[pancho400cid]

Sigh....

I have a 78 Trans Am. It's completely disassembled. I pulled some measurements on the front subframe by itself and it is a little off. Side-to-side dims are off by maybe 5/8" or so. It's a little tweaked I think - not seriously or obviously bent.

I took it to one shop that advertised frame straightening using "laser measurement". They said "Nope".

A second shop at first said no because they did not have the measurements for a car that old. I told him I could give him the check dimensions from the factory body manual. He said OK. I took it there this AM, but the guy balked when I realized it was just the subframe. I certainly thought I had made that clear enough. Apparently not.

I'm sure others have been-there-done-that. Should I buy a harbor freight fame straightening ram and try it myself (links below)? Did you have a shop do it? Any input welcome

https://www.harborfreight.com/4-ton-...kit-44899.html

https://www.harborfreight.com/7-pc-h...kit-60726.html

[TransAm400]

Buying a new frame would probably be cheaper and easier. Check craigslist for someone local parting a car.

[Stan65]

Too bad you aren’t close to Illinois, I have a frame from A 78 WS6 TA just sitting doing nothing. Would sell. I’m sure you could find one local.

Stan

[supercar]

Problem is trying to tie it down so you could pull it. You need the rest of the car so you can hook it to the rack and pull it. I have a Chief EZ Liner that will pull a car in two, but you got to be able to tie it down. I agree with buying a nice used subframe. If it is just the frame horns out a little bit, you could probably chain it between two oak trees and pull it with a come along. Maybe hit it with a sledge hammer while it has pressure on it.5/8 is not a lot to move.

[pancho400cid]

Originally Posted by supercar

Problem is trying to tie it down so you could pull it. You need the rest of the car so you can hook it to the rack and pull it.

Yeah... that's what the guy said.

As you guys probably know, F body subframes are pretty sought after by hot rodders who scab them onto old trucks, etc to upgrade the suspension. They are around but usually in the $300-$500 price range. I'm keeping an eye out. there is one on CL that's about 1.5 hours away.

I'm surprised getting it straightened is this much of an issue.

I'm scared of going oak-tree-and-come-alog (or HF ram set) on it for fear of making it worse instead of better.... The dims are actually hard to measure accurately. I'm using trammel points, a wood frame I made and a tape measure and have a good background in measurement. To REALLy do it would require a tool frame stiffer than what I built that lets you clear the cross-member and longer trammel points than I've got.

[supercar]

This may be over simplifying it, but bent metal wants to go back to its original shape. You can measure it with a tape measure and a plumb bob if you don't have anything else. Sometimes you have to pull it to far because it will relax back when you let off the pull. If it is the frame horn you should be able to fix it with no problem.

[TAKerry]

Not much help, but I have a decent one in my back yard that I couldn't give away a couple of months ago. Shame Im so far, youre welcome to it.

[mrrat1]

might as well give it a shot while you are looking for a replacement......is closed up or opened or one side lower than the other?

[pancho400cid]

Too bad you aren’t close to Illinois, I have a frame from A 78 WS6 TA just sitting doing nothing. Would sell. I’m sure you could find one local.

Stan

Not much help, but I have a decent one in my back yard that I couldn't give away a couple of months ago. Shame Im so far, youre welcome to it.

Appreciate it guys! I'd be willing to make a drive but MD and IL are a bit too far!

might as well give it a shot while you are looking for a replacement......is closed up or opened or one side lower than the other?

I'll try to post what I'm looking at later. The measurements are at home and I'm at work right now.

[pancho400cid]

Here are a few pics of what I've got going on.

Dimensions I'm looking at from Fisher Body Manual:

[url=https://flic.kr/p/23pZPko]

[url=https://flic.kr/p/238wKFv]

Trammel Points for measurments:

[url=https://flic.kr/p/24qLzmw]

[url=https://flic.kr/p/238v654]



Subframe & Measurements:





In the last pic, dimension "A" is supposed to be 37-11/16, but you can see it's over 38. The dim is center to center nominally, but edge to edge is the same and easier to measure.

[Held for Ransom]

Sorry, but I disagree. If you're going to be picky, then do it as they describe.

