1st post: Why won't anyone work on my truck?

[JustJeff79]

Been lurking here for a while and I've learned many things thanks to this great forum.

Last year I picked up this 67 small window.



Minimal rust, 350 engine, 4 speed (originally a 6 cylinder automatic truck).

I was so busy looking for rust, I didn't notice the frame was bent.

The truck drives straight and I believe the damage is only up front (Back lines up perfect).



You can see everything is pushed towards the passenger side (about 2 inches) and the left is slightly lower.

The buckle in the frame is about 8 inches back. Everything else straight.

I've taken it to four local shops and this is what I've been told.

1. Body shop: "I can heat it up and put it the frame machine. But you'll have to get behind the insurance claims I have coming in". (still haven't heard back a month later)

2. Craigslist mechanic: "Yeah, I can torch it and bang it out" (I understand this can work, but the guy seemed shady and didn't seem to know much about these trucks)

3. Full service auto shop with several C-10's out front: "Nah man, can't fix that for you, it's a safety hazard". (This one surprised me)

4. Body shop #2: " We can fix that, but the whole front end needs to be replaced as well, you should just take that home and bang it out with a sledge hammer. Save yourself some money". (The whole front end thing threw me, I'm replacing the core support, but the whole front end? because of a tweek in the frame?)

Frustrated, I went home and took off the bumper, measured everything up and started in with the sledge hammer.

Then the damn frame split!



Needless to say, what I thought wouldn't work, didn't.

How do I get this frame right?

Should I weld the split?

Should I start the search for a new frame?

Anyone in southern middle Tennessee you can steer me towards?

All and any input is much appreciated.

[71K20chevy]

You could weld it...it's not really an important part anyway. My truck has a bad split in the same spot, it hasn't fallen apart yet.

[leddzepp]

I would just leave it alone and drive it if you aren't building a show truck.
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[geezer#99]

NIce truck!!
If the frame horn is bent that much how did the bumper fit so good?

[JustJeff79]

Originally Posted by geezer#99

NIce truck!!
If the frame horn is bent that much how did the bumper fit so good?

Thank you sir!

The pic of the whole truck is kind of an optical illusion.

The bumper is very tight on the driver's side, and sticks out a couple of inches on the passenger side.

If you look closely, you can see it descend as it reaches the passenger side (though hard to see from the angle of the photo).

It seems the frame took a front/side impact at some point in it's life.

[geezer#99]

The only good way to check it is on a frame rack. Go to the first guy on your list or find an alignment shop with a rack.

[Andy4639]

Live with it, I do! Mine is the same way. Not worth all the fuss. Spend the time righting the stuff u can. Like said u can weld it but it want make much differance.

[jeffahart]

I usually use a big crescent wrench to bend that area at the tip of the horn.

Just tap the frame around the buckle with a single jack sledge, then push pull the tip of the horn with a crescent until it looks close to the other side. Then measure distance between horns. spread the horns apart or bring together as needed. I think if you get it close you will be fine.

The problem will then be, the bumper was bent along with the horns. So, it may not fit w/o tweaking and maybe serious tweaking. And now you are in limbo where the old bumper will not fit nor will a new one.

Maybe do a little at a time and keep re-bolting the bumper on so you can slowly keep it tweaked into fit with the horn adjustment.

Good luck.

[JustJeff79]

Originally Posted by jeffahart

I usually use a big crescent wrench to bend that area at the tip of the horn.

Just tap the frame around the buckle with a single jack sledge, then push pull the tip of the horn with a crescent until it looks close to the other side. Then measure distance between horns. spread the horns apart or bring together as needed. I think if you get it close you will be fine.

The problem will then be, the bumper was bent along with the horns. So, it may not fit w/o tweaking and maybe serious tweaking. And now you are in limbo where the old bumper will not fit nor will a new one.

Maybe do a little at a time and keep re-bolting the bumper on so you can slowly keep it tweaked into fit with the horn adjustment.

Good luck.

Thanks for the advice. I've pounded the buckle from the inside and the horn from the outside. It moved about a 1/4 inch before the frame split. So I stopped.

The bumper isn't the original. I don't think much of the truck is. Seems to be several different trucks put together.

[hounddogs!]

Originally Posted by JustJeff79

Been lurking here for a while and I've learned many things thanks to this
1. Body shop: "I can heat it up and put it the frame machine. But you'll have to get behind the insurance claims I have coming in". (still haven't heard back a month later)

I absolutely do not understand this. Is insurance money greener than eveyones else's?

\\rant off\\

[leddzepp]

Originally Posted by hounddogs!

I absolutely do not understand this. Is insurance money greener than eveyones else's?

\\rant off\\

Insurance companies bring repeat business, and will always take precedence.
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[TBONE1964]

Originally Posted by hounddogs!

I absolutely do not understand this. Is insurance money greener than eveyones else's?

\\rant off\\

The funny thing is insurance companies don't fix anything anymore. If has a dent bigger than the size of a soft ball, they total it. I am not sure what these body shops are fixing. Every car you see at an action now has a salvage title because the insurance company wrote it up as totaled.

[GCncsuHD]

Cracks in that area are common, before you weld take a drill bit and drill through the frame at the end of the crack. The round hole will prevent the crack from propagating further. Then use a grinding wheel to bevel out the inside of the crack, then fill the hole and bevel with weld.

You could keep looking around at body shops, it doesn't look too severe, and shouldn't take long to fix on a frame table.

[GASoline71]

Mine is tweeked a bit too... been driving the snot out of it for 7 years with no issues. Toss the bumper back on and have fun with your truck.

Gary

[tommys72]

Ahhh, leave it the way it is and sell it to me. .. that would be your best bet. ..lol... seriously though, nice truck
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[19673ontree]

I hope I never have to ask someone to work on my truck or car ,,, feel for ya ,, nice truck !