How many of you are running the original frames? what have you done do them? how many of you are running something different? what are you running? Say if someone found a 1931 ford 5 window with the original frame and whatnot, what would you do? Id chop and channel it and throw in some kind of small block, but would you do all that stuff with an original frame or would it be better to get and modify something else?? Any pics and info would be helpful. Thanks Luke
Depends on one's taste I guess. I have one 30 Coupe on 32 rails. The other is a '28 roaster on an A frame. Pretty much whatever you like and how much $$$ you want to spend.
Not on topic but model A's aren't designated as 5 windows. They all had 5 windows, as opposed to the following years that had both 3 and 5 configurations. They are simply refered to as Model A coupes. I'm sure your thrilled to find out this bit of trivia, so now it's your turn to set the rest of the world straight. Frank
Hey Luke,... If your sure you are going to channel it, than use the Model A frame (you wont see it anyway,.. and it will give you more height in the cab, than a 32 Frame,.. Like 2"),... and if your going to use a small block,... Box the frame, or, depending on if you have a frame already or not,... and your fabrication skills,... you might just want to start out with rectangular steel tubing,... and build one from scratch.
Well thats the thing, this would be my first one for everything, chopping, channelling and basically turning something rusty into something cool. Building one from scratch seems wayy though for me... These are my influences... so im just kinda looking around and getting ideas. i just was curious if i should just offer for the body and parts instead of the whole deal?
Again,.. everything depends on your abilities, and skill level, you might be better off buying a car already running,... of course,.. "Everybody" on this web sight had to start somewhere,... nobody was born a master builder,... Get involved with some other local Hot Rod guys (HAMB guys are the best !),.... don't be afraid to ask questions and learn. Do you actually have a body and parts ? can you post pictures? As long as you have some thick skin, and can take some ribbing,... This is the best place on earth to get answers. IMHO
I went with the A frame at the time, mainly because it was cheaper than a '32, but now I dig it, and the way it looks
Actually no, they're called Model A coupes if it's a 31 Ford you're talking about. The thread ***le is going to throw a lot of people off.
Harmsway- no i dont but im seriously looking for parts and im just kinda getting everything pieced out for what i should buy. I have a weldered and whole garage full of parts that i inherited from my uncle when he p***ed away (who was a hotrodder) and now i just would like to build my own now. but i enjoyed restoring my 53 and i would like to buuld something cool like above. i know it will take time and i will do a ton of learning from it. Millers garage and willys41 they both look sick! heres the pics of what i am serious about giving an offer for
Stock frame under mine just boxed, running a stout big block, hopefully the new cage will help stiffen it up!
Picked up a 20 ft. piece of .125 X 4 inch bar from the local steel supplier one evening after work. Cut it into two pieces with a hacksaw so I could haul it home. The next Sat. my buddy came over and we set the frame on four jackstands. Squared it up by pulling diagonals with a tape. Leveled it with a four foot carpenter level. Cut the plates into three each side and tapered the end ones with a torch. Then welded it up the same afternoon with a miller buzz box. Spent the next week of evenings grindin' the welds down with my 7 inch Sears angle grinder. By the next weekend it was ready for wishbone and ladder bar mounts...
if you use a model a frame just get a perimeter frame or make one out of 3x2 squaretubing. your better off in the end.
thanks jeff! and yeah doesnt seem like it would take too long. thanks for the info on that! better than dropping 2000 on a new frame from speedway! fast30 what exactly do you mean??
I am running a stock frame on this one. I just bought it last week. ...but that is because this is all the motor is a mildly hopped up four banger. I would not trust 80 year old metal if I had a healthy v8 in it. When I built a '29 roadster in the late '60s for the street, I boxed the frame using most of another frame's web that I swapped left to right, making it rectangular rails of about 2.25" by 3." ...and from the cowl forward I just used flat plate to box the rails. Even then (at half the age) the frame metal was heavily pitted and had some cracks near bolt holes. When I eventually get to building a ch***is for this one as a hot rod, it will be new stamped deuce rails, fully boxed. Safety is too important to trust 80 year old metal in my opinion. ...even a basic crate 350 has more power than I would trust to an old Model A frame, even if it were fully boxed.
