welding body to frame (model a)

I've seen a lot of early(80's) back halved pro street cars with front body mounts, and the rear tinwork welded in. It kinda ruins the car for the next guy, IMHO. Maybe thats why these welded cars tend to be period correct "survivors"

 

Randy [Motorhead] fruitloop from the deciples of speed, built his 30 A 20 years ago that way. He has been drag racing / street racing the car forever no problems. He has a full cage, 454, 4-speed, nine inch. He also runs slicks and beats the snot out of it! Do It, who cares, why not....

 

isnt the reason for a hotrod/rat rod to do it the way ya want... ya want pristine go buy mechum... this is my hobby and should be fun...
let a fella build his car the way he wants!!

 

After buying some cars that other people have sorta built and had to undo their engineering, all I can say is that I would really hate you if I happen to buy that car some day after it was all welded together.
My 2¢..

 

Our own "Metalshapes" has a roadster welded to the frame and dropped over it a bunch! Welded it all up in a monocoque [sp?] style and it is slick. Runs a supercharged 327 in it. There's a thread on it's construction here on the HAMB somewhere..lessee if I can find a photo of it.

 

I built this 32 back in the 60's Firewall welded in and welded to frame. Also welded in back of body to frame. This car was tight no rattles and would cruise at 80mph all day. I'm not sure I would do it today,but it worked great back then.

 

I saw a lot of A's and 32's back in the 50's and 60's that had the body welded on.
It really stiffens everything up, especially if you put a roll bar in also.
If it done right, the body won't develop cracks etc etc either.
Most people with "theories" have never even seen a welded on body.

 

well this thread turned into a firecracker. Thanks for all the examples, do's/don'ts, and history lessons guys!

I'm not new to cars but admit being green with 20's-50's machines. Always learning and I'll admit it's always interesting to watch the old guard yell at each other

 

Damn! Your RIGHT! I just checked the list, "Famous Rat Rod Builders of the Forties" Sure enough, theres Jim Khougaz, in the #4 slot. Dont know how I missed that all this time!

 

What is the end result you are looking for? Is it just for strength? If so I would reccomend boxing the frame and some kind of x-member. It might be a little more work at the beginning but I think you will end up with a more rigid car.

 

had one like that--wont' do it again--FWIW.

 

Basicly I was just giving my opinon because some one asked for it. Im not sayen its a big no no to weld your boody to your frame. I was just giving my opinon and saying blunty. Why would you want to do that???? Just take your time and make it so you can unbolt it. Its like welding your fenders on your 55 olds to the body and welding your trunklid on. Why would you want to do that???? I mean you can do what ever you want. But you asked for opinons and thats my opinon.

 

Back in 1956 I channeled my 34' ford 5 window and welded the body to the frame. As I remember it worked out great but I never had to take it apart as I blew the clutch in my full race olds at the drags wiping out the the back of the bellhousing. Sold it as I was in college and couldn't afford a new engine.

 

I love it when people say the same exact thing someone else just said like they thought of it

 

I not even touching this one...but will continue to enjoy the banter!

 

Personally, my 27 roadster is almost welded down, i cut the subframe out and made thin 'subframe' to hold it togather so i could gain 1" of floor space after my channel. I wouldnt do it with a stock t or a frame, but i have a boxed '32 with a '40 x member

 

Like sewing your underwear (gitch for you Canadians) to your jeans.

 

Well, no, you gave a little more than your opinion. You said "Its just a lack of skills and craftmenship and maybe pure lazzyness" AFTER being shown a photo of what was without doubt one of the best engineered, cleanest, most skillfully built rods of the forties, and being told the body was welded on. So, by inference, what you were saying is that Jim Khougaz showed a lack of skills and craftmanship when he built his iconic car. That SHOULD be grounds for being lynched on a forum about traditional hot rods, but since 95% of the membership doesnt know or care anything about traditional hot rods, you ALMOST skated by. But SOME of us do. As Harlan Ellison once said "No, you are NOT entitled to your opinion, you are entitled to your INFORMED opinion." But then Harlan was about as popular as I am, so... <!-- / message --><!-- sig -->

 

i really don't give a shit if anyone likes this. on this car the body was channeled and all the floors were gone. so i welded the body to the frame, iv'e been over 100 mph with it and i did it MY WAY.
see my avatar.

 

Maybe this will clarify things.

http://www.kustomrama.com/index.php?title=Jim_Khougaz%27_1932_Ford

Note the following lines. "While its fit and finish were second to none, much of this roadster&#8217;s success was attributable to the streamlining effects of its stunning hand-crafted belly pan, the workmanship of which continues to impress."
Does that sound like "Its just a lack of skills and craftmenship and maybe pure lazzyness"??

 

Some of you guys sure get all worked up and bent out of shape for the least little thing. No wonder so many threads get closed. Why not just state your opinion and move on? Nobody really cares if you are right or not..

 

Many "traditional" rods had the bodies welded to the frames. A lot of them also were channelled, a lot, and had the doors welded shut, so alignment wasn't an issue.
Blackie Gegian's roadster is the first one that comes to mind, along with Gary Heliker's '26 T roadster.

 

Glue it on with Urethane Adhesive.
And glue the firewall to the body and suddenly all the rattles disappear and the strength goes way-up.

Can later be removed with a sharp knife.

I build a car trailer which was glued together, and was very strong

 

I think I'm qualified. On an informed opinion , is this a uni-bodied thing or just another dumb idea? Most of the time on the HAMB, you can't tell.

 

Is all I can say about a lot of the opinions is, never be afraid to try something new remember, amateurs built the ark. Professional engineers built the Titanic.

 

This thread has had me pondering the ideas and oppinions, reason for and against. And at first I was completely on the camp of a mounting system but realize that perment is more akin to newer cars where unibody is the norm, for a younger builder it proabaly makes sense. And then I was thinking about my upcoming project Gasser/Street Freak that will have a NHRA 8.5 full roll cage and just how removable will the body be at that point? And the stock mounting system on the 1942 Chevrolet coupe consisted of leather straps placed between the body and frame. I will more then likely use the stock mounting system but realize in modern unibody cars they often weld the cage at various points on the roof structure as well for overall rigidity.
It is a question of case by case basis for the build style and the builders signature I suppose.

 

Well, if its got just ONE guy questioning the usual knee-jerk, neo-traditional, me-too bullshit, then I would say its served its purpose...

 

The list is long. Just the list of AMBR winners from the fifties that include either one or more panel welded shut, or the body welded to the frame. Niekamp, Anderegg, Gejian, Krikorian. Might even be more I'm not thinking of. Pretty impressive list for a bunch of guys that exhibited "a lack of skills and craftmenship and maybe pure lazzyness".

 

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Can you imagine being at the LA Roadster Show with a traditional welded body to the frame? It would not impress the judges, nor does it work for me.