Hey all I hope this isn't ainti-hamb but here goes: I am going to build a car. I was pretty determined to use an A roadster body, but considered a custom body using an A or T cowl. I was chatting with a friend that has a t-cowl car he built using parts of the body of a cargo van (for a gorgeous track-t style car) and he offered up a 28 sedan body. This leads me to my question: has anyone built a roadster from a sedan and if so, a link to the build thread would be appreciated for ideas I know there will quickly be a post that says "just start with a roadster if that's what you want" but to that I answer, I do not have a lot of money, but I am very fortunate to be able to do stuff with a welder and grinder, so even if its a lot of work, its an insanely cost effective opportunity to get on the road. My 50 chevy is lonely and needs a garage-mate Many thanks Drew
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/homemade-roadster-pickup-bodies.610274/ https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/home-made-bodys.167844/
You can make a really nice 2-door phaeton from a 2-door sedan body. One HAMB member, 1-SHOT, has a really nice sedan-to-phaeton conversion that you should see before you begin your project to get an idea of what's involved in bringing this off gracefully. He's also a really great guy and more than willing to help other HAMB members. Give him a shout-out for more information.
awesome thanks guys! I did think about building everything from scratch. ifs funny... you look at a cowl and all it really is is a transition piece. Two MDF boards and a lot of time lol but I think the right way for me is to start with a cowl and doors and work back from there. Whats offered to me from a friend is A cowl/doors as well as a bunch of chassis parts, a T sedan body (that would work with the doors) if I want it. I know I want an open car or at least a coupe. I see Brookville makes model a body parts (even whole bodies) not sure if that's welcome here; I know fiberglass is not, I am committed to steel anyway. their quarters plus what I've been offered locally might be the way to go for a "coupster" but $1800 just for quarters!
I'm going to say that it all depends on how your visualization for the final product works. I've got a boat tail roadster project slowly coming together that is a stew pot full of mix and match parts many donated by friends who offered them up as in "hey, you need this/can you use this". The key is to be able to put the pieces together to actually look like they were intended to be together as a car and not just a pile of parts that were stuck together. Cut this here and move that there to get the lines right. If it were me I'd use the A cowl and doors and then figure out how to put together the back section and have it looked like it belonged that way. On the other hand years ago you saw a lot of T sedans that had been cut down into tubs that while looking a bit different, sure looked like fun.
You say you are limited on funds, you have a cowl and doors, ambition and some metal working skills. Why not build a killer modified? With your skill set you should be able to finish off the cab back. Here is an awesome one for inspiration. .....BTW lots of guys on here have glass cars, its a power to weight ratio thing.
Thanks guys! Yes making it flow would be the trick. I guess it goes together fine but of course looks like a T. I want an A so yea I think the cowl frame suspension etc makes sense. The doors are not roadster doors but the main difference there is thickness right? I’m probably modify them to look right And perhaps just save up for some model a roadster quarters. I would likely just fill in the space between them rather than mess with a rumble seat Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
This is a 28-29 roadster. The cowl is specific to roadster and phaeton. Coupe, truck, sedan share different cowl than this. Note door length front to back, they are very short compared to sedan or coupe doors. The quarter panels are longer on a roadster to make up the difference. Now sedan doors are longer than coupe doors also. This was my first early Ford project and I learned alot. Ask many questions and good luck!
That’s pretty much exactly what I want to build! Very nice So the cowl is different - can a sedan cowl be used if one wanted to? Or is it a no-go? Many thanks Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
To the OP, you may find considerable advantage to longer doors for your roadster. More than a few lengthen stock doors. So use of other models, will mean you need to make the door top/moulding region right. If you go for Cabriolet style, you might use the existing posts. A roadster has a folding removeable windscreen. Cab's, sport coupes don't.
So the cowl is different - can a sedan cowl be used if one wanted to? Or is it a no-go? Many thanks Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app[/QUOTE] The cowl ( gas tank and cowl sides) are not different. The cowl band- the part that the doors attach to is different, You can use the cowl sides and tank from a closed car along with the cowl band from a roadster and then you have a roadster cowl.
Cost me $249 for the parts to build the cab back... you have the rest... lots of pix at traditional rods -the topic is - 1930 roadster-esque pick up -, you would buy a '28-'29 door skin [from 1/2" above the beltline down]…about $150 ...each, need [1]…
That’s not bad! I really want a roadster. Did always want a pickup, too, but way way more “stock” than rodded. Upgrades for daily driving (for 2.3 mustang and 5 speed, hydraulic 48 brakes, etc) but I’ve got my heart set in a traditional 50s roadster. Def an A and nothing “fancy” I am going to have to see what I can find by the way if quarters. Flat steel would be fine to “fill in the middle” where the rumble seat was, right? I couldn’t afford it now, but the idea of a brand new brookville roaster body seems nice lol Yes I changed my avatar. Recently switched my YouTube one to that and love it. That little dude is turning 5 Wednesday. He was only 2 in that photo. Built my ‘50 over the winter before his 1 birthday with driving him to his party as the goal. Finished the car at 9:15 am the day of the party! Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
If you are prepared to put in the effort, it’s possible to build your own from flat sheet metal. I am no expert but I fabricated these quarter panels last year, by using a bead roller, English Wheel, and shrinker/stretcher. I had used none of these tools before 2017 and have never taken any metal shaping workshops. I ordered a Ron Covell DVD that shows you how to create a 1926 Model T Roadster body, and subscribed to various YouTube metal shaping channels. These were all needed to learn what I have. Eastwood sells all these tools and they are affordable enough to be a worthwhile investment.
