Damaged Frame Rail - Any Thoughts?

[Nigel Mulvey]

Well I've been getting stuck in to stripping down the 260 this weekend and have noticed that the damage to the frame rail is worse than I first thought. It looks like the damage was the result of an impact from below, such as bottoming out on a speed hump.

As you can see from the first photo, the metal is creased and has actually split in one place. Looking down from the engine bay there is a bulge which shouldn't be there. It does not appear that there is any twisting of the body though.

Can anyone give me some idea of how easy/hard/practical it is to replace the frame rail?

[Nigel Mulvey]

Photo 2

[sjcurtis]

Nigel this is a very common place to find some kind of damage. I do not agree with the speed hump. It looks more like an off bitumen lh slide on to a rock and not recently. Check the full length of the rail for any seperation or hair line fracture lines (Read cracks) I take it you are sure there is not wisting or distortion, only what is in the photo. I would think you will probably find one or two cracks maybe even one that is working (read actively growing) this is the one that appears clean along the line.

For a repair to what is in the photo. acertain the above if no further problems are found, look for a good repair shop, get the chassis alignment checked straighten the rail up if required then do a weld with plate repair ( 180b Bonnet to patch repair material is good) after the repair is in position smooth back and paint. Professionally done your rail will actually be stronger.

My 2c said this damage looks to minor to expend so much time and money for a rail change.

Good Luck

Steve :classic:

[livenbad]

wish my frame rails looked this good!!!

[EScanlon]

NIgel:

You could chase minor repairs all day long and never get anything done and just end up very angry at the car.

Like Steve said, if the car is straight, no cracks or obvious points of impending failure, and you're not going for a 100 point concours restoration, let it slide.

There are replacement pieces of metal you can get (Charlie Osborne at Zedd Findings in Canada) but you must consider whether you are literally looking to make work, or finding work that needs to be done.

2¢

[Nigel Mulvey]

Cheers guys. Your responses have been most informative and reassuring. I guess my main concern was the tear in the metal and the bulge rather than any dents.

Thanks again.

[Murph]

This is pretty much what my left rail looks like too. There are quite a few more dings in it than that, however non have creased the metal like that, and there's no bulge in the engine bay.

So....would you say just leave it as is?