1932 Deluxe Five Window Windshield Frame

[Mike A Model]

I am currently the caretaker of a 1932 Ford Deluxe Five Window Coupe. The coupe was restored many years ago and has a decent chrome windshield frame. Now my question, is the chrome windshield frame correct for the Five Window Coupe, or should it be painted the body color?

Thanks for your comments,
Mike

[Mike A Model]

Sorry, posted on wrong thread, fat fingers.

[Ed in Maine]

Hello Mike, I own a 32 five window coupe. I could be completely wrong here but I always thought that the five window was the standard coupe. With the standard coupe there are no cowl lights. If you wanted the deluxe version, you go to the 3-window coupe with the forward opening doors and chrome windshield frame. My coupe has a painted windshield (Washington Blue). When I restored this car I found inside the doors where a Ford factory worker wrote on the inside of the doors "W blue". I was careful cleaning inside the doors and saved this note. It was a neat find from the past. Ed

[Mike A Model]

Ed, thank you for your insightful comments on the 32 Five Window Coupe. As I am trying to learn more about the car, what I thought the car was. I am finding out it is not really what it should be. My 32 is also a Washington Blue car with several features I thought was correct, now I am not sure. For example:
• Chrome Windshield Frame, I found a NOS plain frame, I am in the process of having it painted.
• Original Cowl Lights, were they dealer added, or should I remove them and have the hole filled and painted?
• Woodgrain Dash and Garnish Molding, should I have them painted and what would be the appropriate color for a Washington Blue car?
Any other things I should be looking for and changing to bring it back to a Standard 5 Window Coupe would be helpful.
Mike

[Ed in Maine]

Mike, from the picture you have a very nice 32 Ford. The changes you are talking about could have been made by a dealer. Since a lot of restoration work has already been done on this car, I would not change anything. It is your car and the changes are tasteful and correct for the period. Yes, these changes occurred after the car shipped from the factory, but they could have been made by a dealer. As a matter of fact, I did not like the original grey color that Ford used on the moulding on the standard coupes and I refinished my car with wood graining. I think it is beautiful and I get many favorable comments. I lucked into my car. I heard about it from a third party. I wasn't looking to buy another car in 1982. I bought it for $3500 disassembled and about 90% complete and very little rust. Our cars are worth a fortune today. I would say this is one antique car that you can make money on the restoration because of the high appreciation. If you go to a car show with this car, you may be the only one there, there are so few of them left. You can look them up in Hemmings and on Ebay. The parts are very hard to find and are very expensive. If you want to learn more about the car, there are two volumes of books that cover virtually every detail of the 32 Ford. It is a restoration and feature manual that is published by the Early V8 Club. Lastly, LEAVE IT AlONE and enjoy your good fortune. Ed

[Mike A Model]

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Ed thank you for your kind words, they are very much appreciated. I am looking forward to getting the car out, hopefully before the snow flies. I still have a few things to sort out before getting it on the road. The car was restored about 15 years ago and set in a garage for most of those years. As you know there are a lot of things to check and recheck. Thank you again and I will take your advice to heart.
Mike