Hi, been a long time lurker and recently got an 81 short bed for 750$. Really happy about it as this has been my dream truck for many years and around here they have long gone back to the ground, they are impossible to find.

I have started tear down and noticed my frame has been patched multiple times, the patches actually make the frame now, from the cab all the way to the back. but it is still rotten in multiple places. When I hit it with the hammer on the sides it doesn't make the same sound everywhere. The bed supports have holes in them. At the front it doesn't seem as bad, 2 or 3 little holes. Wish I had pictures but I don't.

Now I don't know what to do, a friend of mine told me to cut the back portion of the frame from the end of the cab all the way to the back off, and to build a new frame with 2x4 or something, I have all of the tools but normal fab skills to do it. I have friends with a bit more fab skills than me but we have never built a frame.

Other choice would be to strip everything and look for another frame in better condition, which might take a really long time, or be expansive. But I'm sure I could find it with time.

Last choice would be to remove as much of the rot as possible on my frame and to rebuild it as much and as good as I can.

I have the space and tools to do all three choices, and I want this truck to run for next summer. Which would you do considering your experiences?

 

Sounds nasty, although pretty common. If its beyond repair I would just make sure it's patched enough to be safe and not in danger of breaking, an then start a search for a better frame I you want it to be nice. I have a really nice shortbed frame you could have for a good price, although I'm kinda on the other end of the country

 

This is the route I would take. Rust sucks.

The building a back half of the frame might me feasible too, really need to see some pics.

 

If the rust is as bad as you are saying, and I believe it, I've seen some of the buckets come out of Quebec, then I would say patching it is out of the question. It's just a bandaid.

Look for a replacement frame, if you can find one local that's straight and in good shape, I'm sure you can get it for next to nothing, especially compared to materials, and time put into a home built.

I'm about 90% done building my new frame (easier than modifying the stock one) and I can say, there is a ton of time involved in getting the miters and bevels straight, and every weld perfect enough to be road worthy.

 

Thanks for the advice. I will try to get some pics up. I don't think I want to go through all the trouble and time to patch the frame and then strip everything off again and switch to another frame. I beleive my best option is to look for another one, I wonder how much it would cost to bring a frame from B.C. to quebec :p

 

Finding another frame is you're best bet. You could try patching a side at a time, we did that to a buddy's 1983 Pickup and actually turned out well, but from the sounds of it, his was in better shape than yours.

 

If you want to spend the money find a good street rod builder. Take your frame to them so they can use it as a sample and they will build you a new one. You can also have your new frame customised and powder coated if you want.

 

if hes not interest , or dosnt buy .. I would be interested

even if he is .. I could repair , and coat it and ship if he is interested ?


.

 

I am interested if shipping is reasonable, does anyone know the weight? or a rough ballpark of how much it would cost?

thanks!

 

Here are some pictures I could take before running out of batteries, it shows the worse at the back. You can see it has been patched up with cherckered plate and also been boxed else where. The areas tht are cut out is what I have cut when I wanted to repair it, it was all rotten.














and here is the one part at the front that needs work also.

 

Sorry bud..that frame is a goner. One patch...well ok. Multiple patches...and from what I see...you are risking yours and passangers lives.

Find a new frame.

 

yeah already am, I just wanted to follow up with pics. There's a guy up here who tells me about a 84-85 4runner frame and he says it's the same wheelbase and I beleive him, and he can get clean ones but since I want to keep it original I'd rather save my money a bit longer and find a good 79-83 frame, but shipping can be a lot more then the price of the frame!

 

Hi there, im no expert but I had an '85 Toy frame that was just as bad as yours. A guy I knew,who was a good fabber/welder was going to fix mine.If i had a welder i would have fixed myself. I ended up selling truck before that happened though. U still have a solid side and top and bottom of frame. I would grind off all old , loose and patched metal and plate and box it in. was going to use C channel on mine then plate open side. Just have to be sure to weld it in good to original frame on ends. The '87 P/u i had got the same thing done with. wish the guy that did that didnt move away. cheaper than a different frame and prolly alot less hassle. my 3 cents

 

As with anything in life, you are responsible for your own actions. Not telling u what to do just that you should maybe try to fix yourself. If after your done and your iffy on what u did,take the Toy out and beat it hard and see if anything breaks. if it does then maybe get a different frame. LOL

 

I would look for a better frame but for now bust out the cardboard and start making templets. Buy the time you make your frame "right" you would be dollars and time ahead in the long run with a better frame. I wonder if a ifs frame could be made to work? I have patched many frames and rust never sleeps.

 

Well it's too late now since I aldready cut it in half to move the truck at the back of the garage and have space in front to start pulling out the axles and all. Honestly at first I thought it wouldn't be a problem to repair it, and the more I got into it, the more I saw how bad it was. I'd say about 30% has been untouched and in total about 75% is bad. I'd rather do it once and do it well since I want to keep it for a long time use it hard. Right now I am looking for another frame close to me and as the budget grows I will look further away until I find one. I am starting a new job so it might take a couple of weeks/months but oh well.

 

Scrap the Frame save you money in the long run if it broke when you were driving it the cost of towing it time to get it back home and if you get hurt or hurt someone else when it lets lose. Just my 2 cents.

 

Any idea on what power coating one of these frames costs?

 

I have a dilema!!

I have found a 1983 4x4 Shor wheel base (like mine) frame for 450$, but it's a bit rusty and needs a patch or two, about 150km away from here. But I have also found a really clean 1985 2wd short wheel base frame 170km away for 100$. What to do? How hard would it be to convert the 85 2wd frame to 4wd and what exactly is needed, would it be worth it to you?

thanks

 

2wd frames are narrower and they are differnt gens so they may not fit up easily. but anythings possibly to do