FABULOUS FOUR-DOORS
Of all the configurations cars have been manufactured in, the most ignored by street rodders is the four-door sedan; like Rodney Dangerfield, they just don't get any respect. Oddly enough, four-door sedans were often produced in far greater numbers than the body styles most street rodders are drawn to. As an example, Ford sold just over 12,000 roadsters in 1932 as opposed to almost 35,000 Fordor Sedans (the best seller was the Tudor sedan). And while four-door sedans will probably not be the next new trend in the hobby, thanks to supply and demand when it comes to the raw material for building a street rod, four-doors are often bargains.
While there may be an advantage to a many-door body style, when it comes to price point, there are other things to consider as well. For hauling the family to rod runs in comfort, they're certainly user friendly. And then there's the challenge involved. After all, it's a lot harder to make some cars cool. The most ham-fisted builder would have a hard time making a '40 Ford coupe look bad, while the same year Fordor is a little more of a challenge to make right. Let's face it, if it were easy to build a fine four-door, everybody would do it. As we hiked around this year's NSRA Street Rod Nationals, we found a number of fabulous four-doors. Here's a look at a dozen of them.
This is the car that got us...
This is the car that got us paying more attention to the four-door body styles at this year's NSRA Street Rod Nationals. Trevis Berry and his '34 Ford Fordor hail from Gilroy, California. The sedan rolls on chrome wheels with Merc hubcaps and wide whites and wears an NSRA Safety 23 sticker.
It can be in show-stopping...
It can be in show-stopping condition or a work in progress, but the goal for most street rodders is to get on the road and have some fun. Jack Ikerd is well on his way with this '32 Ford Fordor.
This '34 Ford Fordor has an...
This '34 Ford Fordor has an interesting mix of resto and hot rod elements. Along with the stock body, it retains the original head and cowl lights, horns, and bumpers, but it also has added trim on the front and rear fenders and wears the traditional combination of solid wheels, caps, and trim rings.
Under the hood, the combination...
Under the hood, the combination of old and new continues. The Flathead wears Offenhauser heads, but rather than a Stromberg or two, it is fueled by a single Holley four-barrel. The alternator and electric fan are also contemporary touches.
Joe Wagner cruised from Roseville,...
Joe Wagner cruised from Roseville, Minnesota, to the Nats in his comfy '39 Cadillac. Series 61 Cads were available with or without running boards; this one runs sans boards but does have the optional dual side mount spares.
When you're talking cool four-doors...
When you're talking cool four-doors the conversation has to include woodies. This rare '37 Dodge belongs to Mike Bach of Bellville, Illinois. A modern Mopar small-block has replaced the original flathead six.
Here's an interesting pair...
Here's an interesting pair of Mopars, that's Rodney and Nina Wyatt's '34 Plymouth on the left, Marvin Purcell's '33 Dodge in on the right. These cars had exceptionally rugged frames that make them ideal candidates for running gear swaps.
Thirties sedans often had...
Thirties sedans often had unique features, like the ventilating system on the Wyatt's model PE Plymouth. By turning the window crank one way, the door glass rolls down and leaves the wind wing; flipping a lever allows the entire assembly, wind wing included, to be rolled down into the door.
Four-doors are not immune...
Four-doors are not immune to custom touches. This '39 Chevy, owned by Jim Hodge, has the headlights hidden behind the center and fender grilles, all the exterior trim and handles have been removed, running boards have been smoothed and ghost flames have been added.
There were lots of Chevy sedans...
There were lots of Chevy sedans at the Nats. On the left is John Adams' '34x, on the right is Walter Bunn's '32. With the amount of wood used for structural support in these cars, they can be a challenge to build, but the results are worth it.
Patrick Magee's '35 Buick...
Patrick Magee's '35 Buick seems to dwarf the '32 Ford behind it. While some of that is the angle of the photo, the Ford has a 106-inch wheelbase while the series 60 Buick has a whopping 128-inches between the axles. Now that's a cruiser.