Did some damage today.... no real surprises. Only one small notch cut in the frame, the rest was all added on and can easily be cut off.
Nice find, just acquired 2 34 ford pickups and a complete so cal front and rear kit to hot rod one. Going with disc brakes on all 4 corners with solid rotors and quick change race inspired. Sent from my XT1585 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
After three hours and about eight cutting wheels I was able to remove the mystery crossmember, steering box, and its mount. It was 3/8" thick plate welded to 1/4" thick tabs welded to the frame rails and it was ugly but now I have good clean, solid frame rails. Next is removing the K member and boxing the frame before building a tubular K. The lower left side of my firewall is all mummicked up..... does someone make a patch panel for that area? Worst case scenario I can replace it but I have better places for $900. Maybe somebody has that corner from a bad one?
Take care removing the K-member. Even if it has been cut up a bit it is still something an A-V8 builder will want. I have cleaned up a couple of axles with welds like yours. Just takes time. Mounting the shocks that way is actually a good way to go. Those wishbones scare me. I'm sure they can be fixed but I would be inclined to replace them with 35/36 take offs or even the repops from Speedway.
Bib... I will indeed take care with the k member. I agree that the wishbones are not the best but I'm not familiar with what's interchangable with the 32 axle. 32 to 36? Thanks, Gary O
The 32-36 axles has a perch thickness of 2". The Model A and the post 36 axles had a perch thickness of 2.25". You can use the other year wishbones with your axle if you just install a spacer between the axle and wishbone. Maybe find a large washer, make one, or buy one from chassis parts vendors.
Today's chore was rescuing the front axle and preparing it for all the new parts. The existing split wishbones were sketchy at best and their fate was determined when the perch bolts would not come out and I had to cut the bones off. Just as well, they were too short anyway. I was concerned about removing the equally sketchy/ugly shock mounts but a couple smacks with a BMFH and a majority fell off. Considering all that weld there was very little of it in contact with the axle. A wee bit more clean up and it'll be ready for paint, new brakes, spring and 'bones. A couple more days of cuttin' ugly off this thing and I get to start puttin' the pretty on.
Thanks.... I'm trying to keep as many original parts on it as I can. Just gonna paint it, spin it around and put it back on.
Thanks for the lead on the repops...... just what I needed. I destroyed the old ones getting the perch bolts out and ordered new ones so it all worked out. They were too short anyway.
good save sometimes the farmer welds penetrate sometimes they don't afew mins with the air grinder and flip it around good as new.
The chassis work will be soooooooo much easier with the body off so that was today's quest. Also part of that was to verify the VIN number which I wasn't able to see when I bought it. The seller assured me he had seen it..... I'm calling BS on that because of the decades of accumulated scrunge on top of it. Huge sigh of relief when the chassis number matched the number on the title. Got the trans out and will pull the rear as soon as I plumb bob the hub centerlines. Then a million rivets to drill out to get the K member out. I also found a fourth color the truck has been..... white in addition to flat black, blue and red.
The AB on the number means it's early production. I've got a Tudor with an AB number, about the 50,000th 4 cylinder produced. Check the middle of the front body sub rail crossmember, under where the front edge of the seat would be. Let us know what the number and letters are there if you find any.
Have you found any feedback on the center steer rack (not the one that mounts on the side in place of a vega box)? I have searched and have found no mention anywhere on the internet yet. I also emailed RJay's (they are the only place I've seen them advertised) and never got a reply. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
The problem with a standard rack and pinion/solid axle combination is that the rack has to be mounted ON the axle to maintain toe-in. If the rack is mounted on the frame the toe-in changes as the axle moves up and down. If the rack is mounted to the axle the steering shaft must have a sliding joint to compensate for the movement of the axle. I am confident that the Vega replacement R&P will work fine with a panhard rod in place. I'll admit it's crap if it turns out to be just that.
Almost done cutting the ugly off this old dog. The very abused K member gave a valiant fight to stay in the frame. The farmer welding, while ugly, was occasionally well done in the most unfortunate location. The frame is quite solid and will require a bit of clean up prior to putting the 'good stuff' back on. The only thing left to take off is the front crossmember to be replaced with a lowered unit. Then I'll start boxing the frame before fabbing the new tubular supports and engine mounts. The scene of the crime.....
Yes, that is the location on the sub rail crossmember for the production line count, and the factory code where it was made. Maybe the stamping is very light. Probably a number in the hundreds or low thousands, and a two letter code for the factory location. Make sure you keep that frame very well braced and clamped down to a solid table before welding boxing plates and cross members. It will warp and walk if you don't.
I'll try some gentle paint removing to see if the number will appear. I will only be boxing a few sections.... it doesn't need the whole frame done. I don't have a table but will be tacking several supports to retain the shape as much as I can.
Finally cut all the ugly off and started putting the pretty back on. Had to rack the frame, it was an inch out of square but once I bolted the SoCal dropped front crossmember and the k-member back in the frame matched all the dimensions I have for it. One issue popped up..... the axle has a minor bend in it. I'll take it to a truck shop in town and have them straighten it. Ordered my T-5 adapter from Cornhusker's today and other parts have been arriving. Once the wishbones arrive I can put the front end together.
While waiting for my axle and parts I thought I'd tackle the one bad place on the body, the firewall. Someone bondo'd the whole thing including holes and dimples. I'm going to try and copy the right side even though it's a little different but it'll be WAY better than it was. Maybe someone makes a patch panel for this?
Looking good so far. A Question : if I may, Does the front cross member have a castor factor built into it, or is it flat ? And did the original one have castor in it ? Thanks. Can't help wondering if the guy that welded the shock mounts on was the same guy that dropped the axle ?
HAHAHAHAHAAA!!!! Jeez, I hope it was two different guys!!! Yes, the SoCal crossmember has the castor pre set (7 degrees?) I think most of those on the market do.
Busy day..... made a form for the bottom lip of the firewall and bent some 16 ga sheetmetal to emulate the right side. I know it's not the original shape but I don't have an original one to copy. I got it welded in and filled between the original and new pieces. I'll begin on the big hole tomorrow and might be lucky enough to finish it up! Got lots of parts today (water pumps, trans adapter, rear spring) so I'll have plenty to do once this is done.
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