Hello HAMB - I need first hand experience of the joys and frustrations of working on your hot rod. For a bit of context, I recently got my T bucket on the road, and I’ve been tinkering with it - carburetor jet changes, clutch adjustment, trans has been out a couple times… overall a positive experience. My most annoying thing is how low the headers hang down, but these headers were temporary and quickest way to get on the road, not intended to be permanent. So onto the thing that’s been on my mind lately- I have a mocked up 32 highboy roadster. I have wrestled with the options of: Leave it a highboy Cycle front fenders and bobbed rear fenders Full fendered The aesthetic is one aspect of the predicament- I personally think it is a lot harder to pull off the cycle fender/bobbed fender or full fendered look than the highboy look. That’s something I will need to wrestle with on my own. The ease of maintenance, and keeping things clean, is where you guys come in. From your first hand experience, which is easier to keep clean? Which is easier to work on? Assuming full fenders provide the most hands off cleanliness, does this offset the assumed constraints of routine maintenance and serviceability? What I’m asking is, if you’re a guy with a highboy and a full fendered car, and both cars need a set of plugs and let’s say a transmission flush, are you going to look forward to working on the highboy and dread the full fendered car, or is the difference negligible? If you have a full fendered car and a highboy sitting there and it’s gray skies with 40% chance of rain for the next 9 months, which one do you drive? Kind of a weird topic, seemingly rhetorical questions, but I need your input. Ready? Go! Also, please mention if you have a lift- I do not, so that will compromise your input lol.
I don’t have a lift. I’ve only owned full fendered cars, and I am jealous of the ease my Dad and Brother have when working on their highboy cars. No question about it, a highboy is much easier to work on. My current project doesn’t have fenders, and won’t even have a top. The ultimate in accessibility.
You know where I stand! Oh yeah, I have no plans to "flush" this transmission but I do intend on rowing it.
Here's my experience. My first rod was a full fendered Model A. I put 110k+ on it over 27 years. My current ride is a '32 highboy. Thirteen years, 60k+ miles. Maintenance and cleaning? I've spent more hours in the driver's seat than in the garage. The highboy seems small and easy/fast to clean. There have been time when I wished the highboy had fenders. Yes, there were time when the highboy was easier to work on, not leaning over a fender. Rain. If you drive, then you will experience rain. My roadster has roll up windows. The rooster tails are the worst at parking lot speeds. Once rolling the spray goes out the back. But no windows will be a wet mess. I'm not man enough to be a real roadster guy! I've never had a lift, a trailer or a pickup to pull it. I'd say you should go for the LOOK you desire. You'll be glad you did.
If it's your only car and you have to drive it to work every day fenders will be appreciated. If it's "fun/hobby" ride you'll be inclined to drive it mostly on nice days anyway. It'll be a lot easier to live with than your T regardless.
I've got a fenderless T roadster and yep, it's easier to work on the engine than the 38 Chevy. That said, my choice on a 32 Ford roadster is low and full fendered, just my opinion and if money was no object I'd have one.
I am Fender Rodder , Before installing the fenders on a driving car , Breeze to work on even easer on lift ,lifting to 2 ish feet off floor, Then after adding fenders there was times I would pull fenders to work on. Fenders not a big deal , For me was the Headlight Bar . I even have my steel 5w so I can take doors off with ease . I built / assembled pretty much like a race car making things accessible, I made the firewall legs removable so I can take firewall, trans tunnel, out with out taken lifting body, Mine is this way because I switch engine transmissions combinations between manufacturers .
Only complaint I have is people in my neighborhood who water their yards [and streets] during the day.
Cycle fender thread: https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/can-cycle-fenders-on-hot-rods-look-good.33703/
There are 10 million '32 hiboys out there...and a lot less full fendered '32s...much scarcer...and more interesting to look at IMO.
Wisconsin guy, I had both, 8 years, 20K miles. IMO fenders, hood are the way to go, liked my Roadster but Wisconsin weather is not Roadster friendly. Enjoyed my 32 much more, installed heat/AC. On the subject of maintenance fenders and hood never a problem. Do whatever trips your trigger, you can always change the car, it all bolts on, what goes on, can come off. Pics of mine. by wicarnut posted Aug 24, 2013 at 12:03 AM note, Roadster had the top bolted on and I made snap in lexan windows.
I like all three looks and the cycle fender bobbed rear fender look reminds me of the cars I saw in the magazines when I was 13 years old and dreaming of owning one. Still from the guys I have been around over the past 60 years of playing hotrod the guys who own full fender cars tend to find more reasons to drive them while the guys with no fender cars be it T bucket, A or 32 highboy often come up with more excuses as to why they left the car at home. Most of the guys I know with highboys also have another rod or custom that tends to get driven a lot more than the highboy. I won't argue the least bit that a highboy or no fender rod is a lot easier to work on in a lot of cases an you always have a tire to sit on.
Tim I know a bit off the subject, here is a deuce 3W that my pal in Bakersfield had, he asked me to source a new tire/wheel combo for him, he said he would like my choices, he loved it. Oh, by the way, NO FENDERS!
Highboy is very traditional, but I love the look of a full fendered rod especially with tires tucked up into the fenders.
Working on it I find the difference pretty negligible on my A. I’ve had it sitting with no fenders at times and other times with it all on there. Worse case i can get the radiator, grill, front fenders and hood off in under a half hour.
Familiar with the convenience of full fenders in sloppy weather. True that makes it more convenient. If, whenever I finish my coupe the plan is cycle / bobbed ( with some restyle of the rears ) My consideration is purely the visual. If it were in any sense pratical, I'd run open wheel. As far repair or maintenance, the task at hand will be what it is.
I just spent the last few days replacing the distributor, plugs, wires, oil, etc on my brothers lifted chevy 4x4 truck. What a huge PITA. My back is killing me! The 41 PU requires fenders covers and blankets to work under the hood, and the HEMI is a tight fit so it can be a pain but easy plug replacement. The Olds? The damn hood doesn't open, it's more ajar, as a result it kills my back and the back of my head where I continually ram it into the hood latch. My dune buggy? Easy to work on the engine while sitting on a rolling stool but the dash sucks as it has no doors and that means being a contortionist fixing and wiring stuff inside the car. But my roadster? Love it. No fenders to work around, flathead so the plugs come out in seconds, by far my favorite car to tool on.
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