Original 1932 frame and repo body
 

Hi. I have a repo swedish steel roadster body from Jocar sitting on an original 1932 frame.

I have a very big gap (about 2 in) between the top of the fuel tank and the bottom of the body.

Rear horns are at the stock location according to the frame diagram.

I need some tips or ideas. Thanks.

Re: Original 1932 frame and repo body
 

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/attac...7&d=1773599641

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/attac...8&d=1773599641

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/attac...9&d=1773599641

Re: Original 1932 frame and repo body
 

That is (imho) too big of a gap. Obvious issue is either the floor is installed in the body too low OR the rear section of the frame has drooped over the years. First check the frame a: this happens a lot, and b: the frame is easiest to measure and correct.


Our frame diagram http://www.wescottsauto.com/Informat...iagram1932.pdf should be a great help. Its not accurate to a gnats eyebrow hair in all respects but has proven to be close enough for people to assemble a bunch of very nice fitting cars.


The key measurement in this case is the droop of the section of the frame from the axle back.


ps. on the frame diagram feel free to copy, use, expand, shrink, give copies to friends at no charge. The only things I ask is do not sell copies, or call it your own. Any errors are MINE!


Karl

Re: Original 1932 frame and repo body
 

From what I see the floor pan and sub rails are the cause as Karl wrote above. To close that gap you need to channel the body over the frame the distance needed. If the body is built like the original the sub rails are a substantial structure to try to modify. Or build a thin lower rear body pan extension to reduce the gap.
Ronnieroadster

Re: Original 1932 frame and repo body
 

Are those bodies they build fitted to an original frame ?

Re: Original 1932 frame and repo body
 

I don’t know what kind of jig they use to build those bodies.
Several bodies owners reported the same issue.

Re: Original 1932 frame and repo body
 

Take a look at Neals' "32 5W Build - The $4K Swapmeet Body / The Old Chrome Coupe". He heated and bent the rear frame horns to reduce the gap.

http://https://www.jalopyjournal.com...#post-15279164

Re: Original 1932 frame and repo body
 

The first thing to do is to check to make sure the body/subrails are in the correct location to each other. If not they must be corrected first.
I have dealt with several 32 original frame/bodies that have had this problem.
In all cases the problem is caused by the rear frame horns have been bent down due to a rear end collision. I had one that was only bent down on the driver's side with the right side being bent down only slightly.
At the center of the rear panel, you should have about 3/8" gap between the top of the gas tank and the bottom of the rear panel. Make sure the body is bolted down and shimmed properly and the gas tank is shimmed properly as well.
Look for tell-tale bulges on the side of the rails at the kick up This is evidence of the rails being forced down. The rails should be perfectly flat along the side at the kick up.

Re: Original 1932 frame and repo body
 

The distance between the end of the horns is correct on the left side according to the diagram.
The right side is a little bit less. About 2in. instead of 2 1/4.

Thanks for your help.

Re: Original 1932 frame and repo body
 

Re: Original 1932 frame and repo body
 

Just off the top of my head, if the fame horns are going to be covered by those "frame horn cover pieces", it might be possible to shim the tank up. (Probably a bad suggestion.)

Re: Original 1932 frame and repo body
 

Please post side view pictures showing how the rest of the body sits on the frame. This will tell us whether the whole body to sub-frame is off or what else may be off.

Re: Original 1932 frame and repo body
 

If this is a known problem with the body builder , can they tell you how to fix it ?

Re: Original 1932 frame and repo body
 

If this 32 will have fenders, the rears bolt to the body and the frame and at the front bottom edges, to the running boards; so big issues there.

Re: Original 1932 frame and repo body
 

Photos of my roadster (Wescott body, Brizio chassis, Rock Valley stainless fuel tank). This might give a clue as to what is going on if the sill is too low.

Re: Original 1932 frame and repo body
 

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/attac...0&d=1773705021

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/attac...1&d=1773705021

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/attac...2&d=1773705021

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/attac...3&d=1773705021

Re: Original 1932 frame and repo body
 

The firewall is bolted to the body. Doesn’t touch the frame.

Re: Original 1932 frame and repo body
 

The last mail I sent was spicy because disappointed and frustrated.
Don’t want to contact them again.

