Aftermarket frame

[tjtucker]

I have a simple question.
There are many very nice cars on this forum. However, I haven't seen many with a custom full frame sold by DSE or Morrison or others. I talked to the DSE guys and their rolling frame is about 17,500 which includes suspension & brakes. I just can't figure out why more people do not use a custom full frame.

TJ

[Yoda4561]

The answer is $$$$$.

[406 Q-ship]

With careful selection of parts the OEM stuff works well and the cost is alot easier to take.

[BADVELLE]

I have a simple question.
There are many very nice cars on this forum. However, I haven't seen many with a custom full frame sold by DSE or Morrison or others. I talked to the DSE guys and their rolling frame is about 17,500 which includes suspension & brakes. I just can't figure out why more people do not use a custom full frame.

TJ

Are you kidding me, $$$$$. I would say most have a family to support or some other financial situation which make this expense out of the question. I agree with the above quote, with the right combinations/planning, no reason why you can't use the factory frame/subframe to your advantage.

[Restomod]

I was looking at beging in a DONE car for just a little more than that much $$$....................It came out more than a little more but thats the way it goes!

[fordsbyjay]

I have a simple question.
There are many very nice cars on this forum. However, I haven't seen many with a custom full frame sold by DSE or Morrison or others. I talked to the DSE guys and their rolling frame is about 17,500 which includes suspension & brakes. I just can't figure out why more people do not use a custom full frame.

TJ

My local shop used one of Art Morrisons G frames and it was pretty close to that price as well. A lot of ching and personally I don't see it myself.

[shortrack]

Plus starting with stock you can upgrade a driving car as your budget allows.....

[Vegas69]

Have the DSE subframe in my car and if I ever build another one.... Number 1 on the list is, you guessed it.

[hotrdblder]

Full frames are great, when done right. However every bit of sheet metal needs ot be redone if done nicely. Also just about every mount on the car needs to be remade, and it just adds up to lots of hrs

[dhutton]

AME is introducing a full frame that is essentially their front sub and rear clip connected together with frame sections similar to weld in subframe connectors. Very little cutting to install. I am going to look at this for my next build. No price yet in their catalog but I think it should be less than some of the others out there.

Don

[ProdigyCustoms]

The Morrison front and rear subframe can be ordered fully connected making them a full frame, the only cutting into the body is where the rail cross through the floor in the rear seat pan. For right at bit more then $10k you can do a full frame with C6 front suspension, Triangle 4 link, 9" housing and axles, everything you need to make it a roller, and the only cutting to your car is the rear floor foot pan and drilling out your factory frame rails in the rear. The rear subframe follows the facoty trunk floor. No floor fab required. If you want to do a 3 link rear, you can do that also but will have some closeout in the rear seat area in the hump. Either way you avoid the massive floor fabrication Jake is talking about which as he mentioned is mega hours = mega $$$$. We will be doing a install on this soon enough, I think it is the trickest thing going

[ProdigyCustoms]

LOL, Posting at the same time! I will have a full report and write up soon enough.

[JMarsa]

What about the Schwartz Performance frame? I thought it was a bolt in.

--JMarsa

[Ron S]

You could always build your own, I called mine the poor mans Morrison Chassis.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2010/02/250955866_MTBWFL-1.jpg

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2008/01/250968330_fxxEvL-1.jpg

[dhutton]

That looks great Ron. I can only dream of the day when I have the design and fab skills to build my own AME style frame.

[Norm Peterson]

I have a simple question.
There are many very nice cars on this forum. However, I haven't seen many with a custom full frame sold by DSE or Morrison or others. I talked to the DSE guys and their rolling frame is about 17,500 which includes suspension & brakes. I just can't figure out why more people do not use a custom full frame.

TJ
I think that with respect to chassis modification, the further up the food chain you go, the number of people who are both willing and financially able to go that next step drops off.

The condition of the car probably has some influence, as it's likely easier to justify something like a full frame where the existing structure is really rough to begin with. People may just take a pass on starting a project that extensive instead.

At some point, a full custom frame fab such as Ron's becomes a legitimate option. Or the SN65 project, where the older sheetmetal was married to the newer platform.

My humble opinion - a full frame is likely aimed at those who want more than a collection of upgraded individual chassis components (subframes, SFCs) but less than an all-out custom solution.


Norm

[Taman]

I am having a Heidts subframe installed on my 75. It is a bolt in operation. The front subframe starts at $4200 and with dome options can be had at around $5k. The rear, if you reuse your old rearend, is around $2k with options. If one can remove the front sheetmetal and reinstall it, The whole Heidt's setup can be done in your garage for less than $7k. With rims and rear disc brakes can come in around $10k. One of the more affordable complete kits. Take a look on Heidt's website at their 2nd gen videos. Nice clip of the suspension working in real time.
www.Heidts.com

[tjtucker]

All

Thanks for the replies.

The reason I asked this is I have been looking at some 55 chevys on the net and while some are very nice 75,000 plus builds they have the regular frames and for some reason the stance of the cars do not look nearly as nice as the 55s with the Morrison frame. I have no ideal why?
I love Morrison's GT 55 project and to me it was the perfect no BS driver before they turned it into a show car. In its originial build to me it was almost perfect. In fact if I buy or build a car in the near future it's exactly what I want except I would use the new LSX 3 with a maggie blower and an auto trans.

As to the full frame I have been looking at some cars for sale around here for aout a year. I have noticed on cars with asking prices north of 60 K they have the 40 year old frames. I know it costs more but at the end of the day how much does it really cost in true dollar amount. I would think you should obtain a cost savings if buy the rolling frame at one time.

TJ

[monteboy84]

As to the full frame I have been looking at some cars for sale around here for aout a year. I have noticed on cars with asking prices north of 60 K they have the 40 year old frames. I know it costs more but at the end of the day how much does it really cost in true dollar amount. I would think you should obtain a cost savings if buy the rolling frame at one time.

TJ

Those same cars would be $75k is they had a full custom frame....

The dollar amount is real, spending 1/4 of your budget on a frame gets a bit crazy when you realize how much the other little stuff adds up. On a $100k car, it makes more sense....

[Cdog]

The Morrison front and rear subframe can be ordered fully connected making them a full frame, the only cutting into the body is where the rail cross through the floor in the rear seat pan. For right at bit more then $10k you can do a full frame with C6 front suspension, Triangle 4 link, 9" housing and axles, everything you need to make it a roller, and the only cutting to your car is the rear floor foot pan and drilling out your factory frame rails in the rear. The rear subframe follows the facoty trunk floor. No floor fab required. If you want to do a 3 link rear, you can do that also but will have some closeout in the rear seat area in the hump. Either way you avoid the massive floor fabrication Jake is talking about which as he mentioned is mega hours = mega $$$$. We will be doing a install on this soon enough, I think it is the trickest thing going

Frank,

I'd like to do this set up instead of starting with the rear clip and piecing in the front frame and sub frame connectors. Can you PM me the cost of the whole set up? I think I can manage the whole deal within the same time frame I discussed with you earlier this week. I'm leaning toward the 3 link at this time.

Thanks Corey

[Lowend]

There really doesn't seem to be much advantage from a performance standpoint.

A well setup; caged, connected-subframe style Camaro will do pretty much anything a full framed one will.

Just look at Taz