1963 Frame advice

[Timothy B.]

I am trying to find the problem with this frame on my 63. The measurement points seem to check out but the tie rod grease fitting is very close to the lower A frame on the passengewr side of the car.

This car was in a collision before I bought it and the passenger side bumper horns have been straightened but I can't see any other frame damage.

Could the lower control arm be bent to cause this condition? The tie rod grease fitting on the drivers side looks normal as shown in the last picture.

Any suggestions are appreciated.

[Wayne W.]

Re: 1963 Frame advice

Drag link looks bent to me.

[Paul J.]

Re: 1963 Frame advice

Looks like it's both bent and a little twisted.

[James J.]

Re: 1963 Frame advice

I'm no car guy. I bought mine to have fun with it.
So for what its worth, the tie rod grease fitting on the passanger side of my 63 looks the same as yours.
I have to turn the wheel to get the fitting to come out from behind the a arm when I grease the front end.
I am fairly certain that mine has never been in a front end collision.

[Joel T.]

Re: 1963 Frame advice

I am trying to find the problem with this frame on my 63. The measurement points seem to check out but the tie rod grease fitting is very close to the lower A frame on the passengewr side of the car.

This car was in a collision before I bought it and the passenger side bumper horns have been straightened but I can't see any other frame damage.

Could the lower control arm be bent to cause this condition? The tie rod grease fitting on the drivers side looks normal as shown in the last picture.

Any suggestions are appreciated.

Tim;

You've helped me many times in the past with my '63 issues... If there are some measurements or photos I can gather and send to you from my '63 (non-PS) let me know and I will get right on it.

Joel

[Tracy C.]

Re: 1963 Frame advice

Tim,

I just measured the distance from the tip of the grease zerk to the edge of the lower control arm on my 63. The distance on the driver side is .37 and the passenger side is .32.

I also determined that if you put a straight edge across the center of zerk on the bottom of the relay rod where the steering box pitman arm attaches over to the center of the bolt where the idler arm attaches, the relay rod should be parallel to the straight edge.

If yours isn't, the relay rod may be bent. Sorry for the poor picture, but hopefully you get the idea.

tc

[Timothy B.]

Re: 1963 Frame advice

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. I installed this power steering from a burn't 63 roadster so I don't know the drag link history. I can tell you the old non power steering drag link was the same way, they both may be bent.

The lower control arms are the 63 style without the reinforcement and in a front side collision I wonder if the passenger arm could be bent. I don't see any broken welds and have measured from gage holes to lower ball joint and both sides measure the same.

Tracy, snap a pic of the passenger front lower control arm showing where the reinforcement would be welded. Mine is not straight in this area, it's got a little bend to it if you look, I will get better pics this weekend.

Suggestions are appreciated.

[Tracy C.]

Re: 1963 Frame advice

Tim,

I can get a picture, but it will be this evening when I'm home from work. My gut tells me that if your control arm was bent enough to drive the aft edge closer to the tie rod ends, it would be very obvious to you. In fact your spindle would no longer be vertical.

Maybe you can make a template out of poster board by tracing around your driver side lower control arm and then flip it over and compare the passenger side control arm contour.

tc

[John O.]

Re: 1963 Frame advice

Tim,

Looking at your pictures I couldn't help but notice the close proximity of the outer tie rod end to the tire, looks as if contact is made. I experienced a similar issue. The spindle steering arm (dog leg) was bent, causing contact to tire. This along with incorrect rim backspacing, had chewed into tire. Could it be a bent steering arm causing misalignment at the inner tie rod end?

John

[Tracy C.]

Re: 1963 Frame advice

Here you go Tim. My car is a July 24 Build, so I have the reinforcement. Let me know if you need anything else. My chassis is upside down right now as I finish assembling it so pics like this are a piece of cake.

tc

[Timothy B.]

Re: 1963 Frame advice

Thanks everyone for the help with this problem. I am going to check the drag link and look for the obvious problems first.

Tracy, thanks for that picture, it looks like your a arm has the same curve as the one on my car.. Did you replace the front lower crossmember pan on your frame, it looks very nice.. Now after all that hard work get some black semi and coat everything in worker fashion and it will be in 63 style..

I may be back with this post for more help, any other suggestions are appreciated.

[Tracy C.]

Re: 1963 Frame advice

Thanks for the comment. Yes, I've massaged the bottom pan on the crossmember. I still plan to spritz some black goo on before I drop the body. I want to finish the chassis and get some nice pics first.

tc

[Paul J.]

Re: 1963 Frame advice

Tim,

You installed power steering on a non-power steering car...is that correct? I remember a comment on the TDB not too long ago about using the other hole for the tie rod ends for power steering. I don't know anything about this but could this be a contributing factor?

Paul

[Timothy B.]

Re: 1963 Frame advice

Paul, Yes I installed the P/S on this car. I remember with the old non P/S drag link the grease fitting was the same. I don't believe the tie rod location makes any difference but will keep that in mind..

This car took a hard wack on the front passenger side and I installed new front fiberglass. Other than the bumper horns that were damaged I can't find any other frame damage unless something is twisted.. I still keep thinking about the lower control arm..