roadster bodys

[67coronet]

OK Look guys, I know how hard it is to find a 28-29 roadster body to build. What I want to know is would you buy fiberglass body if price is good? Say around $1900-1950. Thats with firewall installed, doors, inner and outer, and trunk-rumble seat lid, inner and outer. We do fiberglass and are looking to expand our line. Also wanting to do a 30-31 coupe. Please let us know what you think. thanks jeff & mike

[49ratfink]

no.

[prewarcars4me]

I wouldn't buy one. Id hold out for steel. Nothing against glass, as I have built countless buckets, but on some cars, if its not steel, I dont want it.

[mastergun1980]

I would if i could pick up a nice one that was to cheap to pass up say less than a grand....

[oldschool66]

Yes, I would and I did. Bought the body, fenders, grille shell, J.W. Rod Garage perimiter frame, and some misc. parts for $3000.00 four years ago from Zane Preston at Riverside Roadsters in Watertown Wisc. It wasn't my first choice but I'm very happy with the outcome.
If you're going to make them and sell them I'd say hang the doors and deck lid and latch everything, that was the hardest part of my build and I would have paid more if it were already done. It's a great way for someone to get started in building a hot rod and if the body is nice and strong it makes for a real solid finished product. I love real steel Model A Roadsters but I wouldn't trade mine for half the ones I see at shows and cruise nights.
I think there is a good market for them.

[510madmav]

glass cars are cool for building race cars, because you can wad em up and who cares..

[Cowtown Speed Shop]

Jeff,
My advise is to stay away from the fiberglass body business, I think it is going nowhere, As the price of materials have gone up so much, Not to mention, most guys are saving their money and buying steel (Original and new) I think For the cost of materials, and labor involved, If your bodys are of any kind of quailty at all, You will be doing alot of hard work for Free, If you sell them for under $2K........Just my 2 cents

[The37Kid]

I don't think people have play money anymore, those that do place it on real steel. Things of value in the past will have value in the future. Bob

[Carl La Fong]

Originally Posted by 67coronet

Also wanting to do a 30-31 five window coupe. Please let us know what you think. thanks jeff & mike

Just don't advertise is as a 30-31 Five Window. That's like saying my girl friend is a female woman. All women are females (well, traditional ones anyway) and all production Model A coupes have 5 windows. Yeah, yeah, I know about sport coupes and the 3 window design exercises

[Hackerbilt]

I think the guys are right...no real market when you can buy a steel reproduction body.

I'd use glass for a fun build if I came across one though.
I don't have a dislike for them if they favour the original styling...although I would rather original Henry if available of course.

[metalman]

I'd be interested in buying one....if it was one piece shell with moulded in deck and doors & race weight. My brother has a NOS Cal Automotive 29 race car shell he won't part with yet I still want to build a race car out of one.
Topcat67 on here is selling new steel ones he's making for around $2400. It's not Brookville quality for sure but it is steel and he's not selling a bunch of them.

[Hackerbilt]

Originally Posted by metalman

I'd be interested in buying one....if it was one piece shell with moulded in deck and doors & race weight. My brother has a NOS Cal Automotive 29 race car shell he won't part with yet I still want to build a race car out of one.
Topcat67 on here is selling new steel ones he's making for around $2400. It's not Brookville quality for sure but it is steel and he's not selling a bunch of them.

TOPCAT662 I believe...and I think its around 3400.00.
Looks pretty good too!

[Austinrod]

Mines a real steel 31 ford roadster built in the fifties , been slightly updated but you can find real steal roadsters out there you just need too weed thru all the fiberglass and brookville roadster bodies out there, theirs about 20 really roadsters I came upon.
Heres mine

[anteek]

Any more info or a website for topcat662's roadster body?

[RuFFDaWG]

Fiberglass? YES I WOULD. YES I HAVE, YES I'D DO IT AGAIN!
Here we go again... I like both and there are benefits to going either way. But the benefits of steel, DO NOT necessarly out weigh the cost! For those without a large budget (probably most guys & gals), either buy or build yourself a car with the $$ you may have now or keep stuffing those nickles into the piggy bank for the next several years!

