Well I figure it's time I start a build thread on my current project. I picked up a glass 34 tudor a couple of months back. It's an old VWT body that never got finished. The car has a lot of stock (Looking) design attributes to it. Although chopped it retained all three door hinges, a working cowl vent, crank out windshield, stock rubber running boards, & a stock looking firewall. I picked it up from an estate & I have no idea where the PO was going with it. It had a pinto 4 banger in it and he was going with a 33 grille with a 3 piece hood. I have ditched all the street rod stuff and I'm going with more of a stock look. It sits on a stage 3 outlaw chassis with a ford 8" out back. Unfortunately I don't have a ton of money so we are sticking with what came on the car as far as suspension. I would love nothing better then to rip out the mustang II & go with a straight axle but it is what it is. The ford 8" now has a posi chuck in it with 3:80-1 gears. I'm going with a 700R4 (I know not traditional but I have one hanging around). I'm the only person working in the house and I'm trying the best I can on a very tight budget. I picked up a nice set of wire wheels from a fellow HAMB member so the rims you will see in the pictures are just for rolling around the garage. I'm hoping that a build thread will keep me motivated & make me accountable to everyone waiting on updates...Assuming anyone would be interested in a glass build. Well this is what we started with. No manicured finger nails in this house. The old motor mounts. Me removing the old motor mounts...LOL The wife & I putting in the new center section...I love my wife. Me & my little guy discussing the finer points of tire installation. Remember the wheels are just for rolling it around. It will have wires eventually. And although my hot rod buddies think I'm nuts (and I may very well be) I'm putting on a stock trunk. Not that I need to explain myself but...I have a disabled son and I need some place to put his stuff. The sedan has no trunk so we install one. Sorry for the blurry picture. My buddy calls it the wart! LOL Our new engine dress up stuff. Mocking up the SBC. It's a family thing. Even my daughter helps out. Got rid of the street rod grill and picked up a stock 34 grill. Well thats all for now. I hope this thread will be a place for a nice build and not a bitch session for glass car bashers. Believe me; I would not be doing this car on my pay if I did not get an INSANE good deal on it. So to all the glass haters "go read another thread".
Very cool. I built a glass 34 Ford 3 window a few years back. It was all Outlaw and drove and rode just fine. Congrats on finding an affordable one! Looks like your doing it up in a pleasable style instead of street rod style. You'll enjoy it, trust me. Having a family that all piches in and is all for it is a blessing!!!!!!! Keep the updates coming!!!
My 29 is a glass car also. I would not have been able to afford to build a steel 29 roadster so I did the same thing, found a deal on the parts I needed. You have alot better start than I did. Great to see the whole family gettin involved. Good luck and keep us updated. It's gonna be a nice hot rod. And don't apoligize for the things you're doing, just do it and let us see the progress, let the haters pound salt!!!
looks like you have a vision. glass dose not bug me.. i bet more people will complain about the trunk than the body material.. laughs.. being a crippled my self i can understand the need for space.. look forward to your progress and the family looks excited if they are all helping already.. just wait till they start taking numbers who gets to drive her first.. laughs.. keep at her and you will get the first drive yet.. maybe!! p.s do not forget to sell the street rod stuff you do not keep.. hell if you wanta ibeam axle i bet you can get one from the street rod guys they think that stuff is trash.. or trade/sell the IFS for one.. personally since the front suspension is there.. id just leave it.. its gonna drive and handle nice.. just the way it is anyhow. chris.
The best rods are built by families and vice versa! Nothing wrong with glass cars at all. My dad has a gorgeous '32 roadster that we've put almost 20,000 miles on. I tease him and call it his Tupperware car! :-D
Thanks guy's I appreciate the support. As for the family I am truly blessed because my whole family is car nuts. Following the car home on the flatbed the kids were in the back seat arguing over who was going to polish the wheels & who was going to dust it off when we take it to shows (True story). I'm sure that will get old quick when they find out how much work is involved in cleaning wire wheels. A shot of my daughter helping load it on the flatbed.
Dude, you're a winner on many levels. In no particular order, building a hot rod, including your family, putting your sons needs before your friends tastes, and posting it for us to see. Hell of a guy, keep it up!
Cool family rod that is actually affordable and you don't have to take a second on the house to do it, I''d call that a winner. Just remember that the guys that harangue glass cars the loudest are the guys with no car or a 'had to settle for" less than desirable model.
You are blessed, nice find, I had a 32 3 w from that co. it was built like a tank I love it!!! good luck
im with badshifter on this one. you got it going on buddy. and as far as glass, ive got a 41 willys glass that you just helped me make up my mind to keep it and get to work.i was kinda put off because it is glass but hell i cant afford a steel one and the 41 willys is my favorite car ( and a 55 chevy). so if i want one thats what i gotta do. besides with a strong built sbc it should fly. the whole body dont weigh 250 lbs.keep updates on it. i want to see this thing rockin.!!!!!!!!
I like it. As far as the trunk, if something can make the difference between enjoying the car or not, then go for it.
Hi Big Jim, Thanks for posting the pictures of your glass project. Like they say a picture is worth a thousand words. Your family affair is what made this country great, so keep up the good work. Some day in the future your kids will be talking about the good old days and how they helped dad build his project. Tomorrows good old days are today, and your kids are going to have one grand story to tell. Jim your in the same shoes as most of the country with money being tight, so family propriety's come first and a project like yours is second. Just do the best you can, and in the end you and the family will be driving down life's highways having one grand time. Don't concern your self about your project being fiberglass. I've been in the composites buisness for over forty years, and an old Hot Rod guy from the late 50's. I appreciate what your doing and support your effort. Anyone that would complain about your body being fiberglass and what your trying to do is probably a tramp, so don't be to concerned. Good Luck, Johnny Sweet
Looks like you and the family are having a blast putting this together. That fact alone will make the end result all that much better. As far as the glass thing goes you probably saved a minimum of a few thousand dollars in body work and that makes a budget build easier to cope with. Frank
If this isn't what the HAMB is about, it should be! Glass cars can be cool, yours is on it's way......
Wrap your ass in fiberglass nice car. Keep up the good work. They say the most popular sport car is a corvette,any one have a steel vet.
One of the coolest looking cars around here in the seventies was a chopped 34 2 dr sedan with a trunk like yours.The trunk made the car look low and mean.You are very lucky the family is interested in your hobby.Keep up the great work.
Thanks everyone for the support & I like the wrap your ass in glass thing. Now out to the garage to finish mocking up the engine bay.
badshifter beat me to the punch on this one, and said it better than I could have! Major big time kudos as well for the '34 grill going on the front! Never could quite get used to everything being built as a '33... Too street rod!
Great to see you getting started on something you can afford, that you're already having fun with and also your family's excitement and participation - really nice to see. I couldn't care of the car was made out of linoleum - it is ALL good by me. Keep rolling and keep us posted along the way! B&S
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