i have got 29 cabriolet with a flathead and i boxed the frame,pretty easy job and if you are goin to run a small block i would strongly suggest it,stocker frames really cant take the tourqe to well.looks like you got a good pile of parts to start with.should make a kick *** ride
Step box the frame. Get a a couple cross members in it too. An X member would be best. Be carefull not to burn it to hot. I just cut apart a T frame that someone welded the hell out of. When I cut the front cross member out it sprung inwards 2.5", and that was with a dropped tube ****** mount in it. Thats around 3.5" of curve in around 9.5'. Always remember "Welds Shrink" I believe I saw some good tech articles on the board on boxing. Do a search. BTW Kev Elliot did a good tech in R&C a couple months ago. If you want I can run it through the copier and send it to you! send me an e-mail if so. Good luck and avoid "paralysis by ****ysis"
I have the original 1931 frame my great-grand father bought new (also attached to the body too) My father in highschool tossed a flathead and drivetrain in it in 1962. Since then I've boxed the frame and added a '32 center x-member to it (to strengthen it), but other then that it's about the same as it was in 1931 (in 1965 when it was last on the road).
I got a 31 coupe from a buddy of mine which his grammy bought brand new its been in their family the whole time and been in a barn the last 60 years, the barn caught fire and burnt the coupe but i had it media blasted and it looks great! I took the body off the frame and set the stock ch***is aside, and bought a brand new 31 frame allready boxed and im runnin a 57 ford 312 y block with fordomatic auto trans, 9 inch rear end magnim 5 inch drop front axle, stock 16 inch spokes with wide whites,32 alum. Radiator and grill, 3 inch chop,full interior, 40 ford front spindles 48 f-1 front brakes,57 ford car rear end,17 gal fuel tank in trunk made for the coupe,the coupe is in my avatar, looks much different now! Very kool ****, and i also bought a 31 four door sedan which is my next project!
Here is what I do to my Model A frames. This was cut and pasted from a thread that I posted on a week or 2 ago. I box girder them. Like many new bridges the box girder is very strong and ridged. First I make sure the frame is straight. There are threads in here as to how to straighten a frame so I won't go into that. I then put the frame on jack stands and shim it up so that it is level in both directions. Use a good level. I use 1 1/2" X 1/8" strap steel cut into 6" to 8" lengths. The reason for the various lengths is that I have to work around the existing holes that I use for the running boards and fenders and any other things that I will have to attach later. I weld in threaded nuts in almost all of the holes even though I might not use them all. That way if I change the body configuration later I don't have to thru drill the frame to attach any thing. Welding in the nuts also determines the location and length of the girders. This is important because if later you decide to thru drill the frame where you need to install the running boards or fenders you won't run into a girder. When welding in the nuts and girders I run short bolts into the nuts to hold them in place and also so that welding splatter won't get into the threads. Use washers if necessary to prevent the bolts from comming thru too far and a little grease on the threads also helps. I then weld the straps into the frame starting at the cross members and going from top to bottom and then bottom to top. I weld them bottom and top and about 1 1/2" on both sides on the inside of the frame. I then place the boxing plate against the frame and mark the top and bottom junctions of the girders. I draw a line connecting each junction with the next. I then grind a groove into the center of each line to allow me to weld the plate to the center of each girder. I also grind the area of the junction to allow a weld there. Then when I am sure that I can weld all of the girders thru the plate I clamp the plate to the frame and weld it up making sure that the frame is still level in both directions. I then grind and clean up the welds and paint the frames. I am not trying to build show cars but just a fun cars so I don't worry about making the frame look perfect. When I am thru I end up with a frame that is very straight and ridged. Of course if you want to Z the frame you will have to do the same for the Z'ed sections. "Do not build your house on sinking sand." The frame is the most important part of any hot rod. ****
Took about a weekend and an ***load of wire and gas! Lol its 1/8" plate I plasma cut and welded in without a good template and a plasma cutter plan on about 4 days. It honestly doesn't like the twist but its not breaking anything and its been 11.80s @ 110mph at the hamb drags in 95* heat. The cage should help A LOT!!! Hope this helps!
4 x 2 is dimensionaly the same cross section as Model A, except for the tapers at both ends. If you do a search, there are several tech threads on making one here on the HAMB, although it's been a few years since the last one.
I'm running a boxed stock frame( if I ever finish this thing). 3/16 plate,plasma cut,mig welded in. I recessed the plates 1/4 into the frame,step box style.Took me about 4 hours.
wow thanks for the info guys! This really helps, when it comes to mounting a small block, does anything there need to be adjusted? other than the mounts and whatnot??
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