Thread: Fiberglass 5 Window Coupe Body

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Looking for feedback on any experiences people have had with different manufactures of fiberglass Ford 5-window bodies. I am starting to gather parts for my next project and it will be a glass 5-window. I have had experience with Downs and would consider them again.
Thanks

I have a Gibbons 3w, great body IMO.......Larry

I have a New Age Body, 5 Window. My painter says i ts super straight. And it is very accurate.
http://www.newage-motorsports.com/custom.htm
Tell Ed I said "hi"

I have a Gibbons 3w, great body IMO.......Larry

Larry,
Do you have a Gibbons body ?.............

I have a Gibbon 3-window. None of the wood is level or plumb. The underside of the body was totally unfinished. Overlaps on the underside where the body joins the floor pan and where the trans tunnel joins the floor were not glassed over - just a raw overlap.

The tunnel wouldn't clear the transmission - even after they "fixed" it. Gibbon tries to make their case for chopper-gun bodies, but I'd never get another chopper-gun laid body. The body glass varies in thickness from 1/4" to over 1."

I tried to get the window glass out of the doors to paint the car, but the track is glassed in, and I'd have to tear it out and rebuild it. The wood bracing in the trunk goes every which way, and there's no way to install upholstery panels there without a major woodworking job. I had to completely rebuild the window trim moldings, and they still need a lot of work.

Check the level in the attached photo. The level is level. The wood is off by over an inch in 42".

And here's the window trim from the inside. Want to hear more?

Here are some comments I submitted earlier.

I'm building a Gibbon-bodied highboy. Exterior finish of the car is excellent for a glass car. Gibbon forms their bodies in pieces, then bonds them together much like an original would be assembled. They do an excellent job of fitting doors, trunks, etc. The doors, trunklid, hinges, latches, etc. are nicely installed and quality stuff. I didn't have to do much with the gaps. The gelcoat they use is very nice also. It's sands well.

That being said, there are some significant problems. This is on my rod only - I don't know if it's endemic. However, if I ever do another glass car, I know some things I'm going to look for.

- The interior window moldings are not good. They don't fit the doors. I had to do major bondo and glass work to get a decent fit. They fit now, but I'm still not sure how I'm going to attach them. The finish inside the windshield around the "A" pillars is really rough. I haven't figured out how I'm going to get the molding to fit - if it will fit at all.

- There are problems with the wood body reinforcing being plumb and square. The package shelf in my '34 is about 1 1/2 " out of level side-to-side. I'm going to have to do some significant mods there. The plywood braces on either side of the trunk are not in line with each other. Fitting a flat 1/4" plywood panel to them for later upholstery took a lot of woodworking. It looks like all of the wood in my rod was placed by eye without any measurement. It goes every which-way.

- The finish on the underside of the body where they joined the body to the floor was simply awful. There is no other way to describe it. All of the joints underneath - i.e. driveshaft tunnel, firewall, etc. were not finished at all. Just gaps where the layers of fiberglass lapped over each other. The joint where the rocker panels joined the floor were equally nasty. Plenty of places for water, dust, dirt and mud to get between the outer body and the floor pan.

- I don't know what's up with the firewall and the fit with the hood. The channels for the cowl lacing are too deep. I tried the original cloth-covered lacing, and the hood sits inside the body edge at least 1/4". It looks like I'm going to have to fill the channel in order to get proper hood fit - or leave the hood sides off.

- There are places in the floor and firewall where there are three or four layers of fiberglass. It makes fitting pedals, steering columns, etc. really interesting.

Bear in mind that I built an all-steel chopped, full-fendered Model A sedan. This body is harder to work with than the A ever was.

I'm not trying to knock Gibbon's workmanship, because much of it is excellent. I just wanted to pass on my experience. This will make a nice rod - it's just going to take a lot more work than I thought. Kyle will stand behind his product. However, you have to ask yourself what you're going to do if you're 800 miles away, and start to notice problems once you get into the details. It ain't McDonalds . . . you can't go back and get a replacement Big Mac.

One final note. I would NOT get a dropped floor again. With a P&J chassis with the angled ladder bars, there is little room under the car for ANYTHING. It's possible to make e-brake lines and shifter cables work OK, but exhaust is a major problem to solve. Also, footroom inside the cab is really . . . no, I mean REALLY narrow. If you have a manual trans, I'm not sure how you would get three pedals in there. This is NOT Gibbon's fault - it's the buyer's choice.

If you decide to go with a Gibbon body - or any glass body, try to see one up close and personal at a rod show.

Finally, here's apparently what happens when Gibbon modifies a P&J frame. I don't think comments are necessary.

The New Age is also a choppered body. They chopper each piece of the mold, then assemble the mold, and hand lay the pieces together.

I bought a roadster body and returned it. I was not impressed.

I would love to build some 5w's in my shop, but I cannot find a suitable body. Redneck is planning to have one available sometime early in '05. He told me at the Nats that it would have drip-rails, outside hinges/latches/ dovetails, cowl vent, stock style garnish,etc.

We shall see.

Sir Speedy
I appreciate your reply. I have always been impressed with Redneck, personally feel they make some of the finest fiberglass bodies available. I will check with Redneck, from talking to them in the past and inspecting their bodies I would not hesitate to put them at the top of my list.
Thanks Again
Bob

Couple of rodders here are building 33/34 Redneck 3 windows. The bodies are very impressive. Worth the wait.

I've got a New Age 5 window body and after having some problems with fit and repairs I would say overall it's a good body - definitely well built and reinforced with steel tubing. It's also the only one as far as I know that has the drip rails. The things I don't like tho are the part of the cowl where the cowl lacing goes - VERY thick and doesn't look anything like stock. The window garnishings don't fit too good, and the one for the rear window is really out of whack. When I got my body the inner and outer skins on both doors were separated and I had to glue them back together. The windshield frame (the expensive swing out one) doesn't fit too good at the top corners and I have no doubt it will leak eventually. That said tho I still like the body and from what I've seen it's still the best 5-window one out there, for now. If Wescott comes up with one that'd be the one to get - I used their body for my roadster and it's great! My buddy has one of their three window ones and it's really nice period.

I have been following this thread with interest since I am waiting for delivery of a rolling chasiss/5 window body package from New Age Motorsports.

SirSpeedy, if it's not too much trouble, what didn't you like about the roadster body you got?

I've heard a couple of people mention the glass work in the cowl area of the 5 window body. Could you please post a picture of what you're talking about so I'll have a frame of reference when I pick up my roller. Is this something I should be making an issue of with New Age now? How hard was it to correct?

Finally, the photos that rocknrod and others have posted are very helpful as I contemplate things like horn placement and bracketry for the ebrake. Thanks & keep 'em coming.

Waiting for this body/chassis to be done is a little like being a kid again and waiting for Christmas. Meanwhile I'm following the comments on this board with great interest. Will post pictures when I get the car and look forward to posting progress photos as well.

Tom, I'd REALLY like to hear some of your thoughts on the body and chassis when you get it. You can Email me at deuceguy@shaw.ca. I've heard that they've changed the cowl lacing area since I got my body but I don't know for sure.

I WOULD like to compare notes with anyone who has one of their bodies tho, as well as feedback on their chassis.