I have a chance to buy a 2008 Ranger frame. Truck was rolled. Any feedback on putting this under a 32 Desoto would be appreciated. Basic measurements look doable. The hump over the rearend may be a concern.The rack steering makes it great for the front fenders and grill. Any help?
Come on. Hotrodding is taking your old car and engineering it for better performance, adapting parts for more power, better handling, whatever. It is not swapping an old body onto a new chassis so you can pretend you have built an old car. Yes, you get your nails dirty, yes you engineered something, yes you cut your fingers and bleed a little, but it isn't the same. Constructing a chassis from scratch, molding steel into a shape that cheats the wind, fixing something the original manufacturer didn't get quite right, that's Hotrodding. Installing a body on some generic chassis in a conglomeration of compromised fit and geometry may be a shortcut to driving that dream car, but it's just that, a shortcut. Last I checked, it was all the rage over at Kit Car Magazine. 60 grit, i love seeing international folks sign up on the HAMB, and I love helping them learn how to do something that seems insurmountable even more. You can build a 32 De Soto, or you can re-body a Ranger. Which one do you want to tell your grandchildren about?
So what's wrong with the existing frame? It'd be a lot easier and look a lot better to use the original frame and even the original suspension. If parts are missing adapt a different suspension to the original frame. Complete chassis swaps almost always turn out to be a nightmare.
Welcome to the HAMB from another Canuck, 60-Grit. I will echo what everyone else has said...don't bother trying to marry your Desoto to the Ranger frame. Can it be done? Perhaps, but more than likely it will look like hell when you're finished. Use the original Desoto frame as a base and go from there.
even with those small truck frames they still look like ass from the front. too busy, too wide. I agree with what's been said already, work with the original frame.
60 grit if you're going to run fenders and you think you can make it look right, I say go for it! Last time I checked hot rodding was about putting stuff together that didn't originaly go together to make your car perform better. But I will agree with some of the other guys here and say that the ranger frame is butt ugly (I know, I've had two of them) so be sure to mount the body low enough to hide all the ugly stuff!
Wow! I feel like shit. What's left of the frame is good. There is no frame from the firewall forward. There is no rearend and one of the original rear leaf springs is bent. I thought I was doing a smart move. Original frame parts are nill around here and constructing a frame is beyond me as are aftermarket front ends. I really appreciate the input.
I woulden't feel like shit if I were you, you're just trying to build a hot rod just like the rest of us. For some reason people on here think it's ok to put S10 frames under AD Chevy trucks and camero clips under everything but the moment you talk about doing a frame swap everyone wants to say you're building a Rat Rod and it's going to look like crap. I say build it and prove them wrong!
60 Grit, its not a matter of making you feel like shit. That frame will leave a lot to be desired once done (read that as "looks like ass"). You say that a new frame and front end are beyond you, I assume in skills and know how? Well, hang around here, do a lot of research in tech on here and in a short time, you will grasp the concepts. Which would you rather have,,,,,, a car that looks like ass now? Or a car you can be proud of 6 months later?
So with no front end on my frame what are my options? An aftermarket front end? There are no Desoto parts around here. We have to have fenders here in Nova Scotia and it's a 4 door and I don't think it would look very good without them. Scottybaccus and Texas Hotrodder. You guys are away out of my league. I do not have enough time to aquire the skills and knowledge you guys have. I should have started this about 30 years ago.
I think it was "Paul" the tech editor that did a tech thread on building a model A frame. You could always build the front of your frame the way he did, then you have a basic design that is easilly adaptable. If you can't weld it up, find a welder in your area that will do it for you. With you doing the work other than final welding, it will still be cheaper than the ranger frame, and will look good.
I'm glad you asked! To start, research what the original frame looked like. It's likely that your easiest solution, and one compatible with the origins of the car, is to fab new front horns from box tubing and run either parallel leafs or a transverse leaf. The transverse leaf is even a period correct mod for early twin leaf cars, so you have a slew of Ford parts to choose from. Don't beat yourself down on the skills part. There is a 14 year old kid on here doing his first. You can do it. Aquiring new skills is what it's about and this is exactly the sort of job for a beginner that is interested in more than swapping parts. Give it a shot. PM me your contact info and I'll be glad to help you off-line.