Case in point, I built our entire roadster with a fiberglass body for just slightly more than a steel body alone! So there ya have it! Fiberglass bodies have made this hobby accessible again to the masses. The person with little disposable income, the young guy and gal just starting out, the proletariat wage slave, etc., now motorvate down the highway in their own hot rod!

[296ardun]

No, I wouldn't...there are advantages to both kinds....I spent lots of time fixing cracks, small rust spots on my steel "A" body...but fiberglass can crack also....depends also on how well fiberglass bodies are reinforced...wouldn't absolutely turn a good one down if you can't find a good steel one, but I still prefer steel...

[Fenders]

In my mind it's not a question of benefits or cost, it's knowing that you're driving a real hot rod made out of real Henry steel -- a feeling you can't have driving a fiberglas or Brookville repro.

But real steel is getting harder to find, so I understand some going to new stuff.... you will get the look, but not the feel...

[Hackerbilt]

Originally Posted by anteek

Any more info or a website for topcat662's roadster body?

just do a member search on here...

[scrap metal 48]

I think a coupe body might sell better....

[bobby_Socks]

I think that you would sell some and then maybe alot if the quality is really good but if the quality is not that good you will not sell that many after word gets around.

[Bobbykid's32]

I would not use fiberglass. You can put a lot of time in the things and the resale sucks. Pay the extra and get steel.

__________________________________________________ _______________

" Real Hot Rods don't have fenders "

[39 Ford]

If you could produce a 32 body with doors and deck hung I would consider it for sure. The materials do not know what they are being used on, it can not cost a lot more to build a 32 or 34 over an A body. With an low cost body I could put together a driver for 5 or less.

[Rusty O'Toole]

I know a couple of guys in the fibreglas business. They tried making boats, car parts, dune buggies etc. but the real money was in sub contracting shower stalls, duct work, boring stuff like that.

One survived in the boat business for years because his factory building kept going up and he kept remortgaging it. I don't think he ever made much off the boats.

[no6]

Just bought this one off of the HAMB, picked it up yesterday. It's rough but they make every panel except a complete gas tank, got a title and with the extra parts I got with it I should be in it for around 3K. Now the fun begins. By the way, you can't weld glass and it makes you itch!

[VonKool13]

Try getting a steal roadster body in so. cal. for 3k. Unless you know somebody it won't happen. I would buy a glass body for the price your thinking of making and selling bodies for. I build cars for me, not to impress joe blow.

[Koz]

Remember, Your in the heart of traditional rodding here. You'll get a much more receptive audience on some of the other more non traditional forums out there. No disrespect here, because I'm one hard core old timer myself but I know I can't make money building traditional cars because most of the guys who are building them do everything themselves and lets face it resale sucks on homemade cars.

If you make a decent builder body, no frills, like the old AI one, it will sell with proper marketing. Their body was ultra basic and came in a little over a grand. The end user does all the trimming etc., and it was a chopper body, no hand layup anywhere. It just gave you a shape to start with. Perfect! I've been running a thread on here for months trying to find just this body for several clients. You looking for an East Coast dealer?

[The37Kid]

If a glass body is low buck or top of the line quality you still have to ship the thing, what would it cost to move one? Bob

[Flowmeister]

I'd rather drive a steel T sedan than a glass Deuce roadster.

[Bobbykid's32]

Originally Posted by Flowmeister

I'd rather drive a steel T sedan than a glass Deuce roadster.

Amen to that!! Unless it's a '32 Highboy.

[metalman]

Originally Posted by Hackerbilt

TOPCAT662 I believe...and I think its around 3400.00.
Looks pretty good too!

Yeah, Topcat662 is it, I was going by memory. I think he does advertise them for 3400 but he had them on Craiglist here for less ( I think it was 2800) and I heard a local got one for 2400 but can't confirm that. I do know he sells thing a lot cheaper when he's hungry! Personally I don't know how he does it all scratch built on a wheel for even $3400.

