I really need some help/advice on what to do with my frame.
Here is the problem, with the frame sitting on the ground the main box area rocks back and fourth about 1/2 and inch from back corner to opposite front corner. I have spoken too about a dozen body shops in the area and non are willing to mess with a bare frame but one did give me a page out of one of there books that have all the measurements for the frame.
I have so far measured everything that goes across the frame, but not got anything set up to level the frame and measure to the floor(setting up measuring points with wire to measure to). Every thing that I have measured looks good so far.
The one issue that I believe is causing the rocking is the under side of the frame in the section under the #1 and #2 body mounts is dented. I have owned the car 15 years and it was like this when I bought it. Along the edges it is not as bad, just mostly in the center area around the weld, there are no scrape marks in the metal so I feel this is from jacking the car up in this area and not from hitting something.
So should I consider this a cosmetic issue and not worry about it? Could I just weld a strip of plate steel, maybe 11 gage to make it look better? Could this be a big issue with the structure of the frame? I do consider this car rebuild, not a full restoration so I can live with the look.
Also the car has always aligned fine and all the doors, hood and T-tops fit perfectly. As a mater of fact the upper control arms only need 1/16 shim in the rear and non in the front to get 2.5 degrees of caster and 1/2 degree of negative camber, same on both sides.
I am posting a few photos of the dented area of the frame.
So am I just FREAKING OUT about nothing???

 

Here is a photo of the other side and how it looks.

 

Looks to have done some off road time or some high speed passes over speed bumps.

The lower areas of the frame are subject to damage, but that in itself does not effect the frame functionalaty. You need to check the dimensions from the points that are outlined on your dimensions sheet. None of those measurments are to the bottom of the frame. They are to checking holes, or points on the frame.

 

Youve driven the car like that for 15 years with no ill effect?

Drive it for another 15 and forget it.

 

Looks like a cosmetic problem to me. For a driver I would say to finish your rebuild. For a restoration I would find a "prettier" frame. Your choice and your pocketbook. That blemish will not affect the structural integrity. Check the welds in that area of the rails and if it looks good then go for it.

 

Good to go.

 

Thank you for the advice, I have an additional question, I did post the also on my build thread in the general section.
I have been working on welding cracked and broken welds on the frame, also boxing in the front section of the frame. In the rear where the cross member for the differential attaches most of the welds are cracked. This entire bracket assemble seems really weak and I was wondering what others have done to strengthen it.

 

Just a question how far off is the frame bent? If the measurement is really small with a just a few cracked welds then drive till it dies. You can use 1/4 inch to 3/8 inch plate steel to increase the strengh in the areas needed on the frame.


My problem with a bent frame was when my 1972 El Camino destroyed the rear end of a Mercedes 190 E. I was able to get it track straight again from the help of the alignment guys at the Tire/Brake/Alignment shop I worked at the time. It bent the frame about 1/2 inch ended up scrapping the car to a junk yard because the right front fender and half the nose had to be replaced

Ended up installing the L82 4 Bolt main engine into a 1976 Chevelle over a 4th of July weekend. Not the original engine the L82 replaced the L48 when I blew it up doing burnouts and smoking the tires one day and sent the nylon timing gears up into the entire engine. Plastic was everywhere when I tore it down to move parts from the L48 to the L82 engine.