50 Chevy truck frame project

[enjenjo]

I am in the process of building a 50 chevy pickup. I don't have a frame, I could get one, but I decided to build one instead.

50 Chevy's have simple frames, just a common ladder frame, with straight rails, and several crossmembers. So just to  complicate things, I am building this one super low. It will be 5" from the ground, to the bottom of the cab, no running boards, and the fenders will be raised on the body 2", and sectioned on the bottom. I know it sounds a bit strange, but I have a picture in my mind of one I saw 40 years ago.

So to start the frame, I started with a 72 Nova sub frame, and I am building the rest from 3x4 by .125 tubing.

[enjenjo]

Next I figured out where to cut the frame. When setting up the jig, I allowed 1" between the original rails and the jig, so I blocked the new frame material in place with 1" square tubing, and slid it forward until it lined up the way I wanted, then I marked the subframe for cutting.

[enjenjo]

On to prepping the new rail. Care here will make things easier.

[enjenjo]

Before proceeding any further, insure that the new rails are square with the sub frame, and square and level with each other. Tack weld them in place so they can't move.

There will be more to this in a few days, when I get more done.

[phat rat]

nice work Frank,. Is this for yourself?

[enjenjo]

So far  Of course, it can sell at any stage if the money is right.

[kb426]

You may be the only guy I know that has as many c clamps as me. And that's not enough.

[enjenjo]

Shoot, I didn't have a third of them out there. But the real Champ is Fab32 on the HAMB, he has hundreds of them. He could put a whole house together with them.

[tomslik]

enj, you not using running boards?
that's a helluvalot of drop......

[Ornberg]

I think this one is a strong candidate to the Tech articles side on the RRT.
I look forward to further follow-ups.
Nice job Frank.

Per

[WZ JUNK]

So far  Of course, it can sell at any stage if the money is right.

I do not know why anyone would mess with one of those old trucks  

Looks good Frank.

John

[GPster]

enj, you not using running boards?
that's a helluvalot of drop......

The running boards just hide the nicely rolled-in bottom edge of those bodies. I'm waiting on the pictures of him "pancaking" that hood to raise the fenders. And I always thought the beds should be raised so that the top edge of the bed was closer to the reveal across the sides of the cab. But then if it doesn't look right don't use it. GPster

[jaybee]

Hey, that's good stuff!  SWMBO thinks my next car should be a truck.  Being in farm country old trucks aren't hard to come by.  Hadn't really thought about it but I think she's a keeper.  I've barely made any progress on my current project and she's already thinking about the next one!

As a matter of fact she is a keeper and I'll be sure to tell her that today, on our 21st anniversary.

[Charlie Chops 1940]

I happened to stop in at old Franks today. The rail work was as nice in person as the pictures.

I was on a mission today, had to pick up a new - new to me anyway - Vision brand under seat steering recumbent bike. It's a 2000 with only 35 miles on it. Looks new. A nice addition to my bicycle collection. I got lessons on how to ride and, talk about a newbie - I've been riding bikes for something like 57-58 years and I promptly fell over on the first launch. There's gonna be a real learning curve on this thing.

The bike was in Elyria, OH - sorry Slo Cro, but I didn't have enough turn around time to drive across Cleveland to see ya - next time.

Charlie

[GPster]

I've been riding bikes for something like 57-58 years and I promptly fell over on the first launch. There's gonna be a real learning curve on this thing.Charlie

I have a 1957 Columbia 3 wheel bicycle and I keep a grand daughter in the back for ballast. She'll be five in August but our grandson turns three on June 6 so I'll start training him. GPster