Starting another build with a 30 plymouth coupe. Last build ( 30 Chrysler) I made the frame from 2x4 tube. I'm leaning towards 2x3 this time. Anyone have thoughts.
2x3 1/4 wall is far better than 1/8" Its amazing how strong it is plus if your going channeled it is less to tuck. I had 2x4 3/16 on my 31 sedan channeled 5" and did a friends after driving mine for years with 2x3 1/4" wall and its amazing how the extra room on channel opens things up in there. Plus the 1/4 wall is amazingly strong. Only reason i dont like 1/8" wall is its very prone to bend or warp under pressure. Friend did his with 1/8 wall on a 47 truck and it has a sag in it now.
Nascar frame fabricators use 1/8 wall. Guess they are stupid. Sent from my SM-G955U using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
1/8 wall is fine if you have a 20 point cage....or building a flaming hambster wheel RR....... Alot of people got to school for 8 years.......Yeah an their called doctors......
Seeing that I had back surgery done eight hours ago, I, for one am grateful for Doctor's. Without them my hot rod driving and building days would be done. Most car manufacturers build their frames from eighth inch steel. So the factory engineers must be stupid as well. Sorry the only thing you are doing is making a heavier frame. It should be getting some crossmembers, one of which should at least be a k-member. My 40 Chevy half ton has a factory built eighth inch frame and is only boxed in the front. Running a 402 big block and Muncie 4 speed. I have disintegrated clutch discs in this truck but haven't yet twisted that frame. Q Sent from my SM-G955U using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Your 40 has about 6" tall frame rails much like my 56 in my avatar has...Mine is the same boxed up front and thats it. But when you drop the sectional area to half that of what you have, sorry man its too thin...when a chassis is engineered with correct bracing its fine but the thing to remember is modern cars rely on body mounting also for support and structure... My comment wasnt ripping on doctors.... Hope you recover well from the surgery. That said, go look at some of the cobbed together trinket rods, most go cheap on the frame with 2x3 1/8" wall, most don't sit right, some on the other hand are fine, but they are gusseted to the max. I've seen wrecks with frames done both ways, so i guess you could say that the difference is the motor on your lap in event of a wreck or your legs just pinned.
For all the 'Ford' person's thinking about frames for 30 Fords, realize the Dodge/Plymouth are much larger than Fords, you can fit 3 across in the front bench of my 31 sedan. This room allows room for big blocks, big transmissions and rear ends,, more power. Take a look at the stock Dodge frame for the 4 cylinder powered vehicles,,, the frame is 6 inches deep. Myself, the price difference between 3 and 4 inch channel is a no brainier... when it comes to strength and construction and safety.
I always used 2x3, 1/8 wall when a roll cage is installed and 2x4 1/8 wall with no cage. Either way everything had gussets and all the right braces in all the right places.
The Jalopy Journal
