Looks like Fury had a thought on it just before you posted this........ And beleive me, I mean no disrespect from this....... But after looking at the pictures of your projects in your profile,.... I would try to build just one frame as a prototype,... paint it up nice and take it to BTT50's in a display and see if there is any interest... Also listen to any questions or comments. By the end of the show, you should be able to get a feel if there is a market out there or not,.. how much time, labor and material it cost you.. and if it's worth it for you..... Have you built an actual 32 Ford Frame in the past ?... and do you have any experience with them ?
Harms way; Free huh. looks good. wish i could find free material laying around to do mine. Tinmann. not looking to get rich. or start a bushiness. just looking for something to do to occupy my time. build a couple frames here and there and sell them to whomever wants one. if i can buy the material for $280 {which i have already priced out} and charge a little for my time i think that i could do quite well for considerably less than $1800. maybe im looking at it wrong, i dont know.
in my picture, i will say yah, needs a little improvement but what do you expect to get with a hammer and a welder for tools. forgot to mention, i had a grinder too.
this time should be a diferent. i have a plasma table to access which i have already created the DXF's for the frames, i have the capabilities to build jigs and fixtures, and i have a whole machining department at my disposal to make just about anything i want. wont have a problem doing car frames when i build train frames and mining rigs for a living
the question that a lot of people would like to ask is how much would it cost to have you build one for someone else?
thats kind of what i was hinting around at is what would be a good price. what would the average guy pay for a frame. $950 plus shipping????????? i dont know. like i said im not looking to get rich. just want to do it as a hobby for now to take up some of my spare time. going once;;twice;; $950 idont know ,you guys tell me.
These were built for two friends,.. They supplied the materials I told them I would need and I built them (Labor was free). For what it's worth,.. these were for a couple good friends, and I always have a hard time charging pals for doing work for them,.... There is another one currently in the Jig right now I am building for a very old friend for his very cherry Deuce 3 Window.... I enjoy the work,.. in fact building the chassis and fabricating the mounts and other stuff you can buy commercially is the most fun part of Hot Rods for me... I have used several jigs before,... This one has been on loan to me for a while now, and is by far the best and most accurate jig I have ever used. So,... when I say I built them "for free",... it should read that they were built for my friends for the cost of the materials and consumables alone, But considering the state of my current economic status.... This will be the last one I build for anybody else.
You should be able to sell a quality frame for a competitive price with anyone. Your thought about building 3 to 4 and taking them to a swap meet should work. There obviously is a market for a base frame that is straight and true. I did a lot of work on a 1940 Ford frame and getting it true/square/level in a home shop without the benefit of a jig just isnt worth the amount of work it took. The racers rule has always been "Don't make what you can buy". You could make a successful home business out of it. Joe
Not to take away from the OPs thread, but I have to say I think I'd rather have the jig than a new stamped set of rails. Man that's nice!
I think most guys who want a 32 frame want it to look like a real 32 Ford frame. If you are talking about materials costing $280 you are obviously not going to buy stamped rails. Maybe a guy building something on 32-style rails like a model A or T might not mind the frame looking "close", but the guy using a 32 body would 99.9 percent of the time want it to look exact. I'm trying to say: Don't waste your time trying to make these frames for the 32 guys. Make one to fit an A and then see how it sells. If it comes out looking like a real 32 Ford rail, then make another jig to fit a 32 body. I predict it won't be anywhere near as cheap as you predict. Make sure to keep an accurate count of your time.
I picture the frame I want for my 1926 ford roadster being based on a model a frame. top view of the frame would look similar the top view of a 1932 ford frame. The rails would follow the contour of the roadster body up to just in front of the rear axel housing. The height of the rails at the rear would not be tapered down as the original model a frame. A 4 inch high frame rail lined up with the 22 inch high (at door) roadster body looks to be visually in better proportion to me. Frame can be built with 2x4 tubing. Rails can be bent to the correct body curve by cutting tubing as in other hamb threads or possibly machine bent. stock model a frames look good under a 1926 1927 ford roadster up the firewall then the frame is some what hidden under the body. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o> <o> </o>
The sort of cheap frame you're offering isn't really saving a builder much time. He's getting it cheap but has still got to work out where to bolt everything. If you're building a boxed frame but haven't planned where to install all the welded in nuts, your customer will have a nightmare time building his car. I'd prefer to spend twice as much or so for a frame ready to paint and ready to install everything. From axles to mufflers. Steering, Motor etc. That way anyone can build a working rod in a few months. It's like a kit car. I build and sell a lot of 32 frames, and they cost a lot more than $1800, but I use original crossmembers, ASC rails and provide all the mounting points for everything. You'd have to specialize in a certain configuration. Either 350/350 typ rods or flathead/S10/banjo etc. Ed Twitter @edsrodshop
