Thread: Frame Q?

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Has anyone ever drilled there 2x3 frame?
I would like to drill the frame on my 27. I think it would look good but what do you guys think. I would drill it out and then weld in a section of tube inside the hole. Would that make it strong enough. And would they make any wind noise goin down the road?



Any one know were I can get a hood made for my car? It has a poliform body and a 1929 grill shell. and I think it really looks goor with a hood

Never have, but have seen it done on old time drag cars. They usually didn't take the extra step of welding in tubes though. I guess a lot would depend on how much you removed. Obviously, the bigger the hole the more you weaken the frame. What you are sacrificing is "beam strength" which is the resistance of the frame to bend under downward loading. It is hard to tell at what point you make it too weak.

Best advice is not to do it, but that is based more on erring of the side of safety than any proof I have. The welded in tubes certainly are better than just cutting holes, which would also allow water to enter the frame. I agree it would lend a racey look to the car, though.

Maybe one of our engineer types, like Brian will have more accurate data.


Don

It would look super-bitchin' but man, what a lot of work. I, like Dave, am no engineer, but I would think that welding the tubes in would bring back the structural integrity. I think the only way it would look right is to chamfer the ends of the tubes (like sharpening a pencil) and just fill the crevice with weld so you could grind the surface smooth. I don't know if this lends any credibility, but I wouldn't hesitate doing it to my rod if I had the time.

On a separate note, and this is just my opinion, the radiator shell should have the same slant as the firewall when the car is viewed from the side. To me, it looks dorky to have the shell sitting at a different angle. There is another benefit to doing it that way. When you add hood sides (and I think you should on a Lakes car), the angles will all be square.

I tryed mounting the grill shell square to the frame(also parallel to the firewall) but the shell leaned forward. I really didnt like that look. right now it looks perpindicular(sp?) with the ground. And the hood sides arent going to be an option. I just ran tape across the gap for the pic. But the hood that im going to run will start at the bottom of the shell and ark upwards to the top of the headers and level out to the body. Do you get what I mean?

OK, frame Q's answered. How about the windshield? Duval style or two side post style? And I have to run fenders in WI(so ive been told) What are my options?

Yeah, we had to lean the radiator back in the T bucket we are doing for my Kid, too. It looked odd leaning forward to match the firewall rake.

Motorcycle type fenders?


Don