Frame boxing, is my idea dumb?

I'm start with a '31/32 Dodge PU frame, I thought I'd box it with the metal inset about 3/4 of an inch...kinda give it an "I" beam look from the inside of the rails.

Couldn't find any pics after searching through the threads, just thought I'd get some opinions.

Thanks.

 

Take a look at how SOCAL speedshop boxes their frames, you pretty much described it. It gives it a nice lip to run brake lines and fuel lines on and such and kinda gives it the feel of a frame that wasnt boxed when you first look at it.

 

Its a great idea. It still gives a good lip that can give an appearance of a traditional look, but still provides strength.

I think boxed frames can look to slick and "street roddy".

Insetting the boxing plate can add the ridgity that you are wanting but still gives a good trad look.

Go for it.

 

It does give it a nice look.

Dang, and I thought I invented the idea

 

The torsional stifness will be about 1/2 if you set the plate in half way. The stiffness is determined by the area of the rail material and the the area inside the boxing. For the same rail parts,reducing the enclosed area cuts the stifness by the percent. To set the boxing plates in like that is a marketing ploy. It is harder to do and is not as stiff.

 

I did my frame this same way, but I didn't push the plates into the c-channel that much. Just push the plate in to the channel until it is plush then bump it in until your c-channel has about 1/8 material showing. If you using 1/8 inch thick plate, then thats about how much you would want to set it into the c-channel.

Alot of people will not recess the plate into the channel like that. The will just put the plate up against the channel & weld the perimeter. Then they will ground the weld flush, but you will have a problem with the welds cracking & the plates popping out.
Carl Hagan

 

I inset the boxing plates about 3/8". That gives you most of the strength of traditional boxing, but it looks better, and it gives you a place to run fuel lines and wires and stuff where they're pretty much tucked in and out of view looking from the top.

I weld a bunch of little tabs 1/2" in from the edge of the rails. Then those tabs give you something to clamp the boxing plates up against to hold them so that the face of the boxing plate winds up 3/8" inset from the lip of the frame rail.

 

Step boxing is still MUCH stronger than unboxed - Space a few cross webbing pieces to deturr frame flexing if you think boxing is necessary and have a high torque monster engine. I think boxing is mostly for looks anyway since MOST street mobiles don't even torque a stock frame. I normally box from the firewall forward, mostly for looks, and over the rear end area for torsion twist control, and to have mounting surfaces.

The stiffness is determined by the area of the rail material and the the area inside the boxing. For the same rail parts,reducing the enclosed area cuts the stifness by the percent. To set the boxing plates in like that is a marketing ploy. It is harder to do and is not as stiff.[/quote]

 

I'm more so just going for a "look" and a little peace of mind using a 70+ year old frame.

Some great ideas and information, thanks.

 

I usually put on a pair of 16 oz gloves and have at it. Once I lost by TKO.

It was common in some geographic areas to inset the boxing plate. It gave a place to run lines and wireing. I don't know that I would go 3/4" but we used to inset the plate 1/4-1/2" on a T or A ch***is.

 

You just invented the "Step Box" (registered trademark of SoCal Speedshop).

 

Well, hopefully they won't file litigation

 

I might as well go with the populous, I set my plates 1/8 inch in the channel for room to habg brake/fuel lines and wiring...sound original?

 

I hope you're good at fillet welds.

 

Just my 2 cents...

after going through street rod/ch***is fab @ wyotech, the only way they would allow us to box our frames was at the edge of the open part of the "c" channel.

this gives you great weld penetration and you can grind the excess off without compromising the weld strength, or lay a good bead and leave it for the look your after.

 

When boxing the frame on my 29 chevy,we had an opposing C-channel formed that fits inside the original straight section of the frame.It's installed so that it is inset about 3/16",then flat boxing plates are used at each end where frame tapers.Combined with exstensive round tube crossmembers it's very strong.This was done before SO-CAL marketed the step boxed frame,I guess we should have patented it,hahaha.