Thread: 32 vs 34 Roadster & 33 Speedstar?

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Hey guys- new here, my first post. I have been dreaming of building a hot rod for YEARS, and now the time has come. I'd like to know the difference between a 32 Hiboy Roadster and a 34? Seems like there are 32s EVERYWHERE, and 34s are VERY hard to come by. Is there a reason for this? I've always wanted to build a 34 hiboy, but am curious as to why there's not too many of them...Can someone point out the major differences between these? ie- the 34 appears to have a longer body style, not quite as boxy. What else?


ALSO- I have to say, the photos on this site are INCREDIBLE! Some of you guys have absolute beauties, let me tell ya! I've never heard of a 33 speedstar until tonight, and man oh man, my mouth is watering! They are just GORGEOUS! I dont need all the hardcore specifics, but, what's the major differences between a Roadster and a Speedstar?
Thanks soo much, and I look forward to joining your community!
D

Well, the main diffrence between the '32 ( Deuce ) and the '33 and '34 Fords arn't much at all really, The front grill shell and grills are diffrent and the hood and hood sides are a little diffrent. The '32 front end has a less v'd in fron t end and the grill is boxy like a model A grille and the '33 and '34 Fords have a more V'd in front end and have a grill that's got a V to it and rounded to a point at the bottom, these are the major diffrences. I like both designes but the '33 and '34 best causa the better looking front end. I do belive that the speedster is a fiberglass custom body based on the '33 roadster and 1 of are members may have 1 finished.

Ahhh yes- I do believe it will be a speedstar! Now, I want to build this for my own driving pleasure, not for a show car. Since it wont be a show car, I assume I dont need to do as much to the thing- ie- paint/chrome every single nook and cranny. So, if I just want a basic car without some of the bells and whistles (yes, I do want most of them, mind you), how much am I looking at spending to build this thing? Just a ballpark figure would work for me.
Thanks a lot guys!
D

yeah, tryin to figure out how people are asking $70-125k for theirs, I figured it couldn't cost more than $50k to build, right? Hmmm- what about AC? Here in AZ, you GOT TO HAVE AC- is it possible to have AC in these things?
Thanks
D

Seriously....if you don't have 40 Grand to put into an old car....

....don't go there. Rods ain't cheap.

Daver.

Ummm- the money's not soo much the problem. This will be an ongoing project for me, which is fine. My concern is that I don't know a DAMN THING about cars! LOL!!! $65k is a perfect price range for me. I just wish I could drive someone's once just to get a feel of what I'm sinking my money into! Know anyone in AZ willing to take me for a test drive???
D

huh? What do you mean, NA for a Bday? I am 28 years old...

oh- well, I don't see how that has any importance for this thread, but, I can't find where to put that in. But if you MUST know, I was born in Dec of 75...

Welcome to the site, we do have some Pheonix residents on this site, some of them very highly experienced in Hot Rods. Perhaps one of them will see your post. Good luck on your project, spend as much time and effort as you can learning and planning now. There is considerable Hot Rod action in the Pheonix area, so you might also want to check out any shows or cruises you can attend.

Hey Dave-
Thanks for the welcome! Im going to check out some shows here next weekend, and start getting my feet wet so to speak. What exactly are cruises tho? I assume it's where everyone gets together a leads a 'cruise' through town or something? Am I far off?
Also- would it be acceptable to put up a post asking who the PHX guys are just so I can meet them as well?
Thanks again,
D

The reason you see more '32's is because they are the quintessential hot rod. Always have been, probably will be for as long as "old" hot rodding exists. Other differences of the Model 40's is the cowl is very different, much of it under the hood (they don't look as good running hoodless). Also, all body styles have suicide doors, whereas the '32 has rear opening door (except the 3 window coupe). There are a bunch more but it sounds like you're already honing in on the '33-4. Your observation of longer is accurate, and they are designed "swoopier". The Speedstar is an "interpretation" that is "swoopier" still.

If you've never built a car before you have no idea all that is involved. They're an amalgam of systems, some of which can seem very complex to the novice. Why should a car be any different than anything else? If you've been involved in any house remodel or construction you may have figured out that at first you start the job and end up making many trips to the home center for more "stuff" you didn't realize you needed. Building a car is the same. If you really do get serious about this you'll probably sit down with a legal size tablet of paper and a stack of catalogs. Or do it on the computer in a spreadsheet. You'll list EVERYTHING you can think of and then price it out. No matter how thorough you THINK you are, you'll learn you came up real short. My usual advice to novices is "However much money you planned on..............double it! However much time you planned on...................tripple it!"

