I am building a 1932 coupe and I have a qustion regarding the original k member. Do most of you remove and run a tubular/square style center section or run the original k and modify it? I won't be running a flattie.
I have to ask - are you planning on boxing the frame? If you are, you would be best advised to get it into a jig, remove the centre crossmember, and fully box it, and make other crossmembers. Early Ford steering boxes make it harder to box the frame. There are some guys here who modify the crossmember in order to use the original or later Early Ford brake pedals. To remove and then sell the crossmember will bring some good dollars, for some jig time.
K members are used with the Ford "flathead" type trans. It would need hacking for most other transmissions. Sell it and do a real X member. A well built X really works much better.
It just rubs me wrong to see an original 32 frame butchered up --- not that I don't understand the desire for better performance. Seems like the repro deuce frame rails are better candidates for swapping crossmembers and boxing.
I agree sell the frame to somebody that wants the flatty and buy a repro frame for what ever you are building. The drive line must be a secrete. Whether the frame is original or not won't affect the value of your build.
It rubs ME wrong that a guy wanting to build a true period OHV 32 is "supposed" to give up an original frame and use modern looking repro stuff. I'm pushing 60 and am building a car I always wanted with not one 1-800 part on it. Early Olds, Edmunds, 37 Buick trans, Olds rear..etc etc. Dropped my own axle and arms, reversed my own orig spring, 35/36 rear arms, 40 dash, bla bla...all on a budget, and nothing farmed out. Why should I have to use a repro frame? I did not butcher my frame. The frame I found local; from an old rod...they boxed the fronts back then, but they never bothered to fix the swaybacked drivers rail before boxing. by the way, my K went to another hamber, not ebay for 2x $ My driveline is not secret, and using a repro frame would destroy my cars' value... to me.
Also, another reason for keeping the original frame is alot of people do not realize that when you sell your original frame....You just sold your car!..everything on a 32 accept the frame and the transmission, is nothing more than parts.....the serial number that is used as proof of ownership will always follow the frame and transmission....those little aftermarket body tags are not legit and are also not cutting it these days in some states.....And incase anyone is not aware. It is illegal to restamp a Original serial number on any aftermarket frame......And is a felony.....You may get away with it just fine....But you may not....
I have a gennie roadster body and a nice original frame. I am using a SBC with T-5 and plan to use the unsplit wishbone, gennie big beam dropped 3 inchs, 32 spindles, F1 steering with 32 flange, and gennie pedals. Rear is a QC with A crossmember and spring and 36 rear bones. I've built 100s of repro 32 chassis and I guess that because there are so many NA sayers, it just makes me want to pull off this build all the worse. It would be just to easy to take the new route but an original roadster deserves more.
Looks like you opened up a can of worms here, Colin. Drill out the rivets and carefully remove the K-member. There's no reason to use it if you aren't running an early ford toploader. You saw what was done to the K to fit a later trans in that old deuce frame I got from you with the roadster project. As far as what to replace it with, I'd use a later ford X member or some folded C channel and fashion something like it.
i agree with thunderbirdesq. carefully remove the K and purchase a ionia or chassis engineering X member. they retain a somewhat original look and you can keep the K for later...
That K member will finance a nice of your car when sold. If it is really nice with no mods except perhaps drilled holes it's a big ticket item.
The Jalopy Journal
