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It is real hard to take a body off of a frame!! Sometimes you just have to for one reason or another. If you do have to take the body off . First remove all the fenders and doors, trunk lid and the hood. Then take every thing out of the inside of the car. You would have to take it apart sooner or later anyway . The lighter the body is upon removing it the less chance you have of bending something. Remember when taking the car apart to box all the parts. I mean bolts, nuts and all small parts and label all the boxes. Later on lets say a year from now you wont believe how helpful this will be. Once you have the car taken apart as far as you are going to, you need to figure out what you are going to do to the frame. You are going to have to change the front end in some way. Either by after market weld in parts or a used sub frame. This is so you can make the car safe and also make it alot easier and faster to put in late model running gear because the motor mounts will already be in place. If you are going to sub frame it dont just go get any sub frame.Be sure to measure the width of the wheels so they dont stick out past the front fenders. You also must measure from the firewall to the center of the wheel opening so the front wheel fit in the middle of the wheel opening. You can do this job but might need a little help because the number one thing is safety. When you get the sub frame or after market front end parts installed. If your welder can only tack weld it. Most places have a welder on wheels that can come to your house and weld and box plate it for you.If you are going to have 300 plus horse power you will need to change the rear springs and hangers. If you are going to have a cruiser all you will need if the old springs are good is to just change all the hanger bushings. Here is how my 46 Plymouth worked out after taking all the measurements. I found that a 76 Firebird front sub frame would fit. To my surprise I found it really fit good! I cut the plymouth frame off just in front of the body mount about a foot and trimed down the sub frame and the sub frame fit inside the plymouth frame.With the help of a little heat and a 5 pound hammer and some leveling tool in about three hours it was set up to be welded.As far as the rear end goes,I used a 78 Olds. Cutlass unit and took the mounting pads off the old Plymouth rear end and after measurements were taken I welded the pads on the Olds rear end. PS Make sure you get the drive shaft angle right before you weld the pads on the rearend, Also make sure you leave plenty of room up front for the fan, radiator and AC condenser. Even if you have to move the motor mounts you need the room up front. |
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