When I see old cars like this ’32 Chevy, I can’t help but wonder what stories they could tell. It likely saw some interesting times before it went into the barn. The seller claims it has spent most of its life in the barn, but I’m sure it saw plenty of use in the first few years of its life. It has some rust issues, needs interior work and the seller hasn’t been able to get the engine running, but it could actually make for a really cool project. Find it here on eBay in Eaton Rapids, Michigan with a current bid of $2,025.
We all have different tastes and interests, so what ends up happening with this Chevy will depend on who ends up buying it. If it were mine, I would focus on getting it running and driving. If the original inline six can be made to run, I would leave it be and move on to making the interior usable. And if the original engine is beyond repair, I would find a replacement Stovebolt Six for it and add a few performance enhancements. While a 350 V8 would be fun, these inline sixes can actually produce decent amounts of power and are so much more interesting than a crate 350.
Restoring the interior back to original shouldn’t be all that difficult, given how basic they were. It looks like it will need new wood floors, but you should be able to use the existing floors as patterns to cut out new ones yourself. Once those are replaced, I would find or have a new headliner made, recover the door panels, install seats with headrests and more support and add 3 point seatbelts. The dash should clean up and given that it’s metal, you can always repaint it.
It looks to me like someone had plans of turning this Coupe into a hot rod, but they didn’t get very far. I’m alright with that though, as there are already plenty of these that have been hot rodded. I don’t mind a few tastefully done upgrades, but I wouldn’t go too crazy with it. The rust issues will definitely be a problem, but as long as the frame is solid, you shouldn’t have structural issues to worry about. Most of the panels are flat, so you could fix much of the rust with a grinder, a small welding unit, and some hard work. If you end up taking on this project, we sure would love to hear about it and to see what direction you go with it!
My grandfather had one of these in the late 30’s. Once, he allowed it to roll backwards while my grandmother had the passenger door open. The door caught onto a fence post pinning the door to the front fender. It would never close properly after that. Heartbroken, he traded it another car.
This one appears to be in above average condition for a car stored so long. The wooden frames were problematic if not kept out of the weather during storage.
Wood was the problem……but a very attractive car with superior mechanicals to the common Ford. Probably cost more too. My dad used to talk about going around a left hand corner and putting his buddy on the curb when the door flew open………few survivors because of the wood framed body parts. This could be a beauty.
you what else killed these old chevs and fords? they were called dodges and plymouths and other mopars that had hydrolic brakes on all 4 wheels while these had mechanical brakes and you preyed that they would stop and most of the time they found the rear end of another car!
Better hope the wood is solid that is a pain to replace
Its certainly a buy at the current price. My first car was a 32 Chev Coupe, put a V-8 in it, and it was pretty simple build for a teenager, that had little knowledge or experience. The biggest problem with these cars are the wood frame for the body, if its bad, its a whole new ball game. I have had mostly Fords since that first car, mostly 32’s, 34’s and 40’s. We always called these bubble butt 2-doors Victoria;s, but I believe that was Ford nomenclature not GM, it seems they called them some sort of a coach , but not Victoria. Really no positive but Ford did continue on with the Victoria badging, not GM
Victoria came from a horse drawn carriage designed by Brewster in the 1850’s. It was a lovely design, single passenger seat with a drivers box and fold down top for the passengers. Frequently copied by other coach builders.
Victoria
$8500 is a bit much for a rusty crusty non runner. Cool car though
Josh: “I would find a replacement Stovebolt Six for it and add a few performance enhancements….these inline sixes can actually produce decent amounts of power”.
Well not exactly Josh. The first generation 6 was the “Stove Bolt” and ran from 1929 – 1936. My ’30 truck had one . Get this : a 3 main bearing crank. Though this ’32 had increased compression ( 5.2 : 1 ) it wasn’t until the next generation 6 came out with the 1937 216 ( 4 mains) that there’s much you can do to increase the 60 h.p. of that ’32s engine, or would want to, with that “whippy” crank. For years racers were still using the stout 1928 and earlier Chevy 4 banger which really could put out some power with the right mods, and could handle the increase. :-) Terry J
I can’t say I’ve ever rebuilt a body like that but I’d like to someday. I have a side business doing furniture restoration. Some of my friends know of it and I’ve been asked a few times over the years to reproduce parts for them. I won’t say some weren’t a pain to do but eventually I got every one done, as long as I had something usable to use as a pattern.
Wish I had the room, money and time to do it justice.
At the risk of being pummeled by my BF pals ……. The hard choice to fully restore a vintage car or “modernize” it sometimes is not because of not a junk or missing drive train or lots of missing parts. Sometimes it’s because of all that wood. Rebuilding the body frame structure in steel could be the right decision, sad to say, and is something many shops and some amateur builders could accomplish. Now excuse me while I duck behind my desk. :-) Terry J
I think as little use these cars get as collectors items, they would hold up fine with the original ash framework after restoration. It would be something to be careful with…..like an aluminum body………otherwise would hold up fine. Replacing the wood would be much simpler than manufacturing new steel frames. Takes a little craftsmanship but tools and materials are easy.
About 15 years ago I owned a 1932 Chev Confederate, a 4 door convertible of which there were only 419 made, and my friend owned a 1930 Ford A. The Chev made the Ford look like an ox wagon performance wise. Why Henry stuck with the side valve motor nobody will ever know, and why I sold the Chev I will never know!
While working in Argentina 1969 to 72 as a helicopter mechanic, I ran across a 1932 Chevy Roadster that I worked a deal to buy for a $150.00 and was going ship it back home.
When it came down paying and getting the title I found out the guy never paid the Bank and didn’t have a title and no way to get because the bank became government run when Juan Peron toke over the country in the 40’s http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/peron-deposed-in-Argentina.
There we so many 30’s 40’s cars for sale in the paper back then and on every Sunday there would drive the car’s around down town, it was a great car show, sit out side and drink a little vino ( or lots) and enjoy the summer weather. But now days your better off buying one here, the prices went way up in the when the computer showed up. But it would still be cool to get a 34 Ford right hand drive.
It’s very rare, so it’s worth the money just for the RHD. :>))
Have never seen this “bustle-back” body before, but find it very attractive. I think the BIN is a bit high, but sure would like to be able to be the winning bidder, but that is not in the cards at present. I also think it would look nicer with twin spares mounted in the front fenders, a la coupe.
I know this gets tiresome, but this is NOT a coupe!
My Father had a 32 five window BA Confederate. When he got too old to drive, it sat in the barn for 15 years, and I brought it back to life in the process of liquidating his estate (I kept two of the 13 cars he had)
They took this car to the top of Pikes Peak in the early 90’s on a VMCCA event.
It had been restored long ago with a steel frame.
Fun to drive, the manual brakes meant keep a firm grip on that wheel! At 55 MPH you felt like you were going 100. The front windshield and rear windshield both roll down which really helps as it’s quite toasty to drive in the summer.
I would have kept the car, but I couldn’t imagine touring in it with my wife, who is one of those 80 mph right on the tail of the car in front types.
Here’s our 32 Confederate Coach ! She drives down the road like a fork truck but we are smiling from ear to ear all the way !