My 60's survivor '34 Ford Coupe body is welded to the frame. There's no reason for me to make a change. I simply plan to clean it as is. Is that traditional for the era? Thoughts?
It has been done but back when these cars could be had for penny's on the dollar. Most of the cars like that in this part of the South were race cars and not street drive hot rods. HRP
I guess since I've never seen this done in my time, it doesn't seem traditional to me. Either way, I'd still say NO to the whole concept.
The bodies move and stress crack without being welded to the frame. Don't think it is a good thing, I would cut it loose and bolt it back on the frame.
Not so sure all the naysayers are correct about this. The body on frame construction was pretty much 'state of the art' when these cars were originally built, and primarily facilitated assembly operations. Now, that said, I also think the wisdom of mating the body and chassis may depend on how intact the body is in the first place. With the subrails gone, typical for channeled cars, I think, the body loses some of the built in structural strength. But adding the body's strength to the chassis without flexible mounts in between may well be to the benefit of both. Like most things, how something is done is least as important as whether it is done. Ray
I would think your car must be a channeled build? Yes, I've seen some here over the years. To mold the firewall over the frame rails. Most rods here were bolted, though. I have a genuine old rod, chop/channeled 30 chev roadster pickup, that was built 59-61 at the first clubhouse of the Spindles car club in Jamaica Plains (Boston). It could be the only one from that era left, and they did a nice job molding the firewall over the rails. They used curled strips of sheetmetal on the tops and sides of the rail at firewall. Then smoothed it out to look ''moulded" Rest of the body is bolted, including the cowl, so the "welded firewall" is more of a decorative thing. I will never change that detail, I will put it back as it was when I redo the bodywork and chassis
I'm thinking if your car was done that way in the 60s and is a survivor car,,,,,,,,,, that kind of answers your own question ,,,, despite how some guys want to rewrite history.
My 34 Vicky is built like that, the car has 200k plus miles on it, is it ideal for today's standards NO! But I'm keeping it this way and will be restoring and rebuilding all the mechanicals, the doors open and shut nice with no body cracking...
I think metal shapes roadster is welded to the frame. If I recall correctly he then welded his floor pan to the bottom of the rails so when he sits in it he's sitting down between the rails a bit. Calls it a unibody roadster. Which I suppose at that point it is
There's a lot of flex in a 33-4 chassis that's engineered into it. I recall a photo of one with 12" blocks under the left front and rt rear in an outdoor display of the time. Sure, much of it was suspension but imagine the twist that was "managed". Calling out Lincolns probably shouldn't count. Double rails, boxed, etc, just like an early rodder would do. How have the jambs and door fits held up? Any cracks in abnormal places? Maybe they did it well. Is there additional work to the frame? Can I be the 3rd to ask for pics?
If its done nicely, seems strong and you aren't tearing the car completely down anyway then I would leave it alone. Welding it on isn't the "correct" way....however tearing a car completely apart and having to recreate the entire floor pan area to allow bolt on mounting, when the car as it sits is safely useable, doesn't seem the least bit sensible to me. I'd drive the pants off the thing and not worry about it. I wouldn't put a big dollar paint job on it for fear of stress cracks forming mind you...but I wouldn't spend my days stressed out over it either.
Highlander...33/34 was the first year Ford made a real attempt to control torsional flex by using a center X member and internal rail structure. It's a lot stiffer than the transitional 32 frame was. My bet on that display picture you saw was that they were showing how far the suspension could be flexed...and you could still open the doors!
Had a 31 coupe channel over a 32 frame back in the 80's,solid as a rock!! Yes it was welded to the frame!(bought it that way and was done very well) Pete
There has been some topic drift since you asked: "Is it typical of the era?" The answer is: Yes, it is. In 1957 I bought a channeled 34 3-Window with the body welded to the frame. I drove it on the street and drag raced it. Never a problem. Doors and deck lid fit well. It had been channeled slightly crooked. So check for that. I never tried to correct that.
This body is welded to the frame with no ill effects,the frame is beefed up considerably and was stick welded in the 50s
It seems that if you get one with race history from that era that being welded to the frame was a common thing. I have no idea why. I do know that if you want more head room you can weld the body to the frame then drop your floor boards to the bottom of the frame. Metal shapes did that with his car, gives him a short windshield and room for his lanky frame.
I recently debated the issue of whether to rebolt my model A body back solid to the frame or fab some cushined mounts. When I removed the body it was lifted carefully on a special frame I constructed for the one man job. During the jacking proceedure I noticed the doors did not close like before the lift. I adjusted the jacks without any damage. Conclusion; This body flexes easily even with a steel floor installed. I will bolt it down with no cushions. Don't want any potential frame flex to damage the body work or crack the glass out.
My dad and his buddy welded his '34 3W to the frame back in '54 after they channeled it. Probably not the best idea but it got the car down the road with no real problems.
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