Thread: One way to build a '32 sedan

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Originally Posted by Ken Thurm

flipper-Yes, my wife and I are going to double date with our friends that have coupes and roadsters
Ken

Cool. It seems most people these days use Tudors as really big coupes. I like the fact that it will still be a functional sedan.

I am anxious to watch this build progress. Do you have any sketches of your vision of the final product?

Originally Posted by Ken Thurm

Dave-Thanks, no one can rag on me for cutting up a CHERRY, this thing is a rust bucket. I had to replace the complete cowl and you can see the rest of it in the photo's. I'm thinking a blown flat motor and a tremeck 5 speed with a V8 quick change.

Don- I have to tell you I really miss your projects, I hope you get back on them soon.

Steve-I need to sell a couple of these things, can I interest you in a old pick up?

flipper-Yes, my wife and I are going to double date with our friends that have coupes and roadsters
Ken

Don't tempt me my wife is already regretting I started this hobby! But if I had the cash a made by Ken special would be high on the list!

Ken, Can we start a raffle for the pickup (I know I can't afford the pickup with the quality of work Ken does)..........LOL
BradC

Flipper1938-I didn't have a rendering done on this car, I should.


Steve- The first time you take her for a ride you will be her hero!!

BradC-I'm always afraid to sell these things, thinking something will go wrong with it and I will be married to it forever. You should see my warehouse


I was looking back at my posts on this build and realized that I don't do a very good job at explaining how things are done. If you haven't done a copped top before and are thinking about doing it, maybe it would help if I showed whats involved. There are many ways to go about this, but this is how I do it, I hope this helps someone.
The first thing is to level the body on a flat surface. I use my chassis fixture, but you can use a table or make one out of some tubing, just make it solid. Any movement is your enemy, it can't move.
Then I build this rectangular frame that will be big enough to go on the outside of the car. This has to be as perfect as you can make it, flat and square. Then add one tube perfectly down the center, add any cross members to make it rigid. All the dementions will be taken off of this framework. Now clamp your body to this frame work centering the body on the center tube. Now make a infrastructure frame work inside of the body to level it and make it absolutely rigid. This doesn't have to be pretty just rigid in all directions. Write down all your dementions before you start cutting. For instance the dimension from the top of the windows to the outside of your frame work then the bottom of your windows, door openings anything you are going to change. Well that's it start whacking.
Ken

Here is what it looks like now with the doors on.
Ken

Lookin good Ken. What kind of horse power are you looking for for this build?

Nice rake and good proportion on the windows.
BradC

Ken, tonight I was telling Dan about the slice and dice you were doing on your '32 and right away he said that he saw the one Pinkys did and it looked so much better after the shortening job. He said it was something you don't realize until you put the two side by side, but it really cleans up the proportions.

Pretty ambitious project, but probably not nearly as hard as building a 12 cylinder Ardun.

Don

Steve-I think they make about 300 hp, I think they just sound so much better with the blower.

Brad- thanks, I have a couple other little things I'm going to throw into it also

Don-I sure miss your post I agree with Dan, it's a subtle thing that just makes you take a second look. I hope mine turns out at least halve as good as Pinky's, that thing is really nice.
Ken

Well, now that I'm done with the roadster

I have some time to get back to the sedan. Hot rods and Custom stuff makes a really nice kicked up frame, but I wanted it a little different for the sedan. I kicked it 2" in the front, the shortened the height by an inch starting at the front cross member going forward. set the notch in the for the spring clearance at 10 degrees and drew some boxing plate. Set the drawings to our lazier cutting guy and had them cut out. He made 3 sets for me, one for the sedan one for the new '32 truck and one set in case I screw up!
Ken

Isn't it funny how pretty parts that are cut out of steel can be to us hot rodders? I look at those plates you had done and to me they are beautiful. I bet non car people would look at them and wonder what the attraction is.

Glad to see you are back on this one again.........I was worried you might have taken up another hobby or something.

Don

Originally Posted by Itoldyouso

Isn't it funny how pretty parts that are cut out of steel can be to us hot rodders? I look at those plates you had done and to me they are beautiful. I bet non car people would look at them and wonder what the attraction is.

Glad to see you are back on this one again.........I was worried you might have taken up another hobby or something.

Don

I had to go back to work, this economy stinks. I'm thinking to move to Florida!

That's exactly the way I see raw steel, I hate painting things sometimes.

Had mono leaf , on wifes 32 2 dr. sdn ,all steel car w/ small blk chev. coming back from Oregon on hwy. 5 spring broke.

There have been reports on various forums about mono springs breaking. At one point someone from the manufacturer came on and posted a rebuttal of that accusation, saying that "every spring will eventually break and that they had no abnormal occurances of this happening with their springs." I have never used one, but I can't remember ever having any spring break for me or any one I know.

Don

Originally Posted by Itoldyouso

There have been reports on various forums about mono springs breaking. At one point someone from the manufacturer came on and posted a rebuttal of that accusation, saying that "every spring will eventually break and that they had no abnormal occurances of this happening with their springs." I have never used one, but I can't remember ever having any spring break for me or any one I know.

Don

Ever since they came out I have used them on everything that has a transverse spring, and haven't had any problems. So far so good.
Ken