As some of you know my 56 was kissed in the frontend while parked in front of the house MANY years ago. Busted up the the front bumper, grill, drivers air damn, radiator support, drivers fender, front corner of the cab, & drivers door.






The drivers side rail is bent down about three inches. I've been going to body shops and am running into "we don't have specs that old" to try to get the frame aligned. I'm not sure if they just don't wanna mess with it or whether it's a fact. So I'm asking does anyone have the frame alignment specs?

 

If not I guess I'll be in the market for a frame what's a good bare frame going for these days?

 

I don't see where there would be a need for frame specs...these trucks have frames that are rectangular and symmetric. If that were my truck I would strip off the front sheet metal, pull the engine/trans and take it to the shop to have them put it on the rack. Side rails are straight, once the left side is pulled into alignment then check the right side. A good frame man can look at a frame rail and tell you right where it is buckled and where/how it needs to be straightened. Once the rails are pulled back into alignment then check the diagonals to ensure that the frame is again square. Good luck...

 

I would have thought that too but.

I've got the front clip off except the new (different) radiator support and radiator. You think I need to pull the power train too? Sure wish I could find a good body shop with a alignment rack around here.

 

I'd find a local shop and take that photo in to show them and see what they think. There may be an issue with that Mil-Spec Auxiliary Fuel Containment Device duct taped to the frame horn however....

 

Who needs specs? You've got the '54, take it to the shop with the '56 and let them get measurements from it. The only real difference should be the rear spring mounts.

If you can't get anyone else to do it......how thick is your concrete floor, and do you know what kind of steel reinforcing it has?

 

Busted but it lets me move the truck around with the original tank removed.

 

The shop I rent and the landlord is a little pick about doing anything to it. The 54 has a Monte Carlo front suspension Grafted on it.

 

I understand that. Setting pull points into the floor does create a trip hazard, unless you recess them and cover them with a metal plate.

I was looking at this truck. Is this a panel?

 

Yes, it's my 56 Panel (I was told it was an old Bunny Bread truck). It had a 351C and a FMX in it 30 years later I'm installing a Crown Vic IFS and a Mark VIII running gear.

 

If this will help, Havi posted to a thread similar to what your asking. As far as the Frame alignment shops, I'm sure a competent shop with the proper equipment can adjust your frame back to specs ( square). Even though the newer equipment is pre-programmed with current vehicle specs, I found with my equipment I could take the appropriate readings then program the proper specs in a special function within my equipment. Within your area there are some Novack equipped shops who with this in had can accommodate you!
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...imensions.html

 

Just contacted them this afternoon. I'm waiting for them to return my call. Got my fingers crossed.

 

Be Aware that most shops will get a 2 hour set up and initial reading cost and any additional adjustments will be added to your cost. These are very basic frames and from your pictures should be a simple pull so you should way your frame pull costs to that of a used suitable frame.

 

That's why I asked, in post 2, what a stripped down frame costs these days. I guess I'm lucky that scrap is so low right now. I won't be competing with the scrapers.

 

I know a guy who's good at pulling frames out, usually by chaining one end to the tree and pulling with a bobcat, but that's up in MN, probably out of your range quite a bit. Sounds crude, and it is, but I've seen multiple newer cars that he's pulled that had no alignment issues, body panels fit together well, etc. What I'd recommend is to keep looking. The shapes of these frames is much less complicated, so one would think a simple fix... I would say a stripped down frame should only be $100-200 at most, but I'm probably too cheap. Won't you run into title issues with a new frame though? unless you were cutting/welding..?