Thread: ’32 3W Coupe roller package advise/opinions wanted

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Mike,
I am lucky enough to have a job that pays me to go to car shows and I talk with many people. Customers and other vendors so you see and hear all some things just make you wonder why?
But with that being said I also get to see and hear all the good and bad about vendors and the product they sell.
There is a list above that is a good list for quality parts. But there are others IMO that are just as good or better out there.
IMO N&N is as good as Westcott but have not been around as long and are just getting the reputatiion that Westcott and Redneck have had for a while. People build a better mouse trap every day and I feel Duane has. I love my car and I feel the quality is as good or better than anyone else out there.
I also feel that kwik wire is every bit as good as Ron Francis and a better value.
I have used RF in 2 builds and used KW in the last 5. The only advantage is with RF you run the wire to the box with KW they are in the box and you run them out to where they are going. This can make for a little of a hassle until you get them seperated. But 5 minutes and you are set. KW also have a built in kill switch in all units that will help with theft.
Teas I dont care for..... great product but I am not crazy about the people and the customer service and to me that is just as important as the product.

Bob, your advice is appreciated. I completely understand what works for one person may not work well for another, the steering column thread is a good example. Your example about the Tea's seats is another good one, choosing a comfortable seat is at the top of one of my lists. I had back surgery the day after Christmas (another reason I'm giving up the bike experience) so the right seat is very important. This will be one of those situations where a 'catalog' seat won't work for me, I will have to sit my butt in a few to find the right one.

iceburgh (eventually I'll get to know these guy's real names), it's information like yours that I'm searching for, an honest recommendation from someone that has actually used a product, thanks a lot!!!

Mike

Originally Posted by iceburgh

IMO N&N is as good as Westcott but have not been around as long.

WESCOTT

N&N

While I have not looked at every N&N 32 3W made, the ones I looked at did not have the nice steel cage that Wescott has. ( see photos ). Also a lot of the nicer features of a Wescott was missing on the N&N body.

WESCOTT

N&N

The firewall in a Wescott actually looks like a 32 firewall.
The Wecott has a cowl vent, a working windshield and a correct looking dash with a functioning glove box door.



These features mean a LOT to some of us. Bob Parmenter is correct in saying that the Wesott is the class of the field IMHO.
In my opinion ... the Wescott is at least TWICE as good as a N&N ... but unfortunately they cost three times as much.

Back to Mike52's project. Look and see what style coupe you want. Maybe a car with a slicked off firewall, no cowl vent and glued in windshield fits ... your build style. Absolutely nothing wrong with that. There are LOTS of coupes out there in that style. Real popular look. If that's what you want ... a N&N may be just what you need.

Good Luck with your selection process and if any of us can be of assistance ... you know we are just a mouse click away.

I was not bashing Icebergh's opinion or his car ... after reviewing the post ... it looked that way and that is NOT my intention.

Deuce, I can tell you are a die hard Deuce owner, and very passionate about your steel '32s. I've saved some pics of your project on the coupe and I value your information and knowledge. I'm sure I'll have many more questions in the future.

In my opinion ... the Wescott is at least TWICE as good as a N&N ... but unfortunately they cost three times as much.

I have looked at the Wescott bodies and agree, they are probably the top of the line fiberglass body on the market, but you are also right about the price. By the time you factor in some of their options, they are only slightly lower in price than some of the steel bodies on the market which I already eliminated from my build budget. I'm looking to spend around $20k for a body and chassis combo only, then continue on from there. $20k wouldn't even get me a Wescott body with simple options, so I need to look elsewhere unless you know where I can get a sweet deal on one. Some of the things that are important to you and others are not so important to me, I don't want/need a cowl vent, ribbed firewall, or chrome windshield frame, but I do want to find something in my budget that comes recommended as a quality product, once again, that's the intent of my original post. Going back to my early days as a kid interested in cars, I always thought the street rod hobby was about being different, it would be pretty sad to see the same cars with only different paint.

Mike

Originally Posted by Mike52

Some of the things that are important to you and others are not so important to me, I don't want/need a cowl vent, ribbed firewall, or chrome windshield frame,
Mike

Then you have found your coupe body ...
A N&N 3W can be bought with a chassis ... in your budget range ... with money left over for other things you will need.

That's the cool thing about Hot Rods ... not restored cars. You can do want you want to ... as long as it is a safe vehicle and be OK. With a restored vehicle ... it can only be one way ... the factory way.

[QUOTE=Dave Severson]

Originally Posted by Bob Parmenter

Just a couple more thoughts along the lines we're going. Though my sentiments are more aligned with Randy's view than Dave's these points will work either way.
QUOTE]


Geez Bob---Hard to believe that you and I would not concur on the look and build of a Hot Rod..... Heck, I'm still hurt that you wouldn't let me do a bit of a tune up on that old white Dodge!!!!!! (Really hurt my feelings on that one!!!!! )

Man up old dude!!!!!!!!!!

I've never restored a vehicle in my life. The factories just weren't that good.

Originally Posted by Henry Rifle

I've never restored a vehicle in my life. The factories just weren't that good.

