2X4 frame for my CJ2A

Heck, that's easy to fix. There's all kinds of ways to get more horsepower into your jeep. Just costs money =]

 

Horsepower is money............how fast do you want to spend?

 

I read between the lines when I saw that...
I think he's not looking forward to fixing the V6.

 

I've got a 6-71 Blower Manifold for a Small Block Ford sitting in storage...

 

Just go from an L head to a V6 to appreciate the change. Then go to a V8, we ran one of those too. I don't know what that thing was built for, not stock, I believe it was a 332 bored out with all of the headers and cam and carb, we thought it was for sand or ice races. At one time I saw a Jeep with a 401 Buick in it, that was back in the 70's

 

Makes me wonder if, should I ever attempt this, 1/8 wall tube would be sufficient. Probably what I would choose now, based on what you are saying. If the factory frames are 1/8" (slightly less actually, I think), C channel, then 1/8" rectangular would be a significant strength upgrade and still probably 25%-50% heavier than a stock frame.

 

And that is precisely what I said when I bought those 2 lengths of tube before I ever cut them. I would say though that if I had gone with thinner walled stuff, it would be lighter, but possibly warped or twisted in the fabrication of the assembly. Now, if i had a frame machine or a very straight table to weld jigs on, that would not be an issue. Tarry 99 has that set up and you can see it in his build. The answer is as Oldtime stated, " use CrMo tube". Less weight for the same strength. that also means my wallet weighs a lot less too.

My last cj2a had an Fhead in it. It had enough power to do what i needed, but in comparison this V6 is a rocketship. I actually think it has better power/weight ratio than my 304 in my 77 CJ5 had.

I am not really excited about fixing that V6. The main reason is that I know its not at all perfect. It needs a valve job, probably a bore and that all costs a lot of money that could be better spent on a new engine that has more easily purchased parts. SBC for instance. Fact is, that the budget does not really allow that to happen and also have 5 of these engines in various states of dis repair laying around. I will be putting a new piston in that engine and repairing the valve or valves that may be bent too.

As far as the frame goes, I am very pleased with how its turning out. My old one was twisted, scabbed together and pretty messed up. My welds are fine. Not all TIG weld pretty, but will be plenty strong as the fit up was great. Its the best thing I have ever made out of steel.

Thanks for replying guys, you're all making this fun.

 

You guys are killing me over the difference between .188 wall 2x4 tubing versus .120 wall..............(.188 wall =(6.87 lbs /ft) (.120 wall = ( 4.58 lbs / ft.) The difference is 2.29 lbs / ft. Or in other terms .068 thousands more wall thickness per side.

So if you used all of the two sticks that you had originally bought or about 40 ft..........the difference would be a whopping 91.6 lbs. Trying to calculate the added energy in rolling resistance required to move the extra 92 lbs would hardly be worth the time.

This is not a Race Car .........this is a Jeep , hopefully designed to take a beating while you drive over things like rocks or pull tree stumps...........you'll be glad years from now while you watch others still fixing cracks on there old lite weight .120 wall frames.


On your rear tow hooks.........that pin hole seems close to your bumper.....and may be a hard to get a large clevis in there.

 

I will defer to your knowledge on the difference in 100 lbs max one way or the other. Its just heavy. I still have about 6 foot left over but in came in 24 foot lengths. Doesn't really matter as the frame is mostly done and superior to the garbage I had.

I went out and checked the drag out of oh crud points on the rear and I fit a 5/8 clevis in there no problem. They happen to be the biggest I own. I went close to the bumper because I wanted to span the butt weld and thats all the plate I had.

I doubt i will ever do anything to damage this frame short of driving off a cliff or getting hit by a train.

 

Train is right ! Makes me feel very unsafe in my stock frame . I would bet if you put a bull dozer blade on the front you would be able to take on field clearing. Love the build .gives me a lot of ideas! thanks

 

I was thinking more about moving the thing around while building a JEEP. Not about the physics of the finished machine. I'm usually working alone with no help and getting third of moving heavy things by myself. But, since you have presented us with the numbers, I agree that the weight difference is not as significant as I had imagined. Again, more good technical info surfaces. Thank you.

 

My brother bought a Matkins tubular frame from another member. Three of us loaded it in the back of his PU, two of us unloaded it. It was supposed to go under his M38. Still sitting in his garage. I know how heavy they can be.

 

I just weighed a stock M38 frame today.
It is completely stock and stripped down.
Including the middle crossmember it weighs 162 pounds.

 

Really? That is great that you did that. Obviously mine is in excess of that. Maybe at some point before i put it all together I might weigh mine. 2 bathroom scales on either end and add the sum?

 

Yeah, two scales instead of one should work out.
I tried it both ways with little variation.

I decided to start weighing all my assemblies.
That way I can better compare say a T90 to a T98 etc.
I wish I had weighed my last Hurricane before I installed it into a frame.
I really don't wanna pull it back out now.
I have a couple Dauntless engines also to get weighed.
I decided it's best to weigh the parts or to total up the parts as "complete assemblies".
In other words the Dauntless will require a certain starter, alternator, distributor, bellhousing etc with little to no variations possible.
I'm even planning to weigh minor considerations like the difference between stock Dauntless motor mounts and Hurricane mounts.
I'm hoping to salvage the "L" from the LRV.

 

Every time I look at this thread, I get mad at myself for not going this extra mile on my current build.

 

I almost forgot the 162 pounds did not include a front bumper.
I weighed several of those and forget which was what.
I can dig up the correct weight if need be but I think it was about 13 pounds for the stock short flatty front bumper.
Draw bar assembly was 38 pounds complete.

 

HaHAHAHAHHAH! this thread is BECAUSE I didn't go the extra mile the first time! I made poop and called it a frame! It was twisted and the frame rails were of unequal lengths. One side of my frame rail actually drooped 2 inches from one side to the other. It was terrible. But hey, I gotta build in the next project or what will I do? I think this time it won't be the frame that is the next project. I would be done with it this week, but I have had to nail down 375sqft of 2.25 wide T&G flooring and trim out half my upstairs in prep for an exchange student from China. Elevation change, different rooms, took 3 days.

Well I don't have to worry about the draw bar. Thanks for putting this info here. I think as soon as I can I will weigh this frame.

Thanks guys!

 

ran out of time today to weigh the frame, but I did complete the finish welding with the exception of the spring perches and shackle mounts. Might have to adjust the engine mounts and the rear spring mounts. Gotta go to Illinois for the week.