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303 Olds torque in stock Model A frame?

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by OSR Stein, Nov 19, 2005.

  1. OSR Stein
    Joined: Nov 13, 2005
    Posts: 49

    OSR Stein
    Member

    Gang,

    Many, many apologies for the title and subjects on the earlier posts. Didn't realize it was out of line.

    However, the last question brought up more. I noticed that some of you mentioned that boxing the stock Model A frame was not common in the 50s.

    Riddle me this, I'm getting a stock 1952 303 4V for the car. I believe factory torque specs are in the 260 range. Is this enough to twist the rails? My crossmembers and gussets are welded. I plan on using 2.75 ratio in 9 inch ford (yeah I know they weren't around in 53) with about a 5-6 inch wide tire, no slicks. No plans on dragging (but you never know) or modifying the engine.

    Although it may not have been period proper, I'll be running a dual pot master cylinder, so if consensus says to box the rails for safety, that's what I'll do. Thanks in advance for your advice.
     
  2. Anderson
    Joined: Jan 27, 2003
    Posts: 7,552

    Anderson
    Member

    5 new threads within a week of joining, one of which has already been locked....

    slow down there, hot rod.

    Oh, and yeah, box it.
     
    Olson likes this.
  3. Dat Dirty Rat
    Joined: Jan 15, 2003
    Posts: 3,505

    Dat Dirty Rat
    Member

    Didn't Boyd basically 'fire' Blu Bear over this issue??...lolol

    funny episode if you didnt see it...

    Anyways, I would def. box the frame even if i was putting a lawn mower engine it....A-Frames are just too weak in my opinon and flex way to easy...Next time you come across a full fender one step on the runing board and you'll see what i mean....
     
  4. Olson
    Joined: Aug 11, 2005
    Posts: 851

    Olson
    Member

    By all means...box them suckers up. No reason not too, even if they didn't all do it in the fifties. If your members and gussets are all firmly in place, and the rails are boxed, the frame should have no problem with that mill. Same goes for the dual master...not gonna be seen anyway and safety is more important.

    Besides, we live in Ohio...need somethin' to keep the crap from collecting in the rails. :D

    Olson
     
  5. Jessie J.
    Joined: Oct 28, 2004
    Posts: 416

    Jessie J.
    Member

    Open channel frames were, -and still are- designed to flex, and to evenly distribute the twisting forces over the entire length of the frame, a 10 mile road trip into town during the 'teens through the '40s put these frames through more twisting cycles than would a thousand miles of driving on todays paved roads. It was not a matter of saving money, but of durability that frames were constructed of open channel, take a look at the frames of the early luxury cars such as Cadillac, Packard, even Rolls and Duesenberg and you will find open channel frames, as are also still employed to the present day in most all HD trucks and off-road vehicles.
    The worst thing you can do to one of these frames is to "box" it, thereby negating the flexibility that was engineered in by the manufacturer who spent millions putting their products through extreme proving ground tests, when this flexibility is compromised by the practice of boxing the stresses are concentrated at the crossmembers leading to fatigue cracking.
    If you feel you absolutely must have a box section frame under an "A" or other early car (necessary when using a 'glass' body) you will be better off buying or building a frame designed to be stiff with thicker box section rails and hefty X member bracing.
    Mount that 303 with a strong crossmember BOLTED or riveted to the side rails along the lines that these chassis were originally configured.
     
  6. ABone312
    Joined: Aug 28, 2003
    Posts: 445

    ABone312
    Member

    Box the frame. Even a mild engine will twist up an A frame.
     
  7. the SCROUNGER
    Joined: Nov 17, 2005
    Posts: 523

    the SCROUNGER
    Member
    from USA


    I watched that- if ever there was a dummy deserving to be taken off the property and bounced around by co-workers, it was Blu Bear. What an assinine argument Blu put forth...ala "I wanna put the Empire State Bldg. together with duct tape, just cuz I want to..." he needed to go back to pumping gas at the mini-market or something...
     
  8. drhotrodmd
    Joined: Nov 10, 2002
    Posts: 1,284

    drhotrodmd
    Member

    You gotta remember what you see on tv might not be true in real life. I think Discovery wants the drama.
     

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