Pre cut frame boxing

[renegade8720]

Hi, where can I buy pre cut frame boxing for my 68 Chevy truck? I went to Progessive Automotives website but they do not list a kit for my truck, I will probably call them today. Does anyone here know of another vender that offers a kit?

Thanks,
Renegade

[oldspowered67C10]

Im not sure if this will help but I just boxed mine recently and it was pretty easy. I just got some stiff cardboard, taped it to the frame and used a hammer to make a pattern. I just tapped the cardboard w/ the hammer on the inside edge of the frame top and bottom and to my surprise it made some nice patterns. After that I just used the patterns to mark it out on some 1/8 steel and used a good jig saw to cut em out.

[Number98]

I picked up some from www.earlyclassic.com a while back but also try one of the board vendors.

[VanceH]

Ok so here it goes again, WHY would you box your frame? I might see it on an old 36 coupe or somthing but my frame seems to be real beafy?
Just wondering

Vance

[Number98]

We used them because we cut down a long bed trucks frame to make a swb truck..... wanted to strengthen that area where we welded it back up.

[Frizzle Fry]

Well, when the OP says "pre-cut" that sounds like he wants full length boxing. Progressive Automotive will make the plates for you. You just have to send them templates. But at that point you could just have them made locally or find a friend with a plasma

[renegade8720]

Originally Posted by VanceH

Ok so here it goes again, WHY would you box your frame? I might see it on an old 36 coupe or somthing but my frame seems to be real beafy?
Just wondering

Vance

Hi, the reason I am boxing the frame is for show purposes only. I have always liked the look of a boxed frame.

Renegade

[cdowns]

it's such an easy basic do-it=yourself process with basic hand tools why waste the money having someone else doing it??
i'm waiting to see who is going to be the first to request premade bolt on boxing hits

[Frizzle Fry]

Originally Posted by cdowns

it's such an easy basic do-it=yourself process with basic hand tools why waste the money having someone else doing it??
i'm waiting to see who is going to be the first to request premade bolt on boxing hits

cdowns, tell us; what was helpful about that comment?

[cdowns]

Originally Posted by Frizzle Fry

cdowns, tell us; what was helpful about that comment?

maybe giving someone an inkling how easy it is to do and how to save by doing somehing on thier own to maybe strech a limited budget for maximum results none
sorry i'm not at all like you with a huge unlimited budget//i think along the lines to get the most out of limited resources

other than to slam me what was the point of your comment???

[Frizzle Fry]

Ease up there bud. I think it's clear that you were laughing about the fact that he wanted them made for him. He asked a simple question and your comments did not move the thread in a positive direction. Taking it a step further and laughing about bolt on (k)its was an obvious slam on the OP.

So keep it positive or keep it to yourself. Simple as that

[renegade8720]

Everyone, I did not mean to start an arguement with this post. All I wanted to know is if anyone offered a precut kit. I have the tools (plazma cutter, welder) and the skill to cut and weld my own, which I have done for other builds in the past. I just thought it would be nice to have precut pieces ready to weld in and save an extra step.

Renegade

[oldspowered67C10]

Ok so here it goes again, WHY would you box your frame? I might see it on an old 36 coupe or somthing but my frame seems to be real beafy?

The frame is far from beefy. Its not too bad in beam strength but torsionially, it completely sucks. If anyone has plans to make this truck handle you absolutely have to do something to the frame or any money you put in the suspension will do you no good.
I did some before after tests and found this. I put the bare frame on jack stands under the lower control arm cross shafts and on a jack under the diff in the rear while jacking up the left rear end of frame with another jack. With the stock frame I could jack up the left rear of the frame over 12 inches w/ virtually no weight coming off the left front jack stand. After the boxing the frame and some very simple tube work for triangulation, I could only jack up the left rear of the frame about 3 inches before the left front came off the jack stand and that was with no trans crossmember.

[TP from Cntl PA]

Originally Posted by oldspowered67C10

The frame is far from beefy. Its not too bad in beam strength but torsionially, it completely sucks. If anyone has plans to make this truck handle you absolutely have to do something to the frame or any money you put in the suspension will do you no good.
I did some before after tests and found this. I put the bare frame on jack stands under the lower control arm cross shafts and on a jack under the diff in the rear while jacking up the left rear end of frame with another jack. With the stock frame I could jack up the left rear of the frame over 12 inches w/ virtually no weight coming off the left front jack stand. After the boxing the frame and some very simple tube work for triangulation, I could only jack up the left rear of the frame about 3 inches before the left front came off the jack stand and that was with no trans crossmember.

It was designed as a WORK truck..........I have some engineering background and other than a plus on the manufacturing side, boxed frames in a pickup(Or any other vehicle that goes off-road or handles huge weight) is actually pretty stupid. When you box a frame it limits its twist, if you load it and run into places that stresses it structurally, eventually the box, because of its resistance to twist is going to break from fatigue at the weakest point. If you actually looked at it, our old truck frames structurally are a better design than the new ones. Had they had the alloys available then that they do now, they'd be bullet proof. They are one piece, not a patch work of welds, and are c-channel, not a box. The new ones are more cost effective to make, and since most people anymore don't really use a truck, the system works. However, look at a OTR truck...........Once piece C-channel front to rear, sometimes with double or triple frames(3 c-channels stacked up inside each other then bolted together with huyck bolts). Reason being they need to hack the weight and still have give, and the c-channel can't be beat for that.

[chevy72blu]

Originally Posted by TP from Cntl PA

It was designed as a WORK truck..........I have some engineering background and other than a plus on the manufacturing side, boxed frames in a pickup(Or any other vehicle that goes off-road or handles huge weight) is actually pretty stupid. When you box a frame it limits its twist, if you load it and run into places that stresses it structurally, eventually the box, because of its resistance to twist is going to break from fatigue at the weakest point. If you actually looked at it, our old truck frames structurally are a better design than the new ones. Had they had the alloys available then that they do now, they'd be bullet proof. They are one piece, not a patch work of welds, and are c-channel, not a box. The new ones are more cost effective to make, and since most people anymore don't really use a truck, the system works. However, look at a OTR truck...........Once piece C-channel front to rear, sometimes with double or triple frames(3 c-channels stacked up inside each other then bolted together with huyck bolts). Reason being they need to hack the weight and still have give, and the c-channel can't be beat for that.

I have always thought the same thing. But, it depends on your intentions. As oldspowered said, if you plan on corner beating the thing, boxing the frame is a must.

I boxed mine where I cut/welded the frame during the SWB conversion. But, I see no reason to take it any further for a while.

[Fred T]

Too bad people post without contributing. Seems like a lot of y'all can post your opinions, but can't answer the question. This is a good example of a thread gone south.

And since y'all can't play nice, this thread is closed.

Renegade, feel free to start a new thread.