Newbies will start out thinking it's not that tough. They'll price in the least expensive body they can find (say $5k), and a frame (say $2k), toss in a grand for an engine, couple hun for a trans, and swag a few thousand for other "miscellaneous stuff". No sweat buildin' a car for $15-20k!! Like the man said above, start thinkin' at $40k, and that's if you do most of the work yourself. If you build a glass car, and buy mostly new, aftermarket pieces (which is what you see on most {meaning not all for the comprehension challenged} glass cars, especially Speedstars) it's not hard to be in it $30-35K in parts alone. And that's only if you don't get too exotic. Yeah, cars can be built for less. But usually that means you've got a lot of experience in knowing where to look for usable pieces, and have the time, and talent, to put into modifying them to work well and look good. If you don't have the time and talent, then you start hirin' those that do. That's how you end up seeing the $75-125k car. Those guys had the cars built to a very high standard (hopefully) by a pro, and are probably in them $200-250k, and are hoping to only lose half of what they spent.

Let's use just one of the areas of "contention". Paint. A paint job, done right or wrong, will use roughly the same amount of materials. That would be about $1000-1300 depending on color, brand, location and a few other variables. First off people scream BS!! Well, if you keep thorough track of costs for sealer, primer, color, clear, thinner, tack rags, abrasives, masking materials,etc. etc. etc., that's a real world number. Yeah, junk materials can be bought for a little less, but the quality of the end product goes down too. A high quality paint job will easily cost $7-10k, materials are essentially the same, the difference is labor. And that quality thing is another issue. Paint finish quality is a perception thing. It really comes down to what you can see. Having been in the business of painting cars I see a lot. It's a curse, because my standards are very high, which costs money. That is if you hire it done. If you can really do it yourself, then it just time..................which IS money after all. This is not a brag, just intended to be a lesson. I see paint jobs all the time that folks brag on. Trying to be courteous I just nod my head and don't point out that to me it looks like it was put on with a dirty roller. So, it comes down to what you can be satisfied with. Which is another area of "contention". About this point is where some pipe up the "build it to suit yourself" thing. That's fine. It's your car, choose the style and finish level you want/can afford. But in that statement of "individuality" is a bit of a lie. Nobody builds a hot rod JUST to satisfy themselves. It's an extension of their personality, and therefore ego is involved. Of course that's why folks get defensive and scream that "suit yourself" stuff. Not right or wrong, just human nature. So figuring out where you fit in that game is part of it too.

All of this is not to discourage you. Rather it's to attempt to prepare you for what you think you want to get into. You've got a lot to learn. You've made a good step in asking questions first. My best advice would be to tell you not to stop. You live in an area where rodding happens year round. There are a gang of rodders in your area. As Dave said, get to know them, and attend as many events as you can. Don't be affraid to ask lots of questions that the posts here have exposed you to. Folks like to help those that show an interest (more of that ego thing). You'll get opinions all over the board. Your job is to figure out which ones come from a perspective similar to yours, and then act accordingly. In other words, don't let the "I wants" get you too ahead of the "I cans".

Uncle Bob-
Wow! This is great! I really appreciate your input here. Obviously, the paint, interior and whatnot will be done by pros. I certainly cannot match anything they can do, and would never even attempt it. I'd like to do as much as possible, but any fabricating I won't be able to do- simply because of my lack of experience and equipment. However, I'd like to put in as much of the engine and everything else I can, if it's at all possible. I'll definitely get involved here locally, and will probably be asking a TON of questions here on the board.

Like I said, I'd like to build a fairly simple project at first. Nothing too custom or high end- until I get my feet wet, then I'll get more into it. Let me ask you this- with that said, is it possible to buy as much of a 'kit' as possible, pop in an engine, piece together the body and send it out to the interior and paint guys and still have a decent project? Again, if I can buy the parts, bolt it together, and then let the pros do the more complex stuff that's the way to go for me. Yes, I realize putting an engine together is VERY complicated- but that's what I'm looking forward to- learning how to build an engine and whatnot. So- is it possible to buy all the pieces and put it together like that? Are there any pseudo books or manuals that guide you through the process?
Thanks again,
D

Bob, that is an outstanding assesment of the needs for getting started on a hot rod, but I've got to tell you....if I had read this before I bought my first hot rod I would have taken up golf.

If you are a bit above average in height you will find the 32s are a tight fit. The 33/34s have more room. The SpeedStar has no room at all.

I think the 32s look better without fenders and the 33/34s look better with fenders. But both cars look good either way.

The SpeedStar body is made by Rat's Glass and the chassis is built by Bobby Alloway. Both are located in the Knoxville, Tennesse area. I have visited both shops and they are impressive. Plan on spending at least $1000 for shipping to Arizona.

