How to build an early hotrod frame

Everything on this car was hand made by the O/B.

 

Terry----Its been a few years, and now I am running an aftermarket dropped light bar. The original light bar I used was for a 28/29 with a 28/29 fender package. It cleared the center grill bar by about 1/16 of an inch. It was so close I stuck a piece of self adhesive rubber in between the light bar and the center grill bar to keep them from vibrating against one and other.---Brian

 

Hi, Brian. Nice to see you are still around. I thought you were off building trains or something like that.

Don

 

Hi Don---Nice to hear from you. I don't post much on any of the hotrod forums now. I am still driving the Wild Canary on a daily basis thru the summer months, but I haven't really done any active hotrod building since I finished it. I did buy a lathe and a mill, and got heavily into building working model steam engines for a few years. Now that my grandkids are big enough to go touring around with my wife and I, a lot of my time is spent just being "Grandpa".----And both girls bug the hell out of me to "Ride in Poppa's hotrod"!!!

 

So.........do I see a steam powered hot rod in the future ? Jay Leno has nothing on you, Brian. Nice to hear from you again.

Don

 

Try a 1927 model T headlight bar, they have a forward offset that works well.

 

Hi Brian
Only just found this life story of yours, what a wealth of Hotrod info is in these pages”How to build an early hotrod frame “Many thanks for putting up such an informative “TECH SHEET”.
I am collecting parts for ’36 Chevy Cab build and starting to measure up my frame 4”x 2”x 3/16”
I have a rebuilt ’36/37 Ford axle with the spring in front of the axle. (Not dropped) My question is would I run a double Z on the frame for this Axle or as I’m beginning to notice no one uses this type of combo
I don’t think you mention this axle in your write up which is fair enough but can someone explain what the main problems I’ll encounter.

Thanks again Phil

 

Hi Brian
Only just found this life story of yours, what a wealth of Hotrod info is in these pages”How to build an early hotrod frame “Many thanks for putting up such an informative “TECH SHEET”.
I am collecting parts for ’36 Chevy Cab build and starting to measure up my frame 4”x 2”x 3/16”
I have a rebuilt ’36/37 Ford axle with the spring in front of the axle. (Not dropped) My question is would I run a double Z on the frame for this Axle or as I’m beginning to notice no one uses this type of combo
I don’t think you mention this axle in your write up which is fair enough but can someone explain what the main problems I’ll encounter.

Thanks again Phil

 

Wow- what a great thread. I just spent a couple of hours studying all the info and learned what I thought I knew but really was in the fog. Thanks for all the info this should be in book form so I can study in my favorite room in the Morning( sitting on the throne with a lap top insn't a pretty picture.
I now have to go to the shop and change a few things, do some welding, math and drawing to get things right. I to have grandkids that want a ride and want the ride as good as it can be for thier sake ---thanks again.

 

Silversink---Thanks for the vote of confidence. I still drive my 1931 roadster pickup as my "daily driver" thru the summer months. I'm not as involved in the hotrodding scene now as I was when I first started this thread, but have enjoyed keeping it alive and answering questions when I can.---Brian

 

Adam---I'm terribly sorry, but I built my hotrod 7 or 8 years ago, and I simply don't have that information now. I used a model A spring with the ends of the main leaf reversed, and I know that after loading a 305 with turbo 350 into the frame the spring deflected surprisingly little. I used a stock model A frame and crossmember. I used a 4" dropped axle from Superbell, and I do have written on my garage wall that from the floor to the center of the front-most bumper bolt hole in the frame was 12 7/8" before I put the engine and tranny in and was 11 5/8" after I put the engine and tranny in. That means that the spring deflected only a total of 1 1/4" verticaly. I am running 15" wheels with 165R15 tires, and as it sets right now (I just ran out to the garage and measured), it is 10 3/4" from the ground to the center of the spindles. Another quick measurement from the floor to the center of that same front bumper bolt hole now measures 10 1/4", meaning that in 7 years and countless miles of driving, the new spring has settled another 1 3/8" from when it was new. Hope that helps.---Brian

 

Good evening sir. I am researching info for a 29 roadster I am building and came across your informative thred. My question to you sir, is it possible for you to make some computer images so I know where I can start my project. I am planning on a 112" wheelbase since I am close to 6 ft in height. 24" wheel diameter in front 30" wheel diameter in rear. I would like the rear wheel to fit in the wheel well and not sit higher than the body. I have pete and Jakes hairpins with super bell 4" drop axle in front with a reverse spring. I
have coilovers and a Pete and Jakes trigulated 4 link for the rear. 350 engine 350 trans. If you can help me out I will gladly send some sort of payment for your time. Thank you for your time.
***************