i dont know but black board hotrods sell just basic plain perimiter frames with out cross members for $1400. from what i see in those its nothing fancy. wont be a problem. you cant tell me that there is not a ton of work left in finishing a perimiter frame. i know where every single whole is and where every cross member is located on these. if you can read a tape measure and have any ability what so ever it is not hard to follow a set of prints and put things where they go. remember i have created a file on a disk called a DXF and it relays it to the brain in the table and cuts out every hole and pattern you tell it to. and yes they will be boxed it. a majority of every one i see is boxed in. and yes it will look just like a 32 frame right down to the fancy reveal that is on the side. tell you guys what. im going to build one, put some pics on here of the buld. tell you how long it took . and then you guys can see if you can find ways to discourage me from doing it instead of trying to do it before i start. some of the posts that you guys put on were a great help and i thank the guys with the positive feed back. to the others. wait and see
If they ever pick up the phone....I gave up on them---Here's your competition!!! http://www.blackboardhotrods.com/
Hmmm. Don't want to sound negative but after your last post I think maybe you should read the posts again. I did and the majority of positive posts are from buyers and negative from guys in the buisness. Sure the buyers are going to be possitive, they all want to be able to buy a frame $950. I don't think the other posts are really negative, it's just them telling you to REALLY do your homework before you tie up a bunch of time and money in this project. I've been building hot rods professionally for 30 years, I have the know how and equiptment to build frames but I don't. I can't see it being economically viable on a small base. Your looking at a product there is a lot of competition already, if someone could really build 32 frames for under a grand and make a profit they all would be that cheap. In reality I don't see anyone selling a 32 frame for even $1800 making a profit. The big name shops charge more then that (even Speedway get's $4000+ for their's), the little name shops that sell cheap seem to come and go, maybe there is a reason. Dumb questain but if your not interested in a profit, why bother? I'd suggest building one alright. keep track of the time involved as well as the materials. My guess is if you plan on selling them for $950, subtract the cost of materials, expendables. the cost of tooling, marketing, insurance and buisness license, ect, ect., Divide what's left by the number of hours it took you to build it. I'll bet you won't like how much an hour your making, you'll find you'll be doing nothing more then buying yourself a poor paying job. Turning a good hobby into a poor paying job takes the fun out, trust me on this, btdt. I don't mean to be negative or discouraging but I think you need a reality check.
guess all you guys are right. im not going to build any to start a buisiness or to get rich. im going to build maybe 2 or three and put them on CL and see if anyone wants to buy one so i can fund my next project. if no one wants them then i will have a couple projects to last a while. i know a couple guys that would probably take them for the cost of materials. (friends of mine). so thanks everyone. i will still posts the pics for you guys to look at along the way
If you build an accurate '32 frame and offer it for $950 you'll have people beating your door down. I'll be one of them. Keep us posted.
Maybe look into a frame that noone has mainstreamed already, and create a "new" demand for yourself. How bout a 3w body?
Here's your "faux-ty two" frame for 26-27 roadsters from 2x5. Pinched, kicked up, and curved to follow the subrails of the body.
Thing must be a bunch cheaper where your are than here. If we press the revel into the rails ourselves, Laser cut all the boxing plates and crossmembers, supply and fit the body mounts into the frame. Our material costs are $1200 plus it a soild 40hr work to weld and dress the frame My guy's get paid $25 and hour, so my labour cost is more than you plan to sell a chassis for. Good luck with that. We only do custom frames to suit each build and detail them to suit all the components to be used. Cost more like $6k plus components. I'm not saying you cant do it and I look forward to seeing the results and the pictures. I'd be very interested in how you are plan to get the hours out of the build time to make it viable, more than the finished product. I like to see the process and planing and workmanship in detail if you going to do it show your potencial customers the entire deal. It will insire confidence. Mark Shearer Car Guy's Garage
jesus ch#$%. im really getting pounded hear aint i. just got the sides cut out on the plasma table today. decided to go with 3/16" material. took the guys 7 minutes to cut enough for 2 frames. remember im building a tube style frame that looks like a 32. the total cost for the sheet metal was $380. thats $190 each. going to have my son take pictures of them tomorrow and post them on here. they do look nice. going to go in this weekend and weld them up with my 2 boys. i also had some hevier plate cut out that is the exact outside profile of the frame when its assembled. thats to build a jig if i decide to keep doing them. and good for you in melbourne ausrailia. if your paying your guys $25 / hour im suprised your still making them.
any one else want to rip on me for trying to do something. come on, im in a good mood and this is almost getting to the point of being funny.
LoL...Don't sweat the nay-sayers...just do it and you will have all the answers you need! Doubt you're gonna LOSE money. If it comes out more than you thought you can charge more and sell the one frame. Its worth it just for the learning experience as far as I'm concerned! Besides...how many others can say they built one? LoL How do you get the profile of the frame? Cut the top and bottom to the correct shape before welding things together???
I am also curious as to how you are going to put the Revel or beauty Line in the outside of the frame rail
Okay. '32 frames are made of 11 ga steel. You're using 3/16" You're building a "tube style frame that looks like a '32" Did you know that deuce guys are more than a little fussy? So when you start changing the project from a dead nuts copy to a loose facsimile it kind of changes the whole equation. Do you currently own a '32?
yes, i know. 11 ga, just checking to see what you guys would say. i actually went with 10 ga. its about .0010 thicker than 11 ga. i went with 10 because i got a good price on it
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