Hey 1eyedjak,

I forgot to mention if you're able to scan that frame chart. If possible I would love to see a copy . I just purchased the 1963 Ford Fairlane and 1963 Mercury Meteor Shop manual supplements.

Tom - Glass_Packs@yahoo.ca - www.geocities.com/glass_packs/index.html

P.S. http://www.critesrestoration.com/ carries replacement floor panels and rear frame rails.

Thanx for the frame repair site!

I guess the easiest way would be to run a grinder over the perforation and see how far the corrosion goes into the material. Most likely if the floor/trunk pans are perforated, it is going to need a least a patch plate. All rust has to come out or it will just return like my old lady keeps doing...

I would remove the fuel tank.

"Hey 1eyedjak,

I forgot to mention if you're able to scan that frame chart. If possible I would love to see a copy . I just purchased the 1963 Ford Fairlane and 1963 Mercury Meteor Shop manual supplements."

I don't have a scanner but I think I can take a picture of it with my digital camera and it'll come out pretty good. worth a try. I’m still working on getting the 62 manual and the supplement, just need to get one off of ebay.

By the way THANK YOU for the site - critesrestoration - (they have the rear frame repair kit) I saw that site a long time ago and I've been looking for it for a while. Woody's site is awesome I've been there a bunch of times.

I found a site that sent me a great catolog - http://bwautoparts.com/fairlane/62-...laneCat..09.htm

their catalog has more parts for the 63 Fairlane than anywhere else I've found, hope it's of use to you

I checked out your site with the Fairlane - nice - your Fairlane would be a dream donor. I have the 63 2-door Sedan 221ci V-8, but just found out (had it rebuilt) that it was swapped with a 260 about 5k miles ago (bored over 30? - don't even know what that means really - more ci?)

I'll take some pics tonight and get back to you tomorrow on it

--- hey if the pic doesn't work and you have a fax I'll fax you a copy of it

I forgot to mention that I found a vin decoder that worked for my 63 - if I can find it I'll post it for ya

frame chart copy

does this work for ya?

A couple of things to remember on this project. If you cut the frame rails to put replacements in, take the opportunity to clean out any crap that is in the remaining frame rails and spray some POR 15 into them. Also make sure the shop uses weld thru primer to minimize rust later. When you put the springs back go for some modern bushings and make sure the springs have the correct arch. While you have the gas tank out which is the floor board run new brake lines and electrical circuits for the tailights, gas sender and license plate light. Remember it is easier to work on the underside of the car when you can stand in the trunk.
Jan

62 through 65 Fairlanes (and 62,63 Mercury Meteors) are unique unibody cars that have little or nothing in common with the chassis/suspensions of the other Fords, Mustangs, Comets, Falcons. Although they are similar in design they do not have interchangeable parts. The rear frame rails are different and unique to these models as well as being closer together. The hardtop car (no b-pillar post) is called a hardtop. The coupe is the 2 dr. sedan with the post b-pillar. In 62 there was no 2 dr. hardtop, only a post car that was available as a "Sports Coupe" with bucket seats. This name was carried over to the 63 through 65 cars with bucket seats even though they were hardtop cars. I have two '63 2 dr. hardtop cars that have no body damage, no rust, and never wrecked. One has a 5.0 HO fuelie 5 speed, disk brakes, etc. I have been doing these Fairlanes for 15 years.
By the way, welding on those frame rails is a delicate proposition, not necessarily because they are thin, but without proper technique and heat control, a beautiful looking weld will "crystalize" the metal and it will crack under stress and vibration. Spot welds are better, but that is all but impossible to recreate.
Thanks for the frame info.

Just looked at the frame chart and discovered that the wheelbase information is incorrect, even if someone did write it up in 1964, that doesn't make it correct. All 62, 63, and 64 until Feb. had 115 1/2 wheel bases, and then the late 64 and all 65 had 116-even to comply with the NASCAR regulations. The extra wheelbase came from drilling the center spring pack hole 1/2 inch farther rearward, effectively extending the wheelbase. What I have seen in practice is that there was NO difference in driveshaft length. The Mercury Meteor cars did have a slightly longer wheelbase than the Ford Fairlanes. I also should have mentioned previously that the leaf springs are closer together on these cars, and the differential spring pads are 4 inches closer together so no other differentials are direct bolt-ins.