Front frame rail stiffening plates

[IMNCARN82]

Thinking about getting these cut out of 1/4" plate steel.  I saw something similar on another RMS equipped car around here.  What do you think?      The circles represent holes to allow for some more weld surface.  Three pieces. The lower one goes all the way to the crossmember.   

[Beck]

1/4" is pretty hefty! Would add a lot of weight.
Wouldn't a bar running from the front of the chassis rail to the firewall serve the same purpose? Tying in the upper shock mount as well.
Are you adding a cage to your car? Could tie it into that too.

[dutch]

I agree 1/4 sounds like overkill, but I like the idea. mine had some spiderweb cracks where the rear k-frame bolts are.  Definately a weak spot.

[torredcuda]

1/8" would be plenty I would think and a more smaller holes would be better than those really large holes which sort of weaken the plate. I would dp rows of 1/2" holes spaced 3-4" apart. Of course the other option is triangulating the upper control arms mounting area ( shock tower) with tubing -light weight and strong.

[IMNCARN82]

Ya, I thought about getting the full cage. to the front frame rails.  But it will interfere with the stainless inner fender shields I'm gettn made...      

Thinner huh... Ya.  1/8"     Smaller holes? ok.     

There will be a new custom engine bay brace in there
us cartools fender braces
upper/lower rad. braces
frame connectors
cage (x)

I'll make some changes to the holes.   Thanks for the input!

R/T
 

[moprr]

You can also try something like this (these are for a a body)
 http://www.dillingerchassis.com/product/j-bars/
http://www.dillingerchassis.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/J-Bars.jpg
http://www.dillingerchassis.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/J-Bars3.jpg

[hemiken]

Hey R/T, i would drop it down to 1/8th plate, but it would be a good idea to cut the holes you have pictured with a hole saw and after you have welded the chassis plates in place and around the holes, you could put the discs that you cut out of the new chassis plates and weld them back in for a smooth finish.

[IMNCARN82]

 I like the fabricated look the holes give it...   Not that you'd see them.   

 couldn't find the pics of a job Bruning auto did for a client while he was around here... They did some stainless work kinda similar to this 69' RR that was at Golden CO.  a few yrs. back.   
http://www.amcarguide.com/custom/custom-1969-roadrunner-roadkill/

ya ya, Bro has been sayn' j bars too!   eh, I think they will get in the way of the panels.   Maybe not quite as extensive as the RR. But you get the idea...

[hemiken]

Well if you really love that fabricated look with the holes, and they would spread the load better leaving them large like you have, another really trick thing you could do is once you have the chassis plates welded in place and the hole sections welded also, grab the next size down hole saw and cut a new hole in the original chassis wall and drill right through the other side dead in line with the first hole, (i would recommend that you use a longer pilot drill first to line up each hole), Then weld in a piece of tube on both side to join each frame rail together, this will give you maximum stregth and look totally fabricated, This would be the strongest single thing you could do next to bracing with a full cage in the car. 

[dutch]

now, that would look sick 

[hemiken]

now, that would look sick 

Just doing my thing Buddy, i do this stuff for a living. . . . . . . . . . .

[HP2]

Waste of material and too much added weight, IMO.

You ever see a frame rail bent there? I never have unless it was in an accident. The inner fender and the neat dimpled supports you recently installed all conspire to eliminate that rail as a flex point. If you are really concerned about it, stich weld all the seams you can find on those rails, the inner fender and in particular, the A piller/cowl area. Those will provide as much rigidity at a fraction of the weight penalty.

[johns cuda shop]

 

[IMNCARN82]

Hm...     well.    Just an idea...