Thread: One way to build a '32 sedan

Tweet

Not much to show in the way of progress. Still collecting parts and starting on the fixture for the frame. This is what the basic frame will look like.
Ken

Is there not going to be a front crossmember? Just curious, no experiance with 32's.

Ken looks great . Also i'm glad you did that type of design it reassures me mine will be ok with a small block. Idea's came from multiple designs i seen here and from advice .

Brickman - Yes, it will have a cross member in the front. I'm going to shorten the height of the front frame rails 1" then make a cross member that will look like a model A, only 1" shorter also. This gives me 2 more inches to play with on my total height. You will see how this will all come into play later.

Bobby - Your frame looks nice, very similar to mine. You shouldn't have any problems with that.

Ken

Update????

This build got pushed back, I'm trying to finish my roadster. When it's done I'm going to do another truck and the sedan at the same time. There will be a lot of down time on the truck so I will fill the time with the sedan. Thanks for your interest.
Ken

While I was resting from working on my roadster I decided to start chopping the sedan. Last year while at the GNRS I got a chance to talk to the guys at Pinky's shop from Denver. Really nice group of guys, they had a '32 sedan there they were working on. I felt they really nailed the look. I stole some of there ideas for mine.
The first thing was to cut the back half of the car off and shorten it 1 1/2", so the quarter glass would be the same length as the door glass. Then raise the wheel wells up 2" then chop the roof 4" at the A pillar, 3" at the B pillar and 3" at the rear. This gives the appearance it is lower than it really is and puts a nice radius to the roof line.
Ken

Then the wheel wells

then the top

Nice work as always Ken!!!! Guess I was ahead of my time, did the shortening the back half and the raised wheel wells on a deuce sedan back in the 80's!!!! Only other thing I could say about the car is that some people who'd seen the car hated me cuz I cut up such a cherry car!!!!

What's this one going to get for engine and drivetrain, Ken????

Ken, Can we start a raffle for the pickup (I know I can't afford the pickup with the quality of work Ken does)..........LOL
BradC

Flipper1938-I didn't have a rendering done on this car, I should.


Steve- The first time you take her for a ride you will be her hero!!

BradC-I'm always afraid to sell these things, thinking something will go wrong with it and I will be married to it forever. You should see my warehouse


I was looking back at my posts on this build and realized that I don't do a very good job at explaining how things are done. If you haven't done a copped top before and are thinking about doing it, maybe it would help if I showed whats involved. There are many ways to go about this, but this is how I do it, I hope this helps someone.
The first thing is to level the body on a flat surface. I use my chassis fixture, but you can use a table or make one out of some tubing, just make it solid. Any movement is your enemy, it can't move.
Then I build this rectangular frame that will be big enough to go on the outside of the car. This has to be as perfect as you can make it, flat and square. Then add one tube perfectly down the center, add any cross members to make it rigid. All the dementions will be taken off of this framework. Now clamp your body to this frame work centering the body on the center tube. Now make a infrastructure frame work inside of the body to level it and make it absolutely rigid. This doesn't have to be pretty just rigid in all directions. Write down all your dementions before you start cutting. For instance the dimension from the top of the windows to the outside of your frame work then the bottom of your windows, door openings anything you are going to change. Well that's it start whacking.
Ken

Here is what it looks like now with the doors on.
Ken

Lookin good Ken. What kind of horse power are you looking for for this build?

Nice rake and good proportion on the windows.
BradC