My buddy has this 36 Terraplane coupe that he is starting on. He is considering turning it into a 3 window much like the style of Cole's 36 Ford, with skirts and the whole 9 yards. It has factory suicide doors at the moment and a nifty dash. His dad was a big Hudson/Studebaker collector and would tell you how every thing else of the same era was junk! After seeing the thickness of the metal and the design of the car, I believe it! Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Seriously, it looks fantastic as is. I wouldn't change it! I would add skirts though... and keep the wheels.
Hey Plow, IMHO, the top's too long to convert it to a 3-window...it'll look like someone tried and fucked it up. Not good. Here's what I'd do: Remove the chrome trim on the hood, fill it in solid, build the fender skirts for a flush fit. Lower the headlights down onto the fenders, roll the rear pan under and remove the bumper (s) and fill the holes (if any), wide whites, hubcaps and slam it on the ground...just my nickle's worth. Oddball cars are so neat...you never see yourself coming down the road or parked in a row at a car event like some cars are... You've seen pix of my '40 Stude haven't you? R-
I've got a 48 ford three window. I think the most important part was not splitting the roof. what I mean is cut the whole roof loose and move it as a unit when you line up the A-Pillars. Mine moved forward 4 1/2 inches with a 6 inch A-piller cut. keeps the look of the original. I also widened my doors 8 inches and I only had to fill a 4 inch quarter glass. I also had door that are round on the front and square on the back. I took the front of the right window opening and put it on the back of the left door to get the three window look over the filled quarter glass look. Fords are easier to find parts cars and I used two bodies and six doors to get mine done I've got tons of photos but my scanner took a dump
Not familiar with the '36. Did you mean hardtop 3 window? Please excuse the rough job. Haven't found my photoshop software yet.
Yep, I've seen pics of your car Roger! This is the same Dude that has that front clip I sent you pics of. If it was converted to a 3 window, he would move the roof up and maybe lay the rear window down some. Not looking for a hardtop, he would refab the doors to have the window in them like a 36 Ford. I told him to leave it the way it is so as not to screw up the cool suicide doors, but he is just playing at the moment. He works fast though, I wouldn't be suprised if he has it done in time to take it to Goodguys in Indy in June. He is no stranger to metal work. He built this Lincoln out of a 4 door a couple years ago and sold it as soon as he got it done. It is kind of the look he is going for here as well.
I personally like it the way it comes, maybe slant the door post, and round the corners. Down in the snout, and radios the wheel wells like has been suggested. BTW what are those wheels?
Here's one chopped a little. The back of the roof on both of the ones I did was moved forward a couple of inches.
Wondered if it was the same guy...you said he liked Studes... I would imagine he'd keep the suicide doors...and from the looks of that Lincoln, he won't have any trouble making the car look rite if he decides to make it a 3-window...and when he's done, it will look factory...most guys have no eye for the overall design when they start whacking... He still have that clip..we may get back that way this summer... R-
Don't know why you refer to it as an "oddball" - That thing is freaking beautiful! But I don't think it will work too well as a 3 window unless you lengthen the doors (like SoWhat's Photochop) because the turret would have to come way forward, or you'd have to have a too much bulk in the old 1/4 window area. I think a mild chop 5 window taildragger works best for it.
SoWhat, that is pretty much what I was looking for, Thanks! PorkN those wheels are some old factory Mopar ones, I'm not sure off of what. Knowing my buddy, they are probably worth a fortune to the mopar guys and he could care less because he probably got them for free. Interesting that Hudson had a 4.5 inch bolt battern from the factory in 36. I am going to cabbage on to the 16 inch artillery style wheels and hubcaps that came on it. Another interesting fact about this car was that the rear of it had been cut out and it had a pickup bed made in it (Luckilly the car came with the decklid even though it is very weak). My buddy already fixed all of that by filling in all the missing metal with a roof off of a 49 buick Sedanette. Roger, he still has that clip. It has a rose bush or something growing in it now!
Well now....I just went back and noticed the part about him making that Zephyr out of a 4 door. If he can pull that off, then I'd say have at it! SoWhat's 3 window version would look great.
Plowboy Thanks for the info on the wheels. Just at a glance they looked like they would work on the front of a gasser style ride. You probably don't really want the artillary wheels. So do you want my addy? I'm sure that no matter what happens he'll make it right.
Cleatus, Oddball: differing markedly from the usual or ordinary or accepted. The last word, "accepted", is the key here...used to be if it wasn't a F-O-R-D, it simply wasn't a hot rod! Also, an "Oddball" car shows an immense streak of individuality...as in NOT following the crowd! I have an oddball car...and love the reactions of people all over when I tell them what it is... R-
That is a nice looking coupe, is just a little short looking in the hood area as compare to the length of the rear of the body! Those rear fenders are beautiful, wonder how they would look on a '40 coupe.
40Studedude's Oddball But then Roger is a bit of an oddball so it's quite fitting. Damn I love this car
the wheels are late 70's early 80's Chrysler products. Not rare in a valuable sense, but rare because they were optional wheels... I want a nice set for my mustang myself... beautiful wheels. BTW, that coupe is friggin sweet! I'd almost hate to cut it, just because it's so different looking...
Which ever way he decides to do it I think that car has a lot of potential. The stock lines just lend themselves to a custom touch. Frank
Just lowered....Chopped top....(5-6 inches with rear windows filled..opera coupe style)...and some smoothing werk in the rear window to trunk transition....The door lines on this thing are awesome...suicide already...damn! Cheers MAIKI
Well, I showed him the pics over the weekend. Straykat's was his favorite along with SoWhat and 60's Style. We'll just have to wait and see what he decides to do. Thanks Guys! Here is a Pic of the front that I took last night. It is the coolest looking part of the car.
Mine was very quick and crude but, I took the front of the door window opening and flipped it around to use at the back, moved the rear of the top forward to give it a little less bulk, chopped the top, with the front chopped more than the rear, and took some of the crown out of the top to reduce some of the bulk there too. it might look good without the skirts, and radius the rear wheel opening to lose some "fat" there too. Paul
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