Technical hot rod truck frame plans

Yep. My paw paw refused to let us use the word can’t.
You may not know how at the moment, there is no can’t.

 

Welcome to Hotrodding 101, preparing you for Hotrodding 2.0, which leads to your Beta version, and eventually to a mostly refined version of what you hoped to accomplish in the first place. And by the time you're in your late 70s, you'll kinda know how you want to build the next one you've been kicking around in the back of your mind. By then you'll have all the skills and tools and space you'll need, maybe even the money, but the energy and the time's runnin' out and you'll be pissed about that.

 

Call Bob Bleed at Midwest Fabrication…his Bleed Sweep perimeter frame would be a good start…and quite reasonable too!

 

SO you want specific plans for a chevy custom truck with no details on the suspension ( particularly the type of front springs ) and if you want it cross wise or a pair of leaf's length wise like a chevy truck would have stock , engine , bed length, hood length , wheel base, ride height , steering style as in cross steer or drag link , frame horns or not and so on

Simply put it does not exist . Guys can give you suggestions to help you know what you want and you can get a better idea of what you want then steer you to some better ideas after you know what you want more precisely but nobody has a set of plans for something they have no clear idea of your finished goal is .

This is not like a model A or 32 were there is a market for a ready made frame or plans to make one.

If it was mine id start with some 2x4 tubing and taper it in the front Z it in the rear and run a ford soring and axle with a maybe a 4 link and cross steer.

I have seen a few 33 and later frames cheap that have a nice look that would not scream 32 ford frame under a chevy.

Im looking at doing a 49 Willys Jeep PU sort of 2WD rat rod thing and what ever frame I do it will need to be pretty much 100% custom unless I use parts of the original 4x4 frame . I almost bought a 34 ford frame work with
.

You could dump the body on a model A frame and call it a day but its going to look like post 32 or so truck that is traditionally/ commonly not built fenderless on a A frame.

Good luck

 

Man, what are you doing?
This forum is super helpful.
I've read through this whole thread, tons of info and photos have been offered. Some good examples with straight rails and steps, some that utilize existing frames.
To be fair, i don't think you've even mentioned what you want to do for a motor, or suspension.
Lotta vague happening..

 

Ok. Ya got at least 4 cab mount holes. That’s a start.
Use the front 2 as a zero point for front and rear measurements.
That will also give ya a frame width at that point
What front ends. Suicide/spring behind axle, model A style front x member with spring over axle. Some form of parallel set up …..
Rear? 2 - 3 -4 link? Buggy sprung?
Needs more to go on

 

HUH? I don't understand coded messages! HRP

 

For suspension as shown in the example photos I’m after a drop front I beam and 4 link rear,

 

These guys aren’t being rude just honest.
Rude you have no idea!
Dan

 

Buggy sprung fronts been done a zillion times. Tons of info out there.
T-bucket, Model As, 32, 334/4 ………..
Spring behind

start stacking pieces together like posted already
Then start measuring and drawing

 

What you are asking for does not exist.

Unless you find a manufacturer that makes a frame, and is willing to give or sell you the plans to their product, you are asking for plans to hand-made, one-of-a-kind frames.

No two that are out there are alike, and there is only one that fits that body exactly, an original one.

Can you make one? Maybe. Can someone else make you one? Probably.

I can make you one, but the distance and transportation would be a huge logistics and financial obstacle.

The frame that you need is a tapered ladder frame, that rises over the rear axle, and at the front.

The rest is a endless series of variables.

If you have an unacceptable existing original frame, clone it in 2" x 4" 0.188" wall tubing. Add early Ford crossmembers, cross springs, and a dropped Model A axle in the front. Put a decent rear end in it.

Split long Ford wishbones in the front, Pete and Jakes ladder bars in the rear.

 

Here's a source, in Canada, that makes good stuff. Doubly good for you because you can avoid import fees, and tariffs.

Mr. Horton's company makes a huge array of properly engineered bits and pieces, so you don't have to make them all.

