Every now and then I come across a really tired 1932 Ford frame. Some are repairable. Some aren't. In this case all three cross members were so bad they needed replacing. Most people would have junked the rails too as they were very bad. However where they weren't rusted through, they were OK. I.e. they weren't thin everywhere just where they were rusted through. Anyway today I'm going to address the collapsed kickup. Both sides were as bad, I'm covering just one side. This was an early frame without internal kickup reinforcement. It did had strengthening plates welded to the outside but that had been done after it had collapsed! Here's a picture compared to a new ASC rail. The damage on the rail means we no longer know the shape it should be. There's no point in jigging it because it isn't right to start with and almost all the original metal in the kickup has to be replaced. So first of all I took a new ASC rail and put it next to the original rail. If you don't have ASC rails to hand you can probably borrow a pair. The repaired frame is going to need internal kickup reinforcement plates anyway. So I made the reinforcement sections to fit the new ASC rail. First of all I made a pattern out of thin sheet metal. See picture above. When I'm repairing prewar chassis's I prefer to use original Rouge steel. I find the 1940-48 Ford chassis a good source for steel. Here I have the sandblasted 1946 side rail which is providing the new steel. You can use brand new steel but it isn't the same. Next step is to find some steel to copy the pattern on to. Usually I'd use the 1940-48 kickup to find the shape in one piece but I was reserving that to repair the original rail, so the reinforcement was made from two sections. Once cut to shape this piece is clamped into the ASC rail. Next I cut some lengths of top and bottom flanges from the '46 rail and bent them to follow the inside of the ASC rail. They needed pie cutting to follow the 1932 shape. Once fitted mark the side piece made earlier and trim to size and weld up. After lots of grinding, welding and finishing I had my rail reinforcement made up out of original pitted Rouge steel which fitted in the ASC rail perfectly. Next I turned my attention to the original 1932 Ford rail. Almost the entire kickup had to be cut out. I only cut out the rusted and distorted metal but that was almost the whole lot. Here I have a scary big hole. And here's the piece which failed probably in the 1930s. So next up I slipped in the reinforcement piece and welded it firmly in place. Normally if fitted to good rails or ASC rails these just need spot welding in. In this case it got welded in properly. After it was welded in I made a paper pattern and found the replacement metal in the 1946 kickup I was holding back. Cut to shape here it is fitted. I then welded in the replacement outer skin. After blending you can hardly tell it's new (er) metal. This is the inside reinforcement plate. As if that wasn't enough, the rear horn was toast too. Here it is lopped off, with its replacement taking shape. The horn was also made from the 1946 steel with a new spreader bar reinforcement plate welded in. And here's the repaired rail from the outside. Next I'll cover the repairs needed further forward. With cherry original 32 rails getting harder to find at any price this sort of work is necessary to save the remaining deuce rails out there. Sent from my SM-G935F using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
New rails would have been a lot cheaper. I have 4 pairs on a rack outside. It's not about saving money it's about saving original Deuce parts. Sent from my SM-G935F using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Nice job.. my 29 roadster is sitting on an original early 32 frame that I saved. Worked on it over 2 weeks , but well worth it. BTW, I did all that while 5 sets of ASC rails sat close by and watched
Nice. Even though a guy might not have 32 rails this might turn the bulb on on how to fix a set someone has been pondering fixing. What works on a 32 should work on a lot of things.
only had [1] '32 frame, both lower "flanges" from the cowl to the kick ups were toast... cut bowed strips, welded them in, boxed the rails, 5" chopped '30 coupe, ran it with a flattie for 2 years... new owner did constant 6.? ? second 1/8ths with a SBC for years.
In the middle of doing the same now to an original chassis with good numbers. Didn't get to this part of the repair yet and it's cool to see how you tackled it. Great thread!
My new to me old 32 frame is pretty solid but it is full of drilled holes and the existing boxing plates will have to be replaced. Paid more for them than quality repops but I will have the satisfaction of knowing my ass is being held up by real Henry steel.
The Jalopy Journal
