'32 frame bulge above rear axle

[Turdytoo]

During a BS session recently it was brought up that no one had ever seen an early (read that non-reinforced) '32 frame that didn't have a bulge above the rear axle. I always thought the bulge was from the axle housing bottoming out.
No way it came that way, Right?

[Mart]

You're right, they are hammered like that by the axle. Don't forget a lot of these cars were used on unmade roads back then, and everything took a lot of abuse. My 32 sedan had the bulges. I managed to knock one back into shape, the other side had to be cut out and repaired. It had actually broken the frame in that area.

Mart.

[PeteVS]

Does anyone have a picture of what the bulge looks like? I have an early non-reinforced frame and I don't remember seeing anything like that. Perhaps the car led a sheltered life.

[DavidG]

While commonly encountered, not all frames suffered that form of damage. I've had several with and without the damage. With the weight of a full tank of gas and a rear-mounted spare wheel and tire, when the rear axle bottoms out it acts as a fulcrum resulting in the frame bending downward which manifests itself in the form of an outward bulge at the top of the frame kickup. Removing the bulge is only a partial fix as the frame has been bent downward rear of the kickup and should be restored to its original height at the rear (in relation to the rest of the frame).

Unless the bulge is extreme, it wouldn't show up all that well in a photo. A better reference is to lay a straight edge along the vertical side of the frame at the kickup. If the straight edge does not touch at both of its ends, the frame is bent (bulged).

[Mart]

I should have mentioned that the frame gets bent down. The side I knocked flat was done while pushing the rear of the frame upwards. While doing that, the frame "wants" to go back to being flat and in my case it was quite easy to knock the bulge out.

I found some pics of my frame.

Here's the slightly bulged side:


And, hard to see, but the corresponding slightly bashed upwards lower rail.


And the much more seriously damaged side featuring a back in the day repair.


Same side from the inside.


The bad side repaired.


Mart.

[Turdytoo]

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Great looking repair Mart. I never really considered the weight of the fuel tank and spare as mentioned by DavidG but between the weight of the rear, the ruff roads and an occasional bump or push from the rear, I understand why they are bent so often. Results were that Ford's new frame got another running production improvement.

[Rusty]

I've had to straighten every original chassis I have built