Technical Model A Tudor Sedan to a Sedan Delivery Conversion?

I have had a good response from my the tech post I did awhile back so I have a friend that wants to do a conversion and he asked if I would post a question for him.

He has a 1930 Tudor Sedan and he wants to make a Sedan delivery out of it! He wants to know if any members have cut out the back of a Tudor and installed a regular driver's or passenger door on the back of a tudor sedan?

There used to be a company years ago that made the conversion but it's no longer produced! So he wants to use a Model a door instead.

 

I had a '30 or '31 that basically had the back panel cut out into a door shape with hinges on it, it was done years ago and pretty crudely but someone used it like that. The back of the sedan is a big compound curve and will not take a regular side door properly but if you really wanted to do it you could cut the shape of the door out of the back of the body and make a door jamb in the hole and a door frame onto the skin section you cut out, so the rear window becomes the back door window basically, that's how my old depression-era one was done.

 

Cool, that's an idea!

 

If you could get a second rear body panel to make the door skin out of, and build your door opening in side the car before you cut the hole you would get the correct curveature . This is just my 2ct worth. Frank

 

The conversion kits that used to be available were for 28-29 which is based on a Tudor sedan. The 30-31 Sedan Delivery body is quite a bit different than a 30-31 tudor sedan. You can still fill the side windows and make a back door, it just won't be like an original one.

 

We just did my 30 sedan about 3 month ago. It's a ton of work to do it right. Gibbon Fiberglass used to make kits for 28-28 tudors. I believe that we did it better than an original.

 

Since then we added a very cool drip rail. and some interior sheet metal. We painted a very cool dark blue, almost black.

 

Gibbon used to do them

 

Nice piece of work!

 

Thanks, Do guys happen to have any pics of the hinge side of the door and how it was setup?

 

Very nice. are you going to fill the rear widows or leave glass?

 

I like it it looks really cool

 

Here's ne saw at a show a few years ago- guy said it was a kit. ( fiberglass)

 

I found a picture of the one I had, the car has long since been parted out. Was definitely a crude, home-built deal (note the barn door style hinges) but it worked, and it goes to show at least one person did this many years ago.

 

Cool but crude!

 

sorry I double clicked the full size button. But it's come along way in a year. By the way, we cut the back out and used it for the door. 1/2 inch of metal was added back to the body all the way around the door for the correct overlap. Gary

 

Here are some pictures of the hinge area. We used Speedway Builders Series (economy) hinges and they worked great. You just have to keep the hinge pins on the same angle. We used a long piece of all-thread to keep everything line up. I plan on installing all the glass. My seat will be set back a little bit, so I don't want a huge blind spot.

 

Charlie Duran did a 30-31 Model "A" in Arlington, TX back in the 70's. Beautiful job but I have no pictures and no idea what happened to the car. I think it made one of the magazines. You might try a search.

On second thought, it may have been a '32. Memory is getting old............

 

I guess in Australia they call this style a "Tudor Delivery". It took guts to cut the back out of a very nice Tudor body. We had to stare at it for a couple days. Gary

 

I have been fortunate enough to see 2nd Chances super cool build. It is a 10 ++++++. Gary, Dave and Davey don't mess around! This is an amazing hot rod!!

 

Many thanks, 2ndC!

 

Question? 2ndC did you make your hinges or buy them?

 

Check this out!

 

"txoldrodder" I bought Speedway Motors hinges. They come is sets of two, so I have and extra if you need one. I tried to get them to sell one separately, but no dice. I think they were approx. $50 a pair. Repo Model A hinges are very pricey, if I remember correctly. Gary

 

Thanks, I probably will need that hinge from you! LOL
How much would you want for the extra set?

 

I'm liking this, so i'm subscribing. Don't want to loose this thread. BTW, great work!

 

I only have one hinge left over. But I could donate it to your project. Kind of a pay it forward type of deal.

 

I have a father and son team of fabricators who share my vision. Davey Schiemann Junior (roadburner1) and Dave Senior, I can't say enough awesome things about their fabrication skills. Many thanks for sure. Gary

 

2NDCHANCE - looks like you put to metal exactly what I've been planning to do with my '30. Like how you incorporated the rear panel support into the inner frame - looks factory. As for the opening, did you have measurements or a door to take a pattern from, or wing-it?

 

That would be great it gives me one to use to set up the door frame!

Thanks, John!