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Hi Everyone!

   I thought about doing a Chevy, but I don't really like the body style as much as the lincoln.  Like I said before, I have been thinking about this project for about two years!  The only one that really appeals to me, that I saw, was the Impala, and I can't think of a cool way to make that a cruiser...I'm definitly not going the lowrider route...I can't stand that look.    I do like Nomad wagons, but I kind find one in my price range that would make a good project.  Again, if anyone has a source, I'd love to hear it!!!:)

    It doesn't really bother me that it'll be hard to work on, hell, I'm actually looking forward to it.  If it'll give me more experince, then I'm all for it!  Also, by HVAC controls, do you mean the heating and air conditioning?  I've never heard it put that way before :oops: .

    To Purplepickup:  First and foremost, I love your truck.  That being said, I don't know how I do it....I guess I just gauge my abilities realistically....    

  To GPster:  I am waiting on a donar before I completely set my mind to it, but right now, it's what I'm looking for.  I am keeping an open mind to what comes my way though, and if I find a car that I like that I can imagine myself doing in the way I want (and it's in my price range of course), I'll pick it up.  I do have a few conditions to the car I buy, such as it has to be in running condition, little bodywork needed, etc.  In other words, I'm looking for a fairly clean car that I won't have to replace, I don't know, floorboards in for example.  If it needs a paintjob, thats fine, no biggie, but if I have to start welding in patches, pounding out major damage, etc, then I'm going to steer clear.  

I'm also planning on asking a lot of questions here, and in other forums.  

I hate bodywork.  

Thanks everyone!

- Paul

Hi guys!

Like the topic says, it's settled.  I'm going to hold off on the hot rod idea for now.  I was talking to my roommate, and he convinced me, Thats not to say that you guys didn't have a hand in it! And believe me, thinking about it more and more, I'm glad you guys hammered it in on me!  I should hone my skills more before I take on a project of this magnitude.  Thats not to say I'm not going to do it, infact, I have a better idea.  

To hone my skills, I will just take on a minor undertaking; a old car (61-65 Continental is in my mind), which is in decent condition, that I can toy with to get the hang of things (and save a little on my wallet as well).  I'll still 'rod it out, but I'm going to go at it with a different approach (I've been toying with the idea for a suicide-doored lincoln for about 2 years now).  When I say a different approach, I mean more of the mini-trucker style...well, thats not completely accurate...I don't really know how to put it on how I'll do it, but I will give the color away: Triple black.  That, and a lot of chrome, of course. For the rest, well, I'll see if I can draw it up.  

I think this will be better for me right now, as I will be able to see how it is put together, before I take it apart, that way I'll have a better understanding of what I have to do.  My roommate also has a good deal of experince in working on this era of car (He's restored a few muscle cars), so I will have a lot of help just in case.  In other words, instead of starting with parts, I will (for the most part), start with a car, which I will fix up, and mildly customize.  

Thanks agiain guys, and of course, I will keep coming here, asking questions, posting progress pictures (as soon as I start that is), etc.  

Thanks!

- Paul

Hi Charlie!

     Thanks for the kind words!  I do plan on sticking around, as I think rods are the coolest thing on the streets.  Certainly more so than a Lamborghini, Porsche, etc.  Hell, even if I don't build one right away, it can't hurt to sit and absorb all the stuff on the board!

      I was talking to my roommate a few minutes ago, and we both agreed, it would be better to get an abandoned project, preferably in driving condition.  While it will cost more at one time, I'm patient enough to wait for a good deal to come along.  After all, it's wintertime out anyway, and it's too cold to clean out my garage right now.    

Thanks!

- Paul

Oh, and again, if anyone knows of any place where they sell projects (besides EBay that is...), please let me know!

I (like you, I assume) have limited hands on experiences and limited tools.

Well, the more you guys are hammering it on me, the more your convincing me (thats not a bad thing!!!!), that I should buy someones project.  You see, I would buy a running car, but the building (and Frank, you were correct in assuming that. haha), but I don't think my funds would allow it.  Thats one of the reasons that I would like to build it from scratch, as I could get it in stages so to speak.  

Does anyone know of any place online that usually has a good selection of abandoned projects for sale (for a reasonable price)?  I would love to check'em out!

And on a completely off topic note, I would just like to say that everyone here has been extremely helpful, and positive in helping me through all this.  On pretty much every other forum I've been too, they would have gotten...well, mean, not to put to fine a point on it., and I would just like to say thanks to everyone who has helped me so far.  All the posts in this message have so far been extremely helpful to me.

Thanks!
- Paul

Paul...One of my good friends has a Rod shop and builds Glass cars regularly for his customers.He has probably done one of nearly everything out there....his first choice is Outlaw.

Hi! Thanks for the info! It's good to hear that they are right down the road from me too.  Can you tell me, are their chassis reproductions of the originals, or do they make a custom frame?  From what I've learned here in the last twenty-four hours, the closer to the original, the better!!!

To Kb426:  Thats one of the things I have to keep in mind.  I've already told myself that I will only work on it during the weekends, probably for only a few hours (4 or so) a day, and have begun to plan my project.  Specifically, I would like a 34 3 window, chopped (I'm not sure if they can be ordered that way...I checked Wescotts site, and I see that they offer a chopped one, but the body is currently out of my price range.  But like I said, I'm planning my project completely before I begin [to even buy parts].  So far, I've decided on the 34, now I'm working on exactly how I would like it to look, thinking about the mechanicals, etc.  I'm the kinda guy that will stick to a design once I set it down, because I've done enough projects with no plan, or change the plan halfway though, and it ends up looking like crap.

