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THE OFFICIAL '32 TUDOR SEDAN BUILD-OFF!


mrm

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2 hours ago, Rocking Rodney Rat said:

As Snake was fond of saying "Instructions are just someone else's opinion" or words to that effect..... -RRR

Yes, yes he did, it was in his signature section. But it's nice to know whether you need a piece or not for a specific part.

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19 hours ago, Tim W. SoCal said:

For example, on the frame, the front crossmember (part # 406) is only used if you're installing the Flathead, but not with the Windsor.

As an aside the flathead cross member comes in handy when installing the flatty into the 29 Roadster/coupe

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34 minutes ago, bill-e-boy said:

As an aside the flathead cross member comes in handy when installing the flatty into the 29 Roadster/ 30 Coupe

You just got my creative juices flowing!... I'm going to kit bash the Hilborn Injected Buick Nailhead engine from the '30 Coupe for one of my future '32 Tudor Sedan builds. Might as well put the Flathead in the '30 Coupe...

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I was messing with this kit over the weekend, trying to figure out how i wanted to build it.

My first thought was a rat rod. Chopped & channeled, in primer, riding on whitewalls & steelies, with the Nailhead from the '29 roadster kit, or maybe the dual-carb Hemi from the '32 5-window coupe. That's the ticket, right?

I started going through back issues of all my car mags, looking for a little inspiration. And then, in an issue of Hot Rod from way back in 1987, I came across a feature on Gary Meadors' 32 Tudor, in it's 3rd (or maybe 4th) incarnation. Back then, I was in college and this car had it all.

Now, I have built my fair share of "traditional" style rods. I love flatheads. I think whitewalls & tuck-n-roll are cool. But I haven't built a late-80s/early-90s style rod since the late-80s or early-90s. It's been a minute. But that's where I'm going to take this kit, just for the sheer joy of pastel body color everything. And, with apologies to Tim Boyd (and the rest of the Ford Engine in a Ford Rod crowd), I think this needs to be powered by a TPI small block from a Corvette.

I haven't decided on wheels and tires but I'm sure I'll find something.

So with this as inspiration...

meadors32.png.bf50dc4004ec02c1198d74d9cc4ec758.png

let's see where this goes.

Step 1: fill the roof (sand it smoooth)

32ford.jpg.2a853026d3f5f42aa2620204283527b1.jpg

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I'm excited by this thread. I've been on the sidelines for several years now, but it just so happens I have a barely-started '32 sedan project based on the Orange Crate sitting in a box, and I just discovered some seats that might be a cool choice for the build. Might be time to limber up the saw and make it happen!

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4 hours ago, Spex84 said:

I'm excited by this thread. I've been on the sidelines for several years now, but it just so happens I have a barely-started '32 sedan project based on the Orange Crate sitting in a box, and I just discovered some seats that might be a cool choice for the build. Might be time to limber up the saw and make it happen!

Welcome back Chris! Missed seeing you around here and TRaK

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Well I might have to sort through the boxes and see if I have enough to get a start, I know I have a body( leftover from my 4door build)! I know I have enough variations of engines/chassis to get one going. Still currently in an unpacked state after my last move. 

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I've been chopping away....

The firewall from the AMT Phamtom Vickie [sic] is being used. I stripped off the 'pre-painted' paint.

yhoihoiuhoin.png.73b0f1c284ebcc3bf20ccb8961c60dc6.png

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Chopped the top about this much....

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Using the Speedwagon seats and door panels which needed to be stretched using two sets....

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A few schmears of putty will bring that all around....

uhybohbohbn.thumb.jpg.8eeaae7402eb6f79a2b5655334dcf05b.jpg

more later.... -RRR

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I cobbled together this collection of engine goodies from the parts box for this build.

20240615_133332.thumb.jpg.377443f68d65dc069cc18935c76feace.jpg

The block and oil pan are from the AMT '34 Ford Street Rod kit. The block is cut up a bit (missing the fuel pump, as well as the locating bosses for the cylinder heads) but it will work. The oil pan is useful because the motor mounts are built in, although I don't know if I'm going to keep the molded-on oil filter. I'm 90% sure the heads are from one of the Revell '64/'65 pickups. All the tan bits are from the AMT '72 Vette Street Machine, circa 1993. The valve covers and most of the TPI unit already had the chrome removed sometime in the distant past. The exhaust headers look a little small to me, but I'll probably still use them.

Everything dry fit together pretty well. I still have to scrounge up an appropriate distributor, accessory belt and front cover/water pump.

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I'm off and running. I'm glad we have till Oct to finish our builds, because as of right now I have no solid plans. I'm going to take things one step at a time and see what happens. The first item on the list is to chop the top of course. Not too little and not too much. I just ball parked it with some tape and its ready for surgery. But first the top must be smoothed removing the insert. I sanded the top with a couple different sanding sticks and the polished it out to 12000. 

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Now the top chop can proceed. The total chop will be around 3". Got all the cuts cleaned up and spent a few minutes looking at how much the top is coming down and does it need to be adjusted. I think it will stay where it's at. 

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It was time to put the top back on. Since the pillars don't line up anymore at the front, it's going to take an adjustment to get it back together. I saw where @Rocking Rodney Rat and @bill-e-boy both modified the A pillar. I've chose to cut the top and add a filler as I would like to keep the original windshield angle. I figured I would start gluing the top back on starting at the rear and working my way forward. The back is completely glued and finished at this point. The B pillar is glued but still needs more work. I also cut the vent door out. It's time to cut the top now............... 

IMG_5575.thumb.JPG.fd9e64165db1572b200f05d6e2976802.JPG

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Thats it for now. I figure this should keep me occupied for a little bit.

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