Thread: My first rod!

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Hi there, I just took delivery of my very first rod... While I've had several musclecars, I've always wanted a rod... Its a 32 roadster, Kilbourne body/chassis, pretty basic, but almost exactly what i would have built if i had the time, patience, and know-how to do one myself... I have driven it about 1000 feet, so i don't really know how it drives, etc. but I'm just excited to have it in my garage... I have several things on my "to-do" list, and hope you fine folks can help out a newbie rodder with some questions I'm gonna have... I want to change the windshield to a stock type, with a 2" chop, put stock style 32 headlights on it with a So-Cal bar, and a few other minor things... Here's a pic as she sits right now... I'm HOPING i can get the glued-on windshield off the car without taking the paint with it. I'll post a separate question in regards to this, but am hoping for some insight on this first major update to the car.

another pic

another one

Nice ride 1000' thats 320 short man. There are sooooo many guys on here that play with these that your head will spin.
Welcome to CHR

front end view

Welcome, and let me give you one word of advice........QUIT RIGHT NOW, that Deuce is absolutely beautiful.

But, I do understand you wanting to do some of your own touches. Let's see, it's November in Johnstown, Pa. .......where are the snow treads??


I've been in Johnstown a million times, I'm from the Mon valley originally, specifically Belle Vernon, then moved all around the area. Monroeville, Latrobe, etc. We used to go driving up into Johnstown and Somerset looking for old cars sitting beside barns and stuff in the '60's and '70's.

Enjoy that new rod, I know I would.


Don


PS: How do you work in that messy garage?????

Very nice rod!!

Nice looking roadster ... congratulations

Bob Drake has reproduction 32 Ford headlights with his " new, improved " halogen reflector kit ... already installed. He had a optical engineer design the new headlight reflectors and they are really a BIG improvement over the other halogen kits I have used. I bought just the ' KIT ' from Bob Drake and installed it in my original headlights. I had already converted them to halogens a few years back. I also updated to the new Sylvania SilverStar bulbs ... a few weeks later. I saw them on TV and tried them ... again ... a large improvement ...

No Help from me on the glue/windshield problem ...

Thanks for the tip on the lights... Does Bob Drake have them with the second element installed for parking/turn signals? Also, the more I look at the way this windshield is glued in, the more it looks like a near impossibility of getting it off without some moderate paint damage to the top of the cowl... honest opinion... does it look OK with the current windshield setup? I'm thinking i may just change to the big 32 lights and headlight bar, and "live" with the windshield as it is... maybe add a small oval inside mirror.

I think that it looks fantastic just as she sits.

But then thats just my opinion.

I had to install the turn signals into the new reflector ... he does not do that ... cutting and drilling them is not a problem ... they are some type of poly/plastic or something. I mounted the bulb holder behind the reflector ... sort of lowered or spaced away from the reflector so that my yellow bulb just barely sticks thru the reflector ... a little over half way. WORKS great ...

The windshield is NOT the way I would build one ...
But ... it was a lot less expensive than buying a chrome windshield frame, stantions and all the related 32 pieces so ... I guess that's what the builder did ...

I would have to change it ... before the new rod season ... you asked and I just told you the truth ...

Great going,..looking real nice in that pristine garage...
Enjoy & keep the post going..
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Thanks for the complients on the garage too! That was my last year's project. I agree I wouldn't have built it with that windshield either, but as you can see, i really don't have a proper facility to do any paint work, and have a nagging feeling that some serious paint repair work will be needed when i pry that windshield off the fresh black paint on the cowl... makes me sorta cringe to think about hogging up the paint on my new car the same week i got it home... I'm wondering if i can make some sort of top header out of aluminum or stainless to sorta "frame" the windshield and make it look a little better... not sure where i can get some U shaped channel that would work, but its another thought i had as an option to not prying that glass off the cowl.

Hey, while i got you guy's attention...another thing i'd like to do is put a false hinge cover and nose emblem on the shell...its a 3 piece hood, but I think it would look cool with some stock trim on it... I've seen pics of cars that have this trim on the 3 piece hood but wondered how it attaches... never actually saw one in person. (the pic below shows what I'm talking about.)

Also, is the trim/ford emblem that goes on the peak of the grill shell able to be used on my 'glass "filled" shell, or should I scrap that idea too? I really DON'T want to have to paint anything, since that's gonna require the car go into someone elses shop. Sorry ifI'm asking too many questions, I am just in awe that such a cool website exists for deuce owners, and I'm like a kid in a candy store!

Joey, good looking roadster!

I like the idea of putting on the stock windshield posts and chopped stantions, so before you give up on that, take the car to a good glass shop and see if they can suggest a way of ungluing the glass from the cowl.

So-Cal sells the grille shell emblems and they are formed for the Brookville shell but they are stainless so you can bend them to fit most any shell.

Not sure how to attach the center stainless strip to the hood though, Perhaps if you called So-Cal they may have a suggestion. They also make a stainless spear for the cowl, that looks real good, if you have a filled cowl vent.

Mick