repairing front frame rails 65 cuda

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273

273

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I'm planning on how I'm gonna go about repairing my frame rails on my 65 Cuda. The bottom of the frames rails are gone from about 4" behind the K Frame to almost the torsion cross member. I'm worried about making sure there repair straight.

So my thinking is from the rockers make sure the car is level Front to back and side to side and to measure from the holes in the frame to make sure there straight left and right. So my question should the front frame rails be level or is there an angle to them ?
 
Speaking as a guy that has the tools to mount and dismount tires by hand, frame repair is one of the few things that should be done on the proper equipment such as a frame machine. It is one of the few jobs that should be done by pros.
 
Silly me, I thought the problem was crash damage, not rust damage.
 
There was a post not long ago,, someone selling good used rails,, maybe PM Crackedback,, I think it was him, not sure though..

Hope it helps
 
I have used rails. If I was doing it I would just jack it up drill the spot welds and put one rail in at a time. If you leave the core support on and square the rail top it should go easy putting the replacement in with the level on the same spot.
 
I've done probably 50 plus floor jobs and dozens of rockers and frame repairs. When I put the car on stands I can't really open the drivers door so I know there's some flex going on. I don't really want to swap frame rails, I'm just gonna weld them up.
 
273 said:
I've done probably 50 plus floor jobs and dozens of rockers and frame repairs. When I put the car on stands I can't really open the drivers door so I know there's some flex going on. I don't really want to swap frame rails, I'm just gonna weld them up.
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Are you putting jack stands under the front of the rocker also or just the front of the car. If you are not putting a set under the rockers it will cause flex and the door not to open.
 
Yes I'm putting them under the lower control arms
 
Dont want to be the 1st one to throw it out there. But its a 65 barracuda . it would be better to find a better body . Use the rust one for parts .
 
Dart_Doctor said:
Dont want to be the 1st one to throw it out there. But its a 65 barracuda . it would be better to find a better body . Use the rust one for parts .
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don't want to be the first one, but this is canada; things rust and it cost a small fortune to ship a rust free car from the south ($6000+)

so yes frame repair is cheaper, but the OP is going about it wrong, if its that rusted you can't just patch it up, replace them, makes for a better job. Then you don't have a nice car with a rotten subframe
 
I say put jack stands under the rockers and a set at the very front and rear to support the body position and get the front rail level. Then drill the spot welds from the floor inner fender and core support. Then the replacement rail will go up into place with the floors still intact with the firewall and inner fenders including the core support. If you get my thinking just remove the rail and leave all else intact with stands placed as I said. Doing one rail at a time should keep all in alignment. The reason the door opens hard with the stands under the A arm is you are causing body flex at the A pillar where the door mounts. Also putting a full used rail in it would look correct and not a cap which to me looks like an ugly hack. I have seen E bodies with caps and can tell you I would never want to buy anything that looks crappy and like it was hacked.
 
66plyValiant said:
don't want to be the first one, but this is canada; things rust and it cost a small fortune to ship a rust free car from the south ($6000+)

so yes frame repair is cheaper, but the OP is going about it wrong, if its that rusted you can't just patch it up, replace them, makes for a better job. Then you don't have a nice car with a rotten subframe
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Now see i didnt look at where he was from that makes it a whole diff critter.
 
If that much of it's gone, replace the whole rail and do it right. I repair holes in major support steel all the time, but if the holes connect and it's the length and placement you said - it's not repairable. It's junk and unsafe. It will take a while, but either section in a solif frame rail from the K back, or replace the whole thing. If the car is properly supported and level you will not have flex. Jackstands under the axle and control arms is not properly supported for major frame repair work. You should have the stands under the rear of the frame rails, the front of the rear frame rails, the rockers/pinchweld, and the front of the front frame rails. Then you can remove what you need to and there's enough support for the rest to not twist or sag.
 
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