64-66 a-body front frame rails would fit 70' Duster?

[FredP]

Hi there,
As I have some minor repairs to do on the front frame rails of my Duster 70, I found someone here in France who has several 64-66 Valiant (donor cars). Do you think the 64-66 front rails can be installed on a 70 body? Or should I look for more recent parts (which are difficult to find in France)?

I know that AMD makes the "caps", but I'd like to go to with thicker metal sheets...

If I can't find anything that suits well, then I'll go and make my own rails (based on cardboard template, sheet metal laser cutting and bending), and I will make them overlap with the torsion bar cross member.

 

[Kern Dog]

I've read that the frame rails were the same dimension from 1963 to 1976 but some small differences do exist.
One that comes to mind would be bumper mounting in the 1973-76 years.
It is known that the distance between the frame rails as installed in the cars is wider on the 1967-76 year model cars, almost 2 inches from what I recall.

 

[FredP]

Thanks for your input: I know that the repair caps will cover the 60-76 period, so I assume the stock rails will fit as well.
The most important thing for me is to have the rails - if there are some minor adjustments/modifications to be made, it will be no problem.

 

[Kern Dog]

The dude with the ax looks somewhat creepy, man.

 

[72bluNblu]

The 64-66 cars are narrower than the 67+ cars in the front frame, by a couple of inches. The suspension mounting points are the same, but the K frame is narrower. I think it's just narrower, as in, if you installed the 64-66 rails on a '70 at the '70's frame rail width then the '70 K frame should fit, but I do not know that for sure. I know you can use all the later suspension parts on the earlier cars.

I think @DionR narrowed a later K frame for an early-A, maybe he has some insight.

A-body front frame rails still aren't something that's being reproduced by anyone, so it's used parts only for those.

 

[FredP]

As I'm just planning to replace only the frame rails and based on the AMD product compatibility, I assume that there will be a solution that we'll find once the work will begin.
If the rails from the donor car are cheap, then OK. Else, I'll make my own ones. I have plenty of time, the car is safe to drive but I'll feel more comfortable once this will be done.

The 64-66 cars are narrower than the 67+ cars in the front frame, by a couple of inches. The suspension mounting points are the same, but the K frame is narrower. I think it's just narrower, as in, if you installed the 64-66 rails on a '70 at the '70's frame rail width then the '70 K frame should fit, but I do not know that for sure. I know you can use all the later suspension parts on the earlier cars.

I think @DionR narrowed a later K frame for an early-A, maybe he has some insight.

A-body front frame rails still aren't something that's being reproduced by anyone, so it's used parts only for those.

It's a pity that AMD making the repair caps will not go the extra step and make the rails...

The dude with the ax looks somewhat creepy, man.

Ha ha haaaaa... I was participating in a fairly famous winter motorcycle meeting in France: the "Millevaches."



It's a very old winter meeting in central France: in the 1960s, they camped in open fields (wind, snow, absolutely no comfort).
Today the only modern feature is a big tent with some music, but you need to be autonomous for anything else (food/drinks/etc).

I was in charge of chopping wood for the campfire where we were going to grill some sausages.
Did it a couple of times with my friends, lot of fun! I was a "Chasseur Alpin" in my 20s (french mountain troops) so I'm used to sleep in igloos (today I have a modern dome tent, self-inflatable mat and good sleeping bag).

 

[Kern Dog]

The 64-66 cars are narrower than the 67+ cars in the front frame, by a couple of inches. The suspension mounting points are the same, but the K frame is narrower. I think it's just narrower, as in, if you installed the 64-66 rails on a '70 at the '70's frame rail width then the '70 K frame should fit, but I do not know that for sure. I know you can use all the later suspension parts on the earlier cars.

I think @DionR narrowed a later K frame for an early-A, maybe he has some insight.

A-body front frame rails still aren't something that's being reproduced by anyone, so it's used parts only for those.

The number that I have read is that the 67-76 cars have frame rails that are 1.8" further apart. This widened the track too, otherwise the later cars would have had shorter lower control arms.

 

[DionR]

I did take a '73+ k-frame and section it to fit the width of the '63 Valiant I was building and it bolted up fine and suspension worked. The hang up was that the wheelbase is shorter by 2" on the early A-Bodies and the motor sits forward on the k-frame that same amount, so I had to pull it back out and move the motor mounts a second time.

In this case, I think what it means is that the frame rails from an early A-Body are probably shorter and have the k-frame and UCA mounts in a different location. I can't be certain of this, though. If it were me, I would take some rudimentary measurements and compare them to the parts car before spending any money or putting work in.

My guess is you can't use the early frame rails other than maybe to cut sections out of them to graft into your existing rails.

BTW, I still have the k-frame. I think I am going to hang it on a wall as a memento of shame.