Front frame extensions wanted

[bugedd]

Next week I am taking he bugeye into my friends shop to have the front frame rails straightened out, as the car once took a front hit and the frame rails are off by about an inch. When the repair was done, they hack welded and repaired the front frame extensions/radiator mounts, and did a poor job. I was hoping to find a nice used set to have welded in. There is one left side on ebay, kinda pricey for one. Anyone out there have a parts car that can donate?

 

[Gerard]

Next week I am taking he bugeye into my friends shop to have the front frame rails straightened out, as the car once took a front hit and the frame rails are off by about an inch.

I hope you are only referring to the frame horns (section radiator forward). Some people straighten out the curvature over the entire length of the front rails, which will ruin the car. The curvature is where the correct wheel castor is defined. Just in case you didn't know, do not remove that slight curvature!

Gerard

 

[Guest]

Doesn't VB Moss or Heritage have these?

 

[bugedd]

Can you tell me more about the curvature you refer to? As for straightening, the frame rails coming off the unibody are offset to one side, causing tire rub issues and the bonnet to sit crooked. So I guess I need to know what curvature to look for and preserve while moving the front end over.
And Moss does sell the parts, I just try to find used good ones first. Reproductions are never as good as original.

 

[mightymidget]

I cut the frame behind the front 8"-12"wheels with a saw all on a 1963 midget cause I needed the brake/suspension set up on a Midget that I sent to the scrap yard. are you in a big hurry?

 

[Gerard]

Can you tell me more about the curvature you refer to? As for straightening, the frame rails coming off the unibody are offset to one side, causing tire rub issues and the bonnet to sit crooked. So I guess I need to know what curvature to look for and preserve while moving the front end over.
And Moss does sell the parts, I just try to find used good ones first. Reproductions are never as good as original.

Sure thing.

The curvature I'm referring to is in relation to parallel to the ground, not side to side. I was wondering if you meant lateral damage. <span style="font-style: italic">That</span>, you would <span style="font-style: italic">certainly</span> want to correct. But some frame shops, not knowing the frame rails are supposed to curve ever so slightly upwards toward the front, will straighten them out on that plane as well.

So, to summarize, they should be perfectly straight and parallel to each other from side to side, but if you imagine your ground plane is perfectly level, the bottom side of your frame rails will curve up slightly from rear to front. It's alarming when you first notice that, but that is normal.

There are frame measurements in some of the Bentley manuals? Do you have one? If you don't, I can scan one for you.

Gerard

 

[Billm]

Here are a couple off of a '68 that you can have, just pay shipping
BillM

I can cut them back as far as you want-

 

[bugedd]

Thanks Billm, but those are looking a bit too crusty for my taste
And thanks for the info on the curvature. I would like to get more info on that, if you don't mind. My email is hamiltonedd@yahoo.com
Thanks everyone!

 

[Trevor Jessie]

Look here:
https://www.britishv8.org/Articles/BritishMotorHeritage-Midget.htm

 

[mightymidget]

Wow wasn't even aware of this operation. This is really neat alternative if you want a really nice car

 

[markberry]

Thanks Billm, but those are looking a bit too crusty for my taste
And thanks for the info on the curvature. I would like to get more info on that, if you don't mind. My email is hamiltonedd@yahoo.com
Thanks everyone!

those are great! You're going to clean them up after installation for the paint job anyway. I'd take 'em if I needed them.

 

[bugedd]

That is a really cool article.
Billm, from the pics the rust looks extensive, but if its just surface rust than I can use them. You mentioned they are off a later model car, I assume they are the same as the 1960? I noticed there is not place for the pins in the bonnet to attach, so what do I do about that? And I would think they would need to get cut so I can replace them at the crossmember.

 

[Hap Waldrop]

I've done this job before, first off if you look at the picture Trevor provided in the link you will see the the frame rail curature is the section of frame rail from the the crossmember back, the front frame horns are a add-on piece that comes from the fornt crossmember forward and can be bought new like that. if you cut the old ones nice, neat and square, then the new horns will weld on at the appropriate curvature, because that is being set by frame rails and the angle of the front crossmember. Also their is a front lower control arm mounting brcket assocaited with this job,and you may need to replace it as well on each size. This stuff, even the stock stuff isn't made from much, more or less folded over sheet metal, I even seen folks make the front frame horns from sqaure tubing from stratch, another possiblity, it is a easy enough piece for a average fabricator to make. Also so while you are doing this job, if this is not a 1500 car, you'll have a steering rack crossmeber that is full height across the the fornt of the engine and makes access to the nut on the front of the crank balnacer impossible to get to, on our race cars, we cut the middle of the is steering rack cross member out and make downward bracing to front cross member that leaves a access area to get a 1 5/16" socket on the front crank balancer bolt, which makes turning over the engine by hand for jobs like valve adjustment so much easier, the factory should have already did this, but the front frame horn replacment job is excellent time to look into doing this as well. Hope this helps.

 

[Billm]

Sorry Ed but someone else has asked for them. They will be going out on Monday.
Bill