The 3 window coupe cars or body is not easy to find or very expensive so best way is get a older hot rod but they is not either easy to find and expensive but that way is maybe to get better parts. Another alternative is the Brookville body, not at the same 'cool' factor, but new steel.. They is sold assembled or unassembled Unassembled might get a more easy freight over to Sweden and less expensive. It might be a bad idea.. But if get it unassembled I has seen pictures the side comes in 1 pice whit part of the roof. Doors is done and trunk and upper part in front of window and firewall is one part, and I guess also the floor. So as not a sheet metal guy ( but I can ask ) if one start chop the doors first and put the side of the frame, would one not come to a decent close fit ? -I guess Brookville use inner fixtures. Question, has anyone did this work and some advice.
Myself i would wait until it was assembled and sitting on the frame before i cut it up any,that way if it doesnt fit good you know its not because you cut it up.I dont know what your skill level is but i have 40 years experience as a bodyman and i would think long and hard about putting it together,i would need a second set of eyes with me.It is just to expensive to screw it up. Harvey
If you're not a sheet metal (Body) guy I'd suggest buying an assembled body that can be bolted directly to a frame before any work is undertaken. The difference in shipping costs, flat packed -v- assembled, would be more economically viable than botching an un-assembled kit to save money and then having to repair a failed attempt. Here's a step by step 32 3W chop with photos
Yes, less freight costs vs work will not be worth it as more work than the shipping. I will not do it ( I’m a machinist ) so call it a trade’between’ craftsman’s. Now, just speculation. -I saw the videos. That shop shore know metal work. ( Bobby Walden also has a video serie on it )
Somebody knows what different size boxes cost to ship. If you knew the cost of the boxes, cutting a 3Window to fit may be something to consider. Pack the full 3Window body in a container with a pickup or car may be the way to go.
I would weigh both options . shipping it in parts and what it would cost you to assemble it . Either labour you need to pay for or tools you need to complete the job. Cost of shipping it complete in a crate . ( I know first hand shipping stuff overseas has become stupid expensive . Also factor in your time to assemble it ( weeks , months , years ) as opposed to starting with something “ complete “
It can be done!! Good body man & modern tools, spot welder, tig , mig , 2 guys averaged /combined 40-60 hrs total on body correct spots & rivets, not the way BV assembles their bodies, & afew original body's as reference, a HAMBer mention above have seen finished body Assembly. In States it was close to 13 K ish cheaper .
Yes it’s big project and I don’t know size of parts vs the complete body do diff. Brookville might has parts now/soon but a body was at least 6 month off ( from Waldens projet it was told years off ) https://www.motortrend.com/how-to/0...yimageid=a90eb53e-6ee2-4fdd-9d46-b7b4c882b3da Walden do not reply on mails. One idea he can do it, chop it. He has jig and frame/experiance. I can’t see anything in brookvilles catalog but found 1 picture on the sides. -Question, What was 13K cheaper ?
Yes around 6 mouth back order , BV body is around 30k just body no fire wall & not chopped , no seat interior, glass , etc. "Just body" A compleat roller around 65k up. BV will chop the top to yr specs after body is Assembled.
Body alone is 25K include wood. But no firewall, no windshield package, no cowl top, no front floor and a open roof and not chopped. They could remove wood and get me roof curved plate ( has no price on that alternative ) At Brookville they told me chop is ’street rod style’ at 2.5” ( I has not a price on it ) but my guess between 8-10-12K and roof is not filled. The unassembled same parts is 23K. Strange price diff (?) at only -2K. My way see it it should be way more price diff get the parts from a complete body. Extra parts as Henrys 4-piece hood, grill shell, cowl top, front floor etc is maybe 3K extra.
I’ve helped with a couple roadster assemblies and 1 3w. The roadsters are a cake walk compared to the coupe. I made a jig to locate the width of the body in the door openings and top of the cowl from another 3w. mount the firewall the the frame. Then sub rails and cowl top. Uni- sides then rear body.