Sorry felows, but I can not answer a question like this. My time for 3D cadwork bills out at $300 a day, and I would first have to find a 29 roadster to measure, create 3D models from scratch, etc. It would end up costing more than a thousand dollars were i to do so. my advice is to find someone with a model A roadster they will let you take some basic measurements from, and if necessary do some mock-ups wih wood. Thats not as crazy as it sounds---I've done it myself. sorry I can't help.----Brian

 

Just came across this thread and just want to say "thanks" to Brian for his years of assistance.
Good stuff here, timeless.

 

What The FUCK? If you're a Fucken nerd!!! This is how you do it:

Grab some parts

Grab a saw

Grab a welder

And Go to town.



HE HAD FUCKEN COMPUTOR DRAWINGS!!!

 

Just Kidding! I like your write-up. I just had a funny moment

 

Dude, back off the smoke!

 

My thoughts EXACTLY!

Although there's nothing wrong with progress, there's been several comments in the thread about how the earliest - and some of the best - rods were made by kids with torches - period. Sure, you can use CAD programs, protractors and calculators, but tape on the floor, a few blocks of wood and an Oxy-acetylene set-up will always do the job just the same.

 

E-tek, thanks for bumping this thread. I needed so much of the info in it, so much more informed now.

Brian, thank you for your time in prepping and posting your write ups, and continued responses. Truly informative. Honestly have an idea of which direction I need to head, having had no idea before I started reading.

 

iS'wat its all about!

 

Excellent information for all building a chassis.

I hope all is well Brian.

 

a very cool thread and w/ alot of useful information ....

 

bump

 

I'm still around, and I still get notifications when somebody posts in this thread. My hot-rod flame doesn't burn quite as hot now as it did ten years ago, but I still drive the Wild Canary as my main vehicle during the summer months. I'm 67 now, and I've slowed down a bit, but I guess that's a natural progression. I'm just glad that this thread has been able to help so many rodders around the world since I started it.---Brian Rupnow

 

Brian, your contribution is greatly appreciated, more than by those who've posted on this thread. I subscribed forever ago so that each comment would bring this back to my mind. Your presence here has been missed.

My '27 T Roadster build: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t= 734383

 

As a long time lurker here at the HAMB and a recent member, I would like to welcome this thread into 2014. This is my first post and I was motivated by the wealth of information in this thread enough to finally get on board. This is hands down the most and best practical chassis building information I have found anywhere and I would like to thank Brian for the selfless contribution he has made that will continue to help countless people for years to come.

THANK YOU!

Matt

 

Thanks guys. I still watch for responses to this thread, and will still help answer questions if I know the answers.---Brian

 

Here is how I did my a frame. Kept the stock a crossmember in place.







Sent via my typewriter

 

Taking questions then, Brian? Lemme know and I'll PM you something and see if it's appropriate or not. Gary

 

Sure--Send me a p.m.--Unless its about my bank account or my sex life, you can ask right here in this forum.---Brian

 

Ok Brian, here goes.

If I wanted to build a traditional (straight front and rear axle) chassis but wanted to run several different sets of wheels and tires, starting with one tall and narrow, and then perhaps two or three other sizes that are progressively wider and lower, could it be done without messing up the steering / handling? I'd also like to keep the front spacing the same on all the wheels within each "set."

So... I have this idea that if I widen the front and rear tracks by 2" per side to start (I kinda like that spindley look of lakes modifieds) that when I mount wider / lower tires I could get wheels with more backspacing and hopefully keep the front spacing the same. Or, if not possible, increase rim widths equally from what ever I had on the tall set. I think that is doable, so...

The real question I have is about kingpin inclination versus the various tire's contact patches. I assume first I'd have to find out what the OEM specs were on a stock A/B front axle and tires. Then see how it would change for the various tire and rim sizes I'm considering. At best, all I would be able to do is make a simple drawing on lined graph and see how the various intersection points shift around.

The reason I'm thinking about doing this is while I like the look of older rods with say 8-9" of ride height, the idea of slapping on some lower and wider gumballs now and then for a different "look" or even a track day - and therefore reducing the ride height - just might mess things up. Or would it be better to build-in multiple mounting points for the suspension to lower the car to any desired height. Combo of both tacts? Gary