I could either buy rectangle tubing and build a complete frame from scratch for my a or cut up and box an original model A frame. I know where there is a few A frames around here that I can get but I'm not sure weather or not to just build a completely new one for the car. I just wonder if it would be cheaper in the long run to just build one from scratch. But I know steel is high right now to so I might would be better off buying an A frame and just buying metal to box it with. I'll be running either a sbc or the 250 six out of my 60 chevy in it. I think my six I built would be so much faster in a smaller car with lower gears But either way it would need to be able to take alot of abuse because I like to do burnouts and drive em like I stole em hehe What would be you guys and gals opinions?
I agree, unless your super lucky theres gonna be some compromises. Original looks more "trad" but square tubing gives you the flexability of those wild stances I'm a fan of. JMO. Drew
Traditional is cool but consider all the labor to clean up and box an ols frame and fill all the holes. Those things are like swiss chees when you get all the junk off. I have a decent A frame I was going to box and Zee. Now I'm not so sure. A used rectangular tubing frame has came along for cheap and I may just jump on it.
If you think about it,after you box,and z a stock frame,you end up with somthing close to a tubular frame. You still have all those splices that you have to reinforce,and holes to fill etc. I would rather spend a little more,and have a frame much stronger,than a patched up stocker. sparky
Two by four by .125 is the way to go rather than boxing an original frame. If you use Wescott's blue prints and a front crossmember from C E, and can weld reasonably well, a model A frame is a piece of cake. Good luck. pigpen (Or is that a slice of pie?)
If you are going to run the 6, very trick, you are going to stretch the wheelbase a tad. Easier and stronger if you use rectangular tube.
I have been thinking the same as far as building a car. I have a nice A frame but by the time i do all the moding to 75 year old metal, I might as well build my own frame and know that it will be stronger and safer to boot. Another option is to buy some repo 32 rails they are not cheap but not out of line when you consider how much easyer it will make your project. Who Is CI i have never heard of them? A quick question while were on the topic, if you fab your own frame do you retain the increase in width towards the back of the A frame, or do most people just keep both rails parelle? Thanks, Chris
i just built a frame for my A sedan last month. built it out of 2x3x.125. i think the total cost of the steel was $110.00. thats pretty damned cheap if ya ask me.
I put a 27t on 2x4 tubing and got the spcs from a older speedway cat. If you all ready have the crossmembers it's seems easier to put together. I was able to Z the front 4" and use an old buggy spring with a 12" Z in the rear. I thought it was cheeper this way and I realy hate to box. Besides if you box you realy need a jig to hold the rails in place and so it doesnt warp with all that heat. Basicly I treated the 2x4tube like a wooden 2x4. Trusty chop saw and a skillsaw with a metal blade. Measure, measure! my wheel base was so much easer to get than to mess with streching an original frame. I belive in not cutting the fire wall. Also, graft in the frame horns and maybe a spreader bar. Yes your rails will be in more of a "V" than " ll". My point is you have more options with making your own stuff! much cooler.... good luck, sexton
use 2x3 or 2x4 tube. With a little work you can make it apear to be vintage. It takes it a lot of work to bring an old frame up working condition then cut it up to fit your needs.
I would use 2x4-.125 wall, if you are going to set the body ON the frame. If you are going to channel it, you might want to use 2x3-.125wall. Either way you should "Z" the frame in the rear, but with a stock frame when you "Z" it ,the frame ends up too short, and you have to lengthen it. With a rectangular tube frane, you can design it to end up the correct length. To do it really nice, you should taper it from the 4" high tube near the firewall to about 3" at the front of the frame. ( just cut off that piece , and weld on a piece of 1 3/4" wide strap corner to corner, to replace the bottom of the frame rail.
I think it depends on what you're after and what the A frames cost. If the price is right, you might get an A frame and use it for the front horns and the rear crossmember. It would also give you the dimensions you need. For the rails, I'd suggest the tubing. Dan
read this website. its a bloody good step by step on building an A based hotrod frame, I used it as the basis for constructing mine. www.the-antidote.com/one/1chass01.htm
Mike Sexton is a Ruler...but he is wrong.hahha really...i think it depends on what you want.what you like looks wise.i went with A rails on my 27.i wanted horns and an older look...but my buddy is building a sick 29 coupe on tubing.looks great too.
looks like i'm in the minority here. all throughout my parts collecting stage i planned to build a 2x4 or 2x5 (2x5 would have been to look like a '32 frame) frame, but i haven't seen any tube frames that have the character or soul that an original frame has. so i bought an A frame recently that i'll box. the radii on a tube is much tighter than what's on the original frame. that's the biggest difference i have seen. i suppose i'm being a snob about that radius, but it's worth it to me. i paid $75 for a pretty decent frame. i don't know yet how much the boxing plate steel will cost. before steel went through the roof last year i had a quote from the local steel supplier for a 20 foot stick of 2x4 for somewhere between $60 & $70, i can't remember the exact number. i suppose that has gone up by about 50% now. regardless i figure that cost will be equal, more or less. so it really comes down to strength vs. asthetics. i don't doubt that tube would be stonger and easier. but for me i'm gonna go with the original for the "look."
I do want my car to look good but I'm just going to be putting the car together with the parts I have so it won't be exactly traditional in a sense. But I'm trying not to use many parts after the mid sixties. The only things that will be much later would be if I use the six its a 70's model motor, I'll have a late model alternator because I'm planning on driving crap out of this one to. And it may get a later model trans but I haven't decided on an automatic or a standard. I know a standard would make the car a blast to drive behind my six since she likes to wrap up. But i Haven't decided on that yet I'm still in some of my last planning stages. I'd probably just be as well off to build it with the tubing and just use some of the crossmembers from the model a frame. And the body will be channelled down on the frame just enough to hide it. I'll try and draw up a game plan soon and try and post it for all to see. Thanks
If you want the body bolts in the original position, the answer is yes. C I should have been C E, Chassis Engineering, sorry. Also, the front frame horns never break the plane of the 4" height of the tubing. They can be cut out, right in the side of the rectangular tubing, with a jig saw using a metal blade. Then weld in some 2"X.125 strap around the perimeter of the area that you cut away. See blueprints. pigpen
The part that put me over the fence is all the time it will take to clean up the stock rails and fill all the holes. I will probably keep my stock frame for a chopped and channeled sedan I have planned to use the flatty in. For my phantom rpu I want (need) a stiffer frame because at some point I plan to shitcan the 368 for a 472 or 500 when a good deal comes along on one.
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