After a lot of down time, a really wet spring/summer and lots of work, I have finally returned to the project. This week, I pulled the front sheet metal back off the chassis and started welding in the original 1957 front frame stubs to reinforce the 1994 Dodge frame horns and allow stock mounting position for the front bumper.
When I was sandblasting the frame last fall, I noticed there was a dip of several inches at the front, forward of the steering box and sway bar mounts that collected dirt (and my blast media). There was no provision to remove the accumulation and 20 years of sediment had held enough moisture to cause the inside of the frame to start rusting and becoming thin in places. The driver's side seemed to be a bit thicker metal, most likely due to the steering box mount, but after blasting, I found some pin holes on the passenger side. I was able to drill 1/2" holes at the lowest point on either side for drainage, then I rinsed out the debris, and blast media, as well as large chunks of scale. With that done, I formed a piece of 1/8" by 2" flat plate to fit over and beyond where I found the pin holes. This piece was welded on, and the inside of the frame will be sealed with Eastwood's frame treatment to prevent further corrosion.
There are no pics of the patch yet, but here are a few of the stubs tacked in, as I was cutting off the front body mounts that will not be needed. With them out of the way, I can trim back the front of the Dodge frame and make it even with the 1957 Chevy frame stubs. The Dodge frame will serve as a mounting point for a winch, under the stock 1957 front bumper.
Once I am done with all of the work on the front of the frame, I am going to finish painting it and then I will swing the motor in. From what I have been reading, it does not sound like it should be too difficult to sort out the engine compartment wiring to support the MPFI on the 5.9 Dodge V-8. I already have a Ron Francis harness for the chassis and had adapted it to run Chevy TBI when I was playing with the Crossfire Fuel Injection system and the Camaro front clip. I am hoping I will be able to drive it to the car show in Pauls Valley, OK the end of next September. I don't expect to be done by then, but driveable would be nice.
-Joe