History History (and Build) of Just Steve's 1932 Ford Three Window

We'll step back from doing donuts in the snow, and work on the 32 to fill in a few gaps on the history of the car.

Yesterday Dad and I went to Beckie's to fire up Steve's bugeye ( a story in itself) and we came across Steve's build journal on the 32. This helps fill in a a lot of voids.


First is a picture that Jon K sent to me a month ago.

This is the 32 when it was owned by a young Paul Roath. Paul supposedly bought this car off a used car lot on 1st Ave S in MPLS for $300 as a nice original stocker with an original flathead. Later he installed the dropped axle ,white top insert, steelies and wide whites. The car was originally maroon, Paul painted the car black with 16 coats of hand-rubbed lacquer. Also added were the chrome sealed beam headlights with jewels on the top.

After breaking an axle he installed a 34 rear and straight spring ( ground to clear 32 x member). It still has this spring today. The car was shown locally and was in at least one armory show.


Jim R acquired the car from Paul. Jim was a Rhythm Rods member and installed the 265 Chevrolet motor. I've posted a few of these photos earlier in the thread.

After a few years Jim separated the drivetrain and sold the car to Don S. Don was a shady character, didn't have a good reputation. Sounds like he basically threw the car together for the GSTA show in 1960 and the car was stored and worked on in a shop under a dry cleaners on West 7th in St Paul.
Here's the entry blank and the show bill.
Notes the engine details. And notes on the last page. Unfortunately these chrome parts never made it onto the car.




Don S sold the car sometime after the show to Erv E. Less the motor,*******, and tires. According to Erv, Don did not drive the 32 as it had brake/ mechanical problems.

Erv started collecting parts to get it on the road. This included a carbureted Hemi from the Golden Gopher ( bought from Ted J) a Cad / Lasalle******* and other parts.

In 61 or 62 Erv found out that Marv S had a red 55 Olds stick convert for sale and traded the deuce for the convert and some cash.

The car sat at Marv's gas station on Payne avenue for a few years. Erv thought that Ted J and Bill S were working on the motor and******* mounts getting a Buick back in the car. The car may have got on the road as Marv's dad said the car lost oil pressure and was parked in the chicken coupe I in 1964 or 1965.

Fast forward to February of 1991 and this is when Steve located and purchased the car and where we started this thread.


Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!

 

One more higher res of the nailhead in the car during the GSTA show.



Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!

 

Great car, great build, great history!

Attempt to bring back a bit of the color from the photo...

 

Hey thanks. I like the ammo box for tools...I wonder if he was changing plugs?

 

The '32 is getting a better run of luck now. In another year, it'd be cool to see it back at the GSTA show.

 

Oooh, scary that Don Shantos owned it, really weird guy. him and his brother also had a nailhead power T touring thing

 

Must the touring that steered the wrong direction when it was built....or so I heard


Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!

 

......and I think I finally done mucking with the whole*******, bell housing, clutch disc fiasco.

Rusty, A local machinist hot-rodder stopped by today and machined a pilot bushing that accepts two bearings. This will have a light press into the crank.

and he machined a pocket relief in my bell housing to clear the shifter rail shaft ( you can see it sticking out of face of the*******)

Ready for final****embly



Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!

 

Yep, i heard that too, wonder if the motor from the T was in the 32 at some point?

 

Looks like Lumpy Rutherford in the passenger side.

If the the T motor is painted it is the same running gear that was in the 32. The motor /******* rear end read the same as the spec sheet above that he filled out for the GSTA show.....and how many guys were running 37 Buick*******s.
Speaking of the Buick******* set-up Steve bought that in MPLS and I really wonder if it was the same******* that was in the 32 and changed hands a few times. It was painted red, similar to some of the other red pieces on the car.

I guess the T explains why the plated rearend and plated motor never made into the 32 as intended.

I need to get ahold of Gene somehow and see if he has any slides from the '60 GSTA show that would have more pics of the 32.

