I know it's a nitpicky question, but I can't think of any old car builds that I have seen that used square tubing. I was pondering my pile of '32 Chevy and thinking of making a doorless roadster, and was curious what the old timers would have used to build a structure for it. Everything in the little books I have seen either used round tube or angle iron. So, is square tube "traditional"?
All three were traditional, usually depending on what the welding shop had on hand. The flat surface of square and angle made it easier to attach things like upholstery
Yeah I would have to say you guys are right. But is there any pictures that we can see because I myself often wondered when did the use the square tubing in builds. I have seen plenty of round and all kinds of angle iron builds but never that many square tube builds from the past. Even look at the old stock cars from that era not to much in them. This should be interesting. May it be because the square stuff was pricey vs. round stock or even the cheaper angle?
I might guess that back in time they used 1/2 or 3/4 pipe because it is eazy to find and cheaper than tubing. They sold it at any hardware store were as tubing of any kind you had to find a steel supply. Jim H
the earliest i have found use of square tubing mentioned was 56 or 57 kinda a bit after real hot rods dissolved into race cars or street rods guess it depends on your defonition of "traditional" my 2¢ Zach
Hey now, If i'm not mistaken, Rolf used a bunch of it on his coupe build on the interior, I believe for the floor structure Look in the tech archives under Rolf Coupe
The earlier stuff was angle iron. Oftentimes old bedrail. It had a flat surface to lay the floor on, and a vertical surface for rigidity. I didnt see square tube till the 80's, but it sure may have been used before that. Many early rodders never saw the inside of a steel supply shop- only dumps and wrecking yards.
It's a pile of 5 window coupe I bought at the auction in Mitchell for $100. We had to cut it apart, and stomp on the quarters in order to make them a little closer to the proper shape if it lets you know how nice it is. I wanted something to learn metalworking skills that I wouldn't be too worried about messing up.
I'm pretty sure it was available, but I'll bet by special order only. [ kinda like certain sizes of DOM tube today]
In 1957 the fastest car in the quarter was owned by the Stahl brothers at 182 mph. It was on a frame made of all square tubing. they were, and are, a couple farmers.
Yeah, that's why re-bar came to mind when I read this title....haha. It reminds me of these model A's I see around here that have been converted into pickups.....yeeeack, they did some crude work, but times were tough....
But, this is a great question, and one I hadn't thought of till now. I also have a "pile of Chevy" that needs a new steel inner structure. I suppose pipe might look more period correct than square tubing..hmmmm. It's not as easy to cut pipe for your corners and t-joints, etc.
We had to cut it apart, and stomp on the quarters in order to make them a little closer to the proper shape if it lets you know how nice it is. I wanted something to learn metalworking skills that I wouldn't be too worried about messing up metal working lesson number one. do not stomp on panels to make them closer to the original shape.
A lot of Early iron in OZ was built on a Wood frame long after the US parent companies abandoned it. An example is the OZ 34 Ford Ute bodies . Talk about termite heaven! As result in the late 70's early 80's Eddie Fords Rod mag built a 34 Ford Coupe ute and constructed a 1x1 frame to tie it together,probably the first ever down here. Prior to this,gal water pipe was normally used or the body abandoned ...
That was just so it would lay flat enough to pile up in the truck. I'm in way over my head with it, I know. I've got a couple projects to get done first anyway.
I would prefer to use 1" x 2" tubing over the 1x1. I allows for more structure surface. I have an associate who modified his 31 Chevy truck with 1x2tubing onthe whole beast. It worked just like using the original wood from the OEM. The 1x2 also gives one more leteral space for attachting interior neccessities. Food for thought. Maximo
my dad built a full caged circle track car outta 2X2 square tube instead of the usual round tube back in 64-65. I remember seeing in his old rod books back in the day some cars built out of conduit and then skinned with sheetmetal. We did one like that too. FWIW dont get all bent outta shape about tradition. Some of the more high-line builders would use or buy the best item for their work, so whos to say.
That's a good thought Maximo. Does that 1x2 structure add a lot of extra weight to the car? Are you using standard tubing bought from the local steel store, or are you using something with a thinner wall? I'm thinking about my coupe....using something stout for the vertical pieces on back side of the door jambs could act like a hidden roll bar...haha.
I used 7/8" tubing on the hard to shape curves and bent it with a 3/4" conduet bender. it was thicker than conduet and read to weld.(no galvnizing) I tried to use 1" square tube with cutting slots and bending but after welding solid caused the tube to warp. If I had a torch setup I heated then bent it.
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