Frame/body leveling quandry, input needed...

60's Style:
I have a laser level and that is my next step...I'll establish some baselines to see how far out the floor is, then take some more measurements, in addition to what Feder and the other guys said.

I am pretty sure it's the frame that's out of whack, because I have checked it 3 times in varying places between the garage and my driveway and each time it's the same side off the same amount. Plus, my level won't lie. I KNOW I have the body in the right place...the ch***is is another story, and that's what has me concerned.

I realize concrete can't be perfectly level, but when working out of a 2 1/2 car garage, with no means to build a flat table, and no access to a frame jig or frame rack, you have to work with what you've got, I guess...

 

I WOULDN'T weld it up by the numbers as you've described them.
After Re-reading your original post and ***uming that your laser level checks out(my floor's off 5/16" on one side of where my frame project sits in the 117"wb distance, and it's virtually unnoticable) it sounds like it's either only Off at ONE point or sagging on One corner.
You yourself have claimed personal knowledge of repair work to have determined there's never been a collision repair.

You've ALSO described damage I've experienced on several of MY own cars from FAT-*** previous owners...!
I currently own one which has a corner leaning worse every year due to poorly wearing springs. At Some point Very Soon I'm goin to be forced to replace these or risk twisting the body. I've already jacked the spring twice, now I gotta replace it.

I would Vote AGAINST Any poor advice to weld a body CROOKEDLY onto a possibly Straight frame, thereby making it LOOK straight right now, while the frame will continue to be OFF . Try measuring the distance from frame to axle/ctrl. arm, at ea. corner. That'll tell ya if the springs are sittin alright. If that's straight and yer still bent at the rear end, measure points within to see if there's some point where it IS straight side to side, regardless of level side to side. Unless I misunderstood something, I'd weld it appropriate distances to body/frame points wherever they match, and leave the rest unwelded till fixable. I've welded frames to heavywall tubing jackstands before and use 2--3/4" exp. bolts to hold the bottom plate to the garage floor. Say if it's straight on one rail, weld it @ rear and again just behind the rear wheel. Other side which is bent down, welded at the last part which is equal distant as other side. Then use a floorjack on the low end to bend the bent down rail upwards. I wouldn't worry too much about level side to side, go with "same" measurements front to rear then adjust your worn old springs...

Whatever happened to mfgr's having ride height offset higher on the PS to allow for road crowns?????????

 

Thanks for all the input Rooster. I'm going to try a combination of the stuff people have suggested (especially the centerline and spring measuments in relation to the rear axle), and then go from there. I don't think it'll be screwed up too bad if I have spent this much time thinking about it!

 

El Caballo
The bike that he was riding on when he was killed was a Brough Superior,model SS100,registration# GW2275.
Fred