Building a '32 style frame for the Rafter Project

Right now steel goes up and down in price by the day so you have to keep tabs on prices.

One thing I found out the hard way years ago is that if you need to have the stick "cut to haul" make sure that you have it cut at the length you need in a full piece or they will cut it in the middle of the stick. My 50.00 boat trailer solves that issue as I just tow it along to the steel yard and strap the stick on it and away I go.

 

So, how about an update of the progress on the car you built these rails for ?

 

Bump, Sam and the Bomb Factory crew's car wil be on the Salt in a few days!

 

T-man, how is your frame coming along? I see in this post the frame is built for a T and the rails look to be straight back. I think your building an A and wondering if you were going to curve the rails with the outside contour of the body and how.

 

I will start this with the fact that I decided to step back from my car stuff and spend time with my 3 year old LilT!n (I got lazy) Frame is now ready for rolling chassis mockup and the body will go on shortly.

Sams methods are the best in my opinion on building rails from scratch.

I have had computer and camera issues but will try and post pictures soon.

And yes, a 32 frame on a 28 Tudor is curvier than Jessica Rabbit! More like Kim Kardashian if she was cool enough to hang out with hotrodders!~

 

I thinking if you cut slots or very small pie cuts and bent it to fit a home made jig as per the wescott dementions it may work. if I try this id cut the reveal last to ease the bending process. I may have to make a lot of cuts to keep it from creasing the side wall.

 

You will get no crease, cut the reveal first to make it easier. I used the Wescott prints, my body and several other A's to get where I am. I bet I am 1" off the Wecott numbers in at least one place due to my odd circumstances.

 

I used a jig made up of a HEAVY motorcycle table made out of wood and screwed 6" I beam cross members to it. I have cut rails like this twice so far and prefer a cheap Circular saw with a Carbibe Metal blade. You will tear through the blades but the 1/8" saw kerf gets you a couple degrees of bend each time. If you look at a 32 frame for an A from above, you will see 6-10 cuts from the firewall back to get teh contour. My pal that is a pro builder uses his portaband to do the same thing ends up with 3X the cuts and agrees that it is too much work.

 

Thanks T for BTTT!!

Clark gets here tomorrow and we hope to fire the motor and test drive this weekend!

Sam

 

I was thinking the same thing about the circular saw, 6-10 cuts aint bad may be a few more for the 32, was thinking if using wood 2x4s or 2x6s for the jig.

 

Tman if your using 2x5 tubing did you just subtract the inch from the bottom of the pattern? Sam sorry to hijack your thread.

 

I have a full size pattern I pulled off a friends bare rails. My frame is actually a hybrid. I also took a patttern off my A frame horns since they are nicer looking IMHO. I blended the front 18" off the A pattern into the 32ish rails. I then layed out the reveal based on the 28 Tudors cowl,a pillar and rear wheelwell.

So to answer your question I made it all up and didnt worry about the 1"

 

Cool, I downloaded and printed off the pattern flthd31 had posted (thanx) I'll just subtract the 1 inch off the bottom where the body sits and move the reveal up an inch.
thanx for all the help

 

great thread!any progress?

 

They are on the salt and Sam made his rookie pass the other day.

 

cool

 

nice!! any pictures?

 

nice frame and a very good idea. thanks

 

Any updates? pics?

 

Easy Tech to the top!

 

I tried printing the pattern. Seems like the pixels are huge and makes it very grainy. Anyone else have this problem?<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>

 

Back up...good stuff.

 

Sad to see photos that had been posted here that are no longer valid files. I wonder if someone could replace the dead links?

Microsoft publisher does not work for Mac computers. The only way to print those files is if they were provided as PDF files. I wonder if any one here might put up the frames files as PDF's for those of us without MS Publisher or those of us using a Mac?

 

Good call, this is one of the best tech threads we have had.