: 4,666

    296 V8
    BANNED
    from Nor~Cal

    I was going to do a 27 roadster on 32 rails (I have everything to do it) but when I found a 31 coupe body I thought of your car and others similar to it and put the 27 aside. Your coupe IMA is outstanding. If it were mine I would at least do the body work and prime and upholster it.

    There’s a 27 on a stock deuce frame with a nail head and six twos that been around nor cal I’m sure you’ve seen it. The frame is wider than the body.
     
  19. Scott
    Joined: Dec 23, 2004
    Posts: 2,773

    Scott
    Member

    The stance on that coupe hit me right away,KEEP THE COUPE on there!!
     
  20. Zombie Hot Rod
    Joined: Oct 22, 2006
    Posts: 2,452

    Zombie Hot Rod
    Member
    from New York

    I agree 100%, sometimes it's all of the little things that different people did over the years that makes the car so cool. Sometimes you can build the character right out of a car by making everything perfect.
     
  21. fab32
    Joined: May 14, 2002
    Posts: 13,985

    fab32
    Member Emeritus

    You say you "pretty much sold the coupe body". Does that mean you made the deal or just thinking about it and you have a buyer that's willing to fork over the $$$$'s. If that's the case I wouldn't sell, just put the finishing touches on what you've started. You can always come up with another '32 frame.

    Frank
     
  22. Here's a few pictures of a 27 on 32 rails. Most guys narrow the frame...but you could do like we did and make the body wider.

    To make it "look right", you need to make the body line up with the frame and doing it this way gives you a little extra room inside and doesn't really effect the look of the car.

    Most people never even know that we didn't narrow the frame. :)

    Matt
     

    Attached Files:

  23. redbeard
    Joined: Nov 18, 2002
    Posts: 714

    redbeard
    Member

    thanks fox valley,

    how much did you widen it, as a frame of reference.

    it looks good in the pic
     
  24. Well, we did it about 6-7 years ago...but if memory serves me right...I wanna say about 4"-5" in the front and a little less in the rear?

    Matt
     
  25. nailheadroadster
    Joined: Jun 7, 2006
    Posts: 1,525

    nailheadroadster
    Member

    You don't have to narrow the frame. I put my 26 T roadster on a stock width 32 frame by widening the body about 3 1/2" through the cowl. I don't think it looks goofy and the extra foot room really helps.

    [​IMG]

    How's that for a cool unplanned picture? Have you ever tried to look through a radiator? The sun must have been shinin juuuust right when the shutter snapped. LOL

    [​IMG]

    And an overhead veiw to show the width difference.
     
  26. nailheadroadster
    Joined: Jun 7, 2006
    Posts: 1,525

    nailheadroadster
    Member

    Hey Matt,

    Just saw yer post. Helluva good idea on widening the body! :) And a great lookin roadster!

    Regards, Dave
     
  27. redbeard
    Joined: Nov 18, 2002
    Posts: 714

    redbeard
    Member

    Nailhead roadster, that is exactly what I am looking for.

    That car looks like it fits very well, and that is a pretty crazy picture looking through the radiator.

    thanks for the info, I had thought about widening it when I bought the roadsters.

    I will keep you all posted.

    As far as the coupe body, it has been partially paid for, by a freind and club member, so
    it is not for sale unless he changed his mind. But it will retain it's stance and style as I am
    building a roller for it to leave on.

    thanks everyone that liked it, I hope you will like the next version as much.
     
  28. Mr48chev
    Joined: Dec 28, 2007
    Posts: 35,672

    Mr48chev
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    You used to see photos of the 27 roadster body on stock 32 frames quite a bit in the magazines in the 60's. After looking at the two posts above I think most of them did just that. They widened the bodys to fit the frames rather then cut the frames to fit the bodys.
     
  29. Toast
    Joined: Jan 6, 2007
    Posts: 3,885

    Toast
    Member
    from Jenks, OK

    I, like most who have weighed in like to coupe. That said, it is your car and you didn't ask for opinions on whether to keep the coupe as is. Buuuut if you don't have that body sold, I WANT IT!!!:D:D
     
  30. That coupe is really bitchin man, I'd leave it.
     

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