Re: Original 1932 frame and repo body
 

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/attac...1&d=1773723209

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/attac...2&d=1773723209

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/attac...3&d=1773723209

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/attac...4&d=1773723209

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/attac...5&d=1773723209

Re: Original 1932 frame and repo body
 

The gap at the rear mount hole in the subframe looks about right. The firewall welting pad is supposed to be slightly thicker than the welting that runs under the rest of the subframe. So other than some minor shimming needed, I think your problem is in the outer sheetmetal, not the subframe shape. Maybe all the outer sheetmetal needs to be tilted down towards the back.

That sounds like a ton of work. I highly suggest fitting a fender to the body and frame before going any further. If the car is a hot rod, the extra work might not be worth the squeeze.

Re: Original 1932 frame and repo body
 

I took a number of photos and dimensions. The measurements listed on your body photos are from the bottom of the body to the outside of the running board bead which is equal to the bottom of the frame.

It looks to me that the body from rear door opening to the rear of the body is too high. Is the top of the door opening dimension the same as the bottom?

I also show that the rear body to frame is just the thickness of the frame welting. Your picture in post #17 looks to be too great but can't tell well from the picture.

I have about 5mm of gas tank to body gap.

Front of door
https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/attac...2&d=1773751141

rearmost
https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/attac...4&d=1773751141

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/attac...1&d=1773751141

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/attac...8&d=1773752823

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/attac...6&d=1773751392

Re: Original 1932 frame and repo body
 

Under the A pillar : approx 4 1/2 in (11,5cm), same thing under B pillar,
Distance D : 2 3/4 (7cm)

Re: Original 1932 frame and repo body
 

How it look underneath

Re: Original 1932 frame and repo body
 

"D" doesn't look correct for left fender to frame mount bolt.

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/attac...9&d=1773771938

Re: Original 1932 frame and repo body
 

In the underneath shot the curve over the frame kick-up appears to not align with the high point of the frame. It looks like the body needs to go back a little. That may pivot the rear end down a bit but then you may have door fitting issues or the cowl would need to come up more than it is up right now. I do think you should try and fit the doors, then the rear end back and down and see how high cowl feel fall short. All that said it might be simpler and neater in the end to pie cut the frame and push the rails up to where you need them to be. Are you running fenders? That will certainly complicate things but with a reproduction body one has to expect to make some adjustments. Do you have chassis modification rules where you live? I know some countries do not allow one to cut and weld on the chassis.

Re: Original 1932 frame and repo body
 

The floor, until the rear kickup for the gas tank, follows the top frame rail. Your floor is higher than original.

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/attac...2&d=1773773953

Looking up by shock suppressor

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/attac...3&d=1773773953

Re: Original 1932 frame and repo body
 

Could be that the floor edge reinforcement is raising the body incorrectly.

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/attac...4&d=1773775141

Re: Original 1932 frame and repo body
 

My brother has an original Ford 5-window body on an original frame that has a gap similar to the pic of Glen’s above. Required a shim or two in front of the axle, and even more at the last mounting bolt.

Re: Original 1932 frame and repo body
 

So what is your plan Harold?

Re: Original 1932 frame and repo body
 

I’m still looking for a solution. It takes time. To much time.
I think I’ll heat and bend the rear pick up to rise the tank 1in.

Re: Original 1932 frame and repo body
 

If you're not running fenders, that may be the easiest fix.

Re: Original 1932 frame and repo body
 

Yes, it will be a pre war style hot rod

Re: Original 1932 frame and repo body
 

I wonder how well the Brookville roaster bodies fit.

Re: Original 1932 frame and repo body
 

I think I would check the door fit and measure the opening (distance between pillars) before doing anything to avoid creating a big problem in that area.

Re: Original 1932 frame and repo body
 

Yes, me too. I think the replacement floor with the edge reinforcement is the problem. If it was me, I'd cut the floor out and replace it with a correct repo floor.

Re: Original 1932 frame and repo body
 

Actually, the door opening is kept by a square tubing bolted to the A pilar and the B pilar.

Re: Original 1932 frame and repo body
 

I think they fit better. But a Brookville body imported in Belgium is almost two times the US price.

Re: Original 1932 frame and repo body
 

Here are few pics I found of Swedish bodies on original frames.
Some cars have a big gap, some not.
The most signifiant is the last one.

Re: Original 1932 frame and repo body
 

Some of them don't look too bad. The brown one, the last, as you mention is huge.

Re: Original 1932 frame and repo body
 

I know I've read it in the past (I forget where) but original frames were subject to being bent. If a driver has a tank full of gas and a spare tire mounted back there, all of that weight is hanging out there a good distance from the rear crossmember. Traveling at a good speed and hitting a significant bump will create enough of a bending moment on the frame to bend it.