Frame Patch Replacement

I don't envy you...I've got a lot of those little round scars from welding slag. Those that say MIG welding doesn't create slag and "goobers" has never welded!! Of course, I'll probably be cussing about the same thing this winter when I tear down the Hornet. (Hope not too much, it's a southern California car.)



Rambo, all you need is a mandrel square tubing bender and I'll bet you could make those rails in about an hour a side! 2X4 tubing should work great. No holes means no internal rust! Of course, there'd be just a little extra weight involved.



You're doing a great job with the car and doing it right. It's always 10 times more difficult to do it right but it's always worth it.

There are a couple of ways to make the Hudson frame rails.



The first would be pretty heavy but could be done. One would have to use a mandrel bender and bend 2X4 inch tubing to the form of the original rails. A mandrel bender would have to be used so that the interior wall would not collapse as the tubing is bent. The actual procedure is not difficult but the equipment is extremely expensive! :eek:



The second method would be to cut strips of appropriate thicknes sheet metal and cut out the holes as Hudson did originally. Then it would have to be bent in a jig and welded up. However, that's really a lot of welding but it would be the most economic way to make new rails. It would take two side pieces of probably 12 guage metal that are approximately 4" wide as well as a top and bottom piece of 12 guage cut to the proper bends and welded while in the jig.



If anybody's interested in making a jig, I'm sure that I could diagram it out or rambos ride could as well. I'm not in a position to do the reproduction myself at this moment... It's not that much more difficult than making new floor pans!!

Ok, ok ya caught me! I tend to over build everything though. It's been a long time since I've been around the rear perimeter frame. Last time was when I tubbed the 53 Wasp. If it were the two longitudenal rails, 12 guage is probably the most appropriate. BTW Mark Williams Enterprises has the measurements for those. They're the ones who made them for me on the Wasp. 16 guage is certainly much easier to work with as well!



Yeah, I volunteered you Rambo but I like your fabrication skills but what I've seen on your web site. I'll post some when I get to the Hornet this winter. I still don't have my compressor and lathe here in Utah so any metal working is reduced to hand work. One of these days, we'll have to meet up and swap stories in person!

Just looking through the parts book for '48-'54 stepdowns, it appears that the replacement pieces for the frame are numerous. The only complicated pieces on the frame are the ones that go from the last crossmember around the rear of the car.



Even at that, its the inner skin at the wheelwell that would need to be either die pressed or hand formed on a hammer. The rest could be rolled and radiused fairly easily if the right equipment was at hand (which I don't have!).



If these pieces were available, I suspect more Hudson's could be saved.



I'm running low on time and money too - the '49 coupe and buying a cache of parts have drained the Hudson fund. The '49 has NO rust issues (the Wasp taught me well!). I'm shifting gears to the '49 and making the Wasp a longer term project. Who knows, by the time I get down n' dirty with the Wasp - somebody may be making frame pieces and I can save the sedan also.



Mark

I'd like pictures of those pieces, if you would?



HEThudfarm@nctc.com



e-mail me please, just drop the HET part off.



Mark

You know, I'd really like to see a '32 Essex or Hudson coupe reproduced similiar to the Brand X coupe.



It sure would suit me and some of my dream projects. I'll bet I'm not alone either.



Hud

Yes, they certainly did. And I suspect one gander at those coupes and you'll be done with the Ford. Gorgeous cars. '35 and '34 Hudson or Terraplane.



I'd settle for a 'glass replica of either the '32,'33,'34, or '35.



Mark

Not that I know of.



Pity, of all the body panels and floorboards one can find - we need frame replacement panels the absolute worst.



Frame issues are what take these cars out of play, and is responsible for the destruction of other restorable Hudsons to fix the more desireable cars like coupes/convertibles.



I look in my parts books and see where these replacement frame panels were available from Hudson "back in the day". I'm envious, I wish I had them now.



Mark

one idea i have been playing with for rail replacements (i intend on making my own chassis for a rod one day) is getting channels pressed from flat plate then pie cutting/pressing it to suit the contours you need, then cut box plates with the rolled ege like you see on some frames boxed from the factory. depending on what you are replacing, this can become a lot of work. i extend, shorten and replace chassis rails on heavy trucks at work so thats just a twist on what we already do. if only i had my own workshop i could tackle such a project. one day..........!

I am facing the same issues with my car, a 49 coupe and have been giving it some thought. I think re-fabbing the frame rails the same as the factory is one way to go and there are a couple ways of doing it that i've seen members do. I was also thinking of using round tubing and using a bender and replacing the boxed channels with the round ones. It would be plenty strong and you would have to fab attachment points to them but I think it could work. What say the rest of you?