A Foundation for our Hot Rod – Frame Table and Components

by Frank Colgoni

Making Introductions
Before we get down to the nitty gritty, it’s appropriate to introduce you to a key partner in this project. Specifically, Dream Machines Ltd. and it’s proprietor John Edwards.

Dream Machines, established in 2003, is a north-east Toronto specialty shop skilled in all aspects of fabrication, modification, complete build-ups and innovative solutions.

Dream Machines will be a strategic partner and John will be personally involved in our project.

Step One: A Level Playing Field
More than a just a figure of speech, building frames that are “true” requires being able to continually reference a constant that is also true – not so much that the constant is level but that it allows for consistent measurements vertically and horizontally.

While it is possible to build a frame from scratch using a simple support structure, a frame table and custom fixture will produce superior results in a lot less time and is ,of course, necessary for production work. Further, when the main frame structure is attached to a fixture for fitment of crossmembers and centre section components, the table and fixture will prevent “movement” caused by heating and cooling of the metal.

Obviously, the home builder will typically not have access to a frame table and fixture so much more attention will have to be paid to the maintenance of critical measurements and squareness when either tieing rails together or when modifying existing frames.

For our frame, Dream Machines utilized an in-house built frame table as the constant.


Dream Machines' frame table with our American Stamping rails.
Frame Rails - Unique to 1932
One of the unique aspects of the 1932 Ford are the main frame rails. Unlike the Model A’s that preceded the ’32 and the ’33 that came after, the Deuce was outfitted with a rail that was designed to remain exposed after fitment of fenders and running boards. The rail has a sculpted profile at the outer bottom edge between the wheel wells. This profile provides a transition to the running board in the vertical plane and ends in a graceful upward arc at it’s most forward horizontal position where it meets the front fender. On a ’32 hiboy (like ours), the rail is almost completely exposed.

Our rails are American Stamping units from Horton Hot Rod Parts which will be boxed utlizing a set of Welder Series boxing plates.


The '32 Ford frame rail profile is evident in this photo.

Welder Series '32 frame rail boxing plate - front

'32 boxing plate rear

Resources:

Next Up – Getting to work on the frame
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