how to build a reasonably priced 1932 high boy?

This statement applies to much more than cars - better jobs, higher education, hotter women, etc, etc.

Always push the envelope - you CAN do anything.

 

I'd like to have a 32 hiboy too, and after I retire my first project will be to build one, or maybe a loboy (always like them more). Even with modest investments in parts, doing my own wrenching, interior and paint it wil still cost between $12k and $20k for a nice, safe one.

No it don't unless you just have to have one. 32 Chevies and Mopars make for nice hiboys too. Recently saw a nice Studebaker loboy for sale at a best offer price. It needed a little work, but it was a good build lacked nothing to put on the road. Was hard to past up, but had to do it. But for someone looking to get into a nice roadster it was a helluva of an opportunity. And that is what you probably should be looking for. A nice project car at a reasonable price, that you can wrench on for a while and end up with a nice rod. From there it's a matter of selling, buying or trading your way to the one that you really want.

There are not quick trips to a 32 hiboy, unless you got really deep pockets.
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Use the search feature to find "How to build a Hot Rod with your mind TECH" by SamIyam.
It is great.
HemiDeuce.

 

Pretty much what I was going to tell you:

I made partying my first priority as a kid, and hot rods my second. I wish I'd put education and financial success a couple notches in front of those two! I finally got my **** together and at forty am finally wrapping up getting a garage constructed. So you can see where I'm coming from. Once the money thing gets licked, the rest is easy (well, less difficult).

Education and a good career would have got me the car and house; a hot rod and a landlord got me... a car that got hit parked out on the street, and rent due at the end of the month.

All that aside, see if you can find a garage where you can 'squat' for ten years or so (parents, uncle, etc), until you've got the education and have yourself financially 'on track'. Look for deals on pieces; if they take a LOT of work, that's okay; you have time on your side.

-bill

 

Wow. thanks guys.

ive been leaning back and forth on the issue of building an "a" or a 32. i think ill build the Model a coupe on a 32 frame.
ive got a friend that can supply me with a real 32 frame.
but what axels should i use? what should i do to the frame?
ive currently got my mind set on a 460 and a t-5 ****** but im open to suggestions.

to answer your question: does it have to be a ford

more like it cant be chevy. that would be like going communist.

 

If you leave the 32 frame at stock dimensions, you can always swap out bodies later. Also, Check out the gl*** bodies at New Age Motorsports. Good Luck. I was 33 when I bought my 32 five window.

 

A well built 327 or 350" chevy engine will make your dream car a joy to drive. Throw a big block in, and watch how it affects the handling. The lighter you build the car, the better the acceleration. So read carefully and search the threads. You'll find good examples of how much material/thickness is needed for suspension and brackets. In the days of yore, I was getting 17+mpg out of a 350 SBC, the big blocks were usually hovering around 10-12 mpg.

 

Let me step in and say,most of the time,building a 32 hiboy aint cheap,unless like with me,i got my body from dad when I was 7 years old,and it was bought in 1974 for only 200 dollors,I am now 27,and after 5 years off building it,and the last 3 years of driving it done,along with mild changes I still only have 15 grand in the darn thing,in my eyes,that was cheap enough.

 

I didn't know you could use "reasonably priced" and '32 Highboy in the same sentence!

 

Damn! Its nice to see a kid even thinking about a 32 or..... any kind of a hot rod! Follow your dreams Kid. You can do it.

 

Damn straight. Build the car you REALLY want. It is not impossible to be into a '32 for a reasonable amount of money today - however, you will have to be very persistent in your searching for a decent starter. My criteria was simple - STEEL '32 closed p***enger car. Nothing less would do. So the hunt has been on (for a while now) for anything that would meet that goal - Tudor, Fordor, Vicky (hahaha), 5W (heeheehee), 3W (guffawwww). I tightened my search a bit to include a car with room for the family so now we're looking for sedans only - Tudors are cool and I love Fordors too. From there I focused my search on something that could be bought and parted out to allow me to 1) meet my goal of acquiring a '32, and, 2) sell off the stuff I didn't like/want/need and thereby recoup my investment. So I bought a running, driving '32 Tudor with a Cleveland, auto, 9" and a bunch of hokey **** that didn't go together because buyers couldn't see the potential under the mismatched parts and design directions that the car displayed. The car was wickedly chopped (on the order of 5 1/2 to 6") and slightly channeled some time in the 50's (according to the previous owner) and had been modified periodically over the ensuing years as trends and technologies changed, resulting in a car that doesn't know which way it's going stylistically. If you look beyond the combination of the 50's bobbed rear fenders, 60's style wood dash, 70's resto-style two tone paint with the hood running uphill (due to a stock height rad and that slight channel) and 80's chrome 4 bar/coilover rear suspension, this car is a great start. Sure, it's not perfect but it is a very solid base and will be perfect for me to reach my goal of a very cool sedan. Total investment (once it's delivered) is less than $15,000. I'll be keeping the basic body only and hope to recoup most of my investment and piece it back together with some new parts and a bunch I've scrounged over the years. I anticipate a total investment once it's done (including new ch***is, lots of stainless, simple paint, a top secret upholstery trick to save thousands, fresh 327/5 spd, Halibrand Culver City V8 qc, magnesium Halibrand wheels and original Firestone dirt tires) of about $10,000 above the already sourced parts previously mentioned. Granted, this takes into account a lot of pre-scrounged quality parts that have taken years to ac***ulate and lots of horse trading to end up with the pieces I want for little or no green.

The key is getting the car you really want - once this one's done I'm shooting for my next must-have ride - a 33/34 3W.

Steve