1928 Tudor sedan. How important is this vertical brace, goes from a horizontal brace under the rear window to the floor? I would like to fit a fuel tank back there and still have a rear seat. If I removed that brace and tucked the tank under the horizontal one, that would probably get me at least 2" more room. The tank is 7" wide, and I have stock front seats, but they have been moved back about 6". Rapidly running out of real estate back there. That vertical piece looks like it would come out easy enough after drilling a few rivets out, but want to make sure that won't cause me problems later on.
I'm sure it adds some strength to the cross bar up above, which the original seat hooks to. But I bet it's primary use was to add strength to the spare tire stand. The hole that goes through the rear panel is for that stand.
Yes, I removed the spare and do not intend to put it back. And the rear seat will be out of something else and only mount to the floor, so I don't need that vertical for holding the seat.
I too have a '28 Tudor with a thin vertical tank behind the rear seats. I'm using 2 tudor front seats in front and 2 more front seats in back. I kept the vertical brace but made a zig-sag ( I added a 'horizontal bridge" ) in it to make room for the tank to tuck under the horizontal brace. Here are the steps: 1) Cut the vertical brace 2" below the horizontal brace. 2) Weld a "horizontal bridge" to the bottom part's top edge. 3) Push that bottom part of the vertical brace back against the body. 4) Weld the "horizontal bridge" to the top part of the vertical brace. After that, I built a cage to enclose the RCI gas tank, then a sheetmetal firewall to separate the tank from the passengers. Hope this helps. More details are in my build thread: https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/introducing-my-fuel-coupe-styled-tudor.132127/page-5
Yes Gary, I remember your setup, saved some of your pictures on my phone. I didn't remember what you did with that brace. Now I know. I think I have the same tank as you, although I think you added those tabs to bolt it in. Where did you get that angled filler piece that bolts on the tank? Did the holes line up or is that something that you had to make/modify? Have you placed the seats in yet to see how it all fits? I am planning on a minivan rear seat in the back, very thin. I currently have stock seats up front, but they have been relocated about 6" rearward. I do think I will change those out for something that sit's a little close to the floor eventually.
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