I am currently setting up my frame with a Tardel drop in the rear. Everyday while working on it I have the pretty rotted out 28/9 Tudor sheet metal starring back at me. It was an impulse buy, I will have way too much time in making patch panels to repair the bottom 8” and from the top of the window up. I have come to terms that I am way over my head (right now) with sheet metal shaping that’s required for the top sections. Ultimately, I want to build a traditional dry lakes racer. I am having a hard time finding photos from the 40’s through the 50’s of any Tudor dry lakes cars. That is also a big reason I am steering away from a Tudor build. One option I have seen is the newly stamped roadster 28/9 rear quarters. I know most commercially available patches are not the greatest. Is this the same with the new rear quarters? What I DO have is two Tudor doors that are in great shape, closed car cowl posts that are not rotted (someone chopped them off at the dash rail however), two cowl tanks that are in great condition, and a good firewall. I guess at this point I need a push in the right direction. It’s hard to stay motivated with not knowing which direction to go.
Apart from the tank and firewall, roadster bodies are a different animal. You can mash them together, but that's what it will be, a mashup. Lakes racing in the early days was roadsters, roadsters and roadsters...which is why you not find many pictures of sedans.
Its alot of work to see a car to the end. If you want a Roadster sell the Tudor stuff and buy a Roadster. Build what really want. Even if it takes you a year to save the money you'll still be ahead of the game. Dont cobble the 2 bodies together, that'll be more difficult than fixing the tudor.
The Jalopy Journal
