I did two identical frames,for two of my cars. Only difference is one has tabs for a front and mid engine plate,and I modified the engine crossmember. One still has a stock crossmember.Both of them have the factory style boxed convertible rails. Since the boxed sections are not fully welded front to back,it makes it a little easier to remove them. I removed them to open up access holes,to run fuel line or battery cables.The holes are already there,I just enlarge them. Once I’m done,I weld the inner rails back on,and have continuous weld,or at least no gaps or dashes. I opened-up some access holes in the engine crossmember,for any potential larger fuel line,which one will have. The rear sections are identical on each frame. I enlarged or made a few access holes,and cut/notched the rear rails for additional clearance for larger tailpipes. I have always been able to tuck 3” tails up and make them disappear,but this will give me additional room.One of them will also have 3.5” tails. I added a few gussets a supports to the rear axle crossmember,spring perch areas,and upper/lower control arm mounts. The last thing I did was modify the wheel arches. At a glance you might think that I narrowed them,but I did not. I simply made the arches vertical. If you ever look at a 70-72 wheel arch,it is wider at the inside arch and tapers in at the tops of the arches. I am already running 325/50/15 tires on both my cars,and everything clears,but this will give me a little more breathing room. You can’t go inboard at all without effecting the coil spring area. I want to leave myself the option of running traditional springs,even though one of them already has rear coilovers. I didn’t want to go any additional inboard because I don’t want to modify my existing inner wheel houses. My cars are rust-free with perfect 1/4’s and such. Here are some previous photos with some of the modifications.
I really like those wheels, Brian. It's a great look!! I vaguely remember a close-up in another thread. Are they Billet Specialties?? Do you mind sharing which model and specs? Thanks!!
Nice work! I like the dropped cross member and the dropped tie rod. That modification alone can make or break a good engine build!! The ability to have more oil control with a deeper front sump can be a great benefit to engine longevity! I like!
The wheels are Weld S71 polished version. I normally get 15x10 for all of my rears,but this specific model has a 15x9 that is 9.4”,and the 15x10 is 10.4”,so I got the 15x9. I still got the 5.5” backspace. 5.75” would be ideal.