[OoltewahSpeedShop]

There are plenty of Henry model A roadsters and coupes out there, you just gotta look, spend your money wisely and be prepared to fix what's wrong with them. I can't imagine how there would be a market for a glass replica when the classifieds are full of real ones. '32-'34's are a totally different animal, I'd build a glass one in a heartbeat. Lots of them right here on the good old Hamb, you just wouldn't know it.

Just sayin'...

[Bib Overalls]

There is a lot of competition in the fiber glass hot rod body business. The quality is generally improving but prices seem to be holding. The 32 roadster body that I bought 10 years ago is still being advertised at the same price I paid.

The market is very demanding and well informed these days. So your product is going to have to measure up and if it does not the word will get around.

[Weasel]

Plastic cars are like plastic boobies....

[Hackerbilt]

Originally Posted by metalman

Yeah, Topcat662 is it, I was going by memory. I think he does advertise them for 3400 but he had them on Craiglist here for less ( I think it was 2800) and I heard a local got one for 2400 but can't confirm that. I do know he sells thing a lot cheaper when he's hungry! Personally I don't know how he does it all scratch built on a wheel for even $3400.

Yeah...I gotta agree...he's making nothing worth talking about off those.

[Oilcan Harry]

Originally Posted by Weasel

Plastic cars are like plastic boobies....

Yes they are, but better than no boobies.

[Hot Rods Ta Hell]

I wouldn't. I'd build my own steel body-but that's me.

I'd take the $2000 fiberglass body money and buy a pair of Brookville quarters-cost about $1800.
Add repop above and below decklid panels-(now I'm up to the glass body cost).

Find a pair of original doors, reskin them if I had to.
Original cowl or modify a closed car cowl.
Decklid
Build my own floors/subrame (car would be channeled).

I could come in less than $5000 for an all steel body. Lots of work but I like this sort of work and it would be an all steel car.
Bet the finished car resale wise would be worth more than $3000 above the comparable fiberglass car.

[4t7flat]

I will never again buy a glass body,if a steel repo is available. A Brookville body will bring about 10K more than a glass body,without out all the cracks.Thinking about replacing the glass body on my 32 with a Brookville.

[Pewsplace]

If you are considering offering a body with a low price point that is high quality you could still be in trouble with the laws changing on repo cars. Even the Brookville bodies are in trouble in the state of CA. I would do your business plan based on a volume projection and see if there is any profit in the deal if you reach your production break-even numbers. I have built many Wescott bodies and was very happy with the finished product but the steel thing is hard to overcome with the hard core enthusiasts.

[hillbilly4008]

nope

[dirty old man]

Originally Posted by Pewsplace

If you are considering offering a body with a low price point that is high quality you could still be in trouble with the laws changing on repo cars. Even the Brookville bodies are in trouble in the state of CA. I would do your business plan based on a volume projection and see if there is any profit in the deal if you reach your production break-even numbers. I have built many Wescott bodies and was very happy with the finished product but the steel thing is hard to overcome with the hard core enthusiasts.

X2 on taking the trouble to check state laws before you start build on B'ville or glass, and again before you go register and buy tag. Example:
Friend and former co-worker built T-bucket w 454BBC, tunnel ram, 8 ex. stacks, etc.. He registered it a metro ATL county where smog checks are a requirement to tag on any car less than 25 yrs. old. When he went to register/tag he fucked up and told them it was a kit car.
The DMV required it to be registered in the year of completion, '76, which made it at that time a smog check car.
Every year he had to remove the tunnel ram & 2X4s, ex stacks, install a single carb and an exhaust system he fabricated that include cat converter, etc. to pass smog test. This finally ended when the car reached 25 yr. + age.
In contrast, I started in '07 with a Brookville '31A on Pete & Jake frame I got from guy who lost interest. This year I went to tag office to buy tag, and was asked"Is it a kit car"? I answered "No, it's an assembly of restored old parts, repro parts, and parts fom other years and makes of pre smog cars".
I was given a form to get LEO to certify/sign that car appeared to be assembled roadworthy, with no apparent stolen parts, etc.
This was sent to state DMV where they assigned a state issued serial #, which they stamped on a tag that they mailed to me and said to affix "permanently" to left "A" post.
Pop riveted tag to A post called cop to come look again and sign on dotted line.
Back to tag office and all required was to write a check! No smog check in any county in GA as it was registered as a '31.
Dave

