Repaired front crossmember and getting discouraged.

37 Coupe

37 Coupe

Well-known member
If I only knew two weeks ago what I would find day after day on the '31 roadster I bought,well I wouldn't have bought it and would know what to look for on a better one. Seller was a 78 year old who didn't seem to know or want to know what his dad did to the car the 50 + years he owned it. Car looks good but everyday I see another issue,this morning I see bubble gum weld on front crossmember spring U bolt area,other wise so far the frame looks pretty good even pit free.I don't think it was ever a body off restoration just a paint and upholstery deal in the late fifties to early sixties. Is the front crossmember repair pretty common? I doubt I would want to weaken the weld just to grind it down to make it disappear,sometimes wish the whole car would disappear. I should have searched even longer or paid up more to begin with. I had to have it though,thought it was better than the '30 I had when I was 18 in 1964.
 
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Front cross members are often cracked, welded, and welded again. This is a high stress area with the weight of the engine and radiator bouncing up and down, and the front spring pushing up at different angles. Now lets punch holes in the member to bolt everything together! Think of the roads these cars had to contend with.
Oh and throw in a lack of front shock absorbers too! I have repaired a few but prefer to find good original cross members if I can. I find it easier to rivet a good unit in than to try a weld up an old cracked unit in place.
Try not to get discouraged with your ride, but prioritize and repair as you can get to each issue. In the long game, you'll wind up with a reliable car you can be proud of and enjoy.
 
I would not worry about a welded front cross member unless it breaks again. My '31 coupe has a welded front cross member, and even has the crank bearing welded down as part of the repair. It was that way when my grandfather bought the car 50 years ago, and has never caused any problem in more than 50,000 miles.


If mine breaks again, I'll consider replacing it. Otherwise, I will continue to drive it just as it is.


W. Michael
 
I feel your pain. I've purchased old cars in the past only to find they were not in the condition I hoped for. In the end I sold them on for a loss.

If your car looks good and drives good and doesn't need any complex and expensive corrections then just drive it and enjoy. When you buy an old car you should always factor in engine repairs even if you're told the engine has been "rebuilt".

If though you really cannot live without a car that's received a high quality restoration then sell it and find a new car.

Fresh high quality restored cars are out there for sale but not at giveaway prices and you must be patient and willing to travel to see them. Best cars to buy are ones which the owner who restored the car is alive so you can find out the details of the restoration. Not all "frame-off"restorations are equal.
 
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Don't be discouraged, these are, after all, old cars with many stories to tell. As has been said front cross member cracks are not unusual. Show it to someone who is a good welder and see what they think. :)
 
37 Coupe said:
If I only knew two weeks ago what I would find day after day on the '31 roadster I bought,well I wouldn't have bought it and would know what to look for on a better one. Seller was a 78 year old who didn't seem to know or want to know what his dad did to the car the 50 + years he owned it. Car looks good but everyday I see another issue,this morning I see bubble gum weld on front crossmember spring U bolt area,other wise so far the frame looks pretty good even pit free.I don't think it was ever a body off restoration just a paint and upholstery deal in the late fifties to early sixties. Is the front crossmember repair pretty common? I doubt I would want to weaken the weld just to grind it down to make it disappear,sometimes wish the whole car would disappear. I should have searched even longer or paid up more to begin with. I had to have it though,thought it was better than the '30 I had when I was 18 in 1964.
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Every thing you find will make for a car that is known by you, which rewards with confidence in the machine. The more familiar you are with your car, the more you will enjoy it. Hang in there, don't give up as the rewards are worth it big time.
 
The longer you have it the more new "stuff" you will discover. Kinda like when my wife married me, she is still finding stuff that needs fixin... Chap
 
Probably that crappy looking weld drew your attention to the fact the cross member had cracked. Having now noticed this, it concerns you. But, how many As are out there with front cross members that are cracked, or stressed to the point that cracks are forming that no one has noticed yet? I bet lots! This is a very high stress area. Highly prone to cracking, especially on rough roads, that works the front suspension a lot. Not so much on modern smooth roads (yeah, you can beat me up on that statement), so many of those cracks have been there for many years.

At least you know yours did crack, the car has been we'll used, but repaired, and still puttin' along just fine. Not all weld's look great, and some are pure slobber, but some that look poor quality actually are not all that bad at holding. I'd say keep an occasional eye on it and drive it like you stole it. JMHO.
 
It's only when stuff like this happens that you realise the true value found in a top restoration. I'm currently shelling out $$$ left, right and centre on my survivor '28 phaeton - an oil leak that turned into a major engine rebuild, and a brake reline that turned into well over $1000 with new drums.
I was happy with the purchase price of my car, but am more aware now that you can't have your cake and eat it too!
I'm getting my car ready to drive to the Australian National Model A meeting, a 1200 mile round trip. I'm sure as hell going to enjoy that drive and will not regret investing in the reliability of my car.
Don't be discouraged. That car represents a lot. Short term pain, long term gain! Drive it. Fix it. Drive it again!
 
Well,Thank everyone for all the responses and words of encouragement.Mayby this car is the best way to go,probably some complete newer restoration cars have issues that are hidden.My wife told me from the getgo that it would not serve my purpose to just buy a car that needs polished,that I need the hunting for parts and the fixing the problems to keep my mind active. We had decided to to not buy a car too far away and this one was close where a couple buddies with a trailer helped me get it home. I need to take some pictures of the weird shocks on it,probably some J.C.Whitney parts,not fluid shocks but some kind of friction shocks.
 
I just recently welded up a 6" crack in my roadster front cross member that I had been watching for many years. Like others have said, don't worry about it as there is always going to be something on the vehicle that you can improve mechanically or cosmetically if you so desire.
 
I would recommend not replacing it with a new one unless you are going to take the body off. A friend had a cracked one and found a NOS crossmember. He tried to put it in with the fenders and splash aprons on and it turned into a huge can of worms. The frame was slightly tweaked and absolutely nothing fit.

John
 
If the weld doesn't show with the hood, fenders and front apron on only you (and us) will know it's welded :eek:, fix the mechanical things to make it SAFE and drive it :D.
Paul in CT
 
1931 flamingo said:
If the weld doesn't show with the hood, fenders and front apron on only you (and us) will know it's welded :eek:, fix the mechanical things to make it SAFE and drive it :D.
Paul in CT
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Thank you and all for the encouragement. See good things also like unrotted body blocks.I don't think it was ever off frame.Probably not when it was restored cosmetically in late fifties or so.Man had it for long time and was almost 100 when he passed 4 or 5 years ago.
 
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