We assembled the shell, then added the jambs and braces. Lot and lots of clecos Tabs we tac welded to the deck lid and doors to attach them with clecos before any hinges were used. The deck lid alignment was fun. Like the OE ford, sometimes the deck lid contour needs tweaked. A way to hold the qtrs open or spread them to keep decent deck lid cap was needed. I had left by the time it was all welded up. But it was chopped before assembly that added another level to construction
Are you a craftsman, run a shop ? The 3 w, was it chopped ? It look like toof must be longer, but I like the front window tilted. I has not yet understand how the A pillars works ( or come = that part ) vs build up the body first then chop or chop direct.
If referring to me I’m just a body man that has been lucky enough to work at a couple cool shops. Plus, at the time of these pics, a couple decades of repairing heavy hit cars, re-skinning a couple muscle cars and not smart enough to understand limitations. (Too dumb to be scared) The last thing I’d ever want to do is run a shop. Those guys are crazy. The 3w was chopped, I started it but the other guys finished it as I had started teaching at the time. There’s a couple ways to chop em. Lean the A-post back or stretch the door top and roof. Leave the upper hinge or lose it. Chopping the A and B post areas without braces is different than assembled. Easier to metal finish but then ya figure out the jamb cuts. The doors are assembled, so that’s the same.
It’s possible to do it without a jig but with good measurements. But you’ll have to build you a jig or braces to hold parts as you assemble it.
Big thank's. Maybe it is better to assembly before the chop and start chop the doors ( as Walden shows ) I might hear the idea back in the days they did not get the roof longer but tilted the A pillars instead ( that created a 'fast line' to car as a bonus ) What more is included, floor to seats, and frames for doors and trunk etc ?
Doors and deck lid we got came assembled. Skins and frames attached. We got ours without the floor. Didn’t need it. Those are easy We assembled ours with an OE firewall but used a B-vile on a roadster build and it worked out. Our subrails came assembled. as far as I know, B-vile will sell it however ya want. It could be possible to assemble and weld it together but maybe not weld the A and B post jamb just below your chop area. Could possibly simplify the chop areas. oh. We made a windshield template to aid in assembly. Used it to hold pieces s together.
This is exactly how my Brookville body came to the UK. Given the amount of US cars that get shipped to Sweden, OP needs to get in contact with some of the guys that bring in cars, and do a deal on a shared shipping container.
Shore, I has a good deal in April from Alabama. He has helped me before ( Swede ) and things get back in a fair price and not hurted but he is after that in retire. But there are others of course do freights.
I had the opportunity yesterday to see a Brookville body assembled and painted here in Sweden side to side at a Ol’ Henry in original paint. Corners are ’sharper’ from factory but the Brookville it’s nice made. Shop that did it ( not the owner ) said one and only as to much time to make money ( my guess ) Seen at Walden’s videos on chop a 3 w the old ones can be rusted in areas that is hard to acid/blaster but it depends of course on car. Let’s see what card tell here in future. -I also did look at a 5 W 32 project that frame was narrowed in front and that was super cool.
Couldn’t reply to the message for some reason. Is the cost savings worth the work to assemble one? I’d have to see the numbers. It’s a lot of work. Roadsters are easier. Tilt the A-post? I like that look. Looks aggressive. Is it easier? Probably yes cause you don’t have to stretch the door top or the roof. But make a template of the post and cut it up to see what happens when you lean it back. The only advantage of the chop before welding the car up is metal finishing the joints.
We built 2 or 3? when I was at the shop. Always started with our 32 jig frame, built subrails and floors from there then started on the body. As Anthony said, a way to jack the deklid opening around helps a ton. Same for the rear door jams
Got a price on a ol Henry with cool parts and body needs brutal works and and panels so I think it’s to high. Now I has a price on a pro chopped B-ville body, but it’s very expensive. It’s a ol Henry here on a add ( nice car chopped 4” ) but at 55K and parts I don’t need I think it’s to high to. I wait on a price for a very nice original body and some parts I located up but my bet it will be real expensive. -So I guess I has to wait and see or get a B-ville in parts and try my chance... I can say I’m worry ;-)
I would think it would be way easier to crate a assembled coupe body, than to carefully crate all those parts. Just buy an assembled Brookville Roadster body...way, way cheaper and probably a little cheaper to ship than a coupe also.
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