narrowed frame

[hrlykngt]

anyone got any pics of a narrowed x frame?

I want to narrow the rear of my 62 belair sedan. I want to run the 21 inch mickey thompsons. I got a nine inch ford housing and have cut it down 14" on each side Ive got all my clearences accounted for, now Ive got to modify this frame.

Im still debating on which route to go with the frame alterations though. I was thinking about cutting the frame where it starts to turn in between the firewall and tranny mount, run my tubing straight back from there for my new rails and notch the floor as needed, or should I maybe use a camaro subframe I have and do away with the x frame all together. If you have done this did you keep the x frame ? Would you cut it in front of the rearend and build new rear frame rails on back?
Anyway if you have some pics of how you did it I would love to see them.I would appreciate any input .

Thanks

Harley

 

[Super(sport)Man]

<personal thought> Why mess up the frame? Why not just relocate, and fab some new control arms?

Seems like that'd be the easier/more cost-effective solution.:

 

[Steve "wully bully"]

Harley,
When we built the bubbletop, we replaced the frame from the "X" back. We cut it off right at the back of the "X" , as it started to separate. We ran a crossmember out to each rocker from it, then ran new custom rails straight back on either side to the rear body mounts. Of course, we also installed a 10 point cage, and the frame and body are solid, as it is a race car. The advantage of this set-up was it gave us plenty of new tubing to mount the new suspension to. What are your plans for the floor and suspension? We saw one built where they expanded the stock rear tubs, rearranged the rear rails inward, and it was pretty cool. The problem was they hung the rear ladder bars on some 1" tubing that looked a little wear-prone.
Steven
P.S. I can load some pictures if you want to see them, but I have to get them first.

 

[hrlykngt]

reply

thanks for replying
steve,
I had planned to tub the rear and run a ladder bar coil over setup and try to keep the trunk frame section close to stock. I will use 2x3 rectangular tubing, one reason I wanted to cut ahead of the x was to eliminate the need for a two piece driveshaft. I even entertained the idea of notching the frame and folding it in using all the stock stuff but I believe it will look neater using the new smaller tubing. I would apreciate any pics you could send if it is not much trouble.

super sport ,
the tires extend inside the origonal frame there is not enough room to fit them otherwise, this car is going to be my pro street project, Im putting 21 inch wide tires under it.

thanks
harley

 

[borg]

How did this end up? I´m right in it for my 61 impala. Thinking of cut the kickup right above the axle and make the new tube straight back wich would allow 14" rims.

 

[jim_ss409]

Wow, this is an old thread.
I think we did something similar to what Steve "Wully Bully" described.
I'll post some pictures.
By the way, the big loop at the end of the tunnel allows room for a one piece driveshaft.








We split the box iron at the back and tapered it, but that wasn't really necessary.







We did away with the well in the trunk, so we could straight back with the rails. If you keep that, you might have to step the frame out to get around it.

 

[sp6t1348]

Beautiful fabrication!

 

[borg]

Thanks alot for your input and pics. Exactly what I was thinking. The only problem is the driveshaft loop that probably will interfere with the rear seat becouse it´s a street/strip car. What do you guys think of remove the body mounts over the rear axle?

 

[63 dream'n]

Wow, this is an old thread.
I think we did something similar to what Steve "Wully Bully" described.
I'll post some pictures.
By the way, the big loop at the end of the tunnel allows room for a one piece driveshaft.








We split the box iron at the back and tapered it, but that wasn't really necessary.







We did away with the well in the trunk, so we could straight back with the rails. If you keep that, you might have to step the frame out to get around it.

So when you tie chassis and body do you still use a solid spacer where body bushings were???

 

[jim_ss409]

So when you tie chassis and body do you still use a solid spacer where body bushings were???

In our case the body is welded right to the frame and cage. We didn't use any of the factory attachment points except the ones at the firewall.
There is a 2"x 2" box iron buried in the rocker panel that's part of the roll cage.




We did make up aluminum spacers to replace the body mount bushings on the 55 Chevy.