Front frame rail/a arm advice needed.

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matthon

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Car was in a front driver's side accident long ago, and fixed not so well.
It looks like someone held a welder in a few places for 5 minutes and called it done.
They also put a patch on the front, and welded the k to the frame in one spot.

Putting on a suspension kit, and of course, the top a arm mounts are rusted off the rail, split, and with the crappy welds it is a mess.

I bought a piece of a rail years ago, but it does not extend to the floor.

I researched, and I see you can buy the frame rail caps, where you weld these over the existing frame, and you can buy the a arm mounts and weld those on.

I talked to a body guy, and he said he could weld the swap meet piece on, but he would have to also weld plates on to strengthen it, and would prefer a new rail and floor pan.

This is where I need advice.
If the current rail is a mess, and probably not perfectly straight, the new cap may not fit, and it does not address the a arm issue. A new complete rail does not exist.

Is the partial rail I have a good solution, or should I look for a used complete rail?
If the driver floor has rust, do you need to replace it in order to replace the entire rail?
Are the new a arm mounts a good solution?

Please help, my daughter is not happy when she cannot ride in the Barracuda!
 
Pictures of the damaged area would help with the advice that needs to be given. Also a picture of your partial frame rail to see if it is enough to fix. I just replaced the frame rails on my Barracuda. They could have been fixed but I had good rust free frame rails so the best way in my opinion was to replace them.
 
I do this professionally and yes some rails can be sectioned. Without pics I really can't tell if sectioning would be an option for you.

Sectioning is a process and must be done correctly, failure can lead to death.

Given the rust that you have mentioned and the simplicity of A-Bodies, I would just find a good used rail and do a full install.
 
Maybe send the "Dodge33" boys Jeff and Jerry a message! They have all kinds of metal and all good stuff! Clean, complete, professionally drilled out...if they have one to fit your car it would surely be the best option!! Check em out!! Geof
 
Stupid pc would not upload-
 

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Your a-arm mounts are toast and need to be replaced. Is that rail damage way out in front , ahead of the k-frame mount, by the core support?
 
Yes, the rail on my car is damaged ahead of the k-frame mount. At the front of the k-frame is where they also welded it to the rail.

If the entire rail is replaced, does it need to be tied into the driver floor pan?
My driver side floor pan is rusty.
 
I would be willing to live with what's ahead of the k-frame mount but I would also clean it up really well for inspection.

Same with the rest of the rail. A-arm mounts need to be changed. A full rail needs good metal to be welded to.
 
I think you are correct, although the front of the rail does not look very good, it does not mean the entire rail needs to be replaced.
The a-arm mounts definitely need to be replaced, and I did find a company that makes them.
The top of the rail between the a-arm mounts is rusted, as expected since it is basically a bathtub for dirt and water to eat away at the metal.

I will clean the entire area up and check the rail top to bottom.
I want it to be safe, yet I don't like the idea of sectioning a piece that has nothing wrong with it just for the a-arm mounts. I like the idea of a complete used rail, but if I only need the mounts and the existing rail is good, it seems like too much.
 
if your going to spend that much coin on after market parts-- but a complete frame rail from fabo-- Have it professionally installed ,fix your floor boards & drive the car. Lawrence
 
I have good complete front rails that fit the early a body. What year is your car and where are you. Maybe we can work out a full rail at a fair price for you.
 
When I first got my 68 the upper a arm mounts were rusted off. I picked up a section of rail from a yard much the same as what you have and took it to a local shop that built rods. He sectioned in the piece of rail about 3" on each side of the a arm mounts. I had the car on the road for several years and never had an issue getting it aligned. The last time around when I stripped down the car for a rebuild I replaced both frame rails as both sides had started rusting out at the mounts again. This time i did it myself with guidance from my brother the body guy. The front section I picked up for replacement metal did not have the complete rails as someone else had taken to floors/rockers from the car already. This time I used 1/4 steel plated plug welded inside the existing rails and again to the new rails. It turned out very nicely and is now almost invisible. Here is a shot not long after it was done and before I had smoothed out all the plug welds. You can see three of them close to the fire wall. Somewhere I have pics in process but heck if I know where they are now.

 
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