Ford Tudor Sedan Buyer's Guide (1928–1940)

There's a line from Sam Barris's shop in Maywood that runs directly to every kustom build you see at Oakland Roadster Shows today, and the Ford Tudor Sedan sits right in the middle of it. The Model A Tudor, the 1932–1934 Tudor, the 1935–1940 — these are the cars that defined what American kustom kulture could do with a factory body and some lead. What I tell first-time buyers is simple: the body is the building block. If it's straight and the metal is solid, everything else is time and money. If the metal is gone, you're starting from nothing regardless of what's on the title.

The Tudor Through the Decades

Ford used "Tudor" to describe their two-door sedan body style through multiple generations of the Model A and early V8 era. Each generation has its own character and collector following:

Model A Tudor (1928–1931)

The Model A replaced the Model T in late 1927 and was a revelation — a conventional sliding-gear transmission, mechanical four-wheel brakes, and proper styling for the first time in a mass-production Ford. The Tudor was the two-door sedan in the lineup, practical and available in enormous numbers. The Model A Tudor is the foundational kustom body: its proportions reward a top chop, its simple construction makes lead work accessible, and its flathead four-cylinder responds to replacement with a flathead V8. Harry Westergard built his first significant kustoms on Model A Tudors in the early 1940s.

1932–1934 Tudor (The Deuce Era)

The 1932 Tudor shares the landmark Deuce body with the coupe and roadster — the same sweeping fenders, the same proportions that made the three-window coupe a legend. The Tudor is less celebrated than the coupe in hot rod culture, but in kustom circles it's equally significant. The V8 engine (Model 18 designation) arrived for 1932 alongside the four-cylinder Model B in the same body. This generation crosses between Jim Vasquez's kustom territory and the hot rod world — many of the great early kustom Tudors from this era use the flathead V8 with multiple carbs.

1933–1936 Tudor

Ford's styling evolved rapidly through this period — the 1933 and 1934 cars refined the Deuce proportions; Ford kept fabric-insert roofs until 1937, while the all-steel Turret Top roof was a General Motors design introduced in 1935. The 1936 Tudor is the last of the more purely streamlined prewar design language before the 1937 redesign.

1937–1940 Tudor

The 1937 Tudor is the styling peak of the era — fully streamlined, balanced proportions, a grille that reads as modern even today. The 1938–1940 cars continued the theme with minor revisions. These are the latest and largest of the classic prewar Ford Tudors and have strong appeal in both original-car and custom circles.

What Kustom Buyers Look For

The Tudor's value in the kustom world is its body: a straight steel shell with good panel fit is the starting point for a five-figure build. What kustom buyers evaluate: roof line straightness (a previous chop that was done badly is a nightmare to correct), panel gaps at the doors (twisted body = misaligned panels), the quality of any previous lead work (probe lead-filled areas with a magnet — lead doesn't attract, filler does), and most importantly the lower body structure. The rocker panels and lower quarters need to be solid metal. A beautiful roof on rotten lower metal is worthless as a build foundation.

Rust Inspection

Cowl channel at the windshield base — universal on unrestored prewar Fords. Lower rear quarters at the fender seams. Rocker panels along the lower body sills. Floor pans inside the car. On 1937–1940 cars, the area behind the rear wheels at the lower fender-to-body seam is a consistent rust zone. Trunk floor on all years.

"Every kustom show I've been to — Oakland, Sacramento, Pomona — there's always a Tudor in the top ten. The body just works. The proportions reward a chop, the doors are wide, the rear quarters have room for flowing bodywork. What I watch for is the guy selling a 'project' Tudor that someone else started badly. A bad chop on a 1940 Tudor is not a 'project' — it's a major correction. Know the difference before you hand over money."

— Jim Vasquez

Pricing

Original, unmodified Model A Tudor in driver condition: $12,000–$20,000. Show-quality original: $22,000–$35,000. 1932–1934 Tudor original: $20,000–$35,000 driver; $38,000–$60,000 show. 1937–1940 Tudor original: $18,000–$30,000 driver; $32,000–$50,000 show. Quality professional kustom builds — correct lead work, professional chop, finished interior — add significant value above original prices, potentially reaching $80,000–$120,000 for award-winning work. Half-finished or poorly executed kustom projects price at a significant discount to original cars.

What to Look For

Pre-Purchase Checklist

1. Magnet panel test
   Run strong magnet over all lower panels — lead slides freely, Bondo attracts slightly
2. Roofline sight check
   Sight down roofline front and rear — kinks or sags indicate bad previous chop
3. Cowl channel probe
   Probe windshield base area — universal rust zone on prewar Fords
4. Lower rear quarters
   Check fender-to-body seams for rust
5. Rocker panels
   Probe lower body sills along full length
6. Floor pans
   Check interior floor for rust-through
7. Panel gap evenness
   Check all door gaps — uneven gaps indicate twisted structure or repair
8. Trunk floor
   Remove mat and probe trunk floor at corners
9. Wiring safety check
   Inspect cloth-insulated wiring for deterioration — fire risk on original systems
10. Previous modification quality
    Assess any prior modifications: are they professional work or amateur attempts?

Common Issues

Pricing Guide

Fun Facts