Hey everyone, i'm pretty new to the car building hobby. Recently aquired a 1939 ford Sedan. Body is okay but the frame is shot! I've been looking around for aftermarket boxed frames and am having trouble agreeing with the prices people want for a boxed frame. Has anyone found a different frame that would fit under this car? Or know of a company that has reasonable prices? Thanks!
How shot? There are after market replacement pieces available from various vendors if you have reasonable welding skills. The '35-'40 frame is the same for all models including the PU's and is one of the stronger frames you'll find. And the bulk of it is riveted together They don't need a lot of boxing unless you are throwing serious HP at them. Mine had serious issues at the juncture of the p***enger frame rail and the X member where all the mud ac***ulates and the rear cross member was cracked in several spots. Since I went to parallel leaf I simply ground the cracks down and re-welded the ***embly along with a couple of reinforcement plates. The rail was solid on the top and bottom so I cut the rot out of the side and welded new material in the void. The X member was a little harder because it is recessed in the outer rail but I wound up doing the same thing there. Boxing for my 375 HP runs from the back of the front cross member to about even with the fire wall. I had a friend with a 220V welder and excellent skills do all the critical welds on the Mustang II because I consider my welding skills adequate at best and my 110V is marginal for that kind of welding. It beats the heck out of $3-5,000 for a new frame.
Thanks sam. ive looked at the frame patchs. Mines rotted out in the same places on both sides and further forward even where the door is on the driver side. Im just going to keep looking for a better frame. One should turn up eventually. I dont think mine is even saveable lol. you can give it a decent wrap with a hammer and it will bend even where it looks solid!
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