[freco]

Next challenge was to get a new rear frame. I knew that finding a K10 frame in Sweden or even Europe wouldn't be easy. I spent about a year looking for one. I also learned that K10 frames can be quite expensive nowadays in the US, and that cost will probably double with shipping and taxes before I have it at home. We also considered using the rear end of the Blazer '79 chassis we bought to get the rear axle, but it wouldn't really fit.

So, we decided to make a new pair of frame members. The big challenge would be to get a frame profile that had the same U-shape with rounded "corners" as the original, at the same time as the frame must have the traditional bend over the rear axle.

A local firm made me two straight U-shaped profiles with exactly the same dimensions as the original frame has where it would finally be joined together (under the cab). The material is 3mm (1/8") Hardox450 high strength steel, which is even stronger than the original frame.

We then used some plywood and the cut off original frame parts to make a template for the frame profile.

We then cut the center part out of the new straight U-profiles (keeping the rounded corners), except for about half a meter of the length where they should remain straight and be joined with the front part. With the help of the template we cut out new center parts from some Hardox450 steel plate. Then we used the template to shape the new frame members and weld the new center parts. All the welding made the new frame members bend slightly, but they could be straightened by heating the flanges with a gas torch in the right places.