[Bobbykid's32]

[QUOTE=Pewsplace;8033357]If you are considering offering a body with a low price point that is high quality you could still be in trouble with the laws changing on repo cars. Even the Brookville bodies are in trouble in the state of CA. I would do your business plan based on a volume projection and see if there is any profit in the deal if you reach your production break-even numbers. I have built many Wescott bodies and was very happy with the finished product but the steel thing is hard to overcome with the hard core enthusiasts.[/QUOTE_____________________________________________ __

Not sure what you're talking about---- Brookville Bodies? I have an all-steel rod-bod. The new bodies are drop-gorgeous and there's no problem with registering. In CA, I find they're trying to work with people and the cars are legal with new registration. But, not the same applies with a fiberglass fenderless car.

__________________________________________________ ____

" Real Hot Rods don't have fenders "

[wizzard23]

Hard to think of all the disadvantages of a glass car after enjoyin' one for 20 years and at least 40k miles.

[Don's Hot Rods]

This discussion is like the Presidential debates..........lots of people on both sides of the argument and neither side will ever convince the other to switch.

Yes, I have built steel and I have built glass and personally like glass better. It is easier to work with, will never rust, and my glass cars have been just as much fun, if not more, than the metal versions. But what really matters is, do you give a damn what anyone else but you thinks YOUR car should be made of anyway ? I know I don't.

Don

[VonKool13]

Originally Posted by Don's Hot Rods

..... and my glass cars have been just as much fun, if not more, than the metal versions. But what really matters is, do you give a damn what anyone else but you thinks YOUR car should be made of anyway ? I know I don't.

Don

Yup, and I don't give 2 dog turds what anyone else thinks of my builds. If I'm impressed that's all that matters.

[LSR 2909]

People will buy them.

[4t7flat]

I do care what others think of my cars. And I worry about their resale value. I have no intensions of selling any of my cars right now. But I know the day is coming when I will need to sell all of them,or my wife ,or kids will need to sell them. They are an asset of my estate,and my wife or kids may need the money. Both of my glass cars have cracks,and shifted door fit,and panel print through. Both of my real steel cars have no cracks, and the doors still fit after 65 and 85 years.

[Don's Hot Rods]

Originally Posted by 4t7flat

Both of my glass cars have cracks,and shifted door fit,and panel print through. Both of my real steel cars have no cracks, and the doors still fit after 65 and 85 years.

If that happened it is because they weren't built right to start with. I did the glass body on my 27 about 24 years ago and it doesn't have one stress mark or defect. It is all in how you wood and glass them.

Don

[VonKool13]

I've seen stress cracks in my 49' caddilac in the metal, in the compound curves of the stamped steel body panels.

[Oilcan Harry]

i've always felt it was more important what you did with a body, than what it was made of. The hotrod feel or soul is in your head, not the material the body is made from.

[Cowtown Speed Shop]

Originally Posted by Don's Hot Rods

This discussion is like the Presidential debates..........lots of people on both sides of the argument and neither side will ever convince the other to switch.

Yes, I have built steel and I have built glass and personally like glass better. It is easier to work with, will never rust, and my glass cars have been just as much fun, if not more, than the metal versions. But what really matters is, do you give a damn what anyone else but you thinks YOUR car should be made of anyway ? I know I don't.

Don

I think Glass roadsters are alright, I would never do another coupe, Man If you get them out on a hot day, They can smell like Raw Ass inside of them. Also alot of opinions here are based on the quailty of bodies out there.....truth is There are only a few companys around who offer a good quailty body, And they are almost as much as steel it seems like. But really it comes down to what a person can afford and what they want to end up with in the end.

[pasadenahotrod]

At the bottom end a one-piece race-weight body would probably sell a few a year.
A street-weight body with opening deck lid would be a fair seller for the channeled car guys.
A nice shell with recessed firewall opening doors and deck lid would be a fair seller over time.
A quality product and good advertising can sell anytime anywhere in the USA.

