Front frame rail replacement

[72hemi]

How much and where do I get one? (Assuming my dad doesn't have one somewhere)

[1black71rt]

I replaced the front frame rail on my challenger. It was a lot of measurements and test fitting before i welded anything. If you need pass side frame rail and k frame i have them.

[elitecustombody]

How much and where do I get one? (Assuming my dad doesn't have one somewhere)

you can pick one up on cheapbay for under $200

[72hemi]

you can pick one up on cheapbay for under $200

Thanks.

I replaced the front frame rail on my challenger. It was a lot of measurements and test fitting before i welded anything. If you need pass side frame rail and k frame i have them.

Thanks, but I do have a parts car (72 Challenger) that I will pull the stuff from.

Do you have pictures of the replacement?

[elitecustombody]

http://www.autobodytoolmart.com/p-11527-14199.aspx

or just google "tram gauge" ,,there are many stores to buy one from

[72hemi]

http://www.autobodytoolmart.com/p-11527-14199.aspx

or just google "tram gauge" ,,there are many stores to buy one from

Thanks.

I just talked to my brother and apparently he had class at UTI on frame repair and is confident we can pull it at home. He said the difference would be that the shops would get it done faster (and cost money).

[elitecustombody]

most important is to be able to tie the car down at right locations and not cause anymore damage ,especially to the areas that have no damage 

[72hemi]

Thanks for the advice. 

[e-tek]

In the "old" days I used to see guys tie a car to a Telephone pole and pull the frame with a truck!!!
I'm sure you can do this job with enough ingenuity and couple good "come-a-longs" (ratcheting cable pullers).

[72hemi]

I've got lots of come-a-longs. As a matter of fact there is a telephone pole on the corner and my wifes truck has a hemi.  I'll know more when I start taking measurements on how bad the body is. The only reason why I am going through all of this trouble is because it is a factory 340 4-speed plum crazy and white 70 challenger.

[A R T]

Is the frame that damaged that when its pulled it cant be saved? Most collision shops that do frame work hate old cars, but you might find someone out there that will do it.
The reason I hate replacing frames after a pull is because they hold them in position and weld them back into shape. Its now straight within tolerances. If you decide to start drilling out spot welds and its not secured to a chassis jig, or fixture, odds are good its going to release and now its gonna be a S.O.B. to get back square. 
If you have a front clip thats good from your donor car, consider replacing the full clip from the torsion bar crossmember forward. Its a lot of work, but it might make things easier in the long run

[72hemi]

The frame rail is mangled pretty good and after the accident someone torched off the shock tower so the 340 and 4 speed could easily be extracted. I will have to check the condidtion of everything , but I do have an entire front clip. The 72 parts car has rust issues, but they are not frame rust issues.

[1970RTSE]

I ended up replacing the cross member, and both frame rails and firewall as an assembly.  Its a lot of drilling spot welds but can be done.  My car was hit sometime in th epast so the firewall was bent a bit, then, later, the drive train was torched out cutting through both frame rails.

[72bluNblu]

 

If you have the full front clip you should probably change the whole thing. Reason being is that you know the entire front clip is straight. That way, you're not setting up measurements on a single rail. Then you just have to get the front clip square to the rest of the car, which will give you more places to measure from and more options if you can't get everything on the body perfectly straight. A single rail doesn't allow as many cross measurements as replacing the whole front end, you'll be able to pull measurements off of both sides on the rear and compare them to each other to get it squared up. If the body is tweaked this won't be easy, but at the very least you'll know the the front end geometry is correct in relation to itself.

[72hemi]

I'll have to check the condition of the complete front clip. As i recall there is some rust in the inner fenders but how bad I can't remember. If I go that route I will have to convert to the 26 inch radiator after I get it in place and I will have to remove the 4 speed frame bracket and reverse lockout bracket from the original frame rail to the new. Good input.