Im going to cut this frame for my 30 coupe. It is almost perfect... what do you think? LOL. With some surgery it might come out good. I can't afford to have a 32 frame so this was the next best thing since I got it for free. HotRod Michelle's car is what it will be sort of base upon. I will post pictures as I shorten and narrow the frame. Don't laugh to much but I seen some pictures of cars that were done like that back in the day. If any of you have experience f sticking one of these under a coupe please chime in. Thanks
I think you have the perfect crossmembers to complete this. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=306987 And you'll save time in the long run. .02
I very much dislike when someone asks for opinions and others here slam them. THis is NOT a slam reply. I doubt that this frame is going to work and give you the look that belongs undser the coupe. Not without a TON of work. And that's a real ton, not a mini-ton. You'd be better off picking up a Model A frame, box it and slide it underneath the coupe. Don't want to hurt your feelings, but.......you did ask. Good luck with it. The body has great potential.
yeah free is awsome if it was a fat fendered ford dude that is a model a coupe don't do it repeat dont do it take off the parts and get another frame for $200/$400 tk
I like the swoop frame rails. I had a model a frame and it was not for me. I have more time than money for this project. I have a off frame 68 Chevelle SS that all my money is in and that isn't done due to putting paint on it along with another 5 to 10k. I know this site has all the 32 frames you can look at or even the model a frames. If you put time in it im sure it will look ok. After all anyone can buy a hotrod but can you make one?
Do you plan on fully chanelling the coupe? If so, I personally don't really see any problems with the look. It will be alot of work, but if you've got more time than money...f$#*% it! You see guys on here spending a ridiculous amount of time on making model A frames sweep way up in the front....you've already got your sweep. Not to mention all the cool xtras...x-brace, wishbones with the perches already on there, spindles and hubs by the looks of it and the rearend! I'd try to track down a "free" front crossmember from a model A and order a lower arch spring that's the right eye to eye measurements and you'd already be saving over a $1000 on what I spent on my front end stuff. Who knows how it'll turn out though... You might love it...you might hate it. But you can always change it down the road. There's plenty of guys out there building their cars for years because they want everything "just so"...and will spend ridiculous amounts of money to make it what they think it should be, or what people tell them it should be. Instead of taking 5 years to save up the money for a deuce frame and sitting in your garage pulling your hair out looking at your heap....you can settle, work with what you got and be on the road and having a blast. I could go on all night about this, but... I think you're on the right track! -Steve
I like the idea of the challenge to it, and figuring out how to rework stuff to make it right for you.
I got frame rails from Alston Race cars in Illinois..They are $300 and pretty nice for the money. They were perfect because I am running my car really low and channeling it. Its worth a look.My friend also got a Model T frame from Speedway and added 18" to the rear and it looks and worked great........Dave
Im going to disagree with you all. Almost any frame rail looks better from the side than a model A frame. Cut that thing up and get the proportions right and it can work.
Believe it or not You can make that frame work ,I can tell its a 35 or 36 The front rails have to be moved in ,And the front cross member has to be changed .Otherwise than that ,They do resemble 32 rails except for that distinct marking on the bottom.I personally I would make up my own frame ,Just priced 2x4 20 feet long at 80.00 Hey but that is what Hotrodding is all about .I went the hard way on my roadster ,Saved rusted rails and boxed ,I could of took the easy route and Built a 2x4 boxed frame ,
Most people start out with a model A frame then go to 32 rails for the beefy look. Well sticking a model a frame and doing a bleed frame or a vap frame would be great if this was my only car but its not. I an going to channel the car but not to crazy. I was going to sweep my model a frame, then z it and then box it. I think that 32 boxed frames are nice but im not putting a 500 to 600 hp hemi in it either. I wanted a Vaphead frame but by the time you buy the frame and everything that goes on it and around it I might as well buy someone's car and that wouldn't be right to me.
