Mopar Pinch Frame Tips

[Slam_Shifter]

This thread is for the bolt in K member type cars. I cleaned this thread up some since the first few posts had no information in them. Nothing important was removed just a few buddies talking about a build, which I hope happens. When the chat comes up on this site we need to get togather and discuss that doba build.

[doba75]

we all should know that pulling pucks, sucking K-frame to the rails is a must (if you are aloud) welding top of frame.
lets continue from there.

[Slam_Shifter]

Well this isn't really a tip but up here in the rust belt you really have to check the front pinch frames close. From the rear puck mounting point to the firewall seems to hold mud water and salt and they rot there pretty bad. It is normally fixable but I have bought a couple that looked very clean and when I got them home if you tapped them with a hammer threr was nothing left under the coating. Losing the pucks is definitely a must if allowed.

[Shorty Thompson]

Let's not for get a most important tip that not a lot know about . There's a space between the upper control arms , mmmmm, about a 1/2" - 3/4" . Now I know that this really isn't a major gap , but, if your "K" frame starts pushing over then everything starts going over and creates a problem . Fill this gap with anything you can, and tie it into the frame rails.

Not to mention since we are on the "K" frame assemblies in general . Weld when and where you can to tie the "K" frame to the frame rails. It's easy to hide . All you need is some mud , lol .

[doba75]

ok all post has been on the front, what can be done to the rear of a pinch framer

[dadicted]

well i have seen wedges and v-tucks hold up pretty well. and some pretty good tucks and notches. just dont use it much and u will be fine. i would put a little metal around the humps suck the body down low and wedge/v-tuck it.

[Shorty Thompson]

doab75 , it all depends on what your allowed to do .

[doba75]

or what can I get away with?

[Shorty Thompson]

From my stand point the rears are really tough. When I did my Diplomats I removed the springs and made my own spring packs . I used 1/2 ton chevy truck springs . I didn't have too much trimming . I also removed the the "U" bolts and spring plates with old style mopar spring plates . I don't like the way the diffy has the option to shift in those rubber insulators. If it shifts , then your "U" joints won't last long . Neither will the tranny for that matter.

[doba75]

also can run bolts up though the frame rails though the trunk where the drain plugs are, suck the body to the frame.

[doba75]

find a good 75-77 volire or aspen bumpers very good for dippy, doba, 79-81 np, sts, gf and nyer.

[chris426]

how good is a 75-77 monaco bumper? i looked at one today, and the car was rotted, but the bumpers were good, i know this aint a tip, but is the bumpers worth getting?

[doba75]

does it have turn signal light in the bumper. If so they are ok but better to find the ones that don't have them in the bumper.

[derbyman137]

How are the front and rear bumpers on the 78 Lebarons?

[dadicted]

well i know the front bumpers on the cordobas are pretty good and the rear is the same, but i dont know about the lebarons.

[doba75]

they are good enuff for a dippy or something for a small car heat, but don't take it up against any 70s iron they will bend in the middle.

[derbyman137]

Bend in the middle? Not when I'm done with it. I'll reinforce it before I weld it on.

[Shorty Thompson]

derbyman137 said:

How are the front and rear bumpers on the 78 Lebarons?

That question would be best suited to ask slam_shifter . He ran the last 78 LeBaron that I know of .

[dadicted]

i thought he ran the stock bumpers and they held up decently well? i may be wrong though. i remember seeing the pic, but dont remember if it was a stock bumper or not. i wouldnt know what the stock bumper looked like.

[doba75]

by the pics it does look like the factory front bumper, but can't talk about the rear.

[Shorty Thompson]

Both were stock bumper .