In this installment of the Tall T chronicles, we're creating the mounts that will attach the T's body to the frame which needs to be done before me finish the floorboards. As Charlie put it, a little overkill goes a long way towards a solid ride. With that in mind, we will create ten frame-to-body mounts:
- Two mounts just behind the firewall (Shots Three and Four)
- Two tabs just rear of the front door jambs (Shots One and Two)
- Two mounts on either side of the trans tunnel anchored into the transmission cross member
- Two mounts rear of the doors
- Two tabs at the rear of the frame
Many builders simply tap threads into the walls of their frames or cross members and call it a day, which doesn't really give a bolt much contact area. Not us. We're going to countersink coupling nuts into the frame at six points and will be running four tabs with 3/8" on our frame tabs.
SHOT THREE: This is the passenger side of the frame just prior to the frame's kick-down.
The cowl has been lifted off to allow access. The smaller hole has been filled using the circular piece leftover from cutting the larger hole. The new hole, flush with the inner firewall, will allow us to plumb wiring to the back of the car. I used a lathe to shave down the puck which then fit nicely in the existing hole and then we undercut the edge to roughly 45-degrees so that the final weld would fill nicely and allow us to grind it smooth without losing the integrity of the weld. The puck has a 3/8 hole in the center which will ultimately accomodate a body bolt.
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SHOT FOUR: This is the driver's side, where we performed the same procedure.
It is temporarily tacked in place and still needs finish-welded and grinded.
SHOT FIVE: Shown above is the type of coupling nut I welded to the reverse side of the pucks and then are tacked into the frame. There will be at least four more holes drilled and filled in this fashion.
Next, I fabricated four tabs for the outer edge of the frame, using 2"X 3" steel tubing angle cut 45 degrees. I scribed my marks carefully using a T square then gave the radial arm saw and bandsaw a workout. I made flat pieces for boxing the long sides after centering 3/8" backing nuts and welding them into place.
So there you have it. The body mounts are being fabbed and will soon be welded in and we will soon be fabricating the floors, the rear driveshaft loop, and the transmission tunnel. We will also be welding in tabs for the secondary firewall. More on that later.
