I'll start with some back history on the car. I'm putting together a 32 Ford 2 dr sedan that was a rodded in 59. It originally ran a flathead, which blew up in the early 70's and the guy was in the process of putting in a 60-62 Olds 394, and had sortof redone the rear suspension (is gonna need redoing properly) with a Olds diff. Now it's my turn to have a crack at it. I will be putting in a 64 Olds 394, and a 4 speed standard. I have bought all vintage pieces fpr the engine, and adapter to keep it all pre 65. The k member was all hacked out in his attempt to put in the Olds and slimjim, and as I say the rear suspension is a mess. Question time: I want to keep it all pre 65, so what are your suggestions for the k member. My options are: I have a nice original k member, a 33/4 X member, or several frame X's ranging from 35 -46. What would have been the preferred method. Regarding the rear suspension, I plan to put it back to a transverse spring, and was thinking either rear Model A crossmember of original 32. Again, I have a fair bit of inventory. What steering box does everybody recommend? I do have access to a 56 box, but I have lots of pre 65 choices. Also planning to put Buick finned drums on front with some early Ford brakes (haven't decided on which style yet), but is it "untraditional" to leave it as a GM bolt pattern on all 4 corners? Thanks for the suggestions and opinions in advance.
Sounds like a fun project and the Olds engine/transmission is a good choice. any of the X members would be period as is the transverse spring,,as for the wheel pattern I really don't think that would come into play as long as you can find some appropriate wheels. HRP
56 F100 box clears the Olds starter in a 32 chassis...well at least a 32 with a 57-58 371. i have pics from a show. I believe the earlier F1 will not clear the starter. No sense in a 32 K. I run a chunk of a 35/36 center X in my 32, but turned backwards, then made my own leg extensions. Nobody looks under there anyways, so don't get all technical on period X members IMO i use a stock 32 rear spring crossmember, and I believe the rear spring is a 40s REAR spring, but not sure. I don't recall where I got that spring, so i don't know the year. My car has a 55 Olds rear, 55 324 motor, 37 Buick type topshift trans wheel bolt patterns were never a big deal, where i live.
I would put a flathead back in like it was in '59, just my opinion. Do you know the history on that car because that looks like a super nice chop, I wonder who did it?
I would mock it up and see which crossmember is suited the best. I would use a 40 crossmember center and rear That is what i used I havent tried 46-48 x-member, but think its good,too Front stock or model a 1956 f100 steering box
I've built a couple of frames using the '42-'48 X-member which is much better than the '33-'34 style, but a bit more fabricating work. I have a couple of threads on here about them. They are very rigid. If you use the '42-'48 Ford with the riveted center box you can flip the lower plate and use the ball locater with a Model-A yoke to un-split the rear bones on a late Banjo. You can also use the '42-'48 pedal box if you heat and bend the pedal arms a little. I'll be adding pictures of my latest '48 X-member install in a week or two when I've finished riveting it up. The X-member flows into and over the rear kick up, and in the front all the way up to the engine mounts, basically the same as a '42-'48 Ford only smaller The center box top and bottom plates are shortened, flipped backwards and swapped top to bottom. Wait up for the pictures, I think you'll like it. Or check out my last '42-'48 X-membered A-V8. Ed
As noted above, later X would be best... But looking at early 1960's, when traditional rods were being updated with the new larger engines and going to the new and highly desired 4 speeds, I think it would most commonly have been built around the surviving stumps of the K as with the McMullen roadster. It fit right into your dateline, becoming a very hot car with new blown chevy and '39 running gear, then being upgraded to 4 speed and Klentz, about '62-3. HRM covered its last early incarnation, PHR covered the rebuild. The K was presumably kept because it was there and held the brake and clutch workings...Keeping the stumps and the forward legs, you could build a strong new platform closing the gap and extending rearward to hold the trans (I bet it has a slab of boiler plate there now) and a strong bridge over the top of the gap so the original stuff is solid again. Then use the trans platform as the floor for connecting new legs back from the rear of the K to the beginning of the kick-up in back. Look closely at El Polacko's excellent fabricated rear legs as inspiration...they are a good example and might well be adaptable here. Build the juncture point into a tunnel and you will have an excellent X.
I've just posted some pictures of my latest '48 x-membered frame here. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=9348550#post9348550 I thought it might be of interest. Ed
Wow, what an awesome car!...Please post more pictures! k member...I would try to either salvage the one you say is hacked or...If you want to put the nice one you have...I would look into moving the whole k member back a couple inches to gain clearance for the trans, or see how little it could be modified and made to work. hard to see in the pics, does it have split wishbones, or stock unsplit? steering box ... I think the original 32 box is a good option that lots of guys overlook. A good upgrade is to use a 34 worm and sector set which improves the ratio. Richard and Dennis Lacy at Early V8 Garage did this along with a few other upgrades to mine, (roller upper column bearing, machined sector housing for modern seal) I've put thousands of miles on my coupe with this set up I just like the idea of using an original 32 box. rear suspension... The only reason I would put a model A rear crossmember is to provide clearance for a quickchange rear....Otherwise, I would use an original 32 crossmember. As far as the rear end with the GM bolt pattern...an Olds rear is totally fitting for the era.
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