Hot Rods So how long does it take to make a dadgum frame?

No distractin' the man now!

 

Looking at the rear sweep of the frame, I presume this is a TT frame. It appears to be thicker in the mid section and taper more.

 

I sure wish I was closer. I would start on it tonight( even though I am booked for a year). I just love the old pics of that T. Good luck, Larry.

 

Maybe we can tag team it and get it done yesterday so Larry can spend his patience elsewhere

 

Haha... Yep. "Ohio builds a chassis for 3W Larry"

 

My supplier has dad-gum tube in stock

 

Larry, Can you do woodwork? If you have a chopsaw and a tape measure you could go to Home Depot by a half dozen 2x4's and make a model of the chassis you want. When everything looks good hand it over to someone to make it in steel. bob

 

I have a customer I have done this with three times. They were very simple frames, but it worked great for both of us.

 

^^^Tell ya...those Ct Yankees do it everytime!
Nominate the Kid for best post!

 

Just curious what the plan was for the motor/ trans , wishbone, shock mounts , body tabs , steering box ect ... After you get your frame?

Not busting your balls ...just trying to figure out the plan to accomplish the build without tools?

 

Some of you are reading way too much into this thread...all I wanted to know is how long it takes to make a bare FRAME.... According to your answers it takes 40-100 hours. Thank you for your help.

 

I could make the 2x4 wood mock up in about 4 hours, you could do it yourself in a day. Not rocket science and there isn't one wire needed. Bob ...............OK you do have to plug the chop saw in.

 

Larry, just a reality check.
Your on a quick time line.
You state you have no fabrication tools or skills, but you want just a bare frame.
Once your bare frame arrives, how do you intend on mounting everything we know will need to be added to that frame? Next week/month or whatever, the post will arrive that you now have a frame, so who can just add the brackets to mount suspension, brakes, and drive train? By then, you will only have 4 months to get it done and everyone will still be busy.

It may not be about money, but it is about expectations. Most of us have been through enough of these projects to understand what the customer really expects. You state you want a bare frame, but we know that when that bare frame arrives, you won't have what you expect to see. In a very short time after that bare frame arrives, you will understand what we are trying to tell you now. You may think want a bare frame, but you need a rolling chassis. Anything less will not progress you towards your goal, and in the end, you won't be happy.

I'd rather you be pissed now, then be pissed later, because we who have done these things, have a reasonable expectation on how this will end. Gene

 

Just a suggestion... http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/index.php?threads/991062/

 

Did you see this frame that Industrial Chassis did a few years back?

It is 2x4 box section contoured for a Model A sedan body.



More deails here ...

http://www.industrialchassisinc.com/?p=72

 

Larry,
I think you are being very gracious. I know some of the old timers are just giving you shit, but some of the others are way beyond that. As you said, 'asked and answered.' Way too many assumptions made about your circumstances.
If you had asked, "How many hours would it take to fabricate a bare frame like this?" the argument would have been over who could do it faster.
Now if you want my opinion.................................................

 

Larry is one of the good guys of the HAMB, and he is taking the ribbing well. He knows we all love him !

Don

 

No problem Gene. What everyone needs to understand is to build a frame you need a frame table/jig/fixture of some kind...these guys all have one. I have other friends that have already offered to help me with the smaller welding stuff and fab work needed...but first you have to have a bare frame made.

 

That's what you think Don...I've already sent a link to this thread to the Guido Bros

 

No you don't need that stuff Larry.
There's been many many things way more critical than any car frame built without a jig or without a fancy table.

Now you do need something,
30" drops of 12" pipe would work, a few I beams would work, steel horses would work, an old roof top air condition platform would work, a flat deck trailer might work, you could pull a frame build off on jack stands too.

How does a guy build a high precision jig? Especially Without a jig to build the jig?

 

You don't have to have a frame jig to build a simple frame. You just need a good flat surface to build on and check square and level as you are welding it. The frame to the truck in my avatar was built on 2 metal sawhorses. The small brackets are just as important as the frame. If you have friends that can weld good and some common sense there is no reason that you guys cant build your own frame.

 

Lots of local roundy round guys build frames with nothing but jackstands and chalkmarks on the floor. They are planning to wreck the car weekly so strong and close enough is the motto they follow.

 

As one of those 'roundy round' guys I use cinder blocks and shim with .030 alum sheet between the blocks to get level. I put my chassis on the blocks and weight it down with lead blocks so it won't move. Drop lines to the floor and mark out what I need for suspension points. Weld from there, but go slow, spread it around so you don't warp it. It takes longer than a jig, but it works. For smaller projects I do make a jig.

And 3W Larry, if you were near me we'd get it worked up somehow.. I might want to paint numbers on it though

 

Oh I like that.
Now were gett'n somewhere.

 

Get a acehole frame from @bobbleed

 

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/...l-a-frame-with-kickup-and-other-parts.991062/

 

Max Balchowsky made his own sports car frames using nothing but chalk lines on a cement floor. He beat the best in the world including cars that cost 10 times what he spent on his Old Yeller specials.

http://www.oldyeller2.com/pdfs/MEN-TIN_Oct-Nov_2008_Page16.pdf

 

Ohhhhh SO true Rusty, been there,done that..... I've built them on the floor .... graduated to 2x4's, then jack stands .... every single one was true, square and drove great. Jigs are a wonderful thing if you have one.

 

Here's a movie about Max and his cars. Go to minute 24 if you want to see how he laid out the frame on the floor.

 

There's nothing WRONG with throwing some $ to the shops in the hot rod world. It's foolish to say otherwise. Some of these guys grew up with the HAMB. Some of these guys were made the HAMB what it is.

I'd rather see one of these folks get the $, for sure.

Sometimes I don't get some of the folks around here.