I can make anything in my shop, but still buy parts from: https://welderseries.company.site/

 

I used a model a front suspension. I also used a model a front crossmember.
That took care of the front. Left the tubing long till I figured out where to sit cab. Then fabbed up the rear of frame.

 

None of the photo's on your original post show the actual spring .
One can maybe ***ume its a transverse spring like in a early ford but there could be coil overs in two of those pictures. There running split wishbones in those pics and all have the body fully or partially channeled over the frame so your looking a modifying the floors and such no matter what.

you do not know the wheel base but a bobber to me means you shortened it up some in the rear . ??
You could literally sit your truck cab on a model A type frame or a 32 type frame and adjust the wheel base at the rear to your hearts desire . At least then off the shelf after market suspension parts would work for the front.

If your going to channel it then you can make the truck fit what ever frame VS making a custom frame fit the truck cab with no mods .

You need to decide if you want frame horns the what grill and width as wellas the wheel base before you go frame hunting or making plans .
The other big factor is the budget . Is this a budget with a $4000 frame or a $400 frame ? a 20' stick of 2x4 or 2x6 tubing a model A or 32 front cross member and about a day with a plasma cutter or torch or cut off wheel and some pie cuts to taper the front of the rails and likely about a 4 to 6 inch kick up in the rear can yield a frame for for about $300 or so . most guys buildung these non traditional over 1935 or so truck cabs fenderless are not doing some high dollar build or they would have started with a more desirable body ( not hating your truck cab ) so a lot fall into the budget build catigory were there not sticking $10,000 worth of frame and high end suspenson under a $500 truck cab .
Im considering a budget build with spare parts and cast offs for a 49 Willys 4x4 pick up I can get cheap to make a channeled no fender 2WD my plan will be some 2x6 steel Ill take a long pie cut out of the front and taper the front rails and weld in a speed way Model A type type lowering cross member ill do a weld in $75 saddle mount for the engine mount and then and ill kick the back up about 5" in the rear directly behind the cab the frame will be wider the back than the front to better fit the wider than a ford cab . I see maybe $500 in materials in the entire frame . This would be a sort of rat rod or better what id calla budget build were its done right and safe but on the cheap were I'm not starting with a $1000 set of 32 rails for a non Ford vehicle.

 

Random FB pics

 

Id have used 2x6 instead of 2x4 and Id have tapered it from the cab forward maybe even putting a slight curve in the bottom of the frame as I tapered it down but yea that's really all A guy needs for a channeled build like this .

With no fenders and channeled only the frame forward of the fire wall shows .

That looks like a m***ive 10" or so kick up in the rear way more than needed likely unless you want it the ground looks like its kicked up in the front also.
this would have the transmission and the drive line pretty high up in the cab.

 

'42 chevy pickup build | The H.A.M.B. (jalopyjournal.com)

 

Yep. I like stupid low stuff
But just posting for reference.
I would change a lot on this one.
Just a basic idea of what’s been done
Simple amd built with basic stuff

 

That's what my Dad told my oldest brother, before taking his watch apart. Never did work !

 

Yeh but watches are magical and us HAMB fisted hoodlums shouldn’t mess which such things, I’d include brain surgery in this group.
Dan

 

LOL. I feel the same way about automatic transmissions...a bunch of odd looking parts and some juice...it's got to be magic.

 

Did you bother to look through this thread ???

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/bobber-trucks-are-they-hamb-rods.1243980/
.

 

FYI the pics in your first post, of trucks you like…2 of them look to have sweep type frames. Might be helpful to say where you live…especially when talking about hard to ship stuff.

 

Frame shops should have a book or database of the dimensions of frame you want. They use them to pull crashed frames back into alignment. It's also popular (if you don't have the design/build skills) to hit the junkyard and buy a complete late model PU ch***is and adapt your body to fit. A lot of the big truck - COE guys will even use a motorhome ch***is under those.