Looks like Cromwell Molding Co. upped their game with this 23 T body! Website says $350.00 + shipping...or free local pick up. Anyone deal with them lately? Here is a pic from their website...they are located in Minnesota. https://hotrodfiberglass.com/
I was looking at them a few months ago when I was in one of my "I want to build another T" mode. I used one of their bodies about 15 years ago (when their bodies were sold through MAS) and was pleased enough with it, and you're right they have upped their game. I liked the nice, wide upper body lip, which wasn't a real consistent width on my old T body, and also noticed they added a ledge around the firewall area to work with a hood. I can't recall now if their website mentions it, but they offer the body with opening doors, just on the right side, or if you prefer both sides. The photo they sent me via e-mail showed that the door and the body had a door jam area molded in. I think doors was about $100 or maybe $150 extra. Lynn
I just checked to see what Speedway charges to ship their T body from Ne to Ca.....136 bucks. Minn to the mid west a bit cheaper no doubt.
bought one of their bodies a few years back-very happy with the quality-also got a turtle deck and a deuce grill shell.Close enough for me to drive down and pick it up
That body looks nice - the details look nice and crisp. Having said that, I have just built some roadster bodies from bits of old sheet metal. This is my first one my dad did for me. He used an old pickup cab roof turned upside down. I've done a couple more since then.
In the picture the body looks very good for the price. I don't know how they can make any money with the cost of materials. On a side note from my experience. I don't know if MAS had other companies making fiberglass parts and bodies for them or not but I ordered a one piece front clip for a 70 Camaro from MAS back in the early 70's and when I received it I couldn't believe anyone would have the balls to send someone such a waste of time and materials. I wish I had taken pictures of it back then but was so pissed I just trashed it and didn't even want to think about it ever again. The thing had a very wavy dip all across the middle of the hood 3 to 4 inches deep ,similar deformities everywhere else and air pockets 6 inches in diameter as if they never even rolled the air out at all. It was so bad that it honestly looked like they were trying on purpose to say to customers with a smile while shipping it out, look how bad we can screw you.
Like I asked...anyone deal with them lately? Anyone have a bucket project going on using their updated body?
don't know how others did it, but I used the flange to mount the deck inside the body. I just cut my body to fit the deck, then slid it through the hole and bonded the two together. Opening made a nice little hidey hole for my .45 and a couple spare clips.
It says the body is a fresh mold? The price is pretty low, and typically you get what you pay for. The pickup beds are not inspiring (Ford logo) and never pictured mocked up to the body, so I'd want to hear feedback too or cross them off the list. The biggies are CCR, Speedway, Spirit. The smaller guys seem to come and go. Also, while the small size means shortcuts can be used, I've heard that handlaid is better than chopper gun, all other things (mold, FG materials, rollout, curing details) being the same. example https://www.eztbucket.com/Traditional-23-T-Body-2001.htm This forum would probably have more guys that would be able to answer the question. Strange how the most recent post over there also asks about this company... https://tbucketeer.com/forums/bodies.55/ Here is an article from 9 years ago touting that they were going to have opening doors "soon". The wayback internet archive doesn't have any older copies of the mfr's site (Aug.2018 is empty). https://www.tbucketplans.com/turn-o...ize: 52″,of a regular size SUV like a Durango.
For those of you who've never polished & waxed the inside of a mold & laid up fiberglass parts , given the cost of production ,I don't know how they're making a dime !!
That looks like a time VS money deal, Works if you have the time and energy to glass in the plywood structure to make a body out of it. Doesn't work well if you figure to buy a glass body and fasten it to a frame and have a T bucket in short order. I had a buddy in Texas in the early 70's who had one of the cheap bodies that were sold then and he probably had 200 hours in making a usable body out of it. Outside of the cost of a couple of sheets of Marine plywood and the resin and fiberglass he didn't have much money in it but did have serious hours in cutting and fitting the plywood and glassing it in. I moved about the time he got the body squared away and never saw the finished car.
I've never used wood in any of my glass T bodies. I bent up a steel tube frame with mounting flanges to bolt it to my frame then glassed the whole shebang to the body. I glued in closed cell foam and handed it over to my upholsterer. My floors were under the frame for extra leg room. Pedals were handled by the frame and floor. Steering was handled by a 1.5 tube welded to the frame and buried behind the dash tucked up tight to the firewall. Seat was bolted to the frame. Wiring was all disconnect plug-n-play. Eight bolts and the body was out of my way. I never really worried much about whose bodies I used because with the steel frame and about 30 dozen clamps I could nudge all of them into shape. MAS, Unlimited, Speedway, the local fiberglass fly-by-night Joe , and even swap meet 'used' were all the same to me. As far as the body under discussion goes goes, it's got the right shape and the price is nice. Looks doable.
Surprised Squirrel didn't check it out (or did he?)as the company is in Paynesville Mn. About a hour away from me. I may have to arrange a visit.
How much is the turtle deck? For the cost of fixing our 27 for the salt car this might be a better investment IF the body is legal for SCTA.
Partsdawg I too would appreciate any feedback. I'm curious too, thinking maybe get one and put away for a later date, grandkid/ grandpa type of deal later on.
ANY QUALITY glass part is going to be hand laid.. I would say for the price this is a flimsy body, 3-5 OZ lay up at best.
Hand laid is definitely the best, but lots of labor. Chopper gun is way quicker, and IF done properly is definitely an acceptable way of offering a decent body at a budget price. Getting a uniform thickness of the fiberglass throughout the body is a real skill. Like I originally asked.....anyone one deal with Cromwell Molding Company, lately?
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