Is my Frame Bent? (1 Viewer)

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COVID - Negative and thanks for all the well wishes. You folks are awesome! Must be some other annoying bug floating around that got me.

Frame update, stopped by the shop to show them and he said they could look at it and toss it on the machine next week. Until then, I will spend some time grinding smooth some of the rough areas.
 
COVID - Negative and thanks for all the well wishes.
That's good to hear. Keep in mind the Covid tests you can buy at the pharmacy don't have a real high accuracy rate. False negatives are not uncommon according to my Doc. Keep a close eye on your symptoms. I was almost taken out by Covid last November, so I keep an almost obsessive watch on the current data.
 
You can see the twist in the pic from the rear, driver front is up. FWIW. looking at the boxing of the front frame horns, the pass side looks taller( a longer rectangle) than the driver side, have you checked the hight of front frame horns to see if they match ? a 1/4 inch there would cause the issue you are seeing ? If it werent all torn down I wouldnt worry bout it but since you're there......
 
Have you tried with two people putting their body weight on the high corners? Left front & right rear? I bet it would go down and touch on all 4 points. Lower those two jack stands a few inches and bounce on the high corners, and I bet you could take that twist right out. My ¾ ton pickup twists more than that just by parking on uneven ground.
 
COVID - Negative and thanks for all the well wishes. You folks are awesome! Must be some other annoying bug floating around that got me.

Frame update, stopped by the shop to show them and he said they could look at it and toss it on the machine next week. Until then, I will spend some time grinding smooth some of the rough areas.
Not disagreeing with pjohnson…tests could have been mishandled (temperature) and cause false negatives. We use the Abbot tests to test into work each shift. They have been very successful at giving positive results with positive cases including my own positive test. Abbot tests are the same ones for sale in our area stores. Getting a test at a doctor is a good idea to confirm or deny your symptoms. You can also test for existing antibodies with the doctor too.
 
That's good to hear. Keep in mind the Covid tests you can buy at the pharmacy don't have a real high accuracy rate. False negatives are not uncommon according to my Doc. Keep a close eye on your symptoms. I was almost taken out by Covid last November, so I keep an almost obsessive watch on the current data.
Sorry to hear about your close call but glad to hear you took COVID to the woodshed instead of the other way around.. My test was done at a mobile Aurora Health Care site. They do 2 tests for everyone. One is a rapid test with results in an hour and the other is sent out with results in 2 days.
 
I'd measure it, from driver front corner to passenger back corner, then compare that figure to the opposite corners (measuring hypotenuse). Without the mid-frame crossmember, it might have a parallelogram-shape that it fell into, this might in turn contribute to frame twist, as 3D space is always complicated.

If standing on the high corners doesn't work, then using a tensioned come-a-long / hand winch along the diagonal might help. I'd consider runing a pipe thru the front inner spring hangers (not shackle), putting a level on top, then compare that to the rear - if the hangers are also a bit twisted, then the frame might be out of position within rivets, but, not necessarily bent.

Best of heath wishes to you, and all of Mud!
 
Well this situation took an unexpected turn. A friend 2 hours away called yesterday and asked if I knew anyone who could use a 77 rolling chassis with a clear title and all new brakes. Frame and axles already blasted and painted about 10 years ago. Been sitting ever since. Now the question of do I title it is a 67 or a 77.....hmm.

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I’d title it a ‘67, fix your original frame if reasonably possible, and swap in the newer axles & brakes. Disc brakes, 10 mm brake lines, and Birfields are all worthwhile improvements.

Keeping the original frame, and matching body will increase the value vs having a mix and match of parts that will cause some future buyers to get nervous. In some states the rules are more lax for older rigs, and changing the tags on bodies is a big no no. Different areas go by different rules… but here, the VIN on the door jam is what matters and the frame number doesn’t matter. I didn’t have a choice to keep my original frame, but I would in your case.
 
The only frame difference I can recall is the torque tube will be configured for a 4sp.
 
Don’t forget the rear cross member.

Frame serial number must match title in many areas.
 
The only frame difference I can recall is the torque tube will be configured for a 4sp.
The torque tube will likely have to be removed to accommodate the TH400/NP205 setup anyway.
 
To keep it scientific, how straight is the '77?
Aside from the OEM engine mounts having been removed for a future V8 install, it is an unmolested frame/rolling chassis. Still has the original steering dampener style and stock springs as well. Frame is very solid with the exception of the 2 rear cross member angled truss brackets. One has a rot hole and the other appears to be a bit thin. I can pull some good brackets from inventory to replace them with.

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I’d title it a ‘67, fix your original frame if reasonably possible, and swap in the newer axles & brakes. Disc brakes, 10 mm brake lines, and Birfields are all worthwhile improvements.

Keeping the original frame, and matching body will increase the value vs having a mix and match of parts that will cause some future buyers to get nervous. In some states the rules are more lax for older rigs, and changing the tags on bodies is a big no no. Different areas go by different rules… but here, the VIN on the door jam is what matters and the frame number doesn’t matter. I didn’t have a choice to keep my original frame, but I would in your case.
After some thought and consideration for all the options at this point I think the 67 tub will go on the 77 chassis and be registered as a 77. Seems emissions only goes back 25 years so no issue there. The 67 frame would require a lot of work to make it right and then cost more for sand blasting and coating. With the 77 already being blasted, painted, and mostly bone stock it will save money and tons of time. I am not too concerned about future value as I already have a SBC400, TH400, NP205 going in.....with an early FJ40 centered rear housing for drive shaft alignment and Dutchman custom axle shafts. This was going to be far from original before the frame issue came up.
 
Few more pics from today, because everyone like pics. I will continue this over in the BUILD thread


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A friend bought a 40 in KY. The owner had a 1970 body on a later model 40 frame. He had titles to both of 40's. The owner/builder went to his state dmv to get the paperwork properly done and then the state issued a vin # and permanently attached a tag to the tub. You might want to check with your state. Did the 77 come with the A pillar vin tag?
 
A friend bought a 40 in KY. The owner had a 1970 body on a later model 40 frame. He had titles to both of 40's. The owner/builder went to his state dmv to get the paperwork properly done and then the state issued a vin # and permanently attached a tag to the tub. You might want to check with your state. Did the 77 come with the A pillar vin tag?
I know it came with a firewall tag that matches the frame VIN. Not sure about the pillar tag. I will take another look in the paperwork bag.
 
I just went through this process. The DS rear portion of my frame had a twist causing the truck to lean and the rear axle to shift slightly to PS. I removed the body and took the rolling chassis to a frame shop in Albuquerque. They were able to put it on their frame machine and straighten it to within 1/8in. This also allowed the rear spring to hang straight, realigning the rear axle. The left rear body mount bracket was also bent down and they straightened that too so the body will sit level.

While I had the frame on saw horses in the garage, I ran a tap through all the captured nuts, welded on new captured nuts to replace missing ones, helicoiled about ten stripped captured nuts, extracted about a half dozen broken bolts, replaced the front/rear spring plates and hangers, and fixed whatever else needed fixing. The rivets I removed for the new rear spring plates are being replaced with metric black oxide Allen head bolts with flange nuts.

Took it to get media blasted and then primed with Southern Polyeurethanes Black Epoxy primer with UV inhibitor. It’s now ready for reassembly. Costs below:

Frame straightening: 10hrs labor at $80/hr = $800
Media blasting: $300
SPI Black Epoxy primer/activator/cleaner: $300
Paint shop labor: $500

It cost about $2k total to get the frame sorted. Decided to play the long game and get everything mechanically right prior to reassembly.

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