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My front frame hack up and rebuild

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_MURDERED OUT_

_MURDERED OUT_

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Hernando, MS
So my frame ripped behind the steering box, my passenger side exhaust manifold broke in half at the collector, and i decided it was time to re-do the frame to make room for some block hugger headers.
So i ripped the front end off, took everything apart, looked at it for a bit, then the plasma cutter came out. I never knew there was a 2 levels of "frame" in there.

NOW this is how you make room for headers:
100_0825.jpg

100_0823.jpg

Oh and dont worry, the spring is just hangin out there. There is no weight on the front part of the frame. The pass side spring is out, jackstands under the frame holding the front end up and a jackstand holding the motor up. I was just looking at the space behind the spring for plating clearances...
 
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I don't forsee any problems with that.....:wow:
 
Ha, that's just the beginning... I had to make room for the headers then work around that. Im goin to use some 6" C-channel and box it for the frame rails. After i plate up the cut out section of course
 
In the last pic at the far right side you can see the part of the frame i bent back in place and welded together. That was courtesy of the trac bar mount moving around.
 
yep same area mine keeps cracking. I have welded that entire seam, made a brace from the pass side frame rail to the TB & it stopped moving but now it's cracking between the steering box & the brace I made dam it.

_MURDERED OUT_ said:
In the last pic at the far right side you can see the part of the frame i bent back in place and welded together. That was courtesy of the trac bar mount moving around.
Click to expand...
 
Ever wondered what the inside of your passenger side frame rail looked like?? Well me too. So i just cut it up to find out!
100_0828.jpg

100_0830.jpg

100_0829.jpg

got some header clearance now! the pass side frame rail had to be cut up more because my motor is offset to that side a little bit. I did that to have room for the front driveshaft and driver side exhaust.
100_0833.jpg

and all cutting was via my handy $202 chinese plasma cutter i got off ebay! It actually works pretty good...
 
I'm going to use some c channel and slide it over whats left of the frame rails from the outside and on the inside of the frame i am goin to box in where the c-channel pokes thru. Make any sense?? and i will use a 3/4" hole saw on the c-channel and box plate to make holes to be welded to tie into the unibody and of course welded top and bottom edges. Still unsure of welding technique on the unibody... Ive read some stuff about it but dont understand how i will get adequate penetration on the thicker material and not burn thru the sheet metal... Any tips??
 
focus the weld pool on the thicker material and only briefly move it over to include the sheetmetal as you go.
 
THIS IS A SLOW THREAD! ha ha. Alright made a little progress today. Test fitted the shorty headers to make sure they would fit with the trimming i already did. I am goin to have to cut out the frame where the tracbar mounting holes are on the inside of the framerail. Other than that it seems like i guessed good. So i pulled the motor out and now i have to pressure wash the engine bay then start grinding and cutting everything down to straight lines and then start plating and c-channel...
bay1.jpg

100_0834.jpg

tree fitty^
 
Jes said:
Nice use of masonry products.
Click to expand...

Yep, only bad thing was i had to take them from up under my house so now its kinda tilted...
 
So i got a little done tonite. Apparently my camera doesnt like nightime pictures very much.... And this is just a rough start on the plating process so bear with me here.
Driver side inside--
100_0841.jpg

Outside of driver side framerail--
100_0836.jpg

Start on passenger inside--
100_0839.jpg
 
I think ive decided i want some of those outside frame plates that are prefabbed. That would be easier and cut down on build time. I think temper mental racing sells them... Does anyone else sell something like that???
 
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Jes said:
Nice use of masonry products.
Click to expand...

I actually knew a guy who perished under his car when the cinder block collapsed. Hell I even used to use them. I use wood blocks.
 
bcmaxx said:
I actually knew a guy who perished under his car when the cinder block collapsed. Hell I even used to use them. I use wood blocks.
Click to expand...

Yeah, next thing on my to-do list is weld up some tall blocks for my jackstands to sit on. Im thinking of setting 2 15" steel car wheels on top of eachother, welding the rims together then putting a big plate on the top of the uppermost rim. so essentially creating a metal "cinder block"....:cool:
 
_MURDERED OUT_ said:
Yeah, next thing on my to-do list is weld up some tall blocks for my jackstands to sit on. Im thinking of setting 2 15" steel car wheels on top of eachother, welding the rims together then putting a big plate on the top of the uppermost rim. so essentially creating a metal "cinder block"....:cool:
Click to expand...

easy,simple and good idea!
 
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