[VonKool13]

Originally Posted by Cowtown Speed Shop

I think Glass roadsters are alright, I would never do another coupe, Man If you get them out on a hot day, They can smell like Raw Ass inside of them. Also alot of opinions here are based on the quailty of bodies out there.....truth is There are only a few companys around who offer a good quailty body, And they are almost as much as steel it seems like. But really it comes down to what a person can afford and what they want to end up with in the end.

I've detailed a few glass 32 coupes in 100+ degree heat and only smelled the leather interiors. Maybe yours had the Tiawana special interior!

[Don's Hot Rods]

Originally Posted by VonKool13

I've detailed a few glass 32 coupes in 100+ degree heat and only smelled the leather interiors. Maybe yours had the Tiawana special interior!

Yep, and I've been in a thousand or more fiberglass cabin cruisers and there is no odor. Once the solvents burn off there should be no smell at all. Same with Corvettes.

Don

[Shaggy]

I'm a door and a d-lid short of a '28 roadster body for under $100, it's taken me the last 4 years of compiling parts when I stumble across them but i'm in no hurry, i have enough time before i get done with my current projects.....

[67coronet]

Thanks for your input guys! We are going to produce these. Am going to offer a drag weight one piece body and a street weight body. We are thinking about $2500 with floor and firewall, with doors and trunklid-rumble seat lid installed. Drag body will be about $1000-1200. Have been going over mold to make sure that its very nice. Have been doing glass from 1978 to present and enjoy it. Hope to have web sight up this year for all of you to check out. Really don't want to get into 32's just too many out there. Am doing 30-31 coupe thought. Also doing alot of gasser stuff. Have molds off my Henry J gasser and making parts. Once again thanks for all comments and hope to see everyone at the shows! Jeff and Mike "Car Crazy Fiberglass"

[swanwaco32]

Hot Rods should not smell like a BOAT.

[Bobbykid's32]

Originally Posted by Cowtown Speed Shop

Jeff,
My advise is to stay away from the fiberglass body business, I think it is going nowhere, As the price of materials have gone up so much, Not to mention, most guys are saving their money and buying steel (Original and new) I think For the cost of materials, and labor involved, If your bodys are of any kind of quailty at all, You will be doing alot of hard work for Free, If you sell them for under $2K........Just my 2 cents

Yep stay away from fiberglass!! or build a T bucket.

_____________________________________________

" Real hot rod don't have fenders "

[Bobbykid's32]

Originally Posted by 67coronet

Thanks for your input guys! We are going to produce these. Am going to offer a drag weight one piece body and a street weight body. We are thinking about $2500 with floor and firewall, with doors and trunklid-rumble seat lid installed. Drag body will be about $1000-1200. Have been going over mold to make sure that its very nice. Have been doing glass from 1978 to present and enjoy it. Hope to have web sight up this year for all of you to check out. Really don't want to get into 32's just too many out there. Am doing 30-31 coupe thought. Also doing alot of gasser stuff. Have molds off my Henry J gasser and making parts. Once again thanks for all comments and hope to see everyone at the shows! Jeff and Mike "Car Crazy Fiberglass"

________________________________________

Y-- NOT JUST SAY SOOOO!!! GOOD FOR YOU.

' Real hot rods don't have fenders "

[VonKool13]

Originally Posted by 67coronet

Thanks for your input guys! We are going to produce these. Am going to offer a drag weight one piece body and a street weight body. We are thinking about $2500 with floor and firewall, with doors and trunklid-rumble seat lid installed. Drag body will be about $1000-1200. Have been going over mold to make sure that its very nice. Have been doing glass from 1978 to present and enjoy it. Hope to have web sight up this year for all of you to check out. Really don't want to get into 32's just too many out there. Am doing 30-31 coupe thought. Also doing alot of gasser stuff. Have molds off my Henry J gasser and making parts. Once again thanks for all comments and hope to see everyone at the shows! Jeff and Mike "Car Crazy Fiberglass"

Sounds good, gonna check out your site when it's up. Sounds like a good alternative.