d100experience
Junior Member
- Joined
- Oct 24, 2022
- Posts
- 4
- Reaction score
- 1
- Location
- Center of USA
- Ram Year
- 1988
- Engine
- 318 LA roller
I’m interested in getting a custom frame made. I’ve finally caught up on all my other projects enough that I want to tear down my ’88 Ram and build it up the way I want.
I’ve been lurking and searching this forum (and the rest of the internet) for several months but the best advice I’ve seen on the subject is “find another truck with a frame in nice condition”. I don’t want to go down that road. I’d rather get a new box frame, but up until recently the responses I’ve gotten from companies were:
1. Sketch everything up in a 3-D program
2. Send to plans to a tube bender
3. Deliver the sections of frame to a welder to put together
I think the specifics are as follows: He used the “Bendtech” program and sent the designs to “Jimmy Bullard at MRCFABBULARD” in North Carolina. His original plans were then tweaked and designed around sections that could be put together later. The sections were bent up and mailed in separate packages, and “Demoise Welding and Fab” put it all together. Most of the frame was made out of “4x2” tubing.
I’m thinking the first-generation Ram frame would be very simple to make: bend up box tubing, drill some holes and add some brackets. I’m sure I can get one sketched up, but I’d have to base that on measurements from mine, and I’m not sure it's in good enough shape to use for a pattern.
Does anyone have a 3-D model of a first-generation Ram frame, or a sketch with the correct dimensions?
I’ve been lurking and searching this forum (and the rest of the internet) for several months but the best advice I’ve seen on the subject is “find another truck with a frame in nice condition”. I don’t want to go down that road. I’d rather get a new box frame, but up until recently the responses I’ve gotten from companies were:
- We won’t make you a frame. OR,
- We can, but we have to install a Ford 9” rear and a full Corvette front end system.
1. Sketch everything up in a 3-D program
2. Send to plans to a tube bender
3. Deliver the sections of frame to a welder to put together
I think the specifics are as follows: He used the “Bendtech” program and sent the designs to “Jimmy Bullard at MRCFABBULARD” in North Carolina. His original plans were then tweaked and designed around sections that could be put together later. The sections were bent up and mailed in separate packages, and “Demoise Welding and Fab” put it all together. Most of the frame was made out of “4x2” tubing.
I’m thinking the first-generation Ram frame would be very simple to make: bend up box tubing, drill some holes and add some brackets. I’m sure I can get one sketched up, but I’d have to base that on measurements from mine, and I’m not sure it's in good enough shape to use for a pattern.
Does anyone have a 3-D model of a first-generation Ram frame, or a sketch with the correct dimensions?