I just have to thank everyone for trying to help this guy out. Usually these threads turn into a flamefest, it's nice to see a calm constructive exchange of ideas!
Name calling immeadiately after a technical disagreement usually reveals the party with the weaker position.
"Basic measurements look doable"? If you have no front frame section you are missing some essential measurements, like wheelbase, track width, where the motor falls in relation to the front wheels, etc. Sorry if you're feeling dumped on, but there's a lot of experience here, most of us have seen later model frames swapped under early cars, I've never seen one that looked decent. The front wheels always look too far back in relation to the grill and engine bay, the frame is invariably too wide at the cowl, you end up with ugly bulges in the front fenders to cover control arms, etc, etc. It's just an unworkable combination of parts. I think you'd be much farther ahead to fab a new front frame clip and go with early style front suspension. Do some homework, find out what the original front suspension looked like (beam axle and parallel leafs?..) If you don't have the skills to do it, find a local shop that does. You'll end up with a driveable, much better looking car in the long run.
If you can figure out what model your body is you could match up a similar frame. It's either a Standard SC or Custom SC. Standard had a WB of 112-3/8 or the 7 pass Custom was 121. Seems it's always easy to find frames if you dig around, most frames from the era will work with a little tweeking, just find a similar WB and you could mount the body and work with the appropriate front end whether single leaf or parallel. Might be cheaper and easier in the long run especially if it's your first build.
i am not looking to start trouble just want to share my 2 cents like everyone else i read your question and i feel i can help im currently swapping my 47 plymouth chassis with a 1986 chevy monte carlo frame click my project page to see the build but please note if my body wasn't rotten on the bottom if it was completely solid or if it was a 2door i would have just transferred everything to the orig frame but then again my frame was completeunlike yours but i still like the swap better its more fun and i don't agree with the dudes saying its not building a hotrod by swapping or its cheating if you are able to save any old body and make it work and look good who care whats under the body id rather drive with a more reliable and up to date drive train then some motor i have to park with my hood open for others to see post some pics up so we can see what you have to work with maybe someone local has a frame you can use
Joel...there is a big difference in doing a frame swap under a fat fendered car like your Plymouth, and an early "skinny fender" car like Dave's Desoto. A fat fendered car has a better chance at hiding the "ugliness" that comes with some modern frames. Dave...do you belong to any of the local car clubs? If not, I'd suggest you join one or two and ask lots of questions. Get some opinions and advice from people in your area who can show you how to do things. My understanding of NS vehicle laws is that hotrods have to have an engineer inspection before they can be registered, so you want to do your car up right.
I put a 87 full size chev p/u frame under my 48 chev p/u I like it here in CANADA its hard to find parts that are not all rusted out If it works DO IT
The biggest issues are the front 1/3 and the fenders...the late frame is certainly waaaay too wide in front and will run way outside of the area where fenders would mount. It will also probably have to sit very high to pass under the fender mount area. If you actually have fenders already, block them up on stands in approximate position and look...the area alongside the engine needs a frame to sit on. That is probably the area that will dictate some basic dimensions for you...slide in a couple of 2X4 boards into the existing frame ends and under the fender flanges for a crude preview. You are going to need a welder...results will likely be pretty much straight extensions from the cut-off point to about a foot forward of hypothetical radiator. Choose an available front end...perhaps something like early fifties pickup for similarity to original, or a '48 Ford or such for simplest build and parts availability.
I am just up the 101 in Windsor, if ya need any help, opinions or advice. If you can weld you can build a chassis!
I am totally amazed at the response I have received. Not everyone is has the same take on things . I haven't concluded what I am going to do yet but I have some great input to work with,and some have even offered their 1 on 1 time to help me out. Thank you all. I will keep my nose in H.A.M.B. Much to be learned here,and when I decide what to do I will post again.
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