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How To Go About Replacing Wood With Steel In 34' Chevy?

8K views 7 replies 6 participants last post by  hotrod389 
#1 ·
Hey,
I am planning on replacing the wood with steel in my 1934 Chevy, and I was wondering how I would go about doing it? What kind of steel should I use, and where do I put it inside the body?

Also, what do I do with the wood that was between the body and the frame? Do I replace that with steel too?

Thanks!!
 
#2 ·
I replied to a posting of yours about wood replacement almost a year ago. I am still replacing my wood with steel. Didn't work on the car much over the summer but I am back on it full time now. My car is a 34 Pontiac. I basically built a jungle jim inside the car the connects the body to the frame everywhere; firewall, roof, rear fenders, trunk, rear roof, etc. With this in place I then removed all the wood from the car. I mean all of it, all the way down to the frame. I then started by using 1x3 tubing as the base that connects back to the frame(connects to the frame at the same stock bolt locations for easy removel of the body). This runs from the firewall back to the frontside of the rear fender. Then I use 1.25 square tubing to go up a few inches and then all the way back to the trunk. I am using 1.5 square tubing to go up the door frames and over top the doors. I am using the stay simple method that was recomended before. Don't try to duplicate the wood, just get the steel put in there and use the sizes that fit best at each place. I am just tack welding the body tabs to the steel tubing.

good luck
 
#4 ·
Cage concept

if one uses the analogy of a roll cage it will get you on a right track..Just keep it as tight to the body contour as possible..

Some nice tools to have is a tubing bender like a JDsquared or protools and a horizonatal and vertical bandsaw to bend and cut the various pieces..

Sizes of tubing is all over the map as 1/2 or 3/4 square 0.65 wall works around trunk openings and things like that..one may need to use a larger size in the door openings to allow room to mount door strikes, catches and hinges..rockers and sills need to be strong enough to allow for wear and tear.

Good luck

OMT
 
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