Well, after an hour of measuring and fitting, I welded in the Heidts crossmember into the '36...measured it from 6 different directions and said time to get it done and quit looking at it.
Letting it cool right now, then I'll flip the chassis and do the upper shock/control arm mounts. Plan to take some pics later today and update my Gallery.
I'd been in a holding pattern the past week or so, I didn't have enough legible serial numbers on the frame to title the truck, so after a few DMV visits and talking to the CHP, seems worst comes to worst they will title it, but use the drivetrain (engine specifically) as the YOM.
I spent a week looking for a 35-40 frame, but cost was about 500 or so for a decent one...heck, I can find a running 289/302-pre-smog era engine for less than that...so, I'll probably fit eveything up with my 5.0/AOD, then swap in pre-smog engine...call the CHP get a new VIN stamped, then put in the 5.0...
Funny isn't it, even the 5.0 from the '93 donor Cougar without the smog pump (need to remove it for clearance) will put out less emissions than a pre-smog era carbed engine, but they'd still hold me to '93 standards if I started off with that engine.
Hey Mike,
Are you going to use the stock windshield & frame? Is yours good? My uncle, who has the 36 you've seen pics of , has some left overs including a nice windshield with new tinted glass. He decided to not use it and got a new style glass urethaned in.
Got about 75% of the frame boxed in today, took awhile for fitting things, came out "so-so" due to the shape my frame was in...if I had to do it over, I would have just bought new boxed rails and started from scratch (about 800 bucks though but considering I spent 110 on material and 3 days cutting/grinding and welding and still not done)...had to put in some plates where the frame starts up about to the top over the rearend humps.
Boxed it from the Heidts plates (about where the original steering box was) to about half way up the rear hump...I used 3/16th x8inch so I was able to make the run on each side in one piece instead of sectioning it here and there.
I'll tell ya though, sure did stiffen the beast up..PIA to do, but will be worth it for the ride with the IFS and the Tri-4 bar I plan for the ass-end.
Thinking of making my own if I can find someone nearby to look it over good enough...if not I'll save my pennies up for a Art Morrison kit...I've spoke with a few guys that say it's a pretty good setup.
Just a quick update... I now have the frame on the '36 fully boxed in...need to do some trimming here and there...then decide if I want to fully weld it in or leave it as-is...but it's gotten me to the point I can now start setting up the 4-bar for the rear and assembling the rest of the IFS to get the proper rake on the truck I'm after...just a subtle rake, just enough to make it look like "hey, I would have raked it more" or "Hey, I would have left it all low"...ya know, something in the middle with just a bit of attitude
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