1932 3w build thread / “freshening up

[35cab]

I love the "freshening up" done with sensitivity and a great eye for detail. To my mind you have achieved a perfect balance of respect for a wonderful early Ford but by the strategies deployed you have heightened just what it is we love about these cars.
Thanks for posting.

[hop2it]

I absolutly love it please keep us posted!
Doug

[ctaulbert]

Originally Posted by koates

Hi there, Well that's a nice car and the engineering put into it is outstanding. But I preferred it the way you bought it as mostly original. They are only original once and fairly rare in that condition. Now it is just another modified 32 ford hot rod of which there are plenty around. I know I am in trouble now for saying this, and its not my car, but I prefer them the way Henry built them. But its your project and I wish you good luck with it. Regards, Kevin.

To each their own! But seriously though, as original as this car looked, it had been somewhat disassembled, repainted a different color, and had a later engine installed. We are keeping all the parts that aren't being reused in this configuration (which are very few) in case someone wanted to put it back.

[Ford46]

Very nicely done....or should I say "Wicked Pissah"!!!!!!!!

[2ndgeer]

This build reminds me of the excellent two-part tale that Mike Bishop wrote about Vern Tardel's "updating " of a 1932 5-window coupe. The articles appeared in the February and March 2001 Street Rodder. The title (appropriately) is "Do No Harm." Vern was able to do many of the same things to the 5-window that you are doing to the 3-window. He only had to drill ONE extra hole because he put the battery in the trunk!!

[russcc]

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Very nice original 3 window. Great build keeping it original. My kind of project. Also, Fordbarners take note of a great safety idea, vice gripping the frame to the jack stands.

[alchemy]

Originally Posted by 2ndgeer

This build reminds me of the excellent two-part tale that Mike Bishop wrote about Vern Tardel's "updating " of a 1932 5-window coupe. The articles appeared in the February and March 2001 Street Rodder. The title (appropriately) is "Do No Harm." Vern was able to do many of the same things to the 5-window that you are doing to the 3-window. He only had to drill ONE extra hole because he put the battery in the trunk!!

I know the guy who restored this 5-window originally. He said he saw the article and wasn't too sad about the gentle hotrodification. He actually used to be a hot rodder in his teens. And is now building his leftover '32 roadster as a hot rod.

[TJ]

That is one super nice three window. Great job in making it an early hot rod.

[basicbob]

Super Job Corey!

Everyone on the H.A.M.B or Fordbarn should love the thought & execution of the modifications!

Dan must be the happiest daddy-in-law ever.

[ctaulbert]

We took a little break on the 3w while we were doing some house remodeling, but I'm back on it. I installed the '37 Nash steering box that Neal Jennings built for the car. It's nothing short of perfect, and fit directly in place. I started the wiring too, with supplies from Rhode Island wiring. The bulk of the stuff is done, but I still need to hook up the dash light, dome light, and taillights. Dan finished up the stainless tube headers that he built for the car. Getting the tubes to clear everything on the driver's side of the engine bay is no small feat. I also continued on the wiring, routing the headlight wires and soldering on the terminals for the connectors.

We were in a dilemma with the running boards - the passenger side was original and in decent shape, but the driver's side was recovered at some point, and it was separating. Dan's tudor was in need of a passenger board to make a good pair on the car, so we decided to get some new Drake boards for the 3w. According to Dave Rehor, they're the most accurate boards out there. We hung those today, along with the front fenders.

The fuel tank had varnished gas in it, along with a look of sludgy looking stuff. We drained the tank, and soaked it for a couple days with vinegar. It got rid of most of the sludge, but we did a couple day soak with E85, which got the rest of it out. The tank still had some rust scale inside so after researching here on the Fordbarn about electrolysis cleaning, I took a shot at it. It turned out great, and looked brand new inside. We swished around a little kerosine to protect the steel and drained out the left over. I sat the tank in place and hooked up the fuel line and hydrostatic line, but I still need to put the bolts in.

[ctaulbert]

We've been chugging away on the 3w lately. Over the weekend, I wrapped up the remaining electrical items, so we started to reassemble the interior. The dash came first, followed by an accessory gauge panel that Dan built. It houses two smooth bezel Stewart Warner gauges to monitor oil pressure and water temperature, and the control for the Columbia. The floor went in, followed by a new carpet from LeBaron Bonney (the original was long gone), and the seat.

We fired the engine up yesterday and it did great, though the fuel pump is leaking around the outlet port. It was a pump that I've carried for the past couple of years as a back up for my roadster, so it looks like it wouldn't have helped out anyway. I think that either the flare isn't machined correctly, or the casting is porous around the port. Either way, a new pump is getting delivered tomorrow so we'll have some running video soon.

Besides dropping the headlight bar, Pete Eastwood provided the original passenger side tail light stand. For those who know, they're pretty hard to come by. We installed a passenger '33-36 tail light bucket with a '32 lens and bezel so we could end up with dual tail lights using original parts. The '33-36 bucket is not a Duolamp light the driver's side, but it doesn't have the license plate window, making it look cleaner. We wrapped the rearend up with a luggage bar to replace the spare tire carrier.











We just need to finish up the rear shock mounts, then finish shaving the sidewalls and we'll be starting to run some shakedown miles....

[Old Ford Addict]

Wow! ...... so nice

[Tim Ayers]

Wow and wow! Who made those super sano headers? They look great!

The the mil. spec. wiring as well. Wax cord all the way!

[so_dak_kid]

nice work Corey!

[xix32]

Very nice car!
can you tell us what lower radiator hoses you used ? any NAPA, Gates number?
Thanks.

[V8COOPMAN]

Cory...Assuming that the FRONT tires are 16" and radials, can you tell us brand name and size, and possibly where available?

THIS car is UNBELIEVABLE! ! ! DD

[d.conrad]

Your car reminds me of my own, but mine is all new and fresh.

[ctaulbert]

Originally Posted by Tim Ayers

Wow and wow! How made those super sano headers? They look great!

The the mil. spec. wiring as well. Wax cord all the way!

Dan built the headers from scratch. There wasn't anything out there to clear everything on the left side with the Nash steering box (it is slightly closer to the engine).

Originally Posted by xix32

Very nice car!
can you tell us what lower radiator hoses you used ? any NAPA, Gates number?
Thanks.

They're from Aulis who advertized them in the classifieds. It's a formed hose perfect for this application:

http://fordbarn.com/forum/showthread...ght=1932+hoses

Originally Posted by V8COOPMAN

Cory...Assuming that the FRONT tires are 16" and radials, can you tell us brand name and size, and possibly where available?

THIS car is UNBELIEVABLE! ! ! DD

They're Excelsior Sport Radials from Coker. The tires are pretty skinny, so they resemble a bias ply at first glance. The front tire is a 5.50-16 that measures around 26.5" in diameter. It's mounted on a V8-60 wheel too for perspective.

The only downside is the excessive and large sidewall lettering. I'm in the process of shaving the sidewalls smooth (the right front tire is done in the photos).

[NealinCA]

Originally Posted by ctaulbert

Dan built the headers from scratch. There wasn't anything out there to clear everything on the left side with the Nash steering box (it is slightly closer to the engine).

Cory...FYI, for future reference, Red's headers for a 32 with F-100 steering work with the Nash or Hudson steering boxes. I have a set of their symmetrical headers on my black 32 Fordor with a Nash box and they fit with plenty of room. Although, on the other hand, Dan's hand built headers do look great...

Neal

[Mike B]

What an eye popper!