What do you think about the influx of fiberglass in the hobby? Would you prefer if everyone used original steel? or is vintage tin just to expensive for what you get? Let us know!  

I remember scoffing at the adds from Bird Eng. and Alquist in the eary '60's. T's were getting scarce already by that time, so a lot of us were building A coupes then. At that time you could buy a decent "31 coupe for $250 to $400. No one took them apart to build a rod. You just cut the floor braces out, bolted 4 or 5 pieces of angle iron from side to side and you had a chaneled rod. then if you felt real guttsy, You took 3" or 4" out of the top and tried your hand at gas welding.

In '64, when Car Craft came out with their series on building a T by Ray Sismore, we had a blueprint to follow. Still, steel bodies were hard to find and there were enough T restorers around who had money to keep the tin out of our grubby little hands. So 'glass bodies became more viable. Now, because of the hot rod publcations, we could see how to make them street worthy. Come to find out, 'glass was a lot more forgiving than steel. And so 'glass T bodies had their foothold in rodding. From that point on, it was only a mater of time before other body styles came on the market.

I know I've taken the long way around the barn here. Yes, in a perfect world, I'd like to see vintage tin, but in the real world, there are only so many original steel '32 Ford roadsters.  

Ive built maybe a dozen glass cars in half the time it took to build 3 steel cars with the same amount of modifications.  In the end id rather have steel but id rather build glass.
Note:  I built cars while in college and am by NO means a metal fab guy. so glass gives me and others the ability to build a nice(glass) street rod without spending years perfecting the metal working trait.  I love and appreciate steel cars and the time that it took to build them, I just dont have the time or money to get into one.  I figure its like this.  When i bought my first vette(at 19) i felt like everyone knew i was better than them. lol.  Having steel is probably similar to that.  they know they are better than us guys with glass cars but they still appreciate our love for the hobby.  as long as you build something and support the hobby who really cares!  

Yeah I think both of you made a good point, I think it is all about building what you want, and if 'glass allows you to build your dream rod, than so be it.  

Steel is the best if you can afford to go that route. Glass is a bit more forgiving and priced to fit a lot more pocketbooks. A good quality glass body helps get that dream moving a bit faster without removing too much of a lump from your wallet.  

Who gives a hoot if your rod is 'glass and not steel, at least you have a bitchin ride.  

About ten years ago I built a nice glass '32 Ford 3-window. I had it about two years and for the first year it was my only car. I put about 40,000 miles on it in two years. Soon I noticed that when someone would see it 90% of them would start off with "Is that steel or 'glass?" to which I would reply "It aint for sale". The way I see it, if it's not for sale then what the heck does it matter what it's made of. What's going on here is some guy just wants to belittle someone for building a glass car 'cause that's some kind of hotrod sin. Most of these jerks don't even have a hotrod or if they do it probably aint a '32 Ford (but they wish they had one). I just say to 'em "Well, I've built a piece-o-crap 'glass car, where's your steel '32 Ford?" I've gotten answers like "Well, I don't have one right now". Yeah? Well when you do get a steel '32 Ford 3-window coupe just let me know how many miles you're willing to put on it a year. I had about $25 thou' in my hotrod that I wasn't ever afraid to drive, a comparable steel car would have cost three times that and no I couldn't afford one of those, and even if I could Id rather have a 'glass car to drive every day. Tom  

Hi I am new here and I want to know what you all think about the new steel bodies? Also if you have new steel bodies or glass bodies do you have to register them as new cars or do they go by the engine you put in them?  

As an enthusiast, I would love to find an all steel body with minimal rust to build my street rod.  As a realist, I know that if I want to build my car in a timely manner with minimal prep and body work, i need to go with glass.
So I would prefer steel but will probably go with glass.  If it is available for the car I choose to build.  And to date, I have yet to run across any fiberglass 1940 or 1950 Fords.  

yeah i'm not sure if they make a 40 or 50 ford fiberglass body, doesn't sound familiar. and jeepinz, as far as the new steel bodies are you talkin about like brookeville and the like?  

Yes I am refering to the Brookeville steel bodies. Will dmv reconize them as new vehicles because of the bodies or will they go by the motor you put in them?  

Jeepinez1:
Yes I am refering to the Brookeville steel bodies. Will dmv reconize them as new vehicles because of the bodies or will they go by the motor you put in them?

Well that depends on your state.

Here's a guide with state by state info.  

As has been and should be said, build what you want in what ever material you can.  Unless you have set your own rules for whatever reason as to parts, you are limited only by your abilities. Metal and 'glass both have lots of possibilities and restrictions. The more hot rods/street rods get built, the better our laws will be, the better our parts availability will be, the more the hobby will grow.
My only problem(?) with some of the 'glass bodies is that they bare little resemblance to the classic design they are supposed to represent. But if you want a body that looks as if it came from Foose or Delay, you have it.  Just drive it!  

You have that right, some of the fiberglass bodies have huge difference between the actual model.