Projects turning a sedan into a coupe 1930

Your hinge design looks very much like the factory Ford design, maybe a bit heavier, which is a good thing.

 

OK small update.. Been busy welding some of the seams and cuts. The bodywork is now feeling a lot more solid in preparation for the roof chop.. The clients wife wants to use the fenders so I mocked it up to see if it would look decent or not. The back will have to be quite high to get the rear wheels under.

 

So with a photo hop it should look something like this..

 

Question for the experts.. The molding that runs up the side of the rumble seat. On some cars it's there and on others it's not?. I'm wondering whether the pictures without are fibreglass cars.. Or is there something I'm missing?

 

As for sitting high you don't have the splash aprons... they hide the frame sides...
about 6" tall... right side shown... '30 is 2 pce. and '31 is 1 pce...

 

Good point sloppy.. I was building it thinking it would be fender less.. They just sprung this on me.. Its a whole different stylistic ballgame

 

As for moldings [beads] '28-'29 did not use them they used a T strip, about 3/8" wide [were tacked on, i would screw them on for later adjustment]...
'30-'31 used a slightly tapering approximately 1" wide stamped bead along the trunk gutter...
except for the cabriolets... most'32s including the glass '32 roadster pictured also had them... '33 up no...
where most of the body's styling is '29, maybe go that route, think it comes in a cardboard tube, you bend...
snyder's sells the T strips if you choose to go that route...

 

Excellent mate thanks

 

just spitballing but you could build a much shallower splash by starting with sheetmetal tube or sliproll one to fit...make the fender fit it...
OR... SELL HER ON CYCLE FENDERS AS IT IS A HOT ROD !
maybe buy them a few drinks, enjoy a nice meal and have her sign a no fenders pre-nup...
my $0.02.

 

hehehehe..the client is in his wifes pocket as all his cars are specifically for him..and hes trying to be a good husband heheheh..it´ll all be take offable for my pics anyway xx

 

I actually dont mind the finders, a small splash apron would do the trick. Maybe backtrack all your work and raise the wheel arch a couple of inches

 

There is no stopping you now. Nice.

 

Nice project! Lots of slicing and dicing happening there. Just curious of the sub-frame & floor condition. I realize you have to satisfy your clients wishes but to me, what you have now is just screaming for a 2 1/2" chop and a channel the width of the frame with the rear fenders raised allowing for a 3" high splash shield That would put the kibosh on a rumble seat though. Then, narrow the front fenders 3", along with the running boards and narrowed rear fenders...sorry, went off on a tangent there. Carry on.

 

Hehe OK.. That'll keep me busy for a couple of days A2B .. Yep the roof will be chopped.. The channel may also happen.. I've been asking him to sort out his choice of axles so I can see it sitting properly.. But he's busy buying shiny things . The fenders yes maybe.. They are super wide... Last week they took out my appendix and part of lower colon which was a bit of a surprise.. If I so much as go near the workshop in the next 2 weeks both my wife and mother will kill me! Thanks for the enthusiasm all the same.. I'll be back at it in no time

 

The fenders do a lot for this car. Without them, my mind still compares this to a typical stock Model A coupe body. With the fenders (and no aprons) this car is its own type of coupe.

I dig it.

 

Yes, your recovery is your first priority. Sometimes a time out from the build is the best way to sort out the "plan". I know I spend more time thinking about than doing.
Here's to a speedy recovery!

 

Nice work ! I also did a similar project but started with a tudor body.

 

Big day.. Apart from I'm out of my cage and back in the workshop.. Decided to cut the roof off to celebrate!.. About time too.. 10cm off the top.. 4 inches approx.. Stats to make more sense of the high arse in the air now.. I like it.. Stitching it back together this afternoon

 

i like this thread, BUILDING a rod body from unrelated parts, rocks...
The beadwork behind the qtr window looks great... better than the stock '30 coupe...
she is just asking to have the roof upholstered with those lines as the border....
sort of like a money car of that era...
a little similar to new englander gene lade's maroon and tan '32 3 window...
YUP !

 

couple later pix show the rear valance pan... i can dig it....
ford sort of forgot to finish the tail end of the As... don't know what you used, but if i had one i would steal your idea... go sig go !

 

Top chop and suicide doors?

 

Yep it was mentioned with the client.. He wants red candy and chrome everywhere.. Black vinyl roof etc.. The suicide doors may help to get in and out more too

 

IMO... don't suicide the doors,
they are only easier to get in and out of if the door is shaped like a '33-'34 ford at the bottom...
it leaves room to slide your feet in... doesn't happen when reversing a standard opening door...
also have the owners ask guys that have had suicide doors if the wouldn't change to stock doors if the body looked the same...
i ran model 40's for 24 years... bumps and RR tracks had me reaching for the door...
had forgotten the safety pins on my way to work, crossed the RR tracks and it took me 2 weeks to get the door to close, latch and look good...
again, IMO only...

 

Yep sloppy that was one of the arguments against.. Apart from obviously not stock so that bit more difficult to legalize over here

 

never thought about "THE LAW"...

 

Hahahaha.. You've got it too easy over there mate

 

Quick question.. Where do you get your rain gutters from.. Are they riveted on or welded?

 

Lot of work but it pays off! Looks like it always a coupe. Can't wait to see the Cadillac engine in it. Got a 390 for mine.

 

Looks like you'll have to move the radiator mounts forward, eh?

 

'30-'31 coupes are steel U channel , one piece...spot welded to the skin...
'sedans are 2 pce. and nail into the header wood through the holes in the steel roof panel...
if you buy coupe you can get straight or pre-curved... never done a sedan that needed them...
buddy uses 1/2"x 1/2" steel tube [the stuff with rounded corners] bends it to flow along with any body
[10 or so so far]...
really adds strength, looks great, needs a few holes to rosette weld on from the inside, behind the wood...