Thread: why a 32

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K' y'all.. someone tell me..

why did the 32 become the holy grail of hotrods?

I don't know all the reasons, but being the first year Henry put a V8 in 'em was probably high on the list.

Originally posted by techinspector1
I don't know all the reasons, but being the first year Henry put a V8 in 'em was probably high on the list.

Yeap, Tech, that and the fact that was a one year body model. Model A's were 4years (although the cowls were different: 28/29 and 30/31) and the Model C or 33/34 were a two year deal.

Everything those geezers said and more. For people who grew up with these being "cheap starter cars" the '32 was a pivotal car. It was slightly larger than the Model A. The body morphed into something just a little "smoother" (yeah, I know, folks who aren't into them can't see a difference.......they're all "square" bodied cars) and more elegant of line. The fenders grew more gracefu,l if you were into full fenders, or on highboys the exposed frame rails with the gently curving reveal (another one year only feature) gave the car a less gawkish look. The grille shell being a smoothly shaped stamping painted body color and reminiscent of the more luxurious Lincoln, and for the first time on a Ford, an actual grille insert. While many of the same things can be said for, say a '33/4 Ford (except the grille and frame rail thing) they were the next step toward the more art deco styling of the later '30's. Their cowls were "clunkier" looking if you ran hoodless and they, while having a beauty of their own, weren't quite as "balanced" a design as the '32.

It's sort of like the Fords of '37 to '40. To the casual observer they all look pretty similar, but to the connoisseur of that segment the '40 has the best overall meshing of the styling elements.

That business of "cheap starter car" of course is a moving thing as you look at each generation. For the guys going to high school in the '60's their '32 Ford became the Tri-Five Chevies. Some interesting similarities. First OHV Chev V8 (If you ignore the ill fated one they brought out in 1917), a styling revolution for what had been known as a stodgy company, and something the '32 didn't have...............lots of them were built. Which fit with the huge spike in potential buyers resulting from the baby boomers.

There is one other thing, and it is hard to explain, but it has to do with aesthetics. It has "the look," and few cars have it. '57 Corvette's have it; the original Cobra's have it; '40-41 Willys have it. There is simply something about these cars that draws your eye because they are aesthetically appealing.

Like rum says, there's right;

And then there's wrong;

yeah.easy for you to say Bob.....you worked on the original assembly line, so naturally you liked the '32 's......lol

Great looking roadster, Bob - very traditional! And that other, uh, thing.....................what the hell IS that anyway!!????

Originally posted by topsterguy
.....................what the hell IS that anyway!!????

I pulled that off of ebay a couple years ago. It was advertised as a '32 roadster. If you look closely the central tub is a '23-5 model T, probably glass. The grille is one of Spirit Ind. cobbled '34 sortas. The rest is the result of too much pizza at 1:00 am mixed with an overdose of Nyquil.

About a year later it again showed up on ebay in it's "improved" form

Man, that is REALLY ugly! I noticed in the other pic it had a top on it..................and it just looked like an ugly chuck wagon! Well, I was planning on going to bed now but what for - I KNOW I won't be able to sleep! Even if I COULD sleep I'd be scared of what I might have nightmares about now!

Hey the cheap wheelcovers and tweety in the are extra cost add ons. It's a fine quality uh whatever it is.

For me the lines of a Deuce have always screamed Hot Rod!! The lines are a lot softer than the A's. The one thing that really makes the Deuce for me is the reveal on the frame rails, not sure why Ford did it, but it sure sets it apart from all the others of the era.

My gosh Bob! It hurts everytime I look at those pictures! "Really Ugly" can't touch that one! You have most likely hurt a lot of people out there! Topsterguy is just the first.

Just kidding Bob! Your roadster is a great example of why the 32 is so popular! But, you have to destroy the pictures of that other thing! Pizza and Nyquil huh!