[poncho4554spd]

The measurement needs to be taken at the center of each hole on the rear side. It's hard to tell.from the pic but I would take the measurement from those points and see exactly where you are at. Plus it should be squared up with the rest of the car. It looks close in the front and by the time you split any difference it would be minimal

[mrrat1]

What is the center to center measurement? If that's the only issue I don't think you have a bad frame!

[pancho400cid]

Sorry, but I disagree. If you're going to be picky, then do it as they describe.

The measurement needs to be taken at the center of each hole on the rear side.

To clarify, I took all the measurements as they are described in the body manual. The only exception is measurement "A". Hopefully we agree that the center-to-center distance between two circles is exactly the same as the left edge-to-left edge dimension in that one case.

What I got when I did it:

A - Should be 37-11/16, I got 38-1/4. Difference = 9/16"

B - Should be 28-13/16, I got 29. Difference = 3/16"

C - Should be 39-5/8 and that's very close to what I got.

D - Should be 57-1/4. This is a cross measurement so done "both ways". I got very close to 57-1/4" one way. I got 57-9/16 the other way.

G Should be 33-7/16. I got 33-1/8. Difference = 5/16"

[Marv]

If you're looking for online ways to straighten your subframe have a look at what we do Down Under with our Holden Kingswood subframes (they share a LOT of similarities to '60s-'70s Pontiacs)

The HQ, HJ, HX, HZ and WB Holden Kingswoods, Premiers and Monaros (all built on the same platform between 1973-1979) run a subframe that looks exactly like your T/A one, and many owners "upgraded" their Kingswoods with T/A front-ends in the '70s/'80s street machine craze. Here are a couple of links to Google searches to kick you off - many Aussies straighten their subframes on these Kingswoods/Monaros as they're actually really rare now Down Under because a racing series decimated many, many good cars through the '80s and '90s.

https://www.google.com.au/search?q=s...hrome&ie=UTF-8

https://www.google.com.au/search?q=s...hrome&ie=UTF-8

I hope that helps!

[Held for Ransom]

Originally Posted by pancho400cid

To clarify, I took all the measurements as they are described in the body manual. The only exception is measurement "A". Hopefully we agree that the center-to-center distance between two circles is exactly the same as the left edge-to-left edge dimension in that one case.

Again, I disagree. If the hole was perfectly round (nowhere is it rusted away), than maybe, just maybe. But they called it out to measure a certain way for a reason. Plus, I don't trust the ends of a tape measure, I usually start at the 1" mark.

[Chief of the 60's]

This thread is nothing more than rediculous. Why can't some people get it through their head. Manufacturers build MASS-PRODUCED vehicles, not show cars. GM and every other manufacturer out there was not "perfect" and did not care about perfection. They did what needed to be done to get a vehicle down that line as quick as possible. When it came to non-critical items like this, a country-mile was close enough. Hell, back in the late 80's Chrysler's uni-body cars were built with a diamond. For those that do not know framework terminology, look it up. Uni-body vehicles do not and cannot "get" diamond. The Car-O-Liner books said that these Chrysler products are to be pulled to fit. People need to stop trying to re-invent the wheel when they restore a car.

[Held for Ransom]

While you may think it's unimportant, it doesn't make this thread "ridiculous".

[Chief of the 60's]

Typo aside, it has nothing to do with "importance" and everything to do with correctness and "how it was done". GM and every other automobile manufacturer does not get calipers and dial indicators out for every part on a vehicle, contrary to some people's beliefs. A common man's car is not built like a Ferrari otherwise the common man could not afford it or the manufacturer would go under. Hense, mass-production. Make it work, make it affordable and make it profitable. In other words, do it quick, get it in and get it out. Welds were not perfect, neither were the tolerences as long as it fit.

[Chief of the 60's]

To further clarify: While "5/8" or so" seems accessive (and vague), the OP never stated that the vehicle suffered a major front end impact nor was it one of the Smokey and the Bandit movie jump cars. He also never stated that the bolts were difficult to remove, had any sideward torque pressure on them or if the sub-frame sprung when the bolts were removed. Therefore, if it fit fine and functioned as should from the factory, disturbing it quite possibly will end up opening up a can of worms. It has been just fine for 4 decades, messing with it means it may not line up again. This all falls under that saying, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it".