You can find some tradition...
You can find some tradition as well as some innovation inside Kern's sedan. SCAT bucket seats were covered with a wide pleat in red and white suede-a layout carried through to the door panels. The dash, taken from a Lincoln Zephyr, retains the cool single speedo, but was fitted with four mini Classic Instruments gauges to each corner for the gas level, oil temp, etc.
Kern found the body for this project via the internet. It was an original right-hand-drive '32 two-door sedan that was in Argentina and, he says, in fair shape. Cale, with help from Larry Kennedy, added a roof section from a '62 Buick wagon, slightly lowered the rear window, and chopped the top 1.5 inches. Non-original pieces include a Rootlieb hood (with no sides) and a Brookville grille shell with a Vintiques stainless steel insert.
Kern and Kennedy completed the rest of the bodywork, which included installing a '40 Lincoln Zephyr dash, before Cale put everything in his spray booth and coated it with DuPont Fire Red paint. Once done it was time for the upholstery, which was handled by Bryan Barlow and Ed Thralls from Interiors by Ed in Mitchell, Indiana.
Ed and Brian used a simple and traditional pleat design in covering the seats (which came from SCAT Enterprises) and door panels, and the pair used red and cream suede to create the effect, finishing it off with a red loop carpet. Carey Deckard, from Bedford, Indiana, installed the Pioneer/JBL-based stereo and speaker system, which tied into the wiring harness from American Auto Wire. The Zephyr dash utilizes its large, original speedo, but Cale went in and fit four mini Classic Instrument gauges (oil temp, fuel level, etc.) to each corner. Creature comforts are minimal in the hot rod, but include a Vintage Air climate control system.
Finishing off the car with stainless steel spreader bars fore and aft and attaching the 682 Guide commercial headlights and '39 Chevy taillights, the Tudor was up and running and ready to go to the 20th Goodguys Hot Rod Nationals in Indianapolis, Indiana, this past June.
Competing for the title not only means a car has to look good, but perform as well. Participants must drive roughly 100 miles to get to and from pre-chosen points during the competition, which includes a cruise around the Indy 500 track, some eighth-mile drag runs at the O'Reilly Raceway Park, as well as some other cruising in and around Indy.
Up against roughly 25 other rodders, Cale came out on top and won the 2008 Goodguys Hot Rod of the Year award, presented by Hot Hues. Luckily for us, Kern is not a one-time wonder, and is continuing on with building hot rods the way they used to, mixing in a little contemporary know-how to make 'em run better and live a little longer. He's currently building a full-fendered '32 three-window in a '60s-era style and a '32 roadster done up in a salt-flat look, but with a 324 Olds motor backed to a five-speed trans. Both cars sound like they'll be winners, too, which is what you might expect from Cale Kern.
The blister on the cowl to...
The blister on the cowl to hide the steering arm is exemplary of the body work Cale is capable of doing. He, with the help of Larry Kennedy, also filled the sedan's roof with a section of a '62 Buick wagon, and lowered the rear window about an inch along with chopping the whole roof 1.5 inches.
A '37 Ford steering wheel...
A '37 Ford steering wheel and column connects to a Schroeder box, which exits through the side of the cowl. Cale also fab'd up the pedal assembly out of stainless steel, and fitted the kick and header panel with aluminum panels.