ClassicCar

bluenash

Thought I would start posting pics on my 2 door conversion. I am starting with a 4 door 50 pacemaker. I will try to update as I go. I am not in a hurry so bare with me. Hope this is interesting for some. Looks as if I will be adding 11.00 inches to the front, and moving the door post back. After looking,and removing the rearsill plates etc, there is a line going across that matches my measurement for the post, Maybe this was going to be a 2 door, at first.

http://s59.photobucket.com/albums/g288/bondob/?action=view¤t=hud007.jpg

http://s59.photobucket.com/albums/g288/bondob/?action=view¤t=hud002.jpg

http://s59.photobucket.com/albums/g288/bondob/?action=view¤t=hud001.jpg

mrsbojigger

Hi Bluenash,
Glad to see someone else doing what I am doing. Here is a pic of my progress on my conversion.
Peace,
Chaz

bluenash

Lol Looks as if you are ahead of me, looks good so far. Should be interesting to see which way the build goes. I am stretching my front doors, and shrinking the rear. Please keep posting progress

mrsbojigger

Bluenash,
First, how about a real name for you.
Actually I am further along since I am doing a lot to the chassis. It's still just the body shell though. I have a Camaro front clip and an LS1 engine in it. I just "C" notched the rear frame. I can now lower it down to about 2" from the ground which means EVERYTHING has to be above the frame rails. I am working on the floor and firewall this week. Notice the driveshaft in photo.
Peace,
Chaz

bluenash

My real name is Bill Haga. I like what you are doing with yours.I have clipped a lot of cars, but not a step down. I love the way they drive and feel on the road. I do have a 55 Hollywood that I sat on a late 70's GM chassis, I work on it on and off. I just inherited a totaled out 94 caddy, which may end up under the Hash, it also is an LT1. I seen in your first photo, the driveshaft tunnel, and knew you were going further than I was.I am wondering though, how many others are doing the same or different mods on their Hudsons this winter?

jsrail

Well, mine is sitting out this winter, not enough cash for the major work this year, so I'm trying to get my '56 Dodge running. But I have a '50 Pacemaker Coupe (so I'm not doing the 4-to-2 door conversion) but still plan on c-notching the rear frame and installing a bagged triangulated four link, Fatmans IFS (bagged), 95' Vette LT1/4L60e. Chaz has definately got his planning down pat and is a good resource for your kinda mod if needed.

Hi jsrail, I had a 56 dodge when I was still young and stupid so they have a special place in my heart. A couple of years ago I bought a 56 custom royal 4 door to work on but it was too rusty to restore. I ended up pulling the Red Ram engine and pushbutton transmission out and got rid of the car. I still have the engine and transmission with the push button mechanism....I figured it would be a cool set up for a hot rod some day.

Ducor Kid

When I was a teenager I often was the driver for grandpa. One car I really liked was 1957 Dodge with 325 and pushbutton tranny. It was a old big boat and everyone would pile in. I got one of my real scares driving it. Bald tires and mountain roads do not mix.

Larry

mrsbojigger

Hey Guys,
This is/was a Hudson door conversion thread! Lets please get back on the subject.
Thanks,
Chaz

bluenash

Would like to see a pic of the pacemaker. Here is some updates, Remember this isnt American Hot rod, just ol'Bill in his garage, (lol)

Dont know what happened, all I get is stars, no pics. I will try later.

[

bluenash

Hope this works.It is a slideshow. It is progress from this weekend.

[EMAIL="http://s59.photobucket.com/albums/g288/bondob/?action=view&current=a76cf47d.pbw"]http://s59.photobucket.com/albums/g288/bondob/?action=view¤t=a76cf47d.pbw[/EMAIL]

bluenash

For some reason, I cant post pics, all I get is a red X in a box, that wont open. What am I doing wrong. I can post it on other forums, just not this. Please help.

bluenash

http://s59.photobucket.com/albums/g288/bondob/?action=view¤t=a76cf47d.pbw

Maybe this will work.

bluenash

I had to skip the Insert image, and paste direct to the thread. That works.

mrsbojigger

Good morning Bill,
NICE WORK!
I see you used your existing "B" pillar since you are just relocating sheet metal. I had to use a 2-door post since my rear fender panels have to bolt up to it. Jay Eldridge gave me my door posts. Thanks again Jay! Keep up the good work AND we like pictures so keep um coming.
Chaz

bluenash

Morn Chaz It would be a nicer job, going your route, but I have all winter, and retired. Are you using a door top for your upper rear sec.? Or do you have the two door section?

mrsbojigger

So you are "retired"! Me too, but I have less time now with all the things I'm doing that I can't see how I had time for anything when I had a full time job.

Back to the car!
Well I never take the easy path but yes I'll use it when needed. The "B" pillar I got from Jay also extended back as far as a coupe would go with the rear window. I plan to splice it into the sedan piece. A photo of the piece would help explain. I'll look thru my files and see if I have a photo of it. As I have more time I plan to make it a hardtop. More on that later.