Me neither Jack, but try to explain that to Bob, he wouldn't let me touch his old Mopar.... heck, threatened me with voodoo, Egyptian curses and all kinds of stuff...and all I wanted to do was a tiny bit of "restructuring" on the roofline!!!!!!

Now that we've covered the very basics like, it's going to cost twice as much as estimated, take twice as long as anticipated, and steel or 'glass, it's time to ask more questions. We touched on this very briefly, well as least Deuce touched on it, let's talk about front suspensions.

I've noticed the cost of roller chassis are roughly the same with straight axle set-ups or IFS. Personally, I like the look of the more modern IFS. What are the pros and cons of these front suspensions on a set of Deuce rails, the difference in ride quality, the ability to set or adjust ride height, ability to make changes to adjust for ride quality, etc?

Mike

If you look at the steel structure inside of the Wescott body - it is a stand alone assembly. The fiberglass itself is not structural - the doors are hung on the steel framework, they latch on the steel structure, the dovetails are mounted to the steel structure. The steel structure runs through the rockers from the firewall to the rearmost body mount hole - and each body bolt passes through this assembly.

There is a reason why they have been in business so long.

The Wescott accepts all stock Ford window channels, glass sweeps, window regulators, door latches, door hinges, etc, etc. If you scotchbrite and prime one up - it would take a highly trained eye to identify it as glass from 20' away.

You have mentioned that you do not care about a stock style firewall, or steel windshield frame, etc. But you need to to ride in and or drive a 'glass bodied coupe from one of the popular makes - choose one, redneck, outlaw, bebob, heritage, whatever. I've been involved with severl builds using those bodies, and they are nothing like riding in a stock Ford body.

Go to a car show and open and shut the door on a stock Model A - the doors latch like a light switch - the dovetails keep all rattling down to a minimum. The 3 hinge design on the 3w coupe supports the doors weight properly, etc, etc.

But it is quite hard for anyone to impart upon you the value of spending the extra money on a body - there are those of us that bought and built cars using low end bodies, were aggravated with them, built cars with better bodies and were happy with them. Those people will try to advise you to buy the better body the first time - but the higher cost with most likely deter you from doing so. It is the tiny intangible things that make all the difference in the world when it comes to buying a higher quality body - they seem so minor when typed into a post on a message board - but 2+ years into a project, they sure add up.

Maybe if those people who bought $5k bodies, got frustrated, bailed out on the project, sold it on ebay for 70 cents on the dollar - if those people were still involved in the hobby and still posted on message board about this hobby - they would tell you the same things the experienced builders are telling you.

Good luck with your build.

BTW - I just noticed you are in Tampa - cool. I'm in Daytona - I've built over 200 '32 chassis in the last 10 years and 30+ turnkey '32 Fords.

My current Roadster - my Sedan - and the chassis we build -

The ride and handling of an IFS, when set up properly, is great.... On a fendered deuce comprimises have to be made in the placement and geometry of the upper a-arms... They still work and ride good, but not as good as on a non-fendered car where the suspension can be designed to work to it's full potential.

Heidt's, Kugel, and a number of other companies have some very well planned out IFS's for a deuce, and many other cars as well. I did a '28 roadster on deuce rails a number of years back, all Kugel front and rear suspension, thing handles like a slot car!!!! We built the car with a lot of race car pieces and not necessarily a lot of the "niceties" that most think a Hot Rod must have... IE, a lot of engine setback, front and mid plates instead of rubber mounts for the engine and trans. Powered it with a 408 Windsor and a 5 speed. The car is an absolute blast to drive!!!!----and the purists hate it!!!!!

As for adjustability, it's all in favor of the IFS and IRS there.... Add some front and rear sway bars with adjustable end links, double adjustable coilover shocks, even the "good stuff" with the remote reservoirs for the shocks. Play with the mount locations and use longer coilovers and springs for more travel, progressive rate springs.... When you do all this, sharpen up your math and geometry to figure the instant centers, roll centers, bump steer, weight transfer...Oh yeah, and when you're building and tuning have a set of 4 wheel electronic scales.... You can tweak the suspension around and play with shock and spring rates to make the car do whatever you want it to do...

Not that it matters, but someplace on my list of things to do is a quick change IRS, complete with inboard disc brakes.....then I can play with gear ratios all day long, too!!!!!!!!

Speedy, thanks for the advice. If you care to drop me a PM with your name, address and phone number, I'll look you up the next time I come over to the other coast.

Dave, in case you can't tell be now, I'm not a 'purists', they are on the other side of the fence.......LOL, sorry again Deuce.

Back in the '90s I played with cars that required a good understanding of instant centers, roll centers, weight transfer, etc. Even had a set of 4 digital scales to put the car on to measure the individual corner weights. Those cars were a little different though. I'll attempt to post a couple of pics.

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I'll bet that wasn't what you expected.............LOL
I used to race 1/10th and 1/8th scale radio controlled race cars all over the southeast. This one is what we called a 'concrete oval' (Nascar style) 1/10th scale car. I'm sure some of you car nuts did the same thing at one time or another.

Mike

Build one like the red roadster, it's perfect!

IFS look like ass on any 32.

JMO