My 27 on A rails wont fit

Gday guys
Hope this doesnt sound like a stoopid question but Ive got a problem sorting out the basic dimensions of my ch***is.
I plan to build an I beam front end highboy 27 roadster with the body unchannelled and the body edges and rails pretty much flush.

I have a gl*** body which the maker says is 4"wider than standard. The firewall measures 36" across at the bottom. i have a standard repro A front crossmember which measures approx 23" in width. Ive made a pair of 2x4"RHS rails tapered with horns to reproduce the originals.

Problem is that to fit in the c'member up front means the rails sit so far inside the the outer edges of the body it looks ridiculous. I wqant the rails to be pretty much flush give or take an inch or so.


What should i do - this is my first rod and I plan to cut the rails off just before the wheell arch and kick it up 4" put in a K member and rear member to fit a coil over suspension. My plan is to cut evrything to size etc and tack the ch***is together - get an experienced mate to help check its all square an get it professionally welded up.

My choices I reckon are:

1. Cut the body in half lengthways removing 3" and gl***ing it back together so i can still use the crossmember - I want fit a deuce rad. surround.

2. Forget the A member and put a wider T bucket style suicide front with the spring perch mounted on a piece of tube instead. I suspect though that a wider frame will mean problems fitting the four bars later (?)


Am I missing something obvious?? Any help appreciated - Steve

 

The re-pro front crossmembers are a little overlength to allow the customer to do an exact fit.
Measuring the front of my 32's frame shows 21" wide at the front of the crossmember. The rear measurement of the crossmember will be a little wider due to the frame rails tapering in at the front.
Note that the crossmember is welded to the boxing plate which extends 1" forward of the front crossmember.
(A Deuce Factory frame fwiw.)

I'm guessing if you want the frame rails to match the body you're going to have to set them up to match the body and then pinch the rails right in front of the firewall similar to what some of the 29 A on 32 rails guys do.

If that's not clear I have a couple of blueprints I can post. One a stock 32 frame and the other, 29 on 32 frame.

 

I measured my T frame at 24 inches wide

 

I am in the final stages of my 27 frame re-build.It is 2x6 un channeled with the rails flush with the body.It is tapered at the firewall to meet a 32 grille.At the rear it straightens back to square behind the axle.I plan to post pics in a few days.

 

Yeah thanks for the feedback guys i was just playing around with the rails and I reckon the best way to go is to pinch them in at thefirewall to fit the c'member and again at the rear before the wheel arch so the kick fits well inside the body shell. How much kick did you put in yours and how do yuo work out which is best ?

Thanks

Steve

 

Please ignore the primer color and wheels!

 

I think most US fibergl*** Ts are 29" wide at the firewall, yours sounds like its maybe 7" wider than stock.

 

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Please ignore the primer color and wheels!


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You're kidding, right?

Those wheels absolutely make that car.
Way better'n steelies in my opinion.