I bought a 43' p/u cab and nose from another member back in 06' that I am wanting to start moving forward on at some point but I need help. I moved back east to M*** and no longer have access to all the great rodder help I had in AZ. I want to get a similar stance to the attached picture but I think I need just a little more clearance for these northeast roads. I will be needing to build the frame and suspension but do not know where to start. I am comfortable with my measuring, cutting and welding skills. I also have a small machine shop to fabricate most of what I would need. I have observed and participated in some other peoples builds but I just have never actually built a frame myself. What frame dimensions would be a good starting point to get where I want to go? I see all kinds of frame builds out there for A's and Dueces but would that apply to what I want to do? The cab is already chopped 5" and I would like to channel it to cover some if not all of the frame depending on how well I will fit in it. Open motor and fenderless as long as they will let me get away with it here. Short bed to maybe no bed depending on what I can find. If I go no bed then I would think about setting the cab a little farther back on the frame for more of a dragster look. Still in the planning stages so I am also open to ideas you guys might have. Thanks, Marc
Start by roughly mocking it up. Set the cab on whatever ch***is you have, set a rear end on jackstands or better yet with tires bolted to it, slide an axle under the front and then start measuring. I use chalk and draw on the floor to make basic designs. Stand way back and look at it. Remember you need room for stuff underneath. (brake lines, exhaust, brake cables...).
Thanks but I really only have the cab and nose at this point. Nothing else, that is why I am asking what I should be looking for. Thanks, Marc
Here's a couple pics of a frame like you're discribing I just built for a friend of mine. I have more pics of it but I can't find them right now. This frame is built of 10ga. pickled and oiled that I press braked for the 6" siderails. The X member, crossmembers front and rear are just fabbed. It's running a 351 Windsor with a WC T-5 and a 9". Unfortunatly I gave the siderail templates to another guy on here. If I can remember who, you might want to ask him to p*** them on if it would work for you. Maybe he'll post up here. I'd like to see if he has his done. The truck sits just about like the one you pictured. Let me know if there's anything I can help you with.
Forgot to add, Dave is 6'-3" so this is set up for a 4" cab stretch. The '37 cab is channeled 4" and with 5" of road clearance he has plenty of room inside. In my opinion I'd avoid the "bobber" **** with the 18" or no beds. The just never look good to me. The truck on this fram uses a 58" bed.
Very nice. Did you start with a particular frame and modify it or just do it all from scratch? I would probably feel more comfortable modifying something that I know the truck would fit on to start with or at least have an original around to look at. I just have no idea what wheel base or frame widths are the norm or easier to find parts to work with it. It looks like that frame has 3 different widths and heights front, center and rear. What dictates those dimensions or are they somewhat flexible? I am currently looking into a plasma table for my shop so making parts should not be an issue but designing and locating them might get tricky. Thanks again, Marc
If you can find the stock frame demensions that would get you headed in the right direction. I'm sure if you research it and or someone on here might have some, you can find it. I have an idea of placing the cab on some 2x4 or 2x6 wood with braces. Then you can play with measurements and placements. Not sure what the cab weights as that could befuddle that idea. Good luck sounds like a great project!!!
The frame in the pics is totally scrtatch built. I can shoot you some dimensions if that helps as it is based on a standard '35-'40 Ford p***/pickup frame. If you could pick one of those up and just do some minor mods you would be way ahead of the game. If you need dimensions I can take them off my frame fixture, the tooling which was made from a mint origional frame. The one in the pics is stretched 4" and has an additional 2 1/4" of "sweep" in the siderails. Keep us posted.
