Newbie here, and some general questions...

[protzler]

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

[40]

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.The gal that runs the place is Barb and she is very knowlegable and helpfull.In my opinion,they build a great body and a pretty nice chassis as well.That said,If I were going to build a 32 3-Window...it would be a Redneck...Wayne is a great guy and has an excellant product though a bit more money.I think you will find that most of the Vendors will have thier bodies on display at most of the bigger events....as everyone has suggested....spend the time and do your homework.Geez...we're all starting to sound like a bunch of crabby old school teachers

[kb426]

Forums for body work: autobody101.com, autobodystore.com. Some free advice: the emotions of wanting to have a car usually exceed ones  patience level. If you go to look at a car or parts, leave your money and trailer at home. Go look, investigate, take time to analyze, then spend the money. It's way cheaper to buy it once rather than twice. Most of us have more time than money so the more time we spend thinking, usually reflects in a better decision. I've offered this advice to several people that said it kept them from buying the first thing they looked at. Knowledge is good. And good luck to you.

[Red LeClear]

If you are not sure what make or body style to build check out carnut.com.  They have car pictures by make and year and have thousands of pictures.  Go to the index of pictures and start looking,  not everything is available in fiberglass, but this might give you some ideas.  The advise about streetbeast has already been well explained.  Outlaw performance and the others mentioned are all reputable and well known.  Also check out brookvilleroadsters.com.  They make steel bodies, brand new.  They are not cheap, but none of them are.  I'm new here too and the info I've seen so far has been first rate.

[OlBuzzard]

"...we're all starting to sound like a bunch of crabby old school teachers"

Now watch it, 40, I am a crabby old school teacher!  But I have an excuse, I taught junior high!

[Bruce Dorsi]

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.

===============
I don't know if GoodGuys at Hershey will have many vendors present.  It is a first-time event, so there is no history there.   .....The only other GoodGuys event I get to attend (Rhinebeck, NY, in September) has a very limited amount of vendors displaying what you are interested in.

At the Carlisle Kit Car show, there are (I'm guessing) maybe 25 major manufacturers selling kits, but I don't think any of them would be of interest to you.

Another very good show (5000+ cars), if you can attend, is the Syracuse Nationals in July.  The event is growing each year and is worth attending.  However, there are not as many vendors present as there are in York.

It's too bad you have to miss the York event, as many of the body manfacturers display there.

[protzler]

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.  

[Red LeClear]

I should have mentioned earlier that I too am a crabby old teacher and proud of it.  I am retiring at the end of the year and I have a right to be crabby.

[40]

Paul...The Outlaw chassis can be ordered with a variety of  front end and rear end configurations but the perimeter frame uses the stock measurements and will fit a reproduction or original steel body.If you are just down the road,I'd highly suggest taking a tour of thier facility....I have not been there but my buddy Jeff has and was pretty impressed.You can probably see several cars in various stages of being built....should help you immensly with getting a sense of what you want.Good Luck!

[purplepickup]

I don't have much to add to the excellent advice you're already receiving except to emphasize something Charlie Chops1940 said in his post ....."Another item that bears heavily on what you might want to do will be the extent of your mechanical and fabricating skills, the size and variety of tools in the cabinet and the inevitable depth of your wallet. Entry level street rodding is not cheap whether you buy or build."  

I can't make a judgement on your ability or resources but I would offer as an option that you look for a finished or mostly finished car that you can tweak to suit your tastes.  There are some really good deals that pop up from time to time.  That way you'll still get a taste of what's involved in making a car fit your needs/wants and you'll be able to drive it sooner and experience the hobby as a participant.  This will give you more of a feel for what options are out there and what kind of use you want to build a car for.  For instance, some of us start out wanting lots of horsepower and find that a car built for that isn't very practical for cross country driving.  In my case, my tastes are always changing and that leads to a few different ongoing projects, each intended for a different use/want.  This hobby is addicting.....consider yourself warned.

KB426 gave some good advise too...."the emotions of wanting to have a car usually exceed ones patience level".  That applies to building a car from scratch too.  It can take years to turn a pile of parts on the shop floor into a comfortable, safe cruiser.

Good luck.

[slocrow]

Paul; I'm surprised no one suggested this web site.
http://www.project33.com/
It's a guy (a little anal and a little full of himself) whose documented the building of a 33 with photos on the web. A lot of reading but it will give you a good idea of what's ahead for you. Hope it helps.

I (like you, I assume) have limited hands on experiences and limited tools. Being considerably older, I decided to buy an already running glass car and have been fooling with it and getting it to where I want for over three years. My brother bought a non-running project. His is still in the garage while I have been driving mine to various shows, making new friends and sorting things out as I go. Something to think about!

You being near Pittsburgh, I'm surprised no one suggested the Columbus GG show. Lot's of cars and vendors. It's July 8, 9 & 10.
http://www.good-guys.com/ for info. Hotels are getting $$$ and reservations are sometimes tough at most established shows. I'd plan on two days minimum and start now......Good luck, Frank

[protzler]

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

[Charlie Chops 1940]

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

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

It must be "let the FNG off easy week."  I think we're all playing nice this week because we want to share the joys and grief of rodding. It's not easy being a new guy and learning all the secret hand shakes, so to speak.

I think there are three or four levels in this game:

1. Build from scratch - this requires a lot of "stuff" to work with, fair to good skill sets and extreme amounts of patience. I've been at this for 45+ years and  only in the last 5 years have I undertaken a complete scratch build in terms of designing and building my own frame, etc. A lot of work, a lot of plan c & d's, and a lot of time. I have learned to really appreciate what skills I don't have. This takes dedication and ownership at a high level.

2. Buy a partly done project or a car to convert - I've done a lot of that over the years and I have to say that if ones skills are good and you're a quick study that this is a great way to go. Still requires a lot of patience dedication and ownership.

3. Buy a running, driving project and finish as you go - maybe the best if time is really dear and one wants to start a little further up the chain.

And 4th. Buy a done car - there's a lot to be said about doing so, but this board probably wouldn't be here if that was the inclination of most of us. Most of us want to see one of those guys a couple years after our last project was done so that we can move on to the next one.

I don't think there is any greater joy for most of us on here than learning how to do a good job, hearing the rod fire up for the first time and taking the first ride.

Stick around Paul, don't let the task overwhealm you. None of us build them overnight.

Charlie

[protzler]

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!