Skip to content

Rebuilt Tudor debuts at Piston Poppers show

After more than three years of hard work, Sid Braaksma is ready to show off his rebuilt antique car.
38592ponokaCarSHow071713
Sid Braaksma shows off his rebuilt 1933 Ford Tudor V8. Braaksma bought the body nine years ago and finally had a chance to put some serious energy and work into the vehicle three years ago.

After more than three years of hard work, Sid Braaksma is ready to show off his rebuilt antique car.

He bought the shell of a 1933 Ford Tudor V8 and put together a car that drew many eyes during the Ponoka Piston Popper’s show and shine July 13. Braaksma bought the Tudor body nine years ago and finally had a chance to put some serious energy and work into the vehicle three years ago.

Getting the Chevy 350 ZZ4 engine into the Ford Tudor was not as difficult as one would think and Braaksma purchased many parts from the United States to complete the vehicle. He added fuel injection to the engine and finally had a test drive. “Yesterday was the first day I drove it.”

Putting together old vehicles is something he enjoys and he has a small collection of antiques he likes to work on. Braaksma has been collecting for the last 40 years. This Tudor took quite a bit of work.

“There was a lot of hours,” said Braaksma. “It takes a lot of dedication.”

Sourcing parts for the vehicle was another process in itself. He spent many hours searching dealers for what he needed.

The leather seats were added but the body is all original sheet metal and the grill is original as well. Part of the interior is still incomplete but he intends to finish it up this fall. For antique car collectors, Braaksma feels the biggest enjoyment of working on them is having a say in how they are completed.

“It’s cheaper to buy one than it is to build one,” he explained.

But the reward is doing the job yourself. “That way it’s yours. You’ve done it the way you want it.”

The real reason Braaksma enjoys coming to these cars shows though is being able to talk with other builders and collectors.

“I don’t go to the shows for prizes, they’re secondary. You go for the people,” he stated.

Braaksma usually spends his winter in Phoenix, Ariz. and he intends to pull his ’33 Tudor with him to enter it into other shows. However this vehicle is not an everyday car; Braaksma does not intend to drive it around at -40 degrees C.