Hot Rods Getting ready to cut. Any advice?

Hey guys. Got a 57 chevy gasser style project im working, on and the plan is to cut the front of the frame and add 2x4 square tubing with leaf springs and a 58 chevy pickup front axle. Right now i have the front fenders removed, the frame is leavaled on jack stands, and i have welded bracing on the top and bottom of the frame to keep the rails from moving. I have marked the center of the front spindles on the floor. Is there anything else i should do or check before the sawsall comes out? Just dont wanna cut it off and say, i wish i would have.... Any other tips would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

Measure twice.

 

And a second pair of eyes on it never hurts.

 

Make a quick jig to locate the core support in relation to the front body mounts on the frame. It will make a world of difference in setting up the front Sheetmetal up again having the core support dead on.

 

Yea, there is. Show your work. It doesn't have to make sense to anyone else, but it should make sense to you. And if it doesn't, don't start cutting.

 

"Bottom out'' your 2x4 rails in the cut frame, drill a few holes & weld to keep 'em located. You'll have to pinch the frame tubes together to weld at your cut. Add external plate gussets at the joined area.

[QUOTE="Gus68, Any other tips would be appreciated. Thanks![/QUOTE]

 

One last bit of advice. Before you cut that clip, build the front end. Have it ready to install. Then disable the car and install it.
Not saying you can't build it one piece at a time on the car, just that it makes better sense to build it off the car then fit it to the car as an assembly.

 

Pull measurements from the center of the rear axle to the center of the front spindle, do both sides and compare measurements.

This will help determine if there is any frame problems or tracking problems front to rear.

Set the jack stands right in front of rear wheels on the frame itself and right behind your cut marks on the front of the frame itself. This will stabilize the frame.

I would at that point measure from the floor to the height of the original frame horns, this will give you an idea of how the new tube section compares to the original.

Make sure above all that the car and frame are level!! If they are not, the minute you cut one rail loose the frame will settle and then when you weld the new section in, it will have a twist in the frame and the bad part is it will be welded into the frame assembly.

So above all make sure it's level and the jack stands are bearing equal weight. At work most of the problems I see is this very problem and once welded in about the only option is to cut it all loose and do it again which of course is sad news for the customer.

 

Wow. Thanks guys! I do have it leved about as perfect as i can get. I have some older screw style jack stands that helped a TON! Lostone, i will measure from the rear axle centerline, that makes scence.

 

Make sure 2x4 framing stays square after welding.

 

So best to tack tack tack correct? I have the frame braced up pretty good but im also nervous that once i cut my bracing out itll go twango

 

wouldnt hurt to plumb bob the front spindles to keep correct wheelbase

 

Buy a plane ticket to Mnpls/StPaul for Gene Winfield. A long weekend should do it.

 

Personally 54 and earlier axle looks better. Unless one is into the Pontiac “Wide Track” look of things.

 

Make sure the frame is on jack stands front and rear!!

Dead level !!

Hook your cherry picker to the front crossmember to keep it off of your toes !!

 

Yup. Plumb bobbed the center of the spindles. Also plum bobbed the body mounts, the rear spring mounts and the center in front and in rear. So im thinking im ready. Thinking this weekend its under the knife!

 

Add to that.
Centerline everything with a string line .
Mark ALL crossmembers in the centre and string line it to get a true centre. [and also mark this on the floor as a reference]

It is a waste of time if the original frame has a a lateral bend in it.
AND you dont want the front clip to be off diagonally [parallelogram]

 

Push the front axle forward about 2 inches . It will look better. When you put the fenders on you will be glad you did!

 

Yuppers plus when you have the car level on stands and solid with the front sheet metal off measure from the floor to the spot that the core support sits on and write that measurement down.

This is a great idea and again marking it on the floor and marking the axle centerline at the rear on the floor is a good idea.

There isn't any noticable difference in 40/5.1 axles and 55.2 /59 axles except the spacing of the spring mount points and the 55.2/55.9 with 31/7/8" spacing has far better spacing for what Gus68 is doing than the 26-3/4 of the 41.55.1 axle.

There is some real good advice all along the line here. I like the sliding the tubing into the ends of the cu off frame rails and doing some plug welds. I like it that several people chimed in on the measuring an making that you get everything at the right spot.

All I am going to suggest is have one quality tape measure and only use that exact tape measure though the whole project. All tape measures are not created equal even with the same brand and model.

 

Underlap/overlap the 2" x 4" tubing into the existing chassis and provide plug welding opportunities at their extremes. Also a pointed type cut, 45 degrees forwards cut each way top and bottom, of the OEM chassis side members will make for a stronger joint (if practical).
It's going to be a gasser so wheel stands are mandatory and that area cops the most abuse.

 

3” is a big difference from first series 55 to second series 55 truck to truck. Now put 53 54 car spindles on a earlier axle and see what it ends up being.

 

Mr 48 has the right idea. I'd go one step further. Get an old steel wheel and tack weld some type of vertical pipe on it. Make a sleeve to slip over the pipe and drill and tap a hole in it for a set screw. Then tack a small plate to the sleeve.
You can slide it up and down and set the small plate on the top of your lower radiator support. Then you not only know exactly how high to make your replacement, you can physically set the wheel there and bring your replacement support up to the correct height against the tab on the sleeve.

Then "TACK" the frame in place and check sheetmetal fitment. Measure twice.....TACK once.......check fitment.

 

Be sure you wash hands and arms wear a face mask. I couldn't think of anything that wasn't covered at least twice. Oh yea; Leap of faith.

 

Another piece of advice, take pictures. Document the process. You can go back and figure out what went right as well as wrong. Have all your materials on hand, and again, the plan in place before you make the first cut.