Projects Deuce Front Crossmember

For many years I have drilled out the rivets in the front Deuce crossmember to install the model-A unit. I was born to do it that way…gain an inch in lowness and much easier to cut the back lip for aesthetics. I now find it difficult to come up with a good model-A unit and suddenly have two nice (well sort of) solid Deuce cross members. My friend Dave just redid his and raised it an inch by installing a piece of 2 inch tubing. I have enclosed a photo showing his work. I have left one of mine stock appearing and the other I would like to raise and inch or so. My question is how much can you raise it without interfering with radiator bottom tank? I know you can order different tanks but I don't want to do that. If you have any photos of the way you have done the modification I would appreciate seeing them.

The Deuce fits the ASC rails without any spacers or modifications so I am going to try one this build. The last photo is normally how you find them…very crude. I am trying to save the Deuce planet by making them useful again.

 

Lynn

Come by my place, I have two I'm getting ready to modify, I'll show you how.
The ones I do are compatible with a stock radiator.
My tudor is done that way

 

Fantastic timing for this post, I needed to repair my Model A unit!!


Posted using my dang ol' telephonamajig...

 

Can you pie cut it like guys do for the '40 rear crossmember?

 

Looks good Pete. I will drop by soon.
Thanks,
Lynn

 

I see ( imagine) the one in green etch primer causing an interference issue because of longer u bolts, spacer blocks, 2" thicker member( added to top but not removed from the bottom)

The black one looks like there would be no more trouble than using an A crossmember.

 

I have a couple nice original Model A front cross-members if you want to go that route.

 

Post how Eastwood does the modification. I'm anxious to see it it's anything like I did mine almost 25 years ago. I didn't go REAL low with mine.......you can still get a .025 feeler gauge between the cross member and the bottom radiator tank.

Frank

 

I have an original 32 front cross member that was cut up and was thinking of s****ping it, but I just can't seem to throw anything original away.


Ago

 

Please take notes and pictures. I would like to be there for that.

 

You and I think alike. HRP

 

just a guess but the A cross member swap vs. thie modified '32 wasn't done in the past because of the lack of good welding equipment in the Joe Adverage garage. Bob

 

this is my attempt at a lowered `32 front cross member, i combined a hacked up original `32 with an after market model A [ i wanted to use the `32 front motor mounts]. original `32 cross member on top and the modified `32 cross member below.

 

some details of the modified cross member.

 

and one more.
tom

 

Nice work!

 

I raised my deuce Xmember in place in the frame. Cut the top loose, pried it up and filled in the sides with steel plates after the top was raised. The Deuce Xmember is 2 layers thick in the spring mounting area. Mine is restored to the 2 layers. Just make sure you have a radiator to check for clearance.

 

WOW! I hadn't thought of that. Nice work and you can retain the front motor mounts.

 

I am going to use the 32 mount section and incorporate it into the model A crossmember.

My Model A is a real good one, and the 32 is real bad.

 

lynn, have you been around to p-woods yet?.
Al.

 

THanks for the pictures. I plan to do something similar to my 34 crossmember.

 

Off the subject; but is the strap on the left mount a manufactured item or something you fabricated? thanks

 

I will try and go by Pete's this week and see how he does it. I have acquired two more from people who went the Model-A way. The strap is available from SO-CAL but I am sure Pete came up with the idea as they have been around for a long time.

 

Rich

I take it you are talking about the strap around the left motor mount.
I make those up. I like using the early, small, Chevy rubber side mount, but they will come apart ( at least the way I drive they do ! ) so I put that strap over them so they won't.

Pete

 

Lynn

I'll be picking the crossmembers up from the blaster tomorrow.
If you have time, I can do one when you come by, so you can see the process. If not let me know & I'll do one before you come by, then you can see a before & after.

Pete

 

I am making some progress and haven't made it to Pete's shop but I went ahead and made some patterns for my modification to this rough crossmember.This method moves the spring up 1 1/2" and still clears the radiator. I will not use u-bolts but rather a Fat Jack clamp on the spring. I have the metal and just need to cut it to fit and weld. Some tasks take me longer than I thought they would. I now have 4 of these so I can get lots of practice.