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Rear Frame repair 63 Fairlane

22K views 22 replies 8 participants last post by  xntrik 
#1 ·
Hello - I'm working on a 63 Fairlane and rust has eaten through a good amount of the rear frame on both sides. How is this usually fixed? Does anyone have any idea how much a shop will charge for this? any info would help, thanks
 
#3 ·
well, actually I haven't seen inside the trunk. I got the car without any keys and I've only replaced the ignition cylinder so far. I just got a whole set of locks and keys on ebay but haven't put them in yet. front/rear floor are swiss cheese. So I'm assuming the trunk is the same. I have some buddies that can weld new floor plans but the frame is something they said they couldn't do.
 
#4 ·
New frame rails

On something like that I would build a new set of frame rails from 2x4 tube and then set the body on that...One some of these if the frame is rotted in one area you can count on the frame being about gone in other areas..

A new chassis from a pro builder will run in the 3000-5000 area depending on a number of factors in the build..

You can roll your own which a lot of guys do here and save a bunch in labor..will its your labor..and do some educated scrounging for pieces to work with..Building a whole new chassis to me is the way to go sometimes as then I can get a better handling car and have all new or rebuilt parts in it..

My thoughts on this one..
 
#5 ·
thanks for the tip. way out of my price range right now, I'm going to roll it over to a frame shop in Ballard to get a quote. hopefully it cheaper than $5k. I just spent a grand on it in the last week, so I'm not sure how much more my wife is going to put up with it. :)
 
#6 ·
Actually, the rear rails were offered separately for service. I wish I could show you a parts explosion so you could see how the car is assembled.

It may be best to find a donor to cut the rails from, have a set made or if not too badly damaged, have the present rails repaired. Also, unless the car is of some worth, say a HDTP SPORTS COUPE, it may be cheaper to find another body and make one out of the two.

Was it sitting down in the mud or something?
 
#7 ·
well, it's not the coupe. it's the two-door sedan. So, it's not worth a whole lot as far as the market goes. I've always loved old american cars but didn't grow up with anybody to show me anything, so this is the first car I've ever tried to work on myself and I've already put a lot of work in to it. I've learned soooo much already (but really still don't know anything) When all's said and done I won't be able to sell it for much, I just want to get it on the road and make it mine. I'll take some pics tonight - I think the front frame is ok - well at least not as bad as the rear. I have a frame chart, I got it on ebay just for the heck of it - can it help me somehow?
 
#8 ·
I believe the FAirlane is a uni-body car like the Falcon/Mustang,Cugar, Comet

It does not have a frame but rather a series of boxes and bulkheads which disribute the stress throughout the body structure. The floor is a structural member on the cars and, if I remember correctly the trunk floor is the top surface of the fuel tank as well. Check under the mat and see if the outline of the tank is shown by a series of screw or bolt heads forming a rectangle in the trunk floor.
It is very important that the understructure of these cars be strong and intact other wise bad things can happen.
I wonder if now someone is making the pieces to fix the Fairlane series as they dp for the Falcon/Mustangs. Check some vendors and see what's avaiable. You may be surprised.
By the way, the two-door sedan is probably rarer than the Hardtop and so a much more unusual piece to show up in at a rod run, cruise night or car show.
 
#11 ·
Go out and check the frame rails on a mustang. Several years ago I replaced the rear rails on a 63 Merc. Comet Convertible with repro rails for a mustang. They may not be exact but in my case they were close. We sleved the frames with an inner sleve and and outer sleve and plug welded it and then did a complete weld. Make sure you have it lined up before welding it.
Jan :pimp:
 
#13 ·
Tubs

tubs are the portion over the rear tires incorporated into the body..there are custom tubs used when a fellow uses really wide tires like in a pro-stock car..you have them they are just the part that sticks into the trunk that covers ther rear tires..Best way I know to 'splain" it..

OMT
 
#14 ·
1eyedjak said:
I really appreciate all the help. One more question though. Seems like the best route to go would be find a donor car to cut the frame out of. but what are tubs?
This is the best solution. A sedan is a nice looking car with the right stance. A 62/ Fairlane sedan (wagon could most likely be spliced) could give you the rails and pans.

Now this will not be normal everyday bodywork. You need to find a shop that specializes in older cars/restorations and understands fully unibody. If done properly, it will never be known that it was touched.

I understand exactly how it is to fall in love with sheet metal... :thumbup:
 
#15 ·
1963 Ford Fairlane/1963 Mercury Meteor Frame Rails

Sorry to jump in, but I too have just become the owner of a 1963 Ford Fairlane 2-door sedan. It was stored away for 25 years in a barn before I purchased it at an auction. The floors, along with the frame rails are very solid. Recently I found a 1963 Mercury Meteor 2-door h/t that was stored away for ten years. The body is in good shape, along with the interior. But when I looked underneath, I spotted some "swiss cheese" in the floors and rust on the driver's frame rail. The best way I can explain what the frame rail looked like underneath is:

l / l
l \ l
l / l
l \ l
l / l
l \ l

The "rust line" was about 12-16 inches in length. Could this area be cleaned with a grinder and welded or will the bumper, gas tank, trunk floor and rear suspension have to be removed to repair this area? Click on the following link to view Woody's '66 Fairlane frame rail repair: http://www.woodyg.com/fairlane/finfo/frame/rearframe.html.

Tom - Glass_Packs@yahoo.ca - www.geocities.com/glass_packs/index.html
 
#16 ·
#17 ·
Thanx for the frame repair site! :thumbup:

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... :pain:

I would remove the fuel tank.
 
#18 ·
"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/62-71FairlaneCat..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
 
#21 ·
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
 
#22 ·
rear frame rail on 63 Fairlane

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.
 
#23 ·
rear frame repair on 63 Ford Fairlane

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.
 
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