CRG Discussion Forum
Camaro Research Group Discussion => Restoration => Topic started by: My68SS on May 15, 2015, 01:52:50 PM
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Hi all, seems like a lot of Camaro's suffered from bent in steel on the underside of the cross member from being jacked up in the middle [fore-aft] of the cross member, or being heavily bottomed out over road dips.
At least I haven't seen a un-restored flat bottom Camaro subframe cross member yet!
Any tips/tricks to getting this straight again? or is it just a case of trimming that section off with a cut-off wheel. pressing it straight then welding it back on, then grind and linish the weld.
Hate having to cut n weld things though.
Then again, it would give me a chance to clean up and treat the inside of the cross member.
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Have to agree with you. Very common to see that, even on otherwise well-restored cars.
It is not that difficult to remove the entire piece. Straighten it in a press, weld it back in place just as the factory did. If you have access to a shop with frame straightening equipment they can straighten it with out removal.
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If you have access to a shop with frame straightening equipment they can straighten it with out removal.
Do you know what technique they typically use?
Had looked into removing the whole piece - bit of welding to unpick.
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Weld a hook to it and pull. Not as clean as pressing and requires finishing.
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For now I am leaving the dents in mine. Adds character. :D
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Have a look over at TC. Al (user name 'BPOS') did this repair on his subframe, and also reinforced the area with box-section steel so it wouldn't bend again if he used the jack there.
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Have a look over at TC. Al (user name 'BPOS') did this repair on his subframe, and also reinforced the area with box-section steel so it wouldn't bend again if he used the jack there.
http://www.camaros.net/forums/showthread.php?t=194530
Paul
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That's not the thread I was thinking of, but now I see where his inspiration came from!
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Weld a hook to it and pull. Not as clean as pressing and requires finishing.
That's another technique I had considered.
For now I am leaving the dents in mine. Adds character. :D
bcm, I can totally relate to that. I drool harder over unrestored than restored :)
Thanks for the input crew, I'll keep searching TC
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He did a pretty good job on the body bushing frame repair too.
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He did a pretty good job on the body bushing frame repair too.
Yeah, not just patched, but replicated.
Have a look over at TC. Al (user name 'BPOS') did this repair on his subframe, and also reinforced the area with box-section steel so it wouldn't bend again if he used the jack there.
Is this the thread?
http://www.camaros.net/forums/showthread.php?t=208703
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For now I am leaving the dents in mine. Adds character. :D
Come on Bryon! :)
Could not leave them in our 68 and they be gone now....
(http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z117/1-2-b-67L89/68%20Camaro%20Z28/Body%20Assembly%20and%20Paint/100_5212_zpszmfkwue2.jpg) (http://s192.photobucket.com/user/1-2-b-67L89/media/68%20Camaro%20Z28/Body%20Assembly%20and%20Paint/100_5212_zpszmfkwue2.jpg.html)
(http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z117/1-2-b-67L89/68%20Camaro%20Z28/Body%20Assembly%20and%20Paint/100_5213_zpswgxnykya.jpg) (http://s192.photobucket.com/user/1-2-b-67L89/media/68%20Camaro%20Z28/Body%20Assembly%20and%20Paint/100_5213_zpswgxnykya.jpg.html)
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For now I am leaving the dents in mine. Adds character. :D
Come on Bryon! :)
Could not leave them in our 68 and they be gone now....
:D Was waiting for a heckler to show up.
Which technique did you use to get yours straight?
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For now I am leaving the dents in mine. Adds character. :D
Come on Bryon! :)
Could not leave them in our 68 and they be gone now....
:D Was waiting for a heckler to show up.
Which technique did you use to get yours straight?
Heckler?????? :) Cut out and replaced but never plan to lift a car by that area again. Sometimes we forget just how long it takes to repair/restore all the mistakes/sins from back in the day. As William said just about every car has them to some degree. Old wool buffing wheels work great for placement between jack and sub-frame sides and the 4 lift points on a 2 post lift.
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AMD discontinued the new subframe assembly they used to offer, they told me that they had quality and fitment issues.
So I ask them if the could just offer a patch panel never got an answer
After reading this discussion, I wonder, should someone offer a patch panel?
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Buffing wheels ,what a great idea!
Taking a stay-cation , hoping to get a little quality Camaro time in between a few home projects.
Seems with the aftermarket subframes on the market, someone would stock the cross member: Fat Man Fabrications, Detroit Speed ?
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Or even just another bottom plate section?
Some more subframe repair pics from BPOS on TC in this thread - post 25
http://www.camaros.net/forums/showthread.php?t=204629&page=2
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For now I am leaving the dents in mine. Adds character. :D
Come on Bryon! :)
Could not leave them in our 68 and they be gone now....
It's not real high on my priority list. :D
But I have no issues if people want to put them back to original. :)
My car is normally in storage or out "cruising" so rarely is anyone looking under it.
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It really bothers me to see an otherwise nicely done car with the giant floor jack dent.
I did mine while it was off the car, and didn't spend 4 hours on it start to finish.
thread here: http://www.camaros.net/forums/showthread.php?t=214170&highlight=subframe+repair
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Somebody had some of those bottom plates made but I can't remember who told me.