Chaz

Ol racer

Hello,

I rea;lly like both your unique 4dr to 2dr conversions underway. I admire and envy your body work skills...

mrsbojigger

Bill,
Here is a pic of my "B" pillar/door jamb that I got from Jay. I will blend this into my piece at the rear window. For the rear window of the hard top conversion I am using the rear windows complete with all roll up mechanisms and inner sheet metal panels from a '56 4-door Chevy hard top. The inner sheet metal panels have all the correct pivot points and attaching locations for the arms and brackets. Lots more mods than this going into the car.

Ol Racer,
Thanks for the compliment!

Peace,
Chaz

bluenash

Ol racer wrote:

Hello,

I rea;lly like both your unique 4dr to 2dr conversions underway. I admire and envy your body work skills...

Good deal Chaz,I hadnt realized you were going hard top to boot. That is great. I like the 56 chev parts also. What is funny, is that I will go power windows in front. I kept the whole system out of an 85 dodge van, and measures out pretty good. A lot of times, I just cut the whole inner door from one car and transfer to the other door. Then you have all the correct mounting holes etc. Then the hardest part for me then, is just hooking the right glass up. Ol Racer, thank you also, but a lot of folk can do this type of work, but fear prevents a lot of true genius. I was scared to death to chop my first top, took me years to do it, after that, I learned respect for measuring, bracing, and taking my time. Give it a shot on an ol door, or any thing you dont need. Post your progress, if you or any one needs help, between us all, we can get you thru it. That what car guys do,(and talk about women lol)

bluenash

http://s59.photobucket.com/albums/g288/bondob/?action=view¤t=6867c371.pbw

http://s59.photobucket.com/albums/g288/bondob/?action=view¤t=fc2eb1ff.pbw

Hope this works. As I get time, I will try to explain some of what I did, but for all practical purposes, I acheived what I set out to do. I hope this helps some one in their endevour. I hear all the time about no equipment, but if you look at the one pic, other than a ruler and a straight edge, these are all the tools I used, no not even an air compresser. I used a sanding block. Chaz has the best idea, and will look great. The way I did it takes a lot more work , so you have a couple of choices on which way to go, with yours. I am hoping to see some new pics from Chaz!! lol

hudsondad

Keep us up to date, I'd like to see that different side profile in keeping those rear wing windows and short rear window. Alot of work to get where your at and it looks good. Thanks for sharing.

bluenash

Yes I am going to leave the wing windows in the rear. I will replace them later, with ones that open and shut. I think I have some in another building. I love step downs, but they are awful hot to ride in, in the summer time. Need that low thru ventilation then.

mrsbojigger

Hi Bill,
Nice work!
I wish I could work as fast a you. Since my last post I have been installing all of the floor. At this point I realized I couldn't get the engine in and out of the car with the firewall in place so it was back to the drawing board. I fabricated a small recess to allow for the intake manifold and other fittings to have clearance. I first made a male buck from plywood and then shaped the sheet metal over the buck by hammering and shrinking the edges of the metal. I then planished it. I will have a photo if it installed either tonight or tomorrow.
Keep up the good work Bill!

Have a great day and Peace,
Chaz

bluenash

Looks like you are hammering it done though. Nice work on that part. Would have liked to seen pics of the buck, and the process. I am excited lol. I hope this is encouring, and or helping others in their builds also. I would love to see 10 more on this thread doing the same. Have a good one all.

mrsbojigger

Hey Bill,
I started off by making the buck from 2 pieces of 3/4" plywood glued together to give me a thickness of 1 1/2". I then made a pattern from brown butcher paper since I had it laying around. I placed it onto the buck and over the curves being sure to lap over the wrinkles. The wrinkles tell me how much excess material I will need. I marked the outer edge and added another 1/2" of excess material for "slippage". The pattern is then layed onto the sheet metal and traced the outline and then cut the sheet metal.

mrsbojigger

The second part of this is sandwiching the sheet metal between the male buck and another plywood piece of similar shape on top. I drilled 2 holes thru the plywood and the sheet metal and secured with 2 bolts. The bolts help keep everything in trueness while I am beating the metal into submission (rounding the edges). This is important since working with the metal it tends to shift on you.
Next, I made marks onto the sheet metal as a gauge for when I start shrinking the metal. I used a combination of using my shrinking machine and tuck shrinking since the metal had to be severely moved around. once I got the shape I wanted, I then planished the metal to smooth out the bumps and wrinkles.
Peace,
Chaz

bluenash

Looks great, I dont have a shrinker, or planisher, wish I did. Looks to me if you slice and dice, then reweld, would that work, after the forming in the bucks? PS (I saved the pics of your bucks)

mrsbojigger

Bill,
You don't need all the expensive tools. You can do the pattern first. Check out these sites. The shrinking can be done by just Tucking without a Shrinker. Believe it or not you can use a tree stump and a tucking tool of some sort. One guy uses the back side of a claw hammer for the tucking tool. I hope these 3 sites open for you. This will open a whole new world for you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJzPqQhFr2I

http://www.metalmeet.com/forum/showthread.php?t=9846

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkaCJ5gC3jI

Chaz

bluenash

Chaz, I bow down to you sir,my hat is off lol. Yes they came thru great will keep them. Again thanks, hope all was able to see this. This gives me a new world to play in. Thank you, Bill

mrsbojigger

Bill,
You are right in the middle of "Metal Shaping" country. Lot's going on up in the mid-west. If you want to get hooked on something that there is no known cure, check out these two metal shaping sites. I haven't been the same since.