To Red Leclear:  Thanks for the link!!  That site certainly does have a lot of photos!!!!  I love it.

And you guys (and gals) don't sound like crabby teachers.  

I got sucker in by their high pressure sales force, AM I SORRY!!!

Ha! I placed an order last night before I found this site (for a catalog only!!), and today, I got a call from them around 11am from them trying to pressure me into buying a car.   So I did get a taste of what you mean by their sales force!!

To Bruce:
It figures, that the show you recommend most  is happening on the 3-5.  I have plans that can't be broken on those exact days! I have to be in Florida!  :cry:  But I -will- be at the other shows.  For the Good Guys meet, are there a lot of vendors that show up there?  I know there are at Carlisle, well, at least, there are for all their other shows, so I would imagine that there will be a boat load there.  I wish that it wasn't a kit car show though, and was more specialized in the older 'rods.  

Again, to anyone out there that knows about them, how about Outlaw Performance in Avonmore, PA?  I went to their website (outlawrods.com), and they seem to be a little better than Streetbeasts (which I'm going to avoid like the plague now!!!!), and I E-Mailed them to see if I can come down and check out the products, since their only about 20 minutes away from me.  I'll be sure to take a lot of pictures, so that I can post'em up here and have you guys go over them with a fine tooth comb!!

Thanks again for all of your help!

- Paul

Thanks for all the suggestions and help guys!

Haha, thanks also, for the advice enjenjo!! Haha, I probably would have asked about it there.  

While I haven't actually built a complete car, I have worked on different parts of cars (at different times, naturally), and believe me, I'm not one to over estimate my abilities!! I've only worked on newer cars though, not any pre 71.  The bodywork is what scares me most about the whole idea, that, and welding, neither of which I can do.  Thats the reason I would like to go with fiberglass, to get rid of -most- of that.  

I picked up a few magazines over the weekend to start looking over, and will certainly go to all the shows when it's the season...The only real show I know of though, is the one at Carlisle (thats half-way local to me) though...I'm sure there are some in Canton, and areas around there, but I don't know the dates, or anything like that.  I'm also not aware of any hot-rod specific clubs (well, pre 70's anyway).   Like I said, I've been in the scene for awhile (new cars that is), and haven't heard of any around me, but that doesn't mean they don't exist.  I'm also afraid, if I approached them, that they may shun me because of my age, thinking that I'm just some kid who doesn't know anything...Ah well, I guess time will tell. haha

On a lighter note, does anyone else have any links for me to check out? Or, sources near the Pittsburgh area where I may find cars/car clubs?

Thanks!

- Paul

Hi everyone!!

Thanks for the warm welcome!

I'm glad to hear your opinions on streetbeasts! Is it like that with most companies that use their own frames?  Can any of you recommend a good company that makes kits?  I noticed enjenjo, that you mentioned Downs, Gibbons, and Wescott.  Do they have websites?  If so, what are they?  Do they supply a frame?  

I would go about using an original frame, but all of the work that may be involved in getting it back into top condition scares me, such as having to weld in new sections, etc etc etc.  

About the one-piece glass bodies, I'll admit, I am afraid of that...to think that someone give me a mild fenderbender, and say, crack one of the running boards (I'm looking into getting into a 34 coupe), I really wouldn't want to have to replace the whole body...

On a different note, what are some other hot rodding message boards?  I'd like to reach out to all areas of this, before I bite the bullet and get started.  

Thanks again everyone for the welcome, and all the tips so far!!

Hey everyone!!

I've been a car guy for awhile now, and have held a long facination with older cars (pre 1970).  

I'm looking to get into building a hotrod, but I'm not sure on where to start.  I've searched the forums on fiberglass bodies, and all of that, but I'm still not sure...I was at the Streetbeasts website, and it seemed to be a good way to go, but then I read on here, that glass bodies (or even a whole kit) isn't the best way to go...so I'm confused. haha.  

What appeals to me about going the glass route, is that 1.) I'm not rodding out an original car. 2.) You can order them with a lot of the stuff you want to do already done (e.g. Suicide doors, etc). 3.) I wouldn't have to worry about rust. 4.) I wouldn't have to worry about other bodywork, such as pounding out dents, etc.  
some of the downsides, however, are that 1.) Fiberglass doesn't dent...it cracks.  2.) some companies leave it to you to cut some of the windows out of the body, which seems like a scary endouver  to me. 3.) You have to do a sort of mix and match with parts (All sorts of Mustang II components).  

These, of course, are just a few of the pro's and cons, as I'm sure you're aware (more than me!!).  I've only just started to look into this, so I am still, without a doubt, a newbie in all aspects.

What I'm asking I guess, is which would be the way to go (in your own opinion, of course)?  For someone like me, who hasn't done a hotrod yet (I have done newer cars, 1990 and up)?  I have some mechanical ability, but not enough, I don't think, to be able to do it without a lot of help (I have a friend who has restored cars...all 70's vintage though).  I guess I could add that to one of the pro's of the glass kits, as they come with a manual on how to do the stuff, from start 'til finish.

Thanks, and I hope to have a long stay here!!

- Paul