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Old 11-01-2011, 10:38 PM   #9
Marco Tahtaras
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Join Date: May 2010
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Default Re: wrong front cross member

A later cross member will work just fine. Ford changed to the new cross member in late '29 (except no overflow hole) and shimmed the radiator up. They did this for the remainder of the model year and up until June 1930 on commercial models.

What bothers me is the hole misalignment. To my knowledge there were only two hole patterns. One with a much wider spread hole pattern which was the '28 frame, and cross member with the solid front engine mount. If I recall correctly only the lower front tab holes were the same between this and the common later frames but none of the other holes were close. Even though yours has had the rivet holes enlarged (you have 5/16" bolts in there), that isn't enough to bring it as close as you describe relative to my experience. Your frame was made in late January 1929 so I'd expect it to be like the later frames.

I'm concerned that your front cross member may not be positioned where it should be. With things assembled as they are I would try to get a comparison measurement from ANY unmolested frame. An accurate measurement from the front face of the center cross member to the center of the radiator mounting holes would be a good reference.

I'm puzzled!
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