58 Corvette frame

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Hi Welders!How do I cut/bend/share 1/8 inch flat steel sheet to fab 2" x 6" curved patch for my chassis frame?  Need simplest and cheapest method, with hand tools if possible.Aloha,Eric
Reply:How about a pic of what you need. Question leaves little to the imagination, and simple and cheap don't go to well with welding and fab work to well. Not unless you start with nothing from a young kid and expanded your options as you grew.I hate being bi-polar it's awsomeMy Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys
Reply:If you've got to ask you probably shouldn't weld on a vehicle frame.Like Mike said, add some pictures. 1/8" is easy to bend, shouldn't be too hard to make a patch.Airco Ac/Dc 300 HeliwelderMillerMatic 200 (stolen)Miller Maxstar 150STLMiller AEAD200LE (welding and generating power) Hobart MIG
Reply:Cheap, and 58 vette, should NOT go together. But, take your time and its easy! Be VERY careful welding on a frame. Keep the heat low (frame heat, not weld heat). Post a picture of it as weldermike said.
Reply:I hope pictures came through.Yes, I do not know about welding and computers too.  But I'm wondering if I can fix my frame myself.  Otherwise, I could pay shop $2K-or-$3K to fix.Thank for the candid reply.Eric
Reply:From the pictures it does not look that bad. Are you sure welding is needed?
Reply:If it was mine, I would try to find a car I could cut a good section out of to weld in. If I couldn't find a replacement, I would cut each side of the tube out of sheet metal (2 curved pieces+ 2 strips) make a tube out of the four cut outs.Have you had shops look at that to see how much it would cost? I think it would be cheaper than you think, but there are allot of things that go into the price.Airco Ac/Dc 300 HeliwelderMillerMatic 200 (stolen)Miller Maxstar 150STLMiller AEAD200LE (welding and generating power) Hobart MIG
Reply:If I'm looking at holes rotted through the frame I wouldn't weld a patch on it without knowing the extent of the damage. The entire frame may be thinned out from rust. Editorial:  A 58 'Vette is a highly sought after car. With the potential for a very high value I would only trust it to a professional (I am not a professional welder).  This is besides the fact that if you just patch it you could be setting yourself up for a really bad day....now I sound like a safety nazi... GravelThe difference between theory and practice is that in theory there is no difference.
Reply:Originally Posted by GravelIf I'm looking at holes rotted through the frame I wouldn't weld a patch on it without knowing the extent of the damage. The entire frame may be thinned out from rust. Editorial:  A 58 'Vette is a highly sought after car. With the potential for a very high value I would only trust it to a professional (I am not a professional welder).  This is besides the fact that if you just patch it you could be setting yourself up for a really bad day....now I sound like a safety nazi...
Reply:Originally Posted by SquirmyPugIf it was mine, I would try to find a car I could cut a good section out of to weld in. If I couldn't find a replacement, I would cut each side of the tube out of sheet metal (2 curved pieces+ 2 strips) make a tube out of the four cut outs.Have you had shops look at that to see how much it would cost? I think it would be cheaper than you think, but there are allot of things that go into the price.
Reply:This is why I do my own restorations.....
Reply:Originally Posted by SquirmyPugLooks like there are patches on it already, I thought he wants to replace the section. Maybe I'm wrong though
Reply:Another thing to think about is that this car was available with up to a 290hp engine.  A modern engine or even a modified rebuild could easily surpass that (and definitely would if it were mine ).  I doubt that frame is as strong as it was in 58.  Many restores need the frame strengthened due to more power being installed under the hood...GravelThe difference between theory and practice is that in theory there is no difference.
Reply:Originally Posted by GravelAnother thing to think about is that this car was available with up to a 290hp engine.  A modern engine or even a modified rebuild could easily surpass that (and definitely would if it were mine ).  I doubt that frame is as strong as it was in 58.  Many restores need the frame strengthened due to more power being installed under the hood...
Reply:Forgetting for a moment the costs involved, if it were mine, I would want to remove the body and send the frame out for a complete sand or bead blast to determine the exact nature of the damage. It could be that the visible damage might only be the trip of the iceberg. It looks pretty bad to me, at least bad enough to do further inspection. A 1958 Corvette is rare enough these days so that it could be a very valuable vehicle if correctly repaired.Just my opinion.Miller Millermatic 252Miller Syncrowave 200Liincoln AC-DC 225Victor O-A Set
Reply:There are still many places that have parts for old corvettes.  I believe Corvette Central has frames for your car.  They even had a kit to build an entire aftermarket '57.  My supplier on LI has hundreds of frames stacked, I'm sure you could source one.  The problem is that the frames are notorious for rotting out in the cars.  As pointed out above, it may be apparent in the spot your seeing, but it may be present in other hiding under paint.  Unless there was specific known damage to that part, I bet the whole frame is toast.  My '69 convertible had its frame already replaced when I bought it, the rest of the subframe under the glass was all rotten though.  It wasn't that bad to get parts, because my subframe was built from 68-75.  Your C1 frame shoulda spanned many years and should be available.  If you're gonna DIY this, I'd take the entire frame out, strip it down and repair it.  Should only take a thousand hours or so.BTW, your frame looks repaired already.  Mine has no welds transversely across the frame beams.  Yours just doesn't look quite right.Last edited by Drf255; 02-08-2014 at 04:34 AM.TA Arcmaster 300CM3XMT 304S22P12 suitcase feederX-Treme 12VSOptima pulserTA161SMaxstar 150STLHypertherm PM45OP setupStihl 020AVP, 039, 066 Magnum
Reply:Proceed with caution, in my experience there is 3X as much rust hiding as you see on the surface. Probably not what you wanted to hear but some wise advice above.If you don't want to stand behind our Troops, feel free to stand in front of them.
Reply:I am just going to say what the others have said already.  You really need to take the body off and have the entire frame checked, there will be more problem areas than just that spot.  It has been said already as well but a 1958 Corvette and cheap don't go together, if it were mine and I wasn't prepared to do it correctly, I would pass the car onto someone that would.
Reply:My son has an old Toyota pickup he's going to get rid of soon.  There might be a couple feet of frame that isn't rusted through.  Need some? Grrr..."USMCPOP" First-born son: KIA  Iraq 1/26/05Syncrowave 250 w/ Coolmate 3Dialarc 250, Idealarc 250SP-175 +Firepower TIG 160S (gave the TA 161 STL to the son)Lincwelder AC180C (1952)Victor & Smith O/A torchesMiller spot welder