32-plan

Ford 1932 Frame Dimensions

MY ADVISE FOR THE DO-IT-YOURSELF BUILDER
IN BUILDING A 32 ROADSTER

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32 Ford Frame On A Build Platform
The chassis being the foundation of your hot rod it has to be square and level. I built a frame platform with two 4" x 4" x 3/16" sq. steel tube on cinder blocks. It worked good. Spreader bars for the front and rear will give you the proper width. When the spreaders are installed you will have a triangle that you can take a cross measurement for checking square. American Stamping makes 32 frames and has a blueprint of the original 32 Ford Frame. It is pictured above. According to the blueprint, the front outside measurement should be 23 5/8" and the rear outside measurement should be 40". Make sure you purchase the proper width spreader bars, or ship for proper width. There are many lengths offered - BEWARE!
Fitting the boxing plates, I recommend you tack them in place and check the chassis for being square and level with the platform. When you permanently weld the plates in place do a little at a time so you do not heat the frame and distort it. (I learned this the hard way) Boxing a frame without a solid frame table can be done but, but it is harder to keep everything square and level.
frame table
  
frame table
CHASSIS TABLE
We built a Chassis table. We took the 4" x 4" x 3/16" box tubing, from our old setup, and welded on 3" x 3" x 3/16" box tubbing legs. We used two 8 foot x 3" x 3" x 3/16" box tubbing for our table stringers and added angle iron leg braces. A simple build with many benefits. Important to make sure your table is lever. I recommend that you use a laser.
frame-build
   frame sq  
 
Setting Up Frame Rails On Chassis Table
Install the spreader bars - front outside dimension 23 5/8" and rear is 40". If you start out with the proper dimension and keep everything straight and square your body will fit on the frame with mount holes lined up perfectly. We had some 3/8" x 4" angle that we clamped to the chassis table and frame rails. This made the rails at right angles to the table, we did the same at the rear. We then took the center of the rear spreader and the center of the front spreader and ran a string from the rear to the front. You now can take a cross measurement from the rear rail to the opposite front rail. Measure both opposite sides, they should be the same measurement. Clamp the frame securely to the table. you are now ready to start welding. Put the front cross member in place with the center hole center on the string. The center hole of the front cross member and the radiator mount holes will be the reference in placing all other components in building your chassis. IMPORTANT - Your need to check your rails for being square to the table as will a being square with cross measurement regularly.
 
boxing
Welding in Boxing Plates
Fit your boxing plates, and clamp them in place. Tack them in placed. Keep checking the measurements provided on the Ford Blue print, if they get off, make an adjustment. When you get them all fitted then you can finish your welding. Weld in small areas at a time. If you weld to long in one spot you can distort the rails. Take your time. When you are finished you can grind off the excess weld and polish the frame rails.
 
FITTING CHASSIS PARTS
frame
rear axel
  
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The frame was leveled, look in the Building Tips Page for how to level the chassis. We supported the chassis with 2" x 2" tube steel at the front and rear of the flat spot on the bottom side of the frame rails. This elevated the chassis 4". The rear axel was placed on 3" x 3" box tube with a 3/4" angle on top used a knife edge to support the axel. The front axel was assembled and hairpins installed. The frame was measured for placement of the 3520 Tubular Cross member in accordance with the Pete & Makes instructions. The rear cross member was clamped in placed, rear buggy spring was positioned under the cross member and the rear axel was placed in position. Pete & Makes have instructions and measurements for the placement of all their products. We are now ready to make the final measurements and check with the laser for everything being straight and square. It is much easier to to check all measurements and check for proper caster and rear axel angle tilt (front axel needs a 5 degree positive caster and the rear axel needs about a 4 to 5 degree positive tilt to align the drive shaft with the transmission) when you have a leveled chassis.
LASER 2
FRAME
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Parts Used In This Frame Build
All parts were purchased from Pete & Jakes
3095-C - Front End I Beam Axel (chrome) includes Hairpins & Radius Rods
2024 Cross member
3520 - Tubular Cross member with T5 Transmission Mount
3011B - Ladder Bar Kit
2025 -Rear Cross member
2058 - Rear Posie Spring
3070-C - Rear Shock Kit
5019 - Rear Spring Mounts
 

 

 

 

 

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