dyce51
Well-known member
Just a quick question....Has anyone built their own Fiberglass body?? Like a T-Bucket Roadster or a Tudor body? I know t-bucket bodies are pretty cheap and all, I am thinking of building my own T body with more room in it.
Scratch Built Rat
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animal
Well-known member
I've built some fiberglass bodies, and sat down with Ed Roth one afternoon to see how he did it. If you want a custom, show-rod type body, fiberglass is a great medium. Personally, To build a T body or something like that would be more labor intensive and expensive than it would be worth. There are stretched T bucket bodies available, or you could use a touring car body shortened to the length you want. Just my $.02 
bob w
Still crazy after all these years!
There's a build thread on RRR where a T Bucket body was stretched. You can try some key words in the Search function.
Torchie
Well-known member
Google "Spritz with Fritz"
He has a DVD that will walk you thru the whole process.
Just bear in mind that there is more than one way to do it.
He has a DVD that will walk you thru the whole process.
Just bear in mind that there is more than one way to do it.
dyce51
Well-known member
I have built 1 traditional T-Bucket years ago....I know how to add wood to the body and all.....Fast forward to today...I am married with 3 kids...Not alot of extra money....I figured I could buy the wood, fiberglass mat, fiberglass mesh, and resin a lil at a time then build a custom body (widened, stretched, maybe even a mid length touring (to hold the family))....when I got all the needed supplies. I was more less wondering which way would be best.... A wood frame and panels then glassed over....or sandwich foam core fiberglass construction (so I dont have to build the plug and mold) pretty much like they did in this video series I watched http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJax6pqlEoI...Any advise or opinions would be great!!!
Willowbilly3
A *real* tin magnet
I built mine but not from fiberglass. I built it using parts of several old cars. I did it for the same reason though, I wanted more room than a standard 29 rpu.
Bamamav
Well-known member
Building a body is one thing, but what will it look like? What I mean is, T bodies are copies of steel bodies, with the same curves, body lines, etc. I'm not knocking your abilities because I don't know what you are capable of, but we have seen some home made bodies that look like a box---no curves, no character lines. It might be a lot easier to get a cheapo body, then cut and splice it to get what you want. I've seen cheapo bodies without the floor on Craigslist go for $150.
choppinczech
Well-known member
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Snake Farm
Ol school snake charmer!
I was gonna point dyce to your project but I see you've beat me to it........and since you brought it up, how about an update on that cool little bucket
dyce51
Well-known member
what I really want is this:
but with an open front end
dyce51
Well-known member
some great work!!!! I am gonna defiantly read the entire thread!!
choppinczech
Well-known member
I was gonna point dyce to your project but I see you've beat me to it........and since you brought it up, how about an update on that cool little bucket
Sorry to highjack your post. This is where I'm at now. Got the perimeter frame made and been Working on the rear suspension. Also got a hold of a small block and a trans case to start the motor and trans mounts. Then I can cut out the floor and build the trans and driveshaft tunnel.
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choppinczech
Well-known member
dyce51,
I have that same photo in my "inspiration photos" folder too. That car has a great stance.
I have that same photo in my "inspiration photos" folder too. That car has a great stance.
I have thought about building a body but out of wood. I was at a show last summer and parked next to what looked like an original/restored Model T delivery truck with a woodie body. I got to talking to the guy and he said he bought it as a sedan with a junk body and used the cowl and fenders and built the body from a set of plans that he bought. He said the plans were the same ones used on the originals back in the day. I see cowls online all of the time cheap so why not build a woodie body and you could figure in a chop or whatever into your blueprints.
BUSTEDKNUCKLE
Well-known member
dyce51
Well-known member
Believe me, I have thought about building a steel body....But I am alot better working with fiberglass than I am with steel!!! I only have basic metal working tools...
animal
Well-known member
I guess my suggestion would be that, if you choose to build a body from scratch using fiberglass, you make it something unique, not just a copy of a manufacturer's body. That way, you can build something that not everyone can duplicate the looks of, and it wouldn't be much more work than building a stretched T bucket. Just my $.02
You may want to shape foam panels to make the body then fiberglass, similar to the way they make surfboards. A word of caution though. Polyester resin will melt expanded poly styrene (ESP) foam but not poly urethane foam. If using ESP you will have to use epoxy resin, which can leave you with a much longer open time.
dyce51
Well-known member
Ya know I was thinking about it earlier.....My best friend from college...his dad had a set of molds he made off a Phaeton he restored years ago....To bad there is a lil "bad blood" between us and we don't talk anymore....he also had an original frame and several "custom" frames he built years ago......His dad was a genius when it came to "Custom" and fiberglass....it's just too bad.........I remember the Model A he restored, the Duesenberg he did....all the customs he built back in the day...to bad our lives went opposite directions...
