Just for anyone's info. My roadster frame (American Stamping, and tubing center section from Karl Fjastad, #1 son of the old Deuce Factory owner, Roy Fjastad) is heli-arc boxed x-member to x-member. A young welder was willing to take the time to do this, and since it is a roadster, I wanted a rigid frame. It is rigid. The doors are as solid sounding when slammed as a sedan/coupe, plus great alignment. Rusty Tucker volunteered all day to accomplish this task and did a freaking good job. For guys looking for tires in San Antonio, he manages one of the zillion DISCOUNT TIRES in town. Check him out. I am very thankful for heli-arc welders because the frame is pop-a-line straight without a frame table. Lots of experience and many levels produced success. I never knew that fenders could actually strengthen a frame's stiffness.
One of the things I see a lot is how some cars (even some high end builds) have that "broken back" look where the hood meets the cowl. Probably partly due to having so many different component mfgs. nowadays. Placement of the radiator and/or the grille shell mounting locations on the radiator will play a big role in how well this transiton looks.
I would heartily recommend several good levels, the 4-ft ones that straddle the rails to counter an uneven garage floor. Hopefully you have access to a heli-arc machine.
Good leveling trick for floor that someone posted on here a long time ago...for each floor stand and for template plates bolted to the holes shown in diagrams and going to floor, measure levelness of floor between them. Highest one becomes your standard, others get vinyl/asbestos type floor tiles slid under them until they match that level. This allows you to measure and level from a typical slanted and wavy floor.
Shim them with sheets of steel. The vinyl will compress when you lean on it or put more weight at that spot.
X2 on that. I went to the scrap metal yard and for 15 bucks I got some sides of old dryers and fridges. Brought tgem home and cut them all up into 12 x 12 squares for shims. They are thin but vary in thickness and work great for leveling.
Get a big I beam and clamp the rail to it along the bottom edge. Press the rear horn up, and you may need some heat at the bulge, til it reaches the proper specs. How you press it upward will need to be figured out depending on the tools you own. I had a front frame horn of a frame that I straightened this way. I had a large I beam laying around from a house-lifting project, and clamped the rail to it. We used pry bars, large Crescent wrenches, C clamps, and a hot wrench.
I build/restore a lot of 32 frames. 5 of them this year alone. I've posted a few how to threads on building stock '32 frames. Also one on how to install a Model-A rear cross member. Check them out. If you could borrow a pair of ASC rails from someone that might help you check your rear end.
Good info alchemy, Thanks. edwardlloyd I have been reading ALL of your posting OVER and OVER. Very Goood. Thanks
For the bulges I have lightly heated the rails before boxing to make the metal move a little easier. Heat them a little bit then hammer and dolley into shape. Take measurements before and after to make sure nothing moves. And check level again. After all measurements check out then go on with boxing or cross members. Also tack everything that you have planned for the chassis in place before any final welding is done. The more you get in place before you final weld the led chance you have of things moving around during final welding. Go slow with the final welding and you won't have any problems. I have built 5 frames this way and they have all come out perfectly square. Just take your time. That's the key. That and bracing with tubing to be removed after your done with all major welding.
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