Thread: Roadster Body Recommendation

Tweet

Originally posted by Bib_Overalls
In addition to the $5,000 premium for a steel body you are going to spend more on body work. The Brookville bodies are not even close to paint ready when you get them. An experience body man will put more time, at least 100 hours more, into preping one (a steel body) than a glass one. If you are planing to build it yourself the glass body will be much easier to prep.

Bib's right on the money here.

My 32 roadster is a 1985 Wescott glass body and all it took was a little bit of blocking with a long board and the gloss black paint looks pretty good.
Pretty good, because the body proper never was completely color sanded due to bad weather came in about the time that the last coats of Acrylic Lacquer were going on the body and I quit due to a fear of paint blush.

Regardless, the way I use the car - running around town during the week and the occasional car show and Saturday night rod run - killer paint is not needed nor desired.
In any event, it looks ok and holds it's own with most hot rods.

It's been running since 93 and has 42,000 miles on the odo.
(With a real torquey 462" Buick engine built for torque fwiw.)


My 31 A roadster on 32 rails project is taking a while, but that's ok cuz it's a hobby . . . right?
The body is a 30-31 Brookville purchased winter of 2000 I believe.

Brookville shoots a coat of lacquer primer on to help protect the body during transit and storage. It's easily rinsed off when painting time comes.

From what I see so far - the car is a fairly complete roller requiring engine/trans build-up, plumbing, wiring, exhaust system and paint - the body doesn't look like it'll require too much in the way of prep for black paint.
Not sure what type this time around, but not Acrylic Lacquer for sure and more than likely not a clear-coat.

The 31 was originally based in Central California's San Joaquin Valley which is fairly dry except for the killer winter fogs that are so bad you can't see across the street - in the daytime....
Since last summer it's been stored in Arizona's usually dry climate, but this year, between the end of summer Monsoon's and the above average rainfall this winter it's still doing ok.
Even a couple of areas that have been bare metal for the last three years show no rust.

The only real problems with the Brookville 31 that I can see as far as bodywork goes are to repair two dents. One in the drivers door and one in the left quarter panel. Both dents fairly small so no big deal there.

It doesn't look like too much blocking will be required and door & trunk fit is fairly good. Good enough to leave as-is for the most part. I don't get paranoid about panel fit.
I do as good as I can - which ain't too bad most times - paint the car and drive heck out of it.
The factory didn't fit em together all that good anyway.

I am looking forward to running a steel car and comparing it to the glass one.
The 31 also has a 462" Buick which will put out about 60 HP more than the 32.

The blue Arizona skies seen in the pic of the 32 above is how they are in real life.
No filters used on the camera and no shennigans in the computer.

Pic taken weekend before last during the Route 66 Fun Run.
A three day event that's a lot of fun and hits some more than interesting places.

Pic below is of the 31 and how it looks today.
Pic taken in Central California . . . not too many blue skies there....

Not sure what happened to the pics, so I'll try again.

The 31.

No need for me to get uptight about rust, but it just looks like a lot of extra steps compared to fiberglass. Then again in my negative way I could note that if there is a fire steel might survive but fiberglass will burn and leave almost nothing. Anyway if you can handle the metal prep for a steel body, great! I am just a guy trying to get a running car with limited talent and experience so the no-rust 'glass looks like the way to go for me and I am glad to learn that the value will not be greatly effected by the use of fiberglass.

Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder

Hey Guy's , I know this is a little off from the Original subject but it lead into Rust control, Primer/Prep. so I have a Question, I've been away from Painting for quite awhile, I'm envious of Ya'll out in the Southwest, here in Sunny Florida ( Sometimes ) the Humidity is beyond words, on certain days you can sand or sandblast a part and actually see the part start to rust. A paint rep told me some years back they ran tests and it took 4 Seconds for the rust to start. Question ; I'm getting close to putting my frame in primer , I plan on using PPG Color and would like to stay with their products throughout the project, I want the frame to Look as good as the body, ( 32 3 Window Highboy ) What Primer is recommended and do I use a Hi Build ? Epoxy ? or What ? Sand ,or Blast,Metal Prep/Rinse/Degrease/Dry& Prime ?
Thanks Tim

Tim,
I would suggest you start a new thread with an appropriate title so others can find the answers down the road and the likelihood of one of the painter studs seeing it higher.

I'm sure the more current painters will have a pipe in then too. Likely it'll be something like etch prime first, then one of the DP's, then one of the K's for blocking.

Not a recommendation, but there is a body on ebay right now for $4500
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1934-...QQcmdZViewItem

Bob ; Thanks for the suggestion, I knew that , but opted to take a short cut, shame on me, thanks for your input also, I started a new Thread, hopefully the answer will come, there's so much knowledge here all for the asking. DP's / K's ?
Thanks again Tim