Thread: Searching for 32 information. LOTS of it!

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After much soul searching I have decided to go ahead and build the 32 Tudor that was given to me last year.
I removed the rear fenders and running boards and am getting ready to remove the rear 2/3rds of the frame that was left behind when they cut the motor and transmission out of this car.
I have so many questions such as "Will a straight 6 ford engine fit in a 32? can the wooden framework (Particularly in the roof area be replaced with a mig welded steel replacement?
I have plenty of welding and both wood and metal fabricationg equipment.
In an effort to save bandwidth on this site is there a website that shows in depth methods of restoring certain areas on 32 Fords.
Somewhere where I could read alot of info and not tie up this board with alot of questions that have probably been asked a hundred times before.
I have a new 6 cylinder that is still on a crate that was for another project and never used and I want to put rear leaf springs in if possible and use my 74 maverick rear end and make some modifications as well as figure out how to replicate the cross member that holds the ball on the end of the wishbone front end.
I want the car from outward appearances to look like a stock 32 but I want to use my newer motor (Since I have it already and the rear end).
I just wondered if there was a website possibly that went into great detail on general 32 restoration and modification.
As I said i have so many questions that I'm sure you have all heard before that I would rather read as much as possible and save you guys some repetetive posting.
The rear leaf spring set up seems like it may present a problem as well as the length of a straight six. I don't care about a V8, I am past my go fast days and just want a neat old 32 to putt around my neighborhood in.
Any info would be appreciated.
Since tapping out some dents and removing and straightening things up a bit the car is starting to look like a realistic project,
The firewall was removed when they took the motor and trans so I can possibly custom fabricate one to accomodate the longer six cylinder.
Thanks
Dave

A straight six is going to be way too long for a '32. Eithe a V-8 or a V-6 would be a much better option.

depends on the size of the straight 6, a Small Ford 6 like a 144-250 would fit perfect but a big ford 6 like a 300 inline 6 is way too long, they can make them fit in some applications, but there quite long and you would need to make a really big mod to the firewall to set it back into it, it will be well into the passanger compartment. take a length measurement and compare it to the length of a SBC or SBF, you will see a big diffrence.

Originally Posted by Matt167

depends on the size of the straight 6, a Small Ford 6 like a 144-250 would fit perfect but a big ford 6 like a 300 inline 6 is way too long, they can make them fit in some applications, but there quite long and you would need to make a really big mod to the firewall to set it back into it, it will be well into the passanger compartment. take a length measurement and compare it to the length of a SBC or SBF, you will see a big diffrence.

It actually is a small six that came out of the same maverick that the rear end came from.
It is a brand new factory rebuild I never got around to installing and my son rolled the maverick so it's just a parts car now but it has the small six with one barrel carb etc.

Just for sake of argument, let's put in another point of view. Not meant to be critical, but you asked for opinions and help.

I understand your reasons for wanting to use an engine you already have, we all do that. But sometimes just because you already have something doesn't make it right or practical. I have never been a fan of 6 cylinder engines in hot rods, so already I am biased. However, the reason we build hot rods is to improve the performance, and this 6 is just not going to do much of that.

When the gas crunch hit in the '70's and '80's, a lot of people panicked and saw the end of hot rodding, so they started yanking out v8's and putting every form of 4 and 6 cylinder engine into their cars that could be found. Even magazines catered to this trend and had articles on how to do it. What the people ended up with were cars that looked the part, but were real slugs to drive. It is nice you have a brand new crate engine to use, but is this really the right project to use it in?

I am having a hard time getting a handle on what you envision this car to be like in it's finished form, although you mention you want it to be stock looking, and full fendered. Here is my concern. Of all the cars out there to build, the '32 Ford is one of the most expensive. Every part you buy for a '32 is many more times expensive than for a comparable Model A, for example. Unless you have all of the fenders, running board, hood, grille shell, etc., you are going to be laying out some serious cash to buy these parts. Grille shells alone are like the Holy Grail of car parts.

