REEL STEEL PART TWO 

Surprisingly, Dee was all for the steel Deuce. "I'm a hot rodder, and personally I'm glad to see it on the market. I see it as friendly competition." He said there might be a small impact on his business, but he pointed out that Wescott and most of the several other 'glass Deuce body manufacturers are running at peak capacity as it is. Plus, Wescott is currently supplying Brookville with door hinges (while the door handles, strikers, and dovetails, and the trunk handle and latch are from Vintique), though Kenny says they will make more of these parts in-house later.
Wescott began making Deuce roadsters in 1974, and Dee estimates they have sold about 1200 so far. The current retail price for a Wescott is $6795, and Dee calls it "a highend body." The surprising part is that Dee says they make about 100 Deuce roadsters a year, and that that is about twice as many as all their other bodystyles combined.

He also said, "In '74 we looked very closely at doing a steel body, but there were no presses big enough to do it outside ofDetroit, and the logistics would have been prohibitive. In '74 dollars, we estimated it would cost half a million just for the dies." Asked his opinion of the Brookville body, Dee (who ran a bodyshop for years and is a metalman himself) replied: "It's a nice piece. If you want a perfect body, you're going to put some work in it, but that'd the case any body" How do a new steel body and a good 'glass body compare? The die stamping process can't produce parts as smooth and straight as the fiberglass molding process. Of course, the same is true of original steel bodies. Any 'glass part is only as good as its mold, and there is some shrinkage and "movement" as the 'glass cures (especially if it's pulled from the mold too soon). Most 'glass bodies require some 

The New Traditionalist Line includes investment-cast stainless headlight mounts, F-1 style shock mounts, and batwings, as well as hairpin radius rods. Pete also uses as many Pete & Jacke's parts as possible, such as rear ladder bars, center crossmember, brack pedal, and shocks. Another innovation is the "step-boxed" rails, which leaves the welds ungrounded, provides a lip for running lines or wires, and looks more like a frame rail. Pete is now offering this package as the "so-Cal Chassis" in Levels 1 through 3, with regular or pinched front rails.

Insert One

Insert Two