The hardest part of your frame build is getting the X member out .Get ,It down to the rails and then you will have something to work with ,I've got a frame chart with dimensions If you need measurements I can Pm you the length of the rails and crossmember width.When your ready I want to see my shell on there soon with the Winterfront insert that you want to fab .Like I said before If it comes out descent I want one ,The insert that is .
John now I have brand new sawsall and im good with it..Real Good. The last time I had a sawsall in my hand I cut up a 57 chevy belair 2dr ht and made a 7 second race car out of it. I just got a big supply of sawsall blades so watch out.
Looks like a 41-48 frame since the way the X member is in, they are just backwrds from a 35-40. Might be a little tougher. I'd build a frame from scratch before all that cutting and modifying from an old stocker. The outcome will be much better.
Welders, Grinders, Sawzalls, Tape Measure, levels, Angle finders, squares and Beers...You will have a nice frame in a weekend or two!
Has the dogleg front wishbone of the late 40's too. I think a person could do it BUT it will take some dedication and effort to pull it off without looking like a mess. Having a sawsall is one thing...planning your cuts and careful reassembly is another matter entirely. IF you honestly intend to do a nice clean job of it then I can't wait to see it go together. If not...then sell it to someone who needs it for what it is and use the money to buy some 2x4 tube and use that instead. The 2x4 tube is simple to configure into an A chassis...but certainly not as interesting!
I dont much care which way you go with it as long as it looks good when finished and the critical proviso is are you capable of doing this chassis project in the 1st place. Do you have the welding skills the aptitude and the shop to do it in? I guess if your answer is yes then go for it. If not then you may have plenty of time but it may be spent to no avail. Its your project...
Ill agree it might be a later frame ,Judging by the front wishbones ,We will see if he can pull it off .
One of my friends welds professionally so I already tuned him in for all the fun he can stand. It's really not that hard but it is time consuming. The hardest thing is the rivets and not damaging the frame itself while taking it apart. I was going to build my own 2x4 frame but I think Uncle Henry would be pi**ed at me.
If you're looking to save money going cheap or free the frame's not the place to do it. We're only talking about a few hundred dollars to build a nice Model A frame and just a little more if you buy '32 rails and build your own frame. Go cheap on the interior and finishes, upgrade later, hard to do that with a frame. Any way you do it it will not look right. It's best not to try to reinvent the wheel when it come to traditional hot rods. It's all been done, both very well and very poorly. You choose which direction you'd like to go.....
Im feeling a lot of disbelievers here. Ive seen people take frames and make art work out of them for mini trucks and their air ride setups, so a plain jane frame should be like drawing a square.
Here's another vote of confidence "ridin dirty".... Jimmy White's hemi coupe. Most definately one of the coolest hot rods I've ever seen....and I think most would agree. He's the owner of Circle City Hot Rods and an awesome guy! According to an old Hot Rod Deluxe article, it's on a 37-41 frame that's been narrowed, shortened, kicked up in the rear and boxed. I'm pretty sure that's the frame it was on when he found it and has probably done some mods on there since. If it's good for him and his coupe... i'm sure you'll be ok!
ps. If that's an original roller you've got, if it has round spindles, it's a 37-41. I'm not sure if the truck frames were different from the cars, but that does look like a heavy ass front spring/crossmember combo. Regardless....refer to my previous reply! and check out http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/ind...viewPicture&friendID=422455282&albumId=699569 for more pics of that coupe.
You can make it look good... but it's gonna take a keen eye, and a LOT of fabrication. My advice would be to buy a good grinder, and a torch set, and a saws all... and get it all cut apart, and then tack it together... then let your good buddy who is a welder, weld it all together. If you're gonna have him to the fitting... he'd better be a GOOD friend... and there better be something that you're gonna help him out with. My advice would be to sand that chassis down... paint it all up, basically, rebuild it... and then sell it... and with the money, buy a NEW model A frame... Sam
The Jalopy Journal
