How jacked up is this frame?

[PancakeMix]

I bought this frame for a '72 Chevy longbed. I can't tell if the frame is bent from moving it around the field for the past couple of decades, or if it's supposed to be that way.

Either way, it'll go to the frame shop to get checked and straightened out if it needs it.

The one that concerns me most is the area I circled in red. It looks too perfect to have been bent on accident that way, but it makes no sense to me why it would be bent that way. All the pictures I look at online don't appear to have it, but all I can find is 2WD truck frames.

Overall, the frame looks pretty straight to me. Kinda hard to see with the spare axle on top...

I need coffee.

[PancakeMix]

Right, and I forgot... it's way too early today. But I'm sick and had a horrible sleep ahahaha

The frame is bent there where the hose is. Looks like it could make sense for the hose.

The only thing the owner told me was that he jacked up the front cross member when he was pulling it a while ago. I can just make a new one of that, no big deal.

[CUSTOM/10]

The area circled is bent, if the area by the radiator hose is the other one your talking about, the frame being turned up, that's normal !

Gary

Just noticed the front crossmember, that looks bent also !

[70shortfleet]

That bend in the middle of the frame does not look good, it had to be hit pretty hard to kink the frame like that. I would not use that frame!

[pwdcougar]

[quote=CUSTOM/10;6854567]The area circled is bent, if the area by the radiator hose is the other one your talking about, the frame being turned up, that's normal !

Gary




Any idea why the frame is bent by the radiator hose? Mine was bent like that but looked really beat on, not nice and smooth like the one in the picture so I pounded it flat.

Paul

[no1udknow]

Originally Posted by PancakeMix

The one that concerns me most is the area I circled in red.

Looks like a perfect candidate for a shortbed conversion to me

[Youey]

Mines bent exactly the same, guess it was factory

[CUSTOM/10]

I don't really know ! But every frame I've had ( 67-72 ) has had it. It actually interferes with the lower radiator hose.

Maybe someone else has an answer as to why it's there ?

Gary

[no1udknow]

if your talking about the little upwards flare at the front hump, pictured by the radiator hose, it is supposed to be like that, I wonder if it is done for rh drive trucks??

[burnin oil]

That frame really is not that bad. A frame shop could fix that really easily if the buckle bothers you. I have the same thing on my K20 but it is on the lower rail instead of the top. I have had no issues from the buckle. Mine appears to be from the cross member hitting a stump as it is bent at the same spot as the frame. I am guessing that it hit a stump as it was a brush truck for a fire department previously. Handles fine and no tire wear issues have resulted from it. I also put alot of power to the ground. Minor tweaks dont bother me. The bigger question is the shape of the factory rivets. Loose rivots give alot of flex.

[leftybass209]

The bend on the passenger side by the front cross member is normal. I've heard it's clearance for a BBC fuel pump, except it's been there long before a BBC was available (these frames go back to the last generation). However, it does line up very well with the oil filter on an Inline 6. I am not the best source for this information as the frames do have a few other slight differences.

[Bigdav160]

It does look like the front crossmember is bent pretty bad. Probably from being pulled by a chain.

[leftybass209]

Originally Posted by no1udknow

Looks like a perfect candidate for a shortbed conversion to me

Awesome meme for the thread, btw!

[Cash3481]

With the abundance of long bed frames and parts trucks out there for around 3-400, I would look for another frame. you'll get about $75 for that rolling chassis bringing down the cost of another truck with a good frame.

Isn't the turn up part of the frame the same place the fuel line comes around the frame rail (that would maybe minimize the chaffing?). That bolt holds the fuel line if I'm not mistaken.
If you need another one of that front crossmember, pm me.
I keep them from frames I recycle.

[burnin oil]

4x4 frames are hard to come by around here. That would be a fixer in no time flat. Even the 2wd frames do not show up alot anymore. I will agree that the long beds are alot more prevelant than short boxes. Most frames I see come up for sale are wrecked rolling chasis that usually get rebodied.

[Cash3481]

LOL, I just realized it was a 4X4.
I stand corrected on price by about 2X the price I wrote.
I find alot of them (long beds) but original Short bed 4X4s are much harder to find in original condition and titles that match.

[PancakeMix]

Up where I am, there isn't much at all for 67-72's. 73-87's are a dime a dozen. So when I saw this for sale, I jumped on it.

[CUSTOM/10]

Being from New England also I know how hard it can be to find good truck or parts this vintage around here. There's nothing left in the salvage yards.

Rust wise that frame looks very good.... As for the bends, I think a good frame shop could fix them easily. Maybe replace the front cross member !

I would take it to a frame shop and see what they have to say !

Gary

[burnin oil]

If you have to replace the front crossmember look and see if the 73-87 crossmember will fit. I snagged a swaybar off a blazer and installed it on my K20. It works well but I had to fab the mounts for the original crossmember. Might be a good bolt in swap with an easier to find piece. Once again a frame shop can fix the part in the middle of the frame really quick. Mine was estimated at less than an hour if I pull the crossmember out of the way. My truck also has the full body on it as it is a daily driver. Another thing is that the crossmember up front doesnt need to be straight as long as it is solid up there and the frame is in proper plane and alignment. Mine was notched for a PTO and flexed alot and was twisted pretty bad without hampering the frame. Eventually I straightened it back as good as I could and welded a chunk of metal to it to reinforce it. There is alot of metal bolted up there to help things stay in plane. The motor and bumper also do a good job of keeping eveything spread out without letting it contort to much. The biggest problem that frames have is twist from the motor shoving the right front down and pulling the left side up. Frames need to be stiff but allowed to flex. To much reinforcement and things break in a really bad way. Most frames are twisted after some use. the big question is how much. Rivots at the cross members usually tell this story pretty well.

[PancakeMix]

Oh yea, the frame shop I called before I even bought it was really great. He said with no cab or bed on it, it'd be a quick fix - and he was trying to get me to drive the flatbed to his shop so he could check it out. The guy loves 67-72's, haha. Unfortunately, my budget didn't allow for the trip...

Gotta build the pole barn first before I start tearing into the frame much more.