Model A body on 1932 frame subrails

Eric,

Can't wait to see some updated installation pics. Anxious to get started on mine.

Ralph

 

subscribed

 

Bump.

 

Well, I cut my rear sub-rails out today. So I guess I am committed.

 

I cut the quarters more like 32 roadster quarters, I also removed the rear brace below the tail panel to make room for the deuce tank...

 

Does anybody have these installed in there body yet?How did it work out? Any pic's

 

I'm very pleased with the subrails I got from Vaphead.

I wound up using portions of the side rails only. The wide cross member with the bead rolls is intended for a vehicle with a flat rear frame cross member. It will not work with an arched Model A frame cross member. If I was buying again I would ask for a kit without the cross members.

To get a tight fit I had to scribe the side rails at the front of the wheel wells.

A good installation requires a tight fit between the sub rails and the wheel wells. Next time I will draw the two together with pop rivets or screws and nuts. And then plug weld and fill the holes.

I don't have any good pictures of the installed sub rails. You can, however, see a bit of them in the pictures I took of my bulkhead frame installation.

Good stuff.

 

Hey Steve, I'd like to see a few more shots of that bulk head, fixin to start mine today.
I saw in one of kiwi kevins post where he used cardboard but left it a little shy, he said he was going to use seam sealer around the edge so he didn't have to weld to the body panels.

 

not to bump an old thread..but the Vaphead subrail kit is incredible...do yourself a favor and save a weeks worth of fab work and get the kit

 

Can you post pics of your installation?

 

need some info,theres nothing i found on his website,would like to see the kit for a model a rear crossmember and get a price

 

For the A rear crossmember the rear "pan" is shorter.
Working on a rear cover too...

coopsdaddy,I'll answer your PM's ina second.

 

bump for more feedback from folks that have used these

 

Hey Eric, do you do an entire subfloor kit with as part of it for those of us with nothing but a floppy body shell?

 

I suggested the same thing to him earlier this week.

The cat's meow would be a kit that went from the cowl clear to the ass end for a...
-28/9 Coupe
-28/9 Roadster
-30/1 Coupe
-30/2 Roadster
... in that particular order.

(guess who just removed all of his old subrails?)

/\ this guy /\

 

So I'm just getting started with my subrail kit from Eric, and I'm trying to figure out the best way to attack it. I have channeled the body down about an inch by raising the cross rails and now the subrail is sitting on the frame at the widest point before it rises up in the center. Now the subrail kit does not line up perfectly as intended.
Although I have an idea to mate the new subrail kit right at the point where the second crossrail is at the point behind the door opening. I think this will work well, except it is about three inches short of reaching that point. I could fabricate something, but it would be easier if someone had a piece left over from another kit to weld onto it. If you have such a piece please PM me. I have also planned to shape my wheel wells to match the frame curvature. I am not bobbing the rear framerails off completely(leaving enough for a spreader bar) and in order to make the rear of the body look right, I plan to take a stock rear subrail and section it to fit in the approx 1" space between the frame and rear pan.
I am sure I'll change it as I go, but that's the plan.

 

Finally got busy yesterday and started the install of the rear subrail kit.
I started by shooting a line along the outer edge of the remaining subrail from the B pillar to the rear corner of the car. This gave me an idea of where to cut the subrail. My car is channeled 1" so in order to keep it from dropping any when I cut the rear of the subrail, I put a 3/4" piece of wood under the subrail at the door jamb section. I may replace it with hardwood or steel later. Then I cut that portion of the old subrail out.

 

Next I fit the new rear subrail, which was a little short, so I added a piece to mate it to the old subrail right at the second crossrail. I also trimmed the flange at the rear of the subrail where it hit the body, and in the front where it will be welded to the portion of the original subrail. Once I had the fit right I tacked it in place.

 

I managed to fit the pass side in and test fit the cross channel by the end of the day. The floor portion between the new subrails will be 35-1/2" across. I'll try and get a little more accomplished on it today.

 

Ralph,

Nice work. Tell me about those rectangular frame extensions.

 

Well I took the subrail that comes from Riley Automotive down to a local Sheetmetal shop and had them make a straight section that would mate to the same shape. I only needed a foot, but had them make 4' as the cost was only a few dollars more.
I figured someone else doing the same thing might need a little of it.

Here's the work i finished today. I had to redo the pass side as I didn't like the way it turned out. I also moved the crossrail closer to the B pillar before I tacked it into place.

 

And finally, it's done! I went with a different approach to the rear of the body. Since I had to totally rebuild it, I made a piece that joined the ends of the subrails accross the rear and then I extended the quarters down over it. I then bolted the rear panel to it, just like a stock Model A.
I'm ok with welding sheetmetal, but the hammer and dolly work kicks my butt, well at least it's solid now.

 

Please view before buying from riley automotive

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=515178&highlight=riley+automotive

 

I can only add my warning too. Riley ripped me off for $2000 !!!!

Ed :-(

 

Good work!!!

 

Just got my Sub Rail kit in last week. Just wondering how the rest of you guys routed around the rear wheel well. I did not plan on cutting it out in order to make this work.
Question is would you guys pie cut the well in order to pull it out a bit? Or modify the new sub rail to contour around this?
Hopefully the pictures can do the explaining for me!

 

I'm interested in buying a set of these. It would save myself a lot of time and maybe even a few dollhairs.
I have read all the reviews on Riley auto and even know a few people personally who have had bad encounters with this company, and I'm still very hesitant about doing business with them, but has anyone had any real recent bad encounters with Vaphead or Riley auto?

 

Try Steadfast Mfg out of Mansfield Oh, new member on the hamb

dave

 

If you buy them from ebay , isn`t the buyer protected?
Good product , but fucked up seller...

 

I got mine through ebay, but i dont think he sells these anymore. Oh well glad i got a set.