The Ford Barn

stangblue · 09-25-2016, 06:58 AM

I'm re-posting this under a new thread because the thread "Part prices are killing our hobby" has digressed into an age difference between young and older early Ford hobbyist. Do you feel it's an important subject to be discussed? I believe there is always the question for the fair value in a restored part done by our hobbyist.

Parts are not cheap and certainly not your time if you value it! As we get older we seem to value our time more, I guess because we know there is less. I purchased a 1934 Ford roadster that was a basket case that was missing half the parts and I was nearing retirement and thought it would keep me busy after retirement. Well that I did for 5 yrs, hunting searching buying the wrong parts becoming educated buying the right one's, relying on body shops and people making wood etc. etc. doing most the work myself.. You know the game. If want to play you have to pay! Well that brings me to that original 33/34 Roadster windshield frame that is priced at 1,600.00 someone mentioned above. I received one with the car it was rusted, rotten in the lower corners as usual, painted silver and the glass was fogged and delaminated. Well I restored it myself taking a couple of days leisurely , brazing and soldering, gusseting and bracing the frame and then having it chromed it came out beautiful. Not keeping track of the expenses because the frame came with the car.
Now for that 1600.00 windshield. I bought a used 33/34 roadster windshield frame on Ford Barn a few yrs ago and thought if my chrome peels or what ever, I can't justify really why I bought but I did for the amount of 475.00 plus shipping lets say 500.00 total. Worked in it for a couple of days doing basically what I did above because it was in the same shape as my first one had it rechromed, the chrommer said it needed a lot of copper ect. ect you know blah, blah bringing the total cost of chroming to 600.00 plus a half day back and forth not cheap but a nice job. Now add a new windshield from Sanders Glass 150.00 with shipping. Making out of wood a jig to hold the frame too sit in so you can grind to the channel of excess copper and chrome to accept the glass and new weatherstripping around the frame and also the glass bedding, new pivot bolts and caps, wing nuts ect. 60.00. Am I getting close to 1,600.00. You can buy a repro just the frame for 900.00 to a 1,000.00 + S&H that doesn't have the curved frame and save all the labor and time and chroming. Authentic original Early Ford Parts aren't cheap! Especially to restore! What say you?

09-25-2016, 06:58 AM	#1
stangblue Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Northern New Jersey Posts: 371	Restoring Early Ford Parts I'm re-posting this under a new thread because the thread "Part prices are killing our hobby" has digressed into an age difference between young and older early Ford hobbyist. Do you feel it's an important subject to be discussed? I believe there is always the question for the fair value in a restored part done by our hobbyist. Parts are not cheap and certainly not your time if you value it! As we get older we seem to value our time more, I guess because we know there is less. I purchased a 1934 Ford roadster that was a basket case that was missing half the parts and I was nearing retirement and thought it would keep me busy after retirement. Well that I did for 5 yrs, hunting searching buying the wrong parts becoming educated buying the right one's, relying on body shops and people making wood etc. etc. doing most the work myself.. You know the game. If want to play you have to pay! Well that brings me to that original 33/34 Roadster windshield frame that is priced at 1,600.00 someone mentioned above. I received one with the car it was rusted, rotten in the lower corners as usual, painted silver and the glass was fogged and delaminated. Well I restored it myself taking a couple of days leisurely , brazing and soldering, gusseting and bracing the frame and then having it chromed it came out beautiful. Not keeping track of the expenses because the frame came with the car. Now for that 1600.00 windshield. I bought a used 33/34 roadster windshield frame on Ford Barn a few yrs ago and thought if my chrome peels or what ever, I can't justify really why I bought but I did for the amount of 475.00 plus shipping lets say 500.00 total. Worked in it for a couple of days doing basically what I did above because it was in the same shape as my first one had it rechromed, the chrommer said it needed a lot of copper ect. ect you know blah, blah bringing the total cost of chroming to 600.00 plus a half day back and forth not cheap but a nice job. Now add a new windshield from Sanders Glass 150.00 with shipping. Making out of wood a jig to hold the frame too sit in so you can grind to the channel of excess copper and chrome to accept the glass and new weatherstripping around the frame and also the glass bedding, new pivot bolts and caps, wing nuts ect. 60.00. Am I getting close to 1,600.00. You can buy a repro just the frame for 900.00 to a 1,000.00 + S&H that doesn't have the curved frame and save all the labor and time and chroming. Authentic original Early Ford Parts aren't cheap! Especially to restore! What say you? __________________ Assumption is the mother of all foul-ups. Last edited by stangblue; 09-25-2016 at 07:31 AM.