Ok so I have never built a hotrod before, but I have already started in the right direction, I have my hotrod motor a 364 nailhead with a dynaflow tranny. Anyways jonnycola is soon going to sell me his A frame and I need to know what I should do to it. Now my plans are for a high boy so I dont want to z or channel it. Also I plan on running a roadster body with a box. I know I need to find a rear and front end but what Im looking to find out is what I need to do to the frame first so I wont twist it or put to much weight on it......any advice will be very helpful! Thanks Owen P.S, please use simple langauge, sometimes I dont know what stuff means and I hate looking like an idiot thanks agian!
Buy Mike Bishops book "How to Build a Traditional Ford Hotrod". It shows EVERYTHING you need to know. Except how to build piss off pipes As for the Z, unless you like a four wheel drive stance, you wil want to follow his instructions on Z-ing the frame.
Thanks and actually yea I kinda like that.....ha ha sorry Tman I cant afford to be all that traditonal so I have to build something within my budget and something that I can slid into, also I know about that book I think, is that the one written by av8 here on the hamb. If so I have been "reading" it somewhat but I really should buy my own copy. Owen
Buy a copy, even if you are doing a Nailhead and not a flatty. You WILL need to Z the frame or change the rear crossmember
Ok I will do that Tman, also what is the advantage to that crossmember in that link above......once agian Im not that experianced. Owen
keeps frame from tweeking X membered franes are alot stronger. Example when V8 where put in fords frame design changed to X member
Awesome, I learn something new here every day. If I used that crossmember would I still have to box the frame? I was told I might have to do that.
try to get all your suspension stuff first so you know what your looking at ie dropped or undroped axle, buggy sprung rear or whatever you are going to use this way you know how much of a kickup to put in ( a whole lot less if your going to use a 40 rear spring instead of a model a spring as an example) take all your messurements at hight of mounting points for the spring crossmembers. also before you start cutting into it make sure the frame is square. first thing once you've determined it is square is weld some box tubing across in the middle in a couple different places to make sure the frame stays square so once you start cutting out the stock crossmembers it doesn't want to warp or bend so much on you. also factor in the weight of your motor, it weighs alot more than a four cyl. so it will compress the spings more making the car sit a little lower. then start cutting on the frame do your kick up first then box it in after with a single piece of steel it's alot stronger this way. then if it's an a frame i'd suggest making up some sort of basic crossmember/trans mount in the middle as the are very weak in stock form. i like to set the frame up as a roller before doing any other mounts, trans, motor etc. that way you can make sure you have the proper ground clearance for the oil pan, radiator etc. also take some measurements to make sure in case of a blow out you wont scrape anything important. once you get to this point everything gets easier but its alot of work, lots of custom brackets. hope this helps, oh by the way the very first thing i'd do is get vern tardels book on the a v-8 as well as a couple basic suspension books that show you all the geometry involved. good luck
Thanks that actually does help tons and for once I understand most of it , and like will that cost alot to do what your saying, making a new crossmember and the steel through the middle? Also I have figured out what I want to run as far as suspension and front and rear end right now its just a matter of gettin the damn parts. Thanks Owen
I box my frame used a old lincoln buzz box ac welder. I welded one inch to two welds. Alternating from side to side It warpped at little but filler fixed it. I hope this pic up loads
[ QUOTE ] Buy Mike Bishops book "How to Build a Traditional Ford Hotrod". It shows EVERYTHING you need to know. [/ QUOTE ] I would agree. Even if you aren't building a period car, it is a very good overview of the entire build process. Great resource! [ QUOTE ] Except how to build piss off pipes [/ QUOTE ] Hahaha. That and how to build a sheet metal 3x2 tunnel ram manifold...
But with my nailhead I probaly should have one. By the way I need to buy a welder any cheap places that have them???? Owen
I now own a 220 volt mig and torches, dont buy a cheap machine you will use it all the time. Mine is a Hobart 180 amp machine. Hobart is now owned by miller my gun says miller I love it to death.
Wasasedan nailed it. Varies on how low you want it but Box the frame I like to remove the rear cross member and use a 40' spring with 2x2 tube. Finishing up a car right now. We used an A spring, but had to Z it to get it to sit right. On the front end you can do alot with the cross member. Some guys cut the high part out of the cross member and replace it with 2x2 channel. That gets it a little lower. Choose an axle drop, 3" is always pretty safe. If you want to get another inch or so, you can get a reverse eye spring. So now you know about where the front end is gonna be. Set the front of the frame at ride heght in the garage and call it good for now. Mount your spring to the rear end and set it at ride height. Measure to the top of the spring. Now you know where the top of the rear spring is gonna sit. Now the only question is how high will the body sit in back. So eye ball it and see what looks right. Do some measuring and soon you will know if you need to Z it, channel it or what. After she's sitting right, you can tack the motor and tranny in. I've found that 2x2 tubing makes a great tranny mount. You can pick up nice motor mounts from just about any hot rod catalog. Angle of the tranny is dependent on the angle of the rear end. Set the rear end angle first, but keep in mind that it's gonna change when you drop on the body and stick the motor in it. I was reading about 5 different books when I did mine. They all contradicted each other, but still I got alot out of them. Dare I say, Boyd's book is one of the best around. Tex Smith's "How to Build Real Hot Rods" was great. Lot's of folks swear by Tardel's book. Unfortunately, I didn't have it around. If you jack something up, who cares? It's a hot rod, just cut it apart and start over.
The frame on the 31 coupe we just finished is boxed,stretched 5" at the firewall. A homemade crossmember was added for the ladder bars. A aftermarket trans crossmember was installed. Stock crossmembers front and back. So far 1000 miles with no problems. good luck
Remember Franz, Hiboy, doesn't mean "HIGH", it just means the body is mounted on top of the frame, not channeled over it. Ya can't be too low! Zing the frame is a good thing. Good luck with your first project hot rod.
Stretching helps with room for the V8 - otherwise the firewall needs to be recessed. Also good for longer wheel base ie. better ride.
I think regardless of what style you are building, Mike's book is a solid start on any project. A lot can be learned with in the pages of that book....
I ordered How to build a traditional hot rod last night from barnes and noble. I hope it comes soon. Also I was wondering if any body has like directions on how to make a frame ready for a engine and everything. Like maybe what you guys did and you still have it written down or something like that. If anyone does have this I would like to see it. The frame I will be using is a 1931 A frame........so if you know what I need and how I need to do it Thanks Owen
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