Projects 1936 Lincoln Zephyr Sedan 4door to 2door Conversion.

Finally I may have time to start on my 1936 Lincoln Zephyr 4door Sedan . About 15 years ago I traded a convertible BMW for it and had done nothing to it but move it around many times in my shop. Now my last dependant child is about to finish HighSchool I can begin diverting funds to it. LOL! After building 2 houses and raising 2 kids my priorities have changed to focus on petty things. Its not on my bucket list but I wanted to do it just because I miss building cars.

I am looking for the length of the door from a 1936-39 Lincoln 2door Sedan. I tried searching for doors from a 2door sedan, but now realizing its late in the game and I should of gotten them 15 years ago. Alternative to buying is to creating the 2door door or stretching it, but I would like to know what the exact dimensions are just for the sake of being consistent with stock.

My plan is to convert this 4door to a 4door with wider doors, by using a full size door from a 2door sedan and widen the rear door by moving the hinge to quarter panel. I will utilize 1 large hidden hinge below the quarter glass. The whole goal is to make it look like a 2 door but actually will remain a 4door with stretched doors.

Thanks in advance .

 

Uhh. good luck with your project. You seem to have a pretty firm idea of what you want.

That being said, it sounds a little too "gimmicky" for my tastes.

 

They did make a '36 Lincoln in a 2 Door. Converting yours to a 2 door would be quite a bit of work...but doable. Making a working rear door would make the job about 10 times harder.

 

I never knew they made a 2 door sedan Zephyr, certainly never saw one in person. If you can find a donor with doors (or even just doors) it would certainly make things easier, but I can't imagine it'll be easy to find those parts.

I understand what you're trying to do, to eliminate the rear quarter windows and make the rear doors encompass that whole area. But when I look at a 2 door sedan in profile, it seems like to do that, your rear door is going to have to follow the fender line up and then cut like a foot and a half backward to get around the quarter window area, making for a really awkwardly shaped rear door, being about 18" wide at the bottom and 3 feet wide at the top.

First step I would suggest is Photoshop, let's design this thing before you get to cutting, see exactly what it'll look like in the flesh. I'm a big cheerleader of 2 door conversions and custom stuff like this so I'd follow along, but I'd really like to see what it'd look like before I'd commit to that particular plan.

 

I don't have a steady enough hand in Photoshop to nail the door cut line, but it would look a lot like this. Actually better looking than I had thought, but still a shit-ton of work to make the back doors functional, when a straight conversion to a 2 door sedan would be about 1/20th of the work and give a nearly identical look.

 

1939 Sedan Coupe

 

I'd clean it up, get it running and enjoy it.
Your plan sounds like it will be in the garage for at least 15 more years.

 

Good job of rendering my thoughts to true image. I woud make the rear door a lil tighter over the fender. But it is quite what I intend to do.

 

Have you seen "Make It custom" on YouTube.
He is cutting up a four-door and turning it into a rad two door coupe, I kind of quit following it closely but here is one of the videos of him cutting on the doors I believe he has a ton of videos up by this point I guess if you're interested which I would imagine you would be since you have pretty much the same car you can look up the other videos if you'd like.

 

That is an option still. As I havent yet put a grinder to it . I like the challenges though and find joy in it.

Maybe true. I am not attached to it , but when I start projects I intend to finish. Hence the reason I havent touch it for 15 years.

 

Yes I have seen it. I even bought a few stuff from him.

What I really need is the exact dimension specifications for the 2door's door. I dont think it was mentioned in the videos.

 

Finding real doors from a Tudor is extremely unlikely. When my late father restored his ‘36 over two decades ago ( it’s now in the Lincoln annex at the Gilmore Museum) there were only 7 or 8 known survivors of the 1400 manufactured. 1937’s are also very rare and I don’t know that later doors would fit.

 

Everyday im learning something.
Tudor = 2 door ?

Yeah, finding one thats usable seems hopeless.
Anyone whos got one of them doors could tell me the exact length of it? Ill just make it, just like Karl from "MakeitKustom" does.

Thanks all ,I appreciat all comments and suggestions.

 

I believe that "Tudor" and "Fordor" were Ford terms from back in the day.

 

Interesting that they extended the rear window on the 2 door but not the 4. Or is that a different year?
I love cutting cars up but these are so rare and beautiful I don’t think I could do it.

 

Thats a point I have thats lingering. There is also some Historical sentiments. For me and the original owner. A family member of Sinclair/Robinson were the last registered owner. Maybe not enough worth for preserving.

Sinclair/Robinson are the owners of Niihau and my Grandfather was an Immigrant Foreman who worked on their Sugar Plantation on Kauai. Small connection is all but lost and what remains are photos and stories.

Oh well, when I leave earth, my kids wont care. Future generations dont know respect for heritage and its worth.

 

Cut it

with a clear conscious. It’s just metal. The next owner can restore it

just have a good plan.
a little design work for a side shot from a pro would probably be worth the effort

 

Yep, leaning that way.

 

Yeah, actually Lincoln referred to it as a Coupe Sedan (not Tudor) because of its two doors.

 

You may have already seen them, but there are several different 1936 Zephyr factory brochures available for viewing on the Old Car Manual project website: https://oldcarbrochures.org/United States/Lincoln/1936_Lincoln/index.html

 

By all means, if he wants to customize it he should do it, I have no moral qualms against it. I just don’t know how you can improve on one of these!

 

Good looking stocker make better looking kustoms

 

All the styling thoughts pushed aside for a minute, using one single hinge in the center of a door will require a huge amount of heft to the hinge, and basically enough steel to build a bridge in the pillar , as well as the door.

 

the rear fender could camo the bulk of the door gap
No center post. The rear door latches in the rocker.
The front door latches to the rear door.
Like some extended cab trucks if ya hard-topped it.
The rear door hinge would need to be creative.
Stout as well.
To keep the door gap flush when shut a pin on the lower part of the rear door that shuts into locater/guide similar to a sliding van door

 

Ya' know, I remember seeing an episode of Fantom Works where they inherited an early fifties Buick that had the rear doors suicided this way. Those guys were pretty good, but even they couldn't make it work.

 

Single suicide door hinge on bottom

 

I have seen them in certain forums. I drew inspiration from those builds. The red one looks like James Hetfield's.

I knew I had a good trade for my Zephyr years ago.

 

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Who fabbed the single suicide hinge?
I got tools to fabricate my own but I might learn stuff through observance

 

Pic from a 2009 motor trend/hot rod article
Sadistic Iron Werks hinge

 

EXCELLENT YouTube channel with extremely creative/fine craftsmanship!!!!!