Another thing is that a '32 Tudor with a 6 installed will be worth a whole lot less than one with even a stock V8, and you will probably go through a lot more work to install it, due to length and inavailablility of off the shelf parts like mounts, etc. I also think with the desirablility of '32's, this car deserves to be done somewhat right.

I would sell the 6 and put the money toward a crate 350 (about $1300 base) that way you wouldn't have to butcher the firewall, and have a car that will be a pleasure to drive and worth a whole lot more.

I may catch some flack for this, but this is just my opinion.


You might also post some pix so we can see all that you have to begin with.

Don

In this hobby you have to approach with the attitude that "all things are possible"! Measure the length on the motor, and if it interferes at the radiator, shove it back into the cowl, and build the firewall around it. Isn't that really the only way you can do it anyway?

the Small 6 is not much longer than a SBF, shouldn't need to do anything to the firewall, prolly have to run an electric fan tho. the small 6 can be built up to over 300 HP, using forced induction and still have good street manors. they can be built to 300 HP N/A and still have good street manors. you ither have a 200 or a 250, if a 200, only a small 6 trans will work due to the smaller bolt pattern but a 250 uses a SBF bolt pattern. you can tell by the freeze plug count, more than 4 is a 250, 4 or less is a 144- 200, can't remember the in between counts to tell them apart, only that a 200 is 4 plug. www.fordsixparts.com has plenty of hop up parts. a D.U.I dizzy that is dyno proven 15 HP more on a stock engine, a good selection of cams, headders and a lot more. chrome dress up also.

Just for thought,my brother went to put a 250 Ford six in a 61 Falcon
The engine was way to long without butchering the car

Originally Posted by shoprat

Just for thought,my brother went to put a 250 Ford six in a 61 Falcon
The engine was way to long without butchering the car

just for the thought. a 250 6 is the same length and overall physical size as the 144 the car would have come with. it will sit higher than the 144 due to the mounts on the engine being higher up but they fit with no problem. they put 250's in the round body's all the time. a 240 6 or a 300 will not fit tho as there big blocks.

]I really am not concerned with performance.
I found a 32 Ford pickup with a 4 cylinder that I was considering using the motor out of.
I basically don't want the car to appear to be a hot rod.
I am not interested in speed and really have just always wanted a model A tudor to putt around in just because I like em.
This 32 was given to me so I have zero cash invested in it at this point and I seriously just want an old 30's tudor to putt over to my neighbors house and look nice in my driveway,
I am not into high performance and honestly want it to look as close to a stock 32 Ford as possible with my budget.
I have the stock front axle and wishbone and 3/4's of the frame and a body with two doors, running boards and rear fenders and gas tank, everything else is gone.
Someone cut the engine and trans out along with the front 1/3 of the frame along with it.
The Axle and front end I found behind a guys barn and he gave it to me as well.
The entire car has been given to me at this point so I have no money invested yet,
In this part of the country cars are sitting all over the back 40 on old ranches and in the woods.
I just had a complete 38 chevrolet given to me last week that is complete and even has an interior although the fabric is obviously rotted,
the 32 is not being built as an investment or as a hot rod it is simply for my amusement and I like them as stock looking as possible.
I am even looking into semi gloss non metallic paints to give it an everyday working guys car kind of look.
like something Your grandfather would have bought used in decent shape to get back and forth to work.
I bought a piece of land in Montana and we have built all of our buildings and house to look like and old small town and these cars will be parked around to give it "atmosphere" but i do want them to run and look like decent cars,
Just not super polished candy apple red 400 hp hot rods.
Thats what I'm after, Just a stock looking used 32 ford.
A 29 or 30 ford would have served just as well but it just happened that my neighbor had a 32 rusting away behind his place he wanted gone so he gave it to me.
Thats basically what I'm after though,
something that looks "period" but is driveable so i can run up to my buddies house at the end of the road,
and will look like it belongs in our old town replica.
Someone else mentioned a photo and i thought i would add this just to give you an idea of what I'm working with here,
I have already begun removeing fenders etc but you can see it is not some barn stored treasure that i am destroying.
It clearly needs alot of TLC
Thanks
Dave