Ok, before I get started in actually ordering and cutting any metal, what is the best guage to use for a stock frame on a '30 tudor sedan? This is a really crude template, but I had a piece of cardboard handy and was just piddling with it a bit. Is 11 guage sheet metal pretty much sufficient to box the frame with? I will likely drill holes in the boxing plates, before they are finished, in order to get at body bolt areas and such. All the metal will be preped and then painted with POR-15 before anything is finalized with plates. Additionally, all I have is a small Lincoln 100 that I bought at Lowe's a few years back. Will it be suffiient to do the welding on this boxing. I don't have any gas unit added to it, and it is a wire feed welder. I'd ***ume that I tack weld in multiple places and then fill, and later grind a bit to smooth the weld. Is this correct? Thanks, Huey
**** Man! Do you weld some railroad track on it too? Huey, 11 guage should be excellent when you consider that it is NOT necessary to box the frame at all. Often boxing was done only back to the firewall anyway. Only in recent years has Overkill become the new standard. I have a chopped and channeled, suicide front axle Model A coupe that was built in 1954 with a flathead. No boxing anywhere. I have installed a 350 against the 39 gearbox and 46 rear axle. I am not going to box the frame. The transmission and rear axle will break long before the frame. Now, if you plan a big block, manual transission and a lot of dragstrip action, go for the overkill.
Thanks so much for the great replies to the issue. I understand people have different views of the necessity of boxing a frame or not. I am not planning on boxing it because the frame needs structural support or can prevent a neck-snapping engine/****** combo from ripping things apart or cracking the frame. I was actually just piddling around and decided to try to cut out a couple of templates just to see what I could do on the cheapo end of the stick. I am making this a totally low budget driver, and since the garage was loaded to the gills with junk, I didn't want to pull the ol' girl outside today to work on her. The cheapo cardboard templates were just something to do while the car is wedged into the junkpile I call my garage. I ultimately plan on boxing at least to the firewall, and then, only to make the frame look a bit more finished when done. It looks like a rat rod now with all the rust on the springs and all, but it will be freshened up as the project progresses. I still remember the staged cat fighting by Boyd and Blue Beard over boxing the frame or not. That editon of American Hot Rod probably did more to falsely solidify some people's thoughts as to the frame requiring boxing to be safe. However, I don't subscribe to that theory and I may not box it at all in the long run. I sort of was just piddling today, but if I do box it, it will likely just to give her a more finished look and to test my welding abilities a bit as well. My little welder had not had any use for quite some time now. Anyone else using the Lincoln 100 weldpak with mig unit? I did't get the mig unit when I purchased it, and I guess I should regret that decision now. :-( *** The motorcycle jack was just shoved in under the car to store it and is not there for some good reason in the pic.
Go ahead and use the #11 gauge plate. (it is 0.120" thick). Your 110 volt mig running flux-core wire will be fine to box it with. If you start building motor mounts and suspension components, then you should (must) step up to a heavier welder, but for welding 1/8" stock, your small mig will be fine.
Probably a little late for you, but I just thought I would mention for others, that I sell Boxing Plates here on the HAMB (in cl***ifieds) on Ebay and straight from my http://www.wolfesmetalfabrication.com website. I have tabs that I have incorporated in my "Easy Weld" design, that does in fact make it easier. If you have any questions, please feel free to email or PM me. Right now I have 23 T, Model A, 32, 33-34, and 35-40 Ford in solid, drilled and Dimpled flavors. I also have some that are shorter lengths for those of you in length restricted International shipping locations. You will probably be hard pressed to beat the cost of my plates in buying your own steel, laying out, cutting and t******* your plates. I cut them in bulk. Brian Wolfe
The Jalopy Journal