So a couple things Model A bodies interchange. If you come up with the parts to build an RPU you can swap a roadster body later. Having converted a coupe into a roadster I’d rather hunt out a real roadster cowl and doors and build from front to back. If you build a an RPU using real roadster parts you can easily change it roadster simply by changing the back half into a set of quarters, trunk and two panels. It’s tempting to build from closed car parts and lots have done it but it’ll never be right. You should decide right now whether that will bother you later. Not trying to be a killjoy just sharing my thoughts.
Chev34ute you've got my attention! What did you go bye? did you have "blueprints" or a bady damaged / borrowed example? The DVD talked bout T but your creation is A, thats why i ask. very nice work. I had a dream i've more or less abandoned to build a complete car from scratch - an auburn boat tail inspired creation. Perhaps if I go down this road you've suggested, that dream is reborn. the dream was powered by a straight 8, 5 speed, and corvette IFS IRS, by the way. el Scotto - yes i would have to make the decision. If its all metal, i did it all, and it LOOKS right, i think (at least at this moment) i'd be cool with it. I would need to spend some quality time around other cars and see the differences to know for sure. Most of my social circle, local dudes that were doing it in the 50's and 60's build cars with only their "goal" in mind and they are what they are, those are some of my favorite cars. They are as much personal art as cars, but what I am doing, i realize, is NOT that - its building an A as if it was 1955 and I was 19 years old in a dry climate, dragged home a complete car for $40... but its 2020, im 32 with a family of 5 to support, and live in the rust capital of the Milky Way galaxy lol a decent starter coupe is $8,000 - forget a complete roadster. Building an A means building an A. The guys i know see a jalopy in a field on a road trip to the grand canyon or something, have a vision completely different from that pile, and make it happen... that is totally different. You're right that I need to stick with as original of an A as possible
Drew, well explained plan, thanks. Not unlike my 1968 dream of an A. Find someone w/an A roadster, pref. the 30-31, as larger interior volume. Bring your large cardboard sheet stock, and cut templates, along one side |-|-|-|, They'll guide your metal panel build. Similar to what boat builders use to set their 'hull' frame up.
28-29 coupe and sedan doors are the same. 30-31 coupe doors are shorter than sedan doors Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I have a pair of coupe sports coupe quarters but not sure where the rusty Milky Way is. Have you thought about a pheaton tub and see bodies reasonable plus you can bring the kids with for ice cream...
You could always start with out with a modified by using a t roadster cab, add the turtle deck later and you have your roadster.
I love creativity and thinking outside the box. I myself have built a coupster from ford doors and cowl with Chevy quarters. Here's the best advice you can get ready or not........ If you want a roadster buy a roadster body. If you dont have the money to buy a Roadster body, work hard to get the money for a body instead of working hard to make something it is not. It'll be a better quality car. You will have built a car that is probably more valuable. Many cars have been built out of whatever and came out great. But if you know what you really want then go get what you really want. You'll probably be on the road faster. Good luck
Years back I built a roadster out of two shitty coupe quarters, a Murray sedan cowl and doors.. cut the doors to shorten them to roadster specs to compensate for the longer quarters. Welded the whole thing together with a home made deck lid and upper/lower valances. Threw on windshield pieces from an old Chris Craft and it was party time. I’ll try to find pics..
All replies appreciated. Much truth in starting with the best pieces possible. $5700 for a brand new brookville. Though something is awesome about 90 year old steel. Crazy to think it won’t be long until a A project means 100 year old parts As for putting together unusual stuff, a friend has a T cowl, A grill track-t using parts of a cargo van to form a body. 1900’s tractor gas tank rear, home made everything else and my favorite: the windshield is two legs from a school desk chair. The car is stunning. Absolutely correct from every angle Continentaljohn I’m in Rochester. Where are you? Pitman that’s a great idea. Along with a Sketch and detailed measurements. I can’t quite visualize how to get the profile from the rear, like to “measure” or make templates from the curves that go from the cars side to its deck. If I was building a car from zero, it would be slices. Pardon me for needing my hand held but if you have a video to recommend on how to make those slices from a car I’d gladly take it. It’s easy to make them and then make the body panel but to make them FROM an existing panel is what I can’t visualize Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Suggest, you could 'rough-cut' and leave an 1" or so extra, for 'fit' trimming. Keep a top edge Level! Or side edge vertical. Tape the damn hand-level to a panel, temp.
Drew, I’m in the Chicagoland area and a bit of a road trip. I would love to see a picture of your buddies roadster. If you really think about it all cars start from a flat panel or sheet. It’s the skill or talent that is handling the sheet to make it take shape .. thinking out side the box is awesome. Now if your willing to spend 5700 clams I have a real 1930 roadster body with frame
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