Just curious if its worth the time for the '56.... I am debating welding the holes for all the components I have removed such as the front leaf hangers, spare tire carrier, etc. I plan to paint the frame silver, if it were black I don't think I would bother but they are gonna be more noticeable in the silver. The upside of not welding them is weight savings and a ton of work. Also for those of you who do weld them shut, do you do it be for blasting or after. My frame is so rusty I am afraid I will get some oxidation trapped in welds from the inside of holes I can't get a grinder in......guess I could drill em but more work.
Dont do it. Water/moisture can get in then cant evaporate & get out. Then things start rusting from the inside out.
I'd leave them too but I get why you'd want to. If you do weld them up, do it before blasting. Grind what you can, file the inside and slug them up. Then when you get your frame back its ready to prime
Weight savings? Not. Have you ever walked up to a 56 anything and noticed frame holes welded or not? You decide.
Moisture wont be an issue as it is C channel and only boxed at the axles. Shoulda stated that intially I guess. I'm just a little ****, I know most people wouldn't question the holes, but I know they are there and aren't serving a purpose.
I only do them on open-wheeled, fenderless cars, and then only where the frame rails show. If you can't see them, why bother?
And yeah I guarantee you there are a couple lbs worth of plugs to go in.......... a couple lbs is a couple lbs.
Nope not a drag, just trying to go light as possible. Want to save all the weight I can, for fuel mileage. Gimpy....I hadn't really considered doing just part of them, might just do the ones in the fender wells and let the rest go. Next build I am ordering some chromoly tubing and building the ch***is and callin it a day.
Funny, when the time comes to buy the reproduction 1932 Ford frame rails I want all the original holes, just so it has the original look. Bob
So.... You gonna take a dump and a piss and strip every time you drive? A couple pounds is a couple pounds.
Lmao !! Guy I know carried on all winter about removing his horns to save weight from his 12.10 race car. I thought he was just making a joke about that so I played along. He got pissed because he was serious. "EVERY POUND COUNTS DAMN IT! While I'm looking at a full factory interior and about 400 other pounds of **** I could have off of it in less than an hour.
UPDATE Well I bit the bullet and welded them all.....even a few I wasn't supposed too! Had to redrill them, oops. What a chore, next time the frame will be black, and all small holes will stay. I probably have close to 20 hours welding and grinding, welding and grinding........ It sure looks darn good though, get pics up tommorrow!
LOL well the PO drilled a bunch of random holes for ****, so they just bothered me. And since I am painting it silver I figured they would stick out. It was a PITA for sure. Worst part was grinding on the inside ot the frame rails. 4.5" grinder wouldnt get in there, and when it did I ate the sparks. spent a lot of time with the air grinder instead. Here is the final plan: blast everything individually two coats of KBS to all individual members/pieces ***emble the frame Sand and prep all the bolts filler any pinholes and waves additional coat of KBS two coats of summitsingle stage urethane What do you all think???