Frame mods

[Cranker]

I was wondering if anyone can tell me if they have done, seen or know if this can be done. What i am looking to do is i want to remove the lip from the top of the front frame rails that the inner panels weld to. I will be running bars from the rollcage thru the firewall and down to the front of the frame rails. Do those lips offer some kind of structural support? if so can it be more then a rollcage tied to the frame? The reason i want them gone is that I just dont like the way they look. If i were to cut them off i was going to run a bead down the lenght of the rail where they were and then grind it smooth. Any thoughts or ideas are greatly appreciated.

Thanks Crank

[Todd DesMarais]

 Are you leaving the inner fenders in the car and just removing the areas where the inner doesn't touch, or are the inner going bye-bye ??  Either way, I would think the triangulation of a cage is far more superior than the little bit those pinch welds could ever give.

  If you look at the rails as just a boxed tube, the reason for the seams are evident. They (Mopar) needed access to the inside of the rails for blind nut attachment, i.e. k-frame and bumper bolt mounting. It was/is a LOT easier to stamp a complex shaped piece then box it up, than it would be to start with a boxed tube. the flanges are nothing more than a quick way to mate the two pieces by spot welding rather than mig. and they provided a convienient attachment point for the inners.

 Cut 'em off, weld 'em up, smooth 'em out and have a happy.

   Todd

[Chryco Psycho]

I Garee with Todd , the pinch will offer some extra stiffness , but the roll cage will offere better support , grind it off

[Cranker]

Thanks Guys that is what i thought also but just want some extra opinions. They are as good as gone. There will be no original inner fenders left. i will make some panels later out of sheet aluminum to keep junk off the motor.

Thanks again guys.   

[moper]

The front rails are a U shaped section on the bottom, and a top flat piece that covers the opening. The flat that faces inside the engine bay is the seam where they get spot welded. If you remove the inner wells, you also have a flat where they were welded. To remove both, you'll have to make sure to weld the sections VERY well. Meaning full penetration and no thin spots left after. It is a high stress area regardless of cage or suspension type there. So thin spots may fracture after being flexed in racing and stuff.

[Cranker]

Thanks for the info! i need as much as i can get.