www.metalmeet.com
www.allshops.org

Chaz

bluenash

Morning Chaz, These links are invaulable. I will use them I am sure after the holidays. I am always building things, always changing the look of cars. I will try to find the pic of the 48 "Hash" I built. I used 55 Hudson quarters on it, and the 55 Grill cavity. It was fun at car shows, cause no one knew what year it was. With learning the right way of metal shaping, I might really get carried away! I was going to ask, what are your plans for your little rear windows? I am leaving mine, but thought about the carson top look, thought about making the full size by cutting out the center between the two, etc.

mrsbojigger

Bill,
Being an Artist, I look at the total image and how your eye reacts to what it sees. Vertical lines stop our eye at that point. I use vertical lines in my paintings as a trick to stop the viewer where I want them to stop. For example I may put a vertical line (example: tree) in the middle of the painting to separate something on the left from something on the right or a vertical line (example: tree) on the right side of the painting to stop the viewers eye from running off the canvas. In laymans terms the vertical line acts like a period at the end of a sentence. I think you would have a better flow if you removed the "C" pillar between the two rear windows. You went to all that trouble of making it a 2-door to give you better flowing lines it would be a shame to not complete the look and keep the flow. If you keep the "C" pillar your eye continues back along the nice flow of the car and stops at that point. With all that said, the car would look better without the "C" pillar.
My car will be a hardtop so the rear side window is a little shorter than the original two windows so I will add some sheet metal to the sail panel.
Peace,
Chaz

bluenash

http://s59.photobucket.com/albums/g288/bondob/?action=view¤t=1953_Hudson_Super_Wasp.jpg

Like this? It does look a lot cleaner. Might have to consider it. I would like it to look like a true two door.

mrsbojigger

Bill,
Yes that's exactly what I meant!
Chaz

mrsbojigger

Bill,
As promised here is the recessed piece for the firewall installed.

Oh, the tennis balls! They are for protection for me so I won't keep bumping against those pointed pieces sticking out and it also keeps from tearing my car cover.

Peace,
Chaz

jsrail

Bill, let me know if there is any of the body parts off my '50 Pacemaker you might need (I know distant might be a bear) other than what I already sent to Chaz. Some nice work you've got going there as well. Keep us updated on your progress.

mrsbojigger

A 3-window coupe.
Latest design changes with some help from Dan and Photoshop magic.
Peace,
Chaz

half baked

reminds me of billy f gibbons copperhead coupe

jsrail

Chaz, are those doors going to have to be lenghthened? Are you moving the door post back? The doors look longer than stock 2drs, but it could be an optical illusion. Nice look though!

mrsbojigger

NOPE, not an optical illusion!
The doors are lengthened by 5" which puts the door posts you gave me at the main horizontal cross brace at the front of the rear seat. This will give me added strength by welding into them.
Who knows what's going to be next! Fun huh!
Peace,
Chazaroony

faustmb

That car could be a twin for mine:D It is a good look, but

I think I'll keep it stock. Maybe you could edit my yard too, wait, I sold that house. lol

Matt

mrsbojigger

Hi Matt,
Hope you didn't mine me using your pic. I tried to stay off the grass though!
Peace,
Chaz

faustmb

I was flattered actually. :o

Even though I never plan to chop a top or anything, I enjoy seeing what you guys do.

Matt

bent metal

Great links, I've enjoyed following along with this thread. The link to Fay Butler is the best. If you really want to know how to shape metal with no 'bs', he is the best, period. No nonsense, no tricks, just scientific based metal shaping.........

If you notice the boat tail that I made (with Fay) look at the back ground and you'll see it was made in Fay's shop. He is a great teacher and even a better friend. .......Just the best,...PERIOD!

savoy64

any of you guys think of making the rear doors open like a club/quad cab truck? that way you could make your overweight in laws ride in the back----bob

mrsbojigger

Hi Bob,
I have no plans for 4 doors of any kind. In fact the front seat will not even fold forward to accomodate passengers of any size. My car is for just me and my wonderful wife. The rear seat area will be a little different from the norm.
Today I worked on making lifting brackets for the LS1 engine so as not to damage the plastic intake manifold when installing it into the engine compartment.
Peace,
Chaz

mrsbojigger

Wednesday morning: Just finished my new engine lift brackets with engine incident adjuster. I should be able to lift the whole car with this sucker!
Peace,
Chaz

46HudsonPU

Looks interesting... Is that a GM 5.3L/5.7L Vortec V8 with a 4L60e?

mrsbojigger

Hi Rick,
Yes sir, it sure is!
I made the lift brackets so that I would not accidently break any of the plastic pieces such as the coils and intake manifold while lifting the unit into the car.
Peace,
Chaz

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