grafting a left frame rail piece on a 32 ford frame

someone cut off my left rear frame rail on my original 32 ford frame. what is the best way to accurately weld a new one on? just make the cut straight, measure then weld on the new one? use clecos somehow? i want to use a stock style gas tank so it has to be accurate. are there any tricks? thanks
brady

 

any help from the evening crowd?

 

I,m about to cut mine off.
do you still need them.
or
are you set, man.

 

Depending on how much is cut off ... I believe I would buy a set of frame blueprints ... ( eBay ) and study them. With a correct lenght spreader bar in place @ the rear ... and a tank set in place ... getting the proper fit and location should not be all that difficult.

 

i have one, thanks, but i don't have a tank yet. can it be done without a tank?

 

Sure

But I would want one ... just as insurance.
After the last body mounting hole ... it is not all that terribly critical ... IMHO.
Almost every aftermarket set of frame rails that I have seen that has been built into a frame ... has had to have the rails massaged up or downward ... to get a good fit ... body to fuel tank. With no fenders ( and no frame horn covers ) ... it is not as important.



This is the original frame, body and fuel tank for my 3W. The gap between the body and tank is pretty good. Can barely get the frame horn covers in between the body and the tank. The fit is better than it looks ... due to a shadow being cast by the body



I have seen the gap be large enough to stick a grown man's hand in ... up to the wrist ... with a tank in place ... it would be easier to make sure the fuel tank holes line up and that the rail was in the right place ... not too high or not too low ... if you had the tank level ...side to side.

There are two holes on the left side frame rail for the tank to bolt to. Is your replacement a original with the holes already in place or is it a reproduction and you drill the holes to fit ??

.

 

Cut the end of the frames on an angle to give more welding area and do full penetration welds, fish plates welded to the inside of the rails also helps, try not to grind the welds flat.

 

my piece is an original frame rail piece. and we are only talking about 11 inches.

 

That frame material is #11 gauge, about 1/8" thick. On the side that will be exposed, grind a 3/32" x 45 degree chamfer everywhere that you will be welding---both on the new peice you are adding, and on the old part you are welding to. Get the new peice lined up perfectly with a flat piece of steel and lots of C-clamps. Make your first few tacks on the inside where it will not show.---Make them good 3/8" long tacks so that nothing is going to move when you take the C-clamps off (after everything has air cooled to room temperature.) Be sure and tack the outside edge of the flanges as well as the web. After everything has cooled and all the clamps removed, weld the exposed side of the weld (with the chamfered edge preparation) solid, all around---make sure that the weld you lay down completely fills the chamfered area and sets up "proud" of the frame surface. Let it cool. Then weld the inside where the tacks were, completely solid everywhere. Let it cool. Then grind the weld flush with the frame surface on the exposed side. Do not grind the weld on the inside of the frame rail.

 

i still don't understand. the portion that was once cut was cut roughly. once i make a clean cut, how do i align it correctly to match the other side?

 

Brady---I assume that the other frame rail is still allright. If so, get some large peices of cardboard, or even light plywood and trace the shape of the good framerail onto it. Make sure that it is big enough to extend a couple of feet beyond the "cut-off" section of the damaged framerail. Then clamp it to the damaged framerail, using the "overlap" part of the template to align it with the undamaged section of rail. take the new peice you are adding and align it with the template---use as many c-clamps as arenecessary to hold everything in perfect alignment. Tack it good enough that it isn't going to move---remove C-clamps and template--then weld as instructed in previous post. If you concerned with alignment in the other plane (vertical as opposed to sideways), then set your frame up on jackstands, level it perfectly using a 48" level accross the frame, then take measurements from the floor up to the top of the undamaged rail in the area where your cut off section is being replaced, and use those measurements to correctly position the new peice you are adding in.

 

BrianAngus is right on target. I'm flying into Phoenix on Sunday and will be staying in Mesa and Scottsdale till the 27th. I'll possibly need a break from the in-laws ( or them from me ), if you need a hand with anything drop a PM.

 

thanks brian for the info. larry i might take you up on the offer. thanks
brady

 

Reference off the other side, that's what the others are saying.

By installing the gas tank to both the right rail, and the new left rail, the gas tank becomes a guide to help you position the new piece.

 

Late '32 rails had a doubler on the inside of the rails in that area. You could add one to both sides plug welded in to strengthen your weld and both would match, not that you'll ever see them. I think I'd want a rear spreader bar bolted in to ease in the alignment.

 

Here is one we did last year.