32 frame
 

32 frame damage over the rear axle bumper I've read has been associated with several causes requiring factory installed reinforcements, typically rear collision, push starting, & often it's been said the added weight of a full fuel tank & high speed for the dire road conditions encountered over the many decades. It seems all frames I've seen have a sight bump on both side rails & was curious if in fact this is partially factory tooling...comments ?

Re: 32 frame
 

There were no bulges in the sides of the frame rails at the rear axle kick up when they left the factory. As most '32 passenger cars had a rear-mounted spare wheel and tire, add that to overhanging weight on the back end of the frame. In a severe jounce, the bottom of the frame kickup bottomed out on top of the rear axle housings with the latter then acting as a fulcrum. The problem was widespread enough to cause fractures in the lower rear corners of the quarter panels at the lower back panel on cabriolets, coupes, and roadsters plus fracturing of the seams between the upper body sides and rear panel on sedans and Victorias.

The remedial measure taken was first the addition of reinforcements on the outside of the frame rails quickly replaced with reinforcements inside the frame rails and a shortened rear cross member to accommodate the thickness of the inside reinforcements. Both types of reinforcements are shown below.

The last photo shows the revised rearmost body-to-frame attachment on cabriolets, coupes, and roadsters to compensate for the flexing of the frame which was adopted at about the same time as the addition of the reinforcements.

Re: 32 frame
 

Pictures of a pair off the frame

Re: 32 frame
 

That's so fantastic! So much to learn about the '32 Ford that is so unique to that year.


Not to hijack the thread, but this particular piece of history puts me in mind of a WWII Jeep on Guam that had a similar repair 15 years after the war, forward of the firewall. That's a whole 'nother story with its own twist, so I won't elaborate here.

Re: 32 frame
 

I believe I asked this before but in case I didn't here it goes... I have an early frame with the cracks that have been farmer fish plated and the cracks in the quarter panel . I thought about removing the fish plates and welding in a thick plate inside to th eframe channel or perhaps boxing the area.

So DavidG, and others, what would be the best way to go on this?

Re: 32 frame
 

No doubt your frame is bent out of shape and needs to be repaired on a proper '32 frame fixture such as the one the Ionia, MI hot rod shop has.

Re: 32 frame
 

Well Ionia MI is a little ways from the Vancouver BC area. LOL. I'm just wondering about fish plates versus boxing that area.

Re: 32 frame
 

How will you know that the frame is straight if you do it yourself? (Ionia was only a "such as" suggestion given that you did not share that you live on the 'left coast' as they say further east above the 49th parallel.):)

Re: 32 frame
 

Well I think I could take it to a frame shop or measure off fixed points diagonally etc. Just looking for advice from those that know! There are a couple of guys around here that work on frames I just have to find out who they are...

Up here it's West Coast as compared to East Coast or "back East"...