Projects 31 Kustom Roadster (DIY duvall, tudor to roadster conversion)

Hello from Finland!

Bought the tudor in spring of 2018. I was still building a 28 chevy, so ford had to wait for a year.
Spring 2019, chevy was ready, and enough with the fourbanger for me. Sold it and Ford build begins :

When i got it


Goodbye chevy


Before i decited to build it as a roadster, i cleaned up the rusty body, and of course chopped it..


I love the look of an chopped sedan, but every time i looked at it, i wished i had an roadster.

-Markus

 

Started cutting and mocking up. Got brookville quarterpanels.
I have to use fourbars front and back due to Finnish laws, but will be upgrading to front split wishbones once the time is right.
Frame was sitting too high with 4inch drop axle, so i dropped the front crossmember and C-notch rear. Also did 2 inch bleedsweep.
I wasnt't sure about welding cast iron housing on that gm 7,5" rear axle, so welded up tubing to it.


Didnt want to copy original model a cowl. Still have to figure out the door tops at some point.


-Markus H

 

After the cowl i moved to rear of the body.
Got quarter panels lined up. The brookville panels needed quite a lot of work, all shapes wore different between those two panels.
Made below and above deckpanels.
Also had to work on the rear axle. Eaton locker with 3.73:1 ratio. First one for me, but think it came out okey, with help from the internet ?
Thats where im at now. Next on to do list is decklick and inner structure to body

-Markus H

 

Awesome build so far thanks for posting. How will you sort out the swage lines from the doors to the 1/4s?

 

Very nice work on the panel above... cowl top... frame rails... etc.
I was going to run '30 roadster quarters behind '30 closed car cowl and doors on my sportster...
but I found a pair of '30 sport coupe quarters... beltlines matched...
my plan had been to remove the lower beltline bead for about 4" in the trailing edge of the door,
weld in a flat patch which blended to the upper bead and then mount my outside latch handles about 1/2" below the former bead's lower crease...
making it look like it was planned for as finger clearance when opening …
figured I could replace the door easier than the quarter if I pooched something...
and yes, I have pooched !
……. go c28 go ! ...

 

Swage line is same as belt line ?
Here is a prototype.
Tig welded the shortened doors, rather than overlaying like original.

-Markus H

 

Nice work!

 

Inner structures slowly coming together, also made decklid frame.

 

Keep up the good work.

 

Very nice work.

 

Awesome job!

 

That half-hoop thing you made to bridge the axle tubes so you could weld the upper 4 link brackets is brilliant. Thanks for sharing that. Does it adds and extra inch of height to the third member housing which will make your floor recess have to be bigger? Or is it forward enough on the housing that it is the same height as the upper part of the housing? But I like how you did it, and will keep it in mind.

Kinda sucks you bought an entire Model A Sedan and only used the cowl and door skins. I personally am preferential to Sedans over open cars, but that is just my personal taste.

Your work is outstanding. Thank you taking the time to share. I know it takes a while to take the time to stop and clean up stuff and take pictures. Then it takes even more time to build the post and write it up to share, so thank you for that and keep the updates coming.

Oh yeah,, now you'll need to change your user name since you sold the Chevy.

 

Looking good.. Nice work....

 

Very nice work!

 

Thank you for kind comments !
Dirk, the half hoop adds up one inch. Trunk is going to be quite small. Fuel tank will be placed there, and with the frame kickup and 2 inch channeling there will be room for a six pack and few tools.
I do admid its kind of waste of an sedan, but i have stashed the tudor backhalf for future project. Would have liked roadster body, but not many around in Finland, at least for affordable price.

Little offtopic:
Fun score today. 81A flathead with chromed heads ! For Ol' mans 39 coupe project.


-Markus

 

Been working on trunk lid.
First had to extend the english wheel...
First time english wheeling one piece panel this big. Came out fine. Room for filler, but happy with the shape. Made trunk lid bead and handle, to fit V shape on the above trunk panel. Still need to do mechanism for latch/handle and trunk lid hinges.

 

Your work is Awesome!

 

Amazing!
I love the little "V" in the center of the "above trunk panel" (aka "tulip panel").

 

Nice work,enjoying this.

 

Now that’s impressive !
Especially like the curves on the boot lid and the little extra swaging between the seat and boot lid.
Surprised that you didn’t fabricate your own quarters with ability like you have.
Thanks for taking us along.

 

How do you bend that square tubing like that, super job.

 

Thank you ! This is learning process for me, and first time doing full panels. At some point i want to try and make guarterpanels myself, atleast now i have good templates !

 

With this little bender.

 

.
Excellent work,
looks like you could make about any panels you need...
.
I see the square tube inner structure in your pic...
I build with panels from different cars so a cage like your's would really help...
I recently drew up a little print of the about same idea... drew it about 1" lower with [4] 1"x3" tabs on each side welded along the top of a 1/2" conduit frame work...then drill through the trunk gutter and into them... I could then use clekos to align and hold the panels while I build the subfloors...
thanks for the ideas...

 

Awesome craftsmanship.

 

Great work! Man I kinda love that little Chevy roadster!

 

Thank you ! I had fun with that little chevy, but fourbanger and short gear ratio killed the buzz for me. Overdrive would make huge difference !

 

She’s a real sweetheart! Thanks for the extra pics!

 

Decklid handle and lock is about done.

 

Small update on ford. Handle working and popping !
Hinges made out of 39 ford hinges