Gang, Of course I've heard of the "Model A pinch" for the front of 32 rails, but when researching a rolling 32 chassis recently I was told it had a "highboy pinch" which evidently narrows the frame rails a little on a 32 to give the 32 grille shell a little tighter fit between the rails. That kind of pinch was news to me, so I've been wondering how the highboy pinch differs from an A pinch? Or how any of these pinches look / work with their respective body style's grille shells, hood sides - or even full fenders if that is still a workable option? Evidently, I don't get out enough, so I was wondering if we could do a photo thread to show some of the more commonplace 32 front frame rail pinches / mods - the A on 32, the highboy 32 pinch, etc., so we can see exactly how much they are pinched and where, and how the grilles / sides / rails look in concert after the changes? Any inputs greatly appreciated. Thanx, Gary
Yes, please. This is a great idea gnichols. I'm also curious about frames pinched so that they terminate in line with a 32 grill as opposed to being wider than the shell. I'd also love to see any tech articles about pinching frames, or links to past threads.
The rails on my deuce roadster are pinched 3/4" on each side, which, to my understanding is considered the most common nowadays. I never cared for the way they looked upinched on a hiboy, always thought the excess gap seemed unsitely on a "modern" style build. It has been popular for some time but I've never heard it referred to as a "hiboy pinch" though. My hood is 1" longer than stock also.
Forgot to say; this is common on chassis with stock length front frame horns. Cars with pinched and bobbed rails have been known to have IIRC, 1" or more pinch per side.
Never heard of a Highboy pinch before. When I built the frame for my coupe I simply traced the outline of the body while it was sitting on the floor and made the pinch to match the shape of the body. I pinched the front by the cross member to be as wide on the outside as the grill shell. Good thing I am running a banger otherwise I may not have been able to run cross steering and a Vega box.
Typically the store bought frames have a pinch like Denny pointed out and for model A they pull them in at the cowl about an inch per side to keep the frame under the cowl on both sides The home / custom builder have done many other variations , I have narrowed the whole frame to give a 32 like apperance to a 30 roadster before
Here's a "store bought" Brookville chassis I'm using on my project. This shows the pinch the way they do it.
Pinched and Bobbed. Courtesy of http://www.blackboardhotrods.com I found this search very informative. https://www.google.com/search?q=pin...U=&q=pinched and bobbed 1932 ford frame rails A little off topic but this old HAMB thread is interesting. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/...rd-frame-strengtheners-over-rear-axle.257330/
32 highboy pinch requires a cut at the cowl and usually uses a spreader bar 21.5 inches wide as opposed to 23 for the stock frame, tucks the shell tighter to the inside of the horns and eliminates the gap between the hood and the edge of the frame just behind the front cross member. Full pinch refers to a pinch at the cowl which tapers to 20 inches wide at the front end, requires bobbing the horns, tucks the end of the frame behind the deuce shell. Most model A pinches are squeezed at the cowl to tuck the frame in line with the cowl. 28/29s take more shaping than the 30/31. All this fly's in the face of traditional hot rodding where the builders just mounted their A bodies on a stock deuce frame.
We pinched my frame 5/8ths each side and it tucked the rails in just enough to eliminate the "non" fender gap. But when we did that, we shortened the frame horns (I forget just how much) because, optical illusion made them look as though they were extended 87 feet or so. Had to fab a narrowed spreader bar too. A lot of effort for subtle change but well worth it to me. And apparently a lot of you other guys after reading the thread.
I was wondering when this might become an issue... personally, I've been thinking of the pinch more of a streamlining / aero deal rather than just for looks. I've also been tossing around the idea of fixed hood sides and hidden hood side latches / locator pins (inside the hood sides) for the same reason. Gary
I sure won't sweat it Gary, the Dan Fink hidden hood latch/release is a pretty nice affair, in my opinion. One thing though; depending on the style of hood top/sides you choose, give some thought as to where you mount those SHARP alignment pins for the hood sides.
The pins are easy... 1/4" rods with round ends welded vertically into holes in the top surface of the frame rails. Make the pins long enough to put a rubber grommet on first to keep the hood sides (bent at 90 inward on their bottom edges) off the frame rails and a have little extra height to allow for any vibration / flexing, and yer done. The tops of the hood sides will be bolted to the radiator shell, core support, firewall, cowl cage, etc.. Gary
The frame under my Model A is a Pete & Jake's 32. When I ordered it, they suggested a "Model A contour", which cost extra. Asked what that was, they told me a stock 32 frame is sway-backed and they run uphill, such that you'd have a gap under the flat-bottomed Model A body otherwise, and if you ran a hood with a stock height and mounted radiator, the hood would run uphill. To make this happen, they started with fabricated frame rails from a company called ARC or Curbside Productions. Can't remember the name of the company for sure, but the rails were fabricated instead of stamped, and they were flat on top. I didn't have a stock 32 frame to compare it against, but my coupe body fits great on it.
^THIS What decade did pinching a 32 frame to"better fit" a model A body become popular? Certainly not the 50's......maybe the 80's? Was it Magoo that started the now commonplace trend?
I'm pretty sure that was krylon32's point... it isn't really traditional, eh? My guess is that it's a "smoothie" street rod trend - starting in the 80's? But the reason I'm asking for inputs isn't to prove the point either way, but to get some ideas for my 29 A coupe. One of my goals will be to get the old brick as smooth as I can, early 1950s racing-wise. Be it a sports rod, lakes car or even a dragster, stuff like reversing door hinges, having the front end flush with the frame rails, using front frame horn fairings, belly / rolled pans, a slanted windshield, and / or just generally keeping everything tucked in, laid back and out of the wind as much as possible are things I'm looking at. Gary
This is my pops roadster, starting with a pinched cowl and then following thru with the rails pinched to the rear wheel. I dont know about any one else but this car isnt a fly in the face untraditional build.
It isn't really traditional eh?.....well probably not 1950's traditional, maybe not Ryan's 1965 traditional, but very traditional to many now. Period correct.....guess it depends on the period chosen.
I made a plywood template of my '28 Tudor body, so OJ could match its contours perfectly when he assembled my frame: The JWG repro rails match the body's curvature. The body drapes over the rails by about 1/2". At the cowl, I followed Rolf and DRuss's examples- the rails are pinched to fit inside the stock sheetmetal. Then I trimmed the cowl feet where the frame angles upward. Forward of the cowl, the rails gradually taper to the grille shell: Finally, the rear horns are trimmed to keep everything tucked inside the body, and the body's lower edge is trimmed to clear the rear axle. Lots of work to make everything look effortless.
My $.02. Pinching a frame is no less traditional than any other aesthetically driven frame-to-body mod (bobbing, channeling, kick-ups, etc.)
When I built mine back in the 80's all I had to go by was the Bud Bryan build in R&C. No pinch, and stock 32 frame, sway backed with oak filler strips. Traditional has certainly progressed, for the esthetic good, IMO.
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