Thread: Sunday Red: A 1932 Roadster Build Log Started in 2022

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JimBeam, have you actually sat in a '32 roadster?

If the answer is "NO" then I STRONGLY suggest that before you call Jason Slover to order a chassis you find a way to gently settle your butt into the seat of one, behind the wheel not just as a passenger, and be sure that you like the "fit" before you invest $$$ and sweat equity into building your dream, only to find out the glass slipper is two sizes too small and you can't drive comfortably. I'm only 6'2 (shrunk down from 6'3 with age), and I have to be careful getting in my '32 because my belt tries to grab the striker pin, then once sitting I have to work my feet past the door opening. My right knee rests against the LOKAR shifter knob which rises about 15" or more above the tranny, and my right heel is on the floor & tunnel, kicked back to the throttle suspended above. My left knee is up, resting against the door, ready for left foot braking as it's too hard to get the right from throttle to brake quickly. I used Fiero seats, headless for the roadster, because they sit so low and have minimal thickness in the back while still being very comfortable. You might gain a bit with SS Bomber seats, if you like the look and feel.

In my '33 coupe, which also has Fiero seats, I slide the seat back and my legs are extended comfortably. I can put the clutch pedal on the floor, but could really move the seat up one click. My right calf rests against the tunnel, knee away from the shifter.

Just sayin', you've said you're 6'4", and you need to be sure what you're buying before writing the check. The '32 is beautiful, and it screams HOT ROD like nothing else, but if you have to stop every 100 miles to unkink your body?

running a welder on a dryer circuit is just not a good idea . you might get away with a wire welder but using a stick can really draw a lot of juice especially if you stick it.

I called Summit last night to get an estimate for the chassis order and some of the upgrades that I am going to want. The overall price is what I expected and the freight charges were also a pleasant surprise. I want to do some more clean up and prep in my garage, but I think I will be leaning towards the order in the very near future.

Originally Posted by JimBeam

I called Summit last night to get an estimate for the chassis order.....

OK I'm curious why you would call Summit about a Pete & Jake's Chassis instead of calling Pete & Jake's direct? You're putting a middle man into play when it adds ZERO value, IMO.

Originally Posted by rspears

OK I'm curious why you would call Summit about a Pete & Jake's Chassis instead of calling Pete & Jake's direct? You're putting a middle man into play when it adds ZERO value, IMO.

Because Summit is dumb enough to let you borrow a lot of money for a lot of time for zero dollars

Originally Posted by rspears

JimBeam, have you actually sat in a '32 roadster?

If the answer is "NO" then I STRONGLY suggest that before you call Jason Slover to order a chassis you find a way to gently settle your butt into the seat of one, behind the wheel not just as a passenger, and be sure that you like the "fit" before you invest $$$ and sweat equity into building your dream, only to find out the glass slipper is two sizes too small and you can't drive comfortably. I'm only 6'2 (shrunk down from 6'3 with age), and I have to be careful getting in my '32 because my belt tries to grab the striker pin, then once sitting I have to work my feet past the door opening. My right knee rests against the LOKAR shifter knob which rises about 15" or more above the tranny, and my right heel is on the floor & tunnel, kicked back to the throttle suspended above. My left knee is up, resting against the door, ready for left foot braking as it's too hard to get the right from throttle to brake quickly. I used Fiero seats, headless for the roadster, because they sit so low and have minimal thickness in the back while still being very comfortable. You might gain a bit with SS Bomber seats, if you like the look and feel.

In my '33 coupe, which also has Fiero seats, I slide the seat back and my legs are extended comfortably. I can put the clutch pedal on the floor, but could really move the seat up one click. My right calf rests against the tunnel, knee away from the shifter.

Just sayin', you've said you're 6'4", and you need to be sure what you're buying before writing the check. The '32 is beautiful, and it screams HOT ROD like nothing else, but if you have to stop every 100 miles to unkink your body?

I am sure that this is good advice and I'm going to try and do that. But even if I can't and even if the fit is not perfect, the build, the learning and the fun from it will still be worth it to me. Worst case scenario, I end up selling the car and building a new one - I'm OK with that. I've spent plenty of money on more stupid things than this I'm still optimistic though. While I am 6'4", my inseam is only 30", which is short for someone of my size and my sitting height is taller than most. So I'm thinking that the fit may not be so bad or can be overcome. As I said, this is a second car just for cruising The Strip, so a less-than-perfect fit can be overcome.