 

I have a few photos of GSTA show your car appeared in. I looked to see if I had one of your 32. No luck unfortunately. I found one of the red 53 Studebaker next to the 32 in your above post. I was close!

 

Thanks for checking, Are you originally from MPLS? It would be cool to get copies of your pics...

 

Cars like this are way cool, but having the history
puts it into a coveted category.
Great thread!

 

Closer to you, Walnut Grove, MN. Be happy to send copies. Can you send me a PM with your address or e-mail?

 

I'm very sorry for your brother..
I live in Italy and here it's hard to be passionate of hot rod.. in the past when no internet I bought magazines and books... I own "Hot Rodder's Bible" (Ed MotorbooksWorkshop - Gerry Burger & Steve Hendrickson)
On this I had read the story of '32 3w ..... I always dreamed of finding one... (here impossible!!!...and in a chicken coop!!!).
I have often wondered what had happened...I thought now running on the roads ...and today I read here....
Awesome! Thanks for sharing!

Two pages of the book and another photo no posted in this thread.... :



http://books.google.it/books?id=5gS...=onepage&q=hot rodder's bible chicken&f=false

 

Nix. Thanks! There's a lot of neat hot rods being built in Europe... Some more traditional than cars in the US. It's got to be tough and expensive. I'm glad you're following along on the 32. Let me know if you ever need help.
Eric

Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!

 

Got my headers back this week. Looking forward to some garage time this weekend !





Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!

 

Thanks Roadsir ... Yes it's expensive, I am poor but I try the same realize my dreams and I hope you too will soon realize your to run with '32.

Erik

 

Got the motor and******* mated today and decided to drop it in the chassis tonight.









Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!

 

not to be an****, but the thickness of the front brake drums makes it look like the wheels will stick out pretty far?

 

Larry, I thinks its a little deceiving for two reasons. 1st they are F1 hubs which sit a little outboard as compared to the F100. 2nd, the F1 stock drums have a drop center, but I couldn't find them, another HAMB guy told me late model drums work, and they do as the height is the same, but they have a flat face, shouldn't notice when the wheels are on.

 

Thats a big cool step.

 

Got the front of the motor mostly wrapped up . I need to fabricate a generator bracket off the passenger side.

I had a stud break off in the spark plug cover hole in the head. That was a major time-*****.

Clutch linkage works, I need to make some final adjustments, and get the return spring on both the brake and clutch pedal.

Distributor is ready to go in, then the firewall. I decided to go with a American auto wire 15 series panel. It should be here mid week so I can start planning the mounting.





Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!

 

That thing is gorgeous!!! Are the front frame rails boxed from the K member forward? It doesn't appear to be. I am debating to mount the Hurst style mounts to the frame, or the boxing plates(if used).

 

Its step boxed. In fact I just got copies of everything on my brothers hard drive, so I will post up some pics of the chassis build... This will be a step back in the build.

 

That's a whole lotta' good lookin' there....ain't it ? That's what I'm thinking anyway....

 

Excellent work. I was wondering if the clutch pedal would clear the bellhousing, now I can see how carefully it had to be shaped to make sure it does clear. Great stuff.

 

Ok, I have been going through Steve Archives of media from Rodders Digest and some Free Lancing he was doing later for other books and magazines...Looks like I might need to get a copy of photoshop to open all the graphics files. Right now I can open just the images and word docs for stories.
These are pictures that Steve had taken to document the build of the 32. These pictures are a little over 10 years old. The work was being done at Creative Metal Works in Blaine, and used a lot of parts from Ionia Hot Rods pretty early in there start up I think.

So, consider this a build in reverse....back 10 years ago...It's interesting to go back through his notes as the forums, were pretty early, traditional parts sourcing was scarce. I think there is more rebuild stuff available for early nailheads today than 10 years ago.

Here you go...Lots more to come

 

Here are plenty more...

 

More of the Polish, backwards build thread.....Sorry for the order but these are more as the frame was initially jigged squared and straightened. Steve's would be kicking my**** for my editing skills, and lack of captioning.!