A friend of mine gave me a complete 34 Ford front end so I decided to use the bones on my current project. The wishbone had been bent due to an encounter with a road hazard and was repaired without straightening. I split the bones and drilled holes in one to see how it would look. I used 2 - 1" holes and 6 - 7/8" holes on 3" centers. I planned on sleeving the holes with 1/8 wall tubing but the holes are real small using that size. I may drill them out to 1" and see if I like the look better. My question is what is the best way to straighten the bones i.e, H-press or heat? I have access to both. I read 117 Harv's thread on welding up the dents but I have no experience in making them straight. Any one have a method they use? Most bones I looked were bent and needed repair. You can just barely see the repair and the dent which needs some weld added. The bones are pit free is why I choose to save them. The holes were drilled using a hole saw and drill press. The hardest part was making sure they were in the center of the bone due to the arch of the bone. I probably should have straightened them first. The 7/8 x .120 wall tubing will increase the strength of the tube but the hole is too small for my preference.
Lynn is it possible to cut that piece out straighten it & weld it back? OR it looks to be close to one of your holes so can you push it out from the back side hole that is close by.?Maybe clamp it to a flat surface for a backing.
We actually used to use electrical conduit to heal bones that had been drilled, lot of them never got sleeved at all and held up fine but they fill up with **** if you don't heal 'em. heavy wall tubing is really overkill. As for straightening I would prefer to heat and straighten less likely to crack 'em.
Lynn: I like Bob's idea with the possibility of replacing a section. Would be really cool to maybe run across a sacrificial bone?? I guess your hunt for a body has taken a new dimension with the loss of SAR bodies huh? I have had fleeting thoughts about them as well. I actually e-mailed Joe this morning to see if He would put a bug in someones ear about picking up the torch for 33-34 sheetmetal. Tim
I was able to come up with a set of donner bones to solve the problem. I will take some photo when I go back in the garage.
Pewsplace, yes cut a section out of some donor bones and use it to replace the bad area, depending on where the damage is a pair of model A bones will work. As you mentioned, if it is a small area then weld it up. I have straightened them bent in and or up with a press cold, if straightening them by pressing on side I use a chunk of rubber to spread the pressure out as not to collapse the tube. If there is a small area that is pushed in, you can some times press the tube on edge to get it to come back out. Another option is to punch out the low area through one of the drilled holes from the other side, just a thought. Yes, take some pics and share the repair process.
Thanks Harv. I am following your post to repair these old bones. I do have a set of Model A bones that I forgot about. More news at 6:00 pm!
The Jalopy Journal
