Frame donor for 66 Mustang
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 10
From: PA
Frame donor for 66 Mustang
Hey all:
I was thinking about making a street rod out of one of my 1966 Project Cars. If I was to place a solid frame under the body, what would be a good donor car? Maybe even something where I could use the drivetrain, brakes, etc.
I was thinking about making a street rod out of one of my 1966 Project Cars. If I was to place a solid frame under the body, what would be a good donor car? Maybe even something where I could use the drivetrain, brakes, etc.
2nd Gear Member
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 398
From: WV
Build your own. I build a frame to accept the suspension and drivetrain from a Mark VIII. That would probably be too wide for a 65 or 66 but you could use the same basic idea. Most modern cars use a k-member that bolts to the frame of the car and it has all the suspension parts in one unit. For my build the only mounting points that were not part k-member was the upper control arms and strut mount so I just cut the shock towers from the mark and welded them to my frame. If you have the tools to work with its really not that much work. At least I didn't think it was that bad.
6th Gear Member
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 8,162
From:
2nd Gear Member
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 398
From: WV
Buying a chassis from either of those places will cost you an arm and a leg.
2nd Gear Member
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 398
From: WV
It really isn't that that hard to do. And for a price comparison I've got less then $1000 in my conversion so far and that includes the frame, complete front and rear suspension, and the engine and transmission. Just the frame and suspension from a hot rod builder will run you 10 times that. They may be a little nicer than what I threw together but I definitely cant afford one and now that I have built my own I'd probably do it again even if I had the money to burn. You cant really say you built the car all on your own if all you did was drop it onto a frame someone built for you.
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 10
From: PA
I'm with you. I can't afford all of these aftermarket parts either. What size tubing did you use? From the photos it looks like 2 x 3 rectangular. Did you have a reason for the way you designed the frame? I was thinking of creating one that follows the lines between the original front and rear subframes. Your thoughts.
2nd Gear Member
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 398
From: WV
Its 2"x3"x1/8" tubing. My frame design was loosly based off the Art Morrison MaxG chassis in the way it has the outer frame rails around the perimeter of the car and then has two more in the center. It is hard to see in the pictures but if you look at the second picture from my previous post there are frame rails going through the inside of the rocker panels. Its probably way overkill but I should never have to worry about the chassis flexing. My inspiration came from the fastback Bobby alloway built using the MaxG chassis. But I didn't want to have the floor 4" higher than original and I wanted the underneith of my car to be completely flat.
If this is all you are wanting to do and don't plan on changing the front and rear suspension like I did then you should just make a set of subframe connectors. I've seen few people do that and it looks like it came from the factory that way.
I was thinking of creating one that follows the lines between the original front and rear subframes. Your thoughts.
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 1
From: Texas
you mentioned you wanted to keep the bottom flat with no frame showing. i'm considering this conversion, and was currious how you plan on running the brake and fuel lines, to keep them from snagging on anything. Repectfully, Jeremy