Most of the fiberglass body manufactures offer 33/34 3 window coupes. But to my knowledge only Wescott in Boring, Oregon and Gibbon in Darlington, North Carolina make roadsters. Wescott products are high end. Gibbon a bit more affordable.

I have a roadster and I love it. But a hard top and roll up windows are handy. If you want a top down open car that you can close up and air condition consider the 33/34 cabrolet that Redneck in Atchison, Kansas is tooling up to offer. It comes with a fixed windshield and roll up glass in the doors. Otherwise, you can plan on spending about $800 for repro roadster stantions and a frame. $2,000+ if you want a chromed DuVal. Although coupes bodies cost more, when you factor in the cost of a roadster windshield the difference is negligable. I have seen a couple of Redneck coupes and they are very well built. Redneck is close to Pete & Jakes in Pecular, Missouri. So you can get a Redneck body on a Pete and Jakes frame. And if you want to pick it all up at the factory you are closer than the other options.

Couple of my friends have Redneck 33/34 coupe bodies on Pete and Jakes rolling chassis. The package deal was about $20,000. It would be hard to get a similiar set up from any reputable manufacturer for less.

Streat Beasts also offers a 33/34 cabrolet. If you see one of their adds quickly turn the page.

The high cost of any pro built street rod is labor. Top shops get $60-100+ an hour and chasing the details takes a lot of time. Most street rod parts come in several tiers of quality and price. For example a solid axle spring perch can be had in cast iron, polished stainless and chrome. And prices can vary from vendor to vendor. If a guy can afford a pro built car opting for the best of everything, and paying list price, is usually part of the deal. Alloway built cars can be had with a solid axle Ford 9" rear. But most buyers opt for the polished Winters quick change and polished Zipper built IRS. That is like a 10K upgrade. And then there is the power train, usually a big block Chevy, front suspension and steering, interior, chrome, guages, air conditioning, audio, wiring and paint. It is really easy to spend $20,000 on paint these days. So $120,000 is entry level for a car built by a top shop; SoCal, Rad Rods by Troy, Boyd Coddington, etc.

The good news that a skilled hobbiest can build a quality ride for less. If you start with a rolling chassis and quality fiberglass body you should be able to build an acceptable car for a minimum of $30,000. Plan on adding shop rate at the local prevailing rate for anything you can not do yourself.

Hope this helps. And no, I don't get a commission if you go Redneck. It is just an option for your consideration.

As for the "all in one kit", these cars are intended to have personal choices, so nobody really does an all inclusive deal. The Street Beasts deal comes closest, but as Bib says, turn the page as fast as you can. There are dealers for bodies, chassis, etc. who would happily sell you all the pieces needed to finish the car. There are several in your area. But it does add up in a hurry.

There is no one source for a total, everything you need to know "bible" out there that I'm aware of. I was a Barnes & Noble earlier and looked over their selection of books. A pretty good one for a beginner looks to be the "How to build a hot rod" by Dennis Parks; http://www.motorbooks.com/cgi-bin/We...ame=BookBrowse . This link is from the publisher. It does a decent job of guiding you through a lot of the things to consider. Much more thorough than we can often be here unless it's dished up piecemeal over time. It hits some of the details of construction, such as brake line routing, front axle build up, and so forth, but really it's not an item by item how to, but rather a synopsis of the whole process. Decent learning tool.

Another addition to Bib's fine comments is the idea of quality, especially as it applies to glass bodies. The initial price is only one of the factors. Not only is freight a consideration, but so is body condition. If you have to pay a pro to smooth out the body, adjust the gaps, and all the other little things that need to be done, any savings on the purchase price can evaporate in the repair/prep phase. It would only take about 15 hours of body work (not much) to eat up $1000 at $65/hr. To use Bib's example again, based on my experience, there's way more than 15 hours more work to be done on a Gibbon than in a Wescott. More like 40 or 50. I've been told Gibbon's stuff is better now than years ago when I worked on them, but that's been my experience.

As for who makes bodies, here's a link to a site that lists most of the manufacturers; http://www.roadsters.com/bodies/#34-R Windsor Fabrications makes 33-4 cabriolet bodies for example.

Steve, isn't that the way with so many things? Let's see........golf, hmmmmmm. How about $750 for new set of clubs, gift for the wife to compensate for cost of clubs, $250 new set of golfing clothes, $850 for beginner lessons, gift for wife to compensate for golf related costs, $100 for "all weather" golf shoes, $150 for "rain gear", gift for wife to compensate for more golf related costs, $2500 for golf clinic in San Diego to improve game so you won't be embarassed to play with your clients, BIG gift for wife to compensate for golf related expense, $300 for new shafts made from the latest high zoot material, $400 for short course in eliminating slice that won't seem to go away on it's own, yet another gift for the wife to compensate for golf related costs,..............................