Ohmthis - Using lumber would be a great way to get an idea where everything should be. Thanks! Koz - I would love to get some dimensions from that frame or your jig if you don't mind. By sweep do you mean the outward bulge where the cab sits or is it something else? I see that the front is a split wishbone and transleaf set up. Is the rear the same but bones mounted to the x-bracing? Thanks, Marc
The frame pictured above is loosly based on the '35-'41 Ford pickup frame. The wheelbase on these is 112" stock. This frame was stretched but I wouldn't do that unless you were stretching the cab. I build a lot of these and have made a few changes to the program to work better under a rod. By "sweep" I'm discussing how much the frame drops front and rear. I ***ume the cab you have is military as no civilian vehicles were produced during the war. This frame will work nicely under these cabs. The frame is 157 1/4" long over all. The rear is 44" wide with a break at the cab line which narrows to 28 1/2" in the front, same as stock Ford. They accept a stock '40 Ford suspension components which are pretty easy to source. Most drivetrains easily fit. If you would be interested PM me as I build the siderails, which are the hardest part along with the perimeter only frame pretty inexpensivly and you could add all the brackets, X member and suspension stuff yourself. It would be a lot easier and faster than trying to muddle through if you've never done it before. I can garantee you'll have more than enough to do putting the rest of the frame together.
You can't really build a custom frame until you have all of the major components you'll be using. You mock them up, on blocks, air, bubble gum, duct tape, plywood or cardboard to get what you want. Then start measuring to fit your components in the custom arrangement. You could start with a frame and then hope it all fits but that's usually double work before it rolls. Depends on your ability but this can be done on the floor if your patient and diligence is top notch. Other guys will swear you need a table to do this. A great frame mock up can be made from 2x lumber materials
I beg to differ. I admit, it is nice to have everything ready to go but if that was the case, nothing would ever get done. Rods are like a lot of other things in that there really isn't a ton of stuff that isn't standard. Mounting points, dimensions, ch***is geometry, body mounting points and on and on are all standard. In fact it is simple to build a ch***is for just about anything and everything down the road will fit. The exception to the rule is something like the Extremeliner where you are building something truly unique and trust me, all that wasn't there when they started. The truck he's describing has been done a thousand times before. The details you put into it are what makes it yours. The bones are easy! I don't mean to be a wise *** but I hear this all the time from guys who should be working on their rod but instead are stumbling over the pile of parts for two years and then just sell it off for spare change because they don't see any progress. I'm not the sharpest guy on this board by any means, but I garantee I can give you any dimension on that entire ch***is without ever seeing the finished product and it will bolt together the first time with virtually no rework. Nobody could make a living at this if you couldn't! Just get out in the shop and do it! This guys already waiting a few years to get it on the wheels.
Differ all you want, that's cool. Or like you said start with a factory frame. Even better. Start with a blank sheet of paper and custom frame in mind meaning one off you better have something to measure, mock up. A repeat builder. Building another like the last one is a different story.
What he said. 2 x 4 steel tube front end, type, location. engine -- mech fan? length? firewall location engine mounts? Steering? body on -- channeled? bed? Gas tank? rear axle location? get wheel base stance.... tire size, frame zees. front axle drop play with it......................
I'd want at least three things before starting to build a frame-junk engine, junk radiator, and front suspension. You don't want the radiator higher than the cowl. Nor so close to the engine you need a ****ty plastic electric fan.
What I was saying is that every dimension you need to build anything these days is on line. It doesn't mean you have to use a Griffen radiator but their dimensions are spot on and with a little bit of thinking you can build anything without the parts being in front of you. My point was most guys build their cars week to week with what ever cash they can spare or as parts become available through the local g****vines. I think way too many guys just give up and get a tuner or boat because they just can't get started. Let's face it, hot rods aren't the space shuttle. You gotta' think but that's the fun of it. A SBC or a hemi still has the same dimensions and if you don't have one sitting around go to your buddys or the next car show and ask to measure it. I carry a little notebook and a 16' tape with me at a lot of runs and nobody ever refused me if asked nicely, to measure there stuff. Also a search on here will yeild about anything you need dimension wise. I've seen some awesome cars built by first timers with a little determination. In other words.. Get out and build it. Your missing a lot of good road time watching reruns.
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