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1990 dakota front clip


sportscoupecars

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15 hours ago, sportscoupecars said:

my crossmember is rusted out near lower control arm mounting bolts...where to cut ..both frames??Dakota is 1990...1947 dodge business 

You'll need to measure each frame from a common reference point and see how well they match up. Set the car up on Jack stands, mark reference lines on the frame to use later. The reference I used on the Dakota clip I did was the front tire centerline. Before cutting, you'll need to take plenty measurements. Including rotation of the donor truck clip so you don't end up with a caster problem. I built in 5 degrees of positive caster in mine but I'll be running radial tires and power steering. If you are going to use bias play tires, you probably want closer to 0 degrees. There is adjustment in Dakota clip obviously but you want to have a target. I spliced mine right about at the firewall on a 58 Plymouth. Also, keep in mind clearance for the full lock tires when choosing the splice location. If the 47 frame is wider, you definitely want the splice aft of where the tire might hit at full lock. Best advice I can give, When you think you've got enough measurements, take some more. 3 measurements to each front sheetmetal attachment points from a solid point on the car body to triangulate the points will help when fitting the sheetmetal back on. 

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I was assuming you want to keep the 47 body mounts as much as possible and the 47 pedal setup but if you can splice it under the floor where the 2 frames are fairly flat, that'd be the easiest, if the width difference don't get in the way of reattaching the body. 

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thanks for all the great pointers ..my car is a 47 3 window coupe ...lots of metal work already done..floor pans trunk floor and bottoms of fenders..love the old coupes is why I put so much time in it already..got peoples choice award at a local car show and this fueled the fire to get moving more on it .it is not painted yet ,but interior is done and new glass in..all stock except for 360 and 727 ,,changed to 12 v .  drives ok now ,but safety first .dug dirt out of front of crossmember is how I found the holes on my lift  ...no rust any where else .frame looks great on back.it measures like the 90 Dakota will slip inside the frame rails very snug...I do appreciate your help and really did not want to reinvent the wheel starting from scratch....I have a 41 dodge truck on a 96 s 10 frame ..kind of narrow ...used 12 in. wheels on rear and 10 on front...727 360 also...….drives great too.  have done the mustang ifs on fairlanes ,maverick and 59 ford truck,,,too narrow for mine and frame angle makes this swap a little tougher ….not going that route .gone to the shop,,.tear down time....thanks very much..

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9 hours ago, wayfarer said:

...just my opinion, and not meant to pick on you but............if you have to ask then you probably are not up to the task.....

pleaes don't critize work you have never seen ….just want to do it right..

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the joining of the old to the new is not at all difficult or time consuming and is just a result of proper measurements and prepping each frame for welding one to the other...if  you have the drawing for each frame which is in the tech manual per model, absolute measurements are there, as are trammel points for alignment and with these your task is on paper in matter of a few minutes and the rest  is just simple cutting and welding.  There is basically little difference in the Dakota and the old frame as both are IFS setup and even follow the basic frame centerline and ride height.  Yes the length and L to R is different....but is quick and easy prep work to join.  The real task is working the front Dakota frame horns to accommodate the original bumper attachment and while needed not as involved mods for the radiator shell for L-R and F-R adjustment of the doghouse on the newly modified Dakota frame platform, do not forget to tweak the Dakota frame for width and depth for the rad shell...

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great pointers guys and that gm pic looked great..plenty of header room looks like .,the front horns will be challenging but my son build /repairs dirt late models and he wanted to square tube it and use the racing stuff ….a little over the top for me  as I keep it simpler with Dakota oem parts lols.and with his work back logged mine would be down a while at his shop..i wanted to do it in my on shop with what I already have and im sticking with the plan.....you guys have been a great help and thank you again.  (  ill let him tubing chassis it after im long gone)

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18 hours ago, sportscoupecars said:

pleaes don't critize work you have never seen ….just want to do it right..

I was NOT critizing anyone's work but I do question methods and (cap)abilities...perhaps that is the engineering career side of my brain. 

Your question has been asked and answered many times and it would 'appear' that each new query has the expectation of a paint-by-number

answer/approach.

If you are the builder then you need to evaulate where the frames are closest to being in the same place and

then figure out how to blend them in a safe and structurally sound fashion.

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thank you for your input....basically i was just checking to see what was the most popular for everyone else doing these swaps....and if so which route-stock/full frame/or which front clip did you choose for your car/truck?   thanks ,always like to hear and see other projects  just .like racing it has so many choices ..front steer. rear steer ,,camber angles etc..

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therein lies the very simplicity of the clip.  The Dakota as I stated above will follow your original frame centerline...(not to be confused with top and bottom plates)  The engineering is already built into the clip and truly proven for ride comfort and handling with or without a load one the rear and will not be altered by following the centerline.  The clip if you study both frames you also will find that the original frame mount points align and are easily transferred to the grafted front section it is almost easier than falling off a log as self preservation inhibit purposed self injury.   MOST all builders of these type custom will choose what they are most comfortable with as far as maintenance and availability.  Cost is a driving factor and why I personally could never justify the prefabricated setups based on the MII geometry/arrangement especially where one is fabricating this from precut metal fitted and welded independently of a jig.  I further state as per the many frame clips I have seen involving GM components never look correct, sit way out f whack and drag line is an issue.  If one entertains such stuff...the whole frame may well be the better way to go though again, I cannot honestly see why one would go this route...except to say...they have one handy to doodle with or they mimicking someone else or just can't step away from a hot rod magazine long enough to exercise their own mind and creative abilities.  There is a lot more involved than cut and weld...

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my feelings exactly ...I have another dodge that sat on the ground for years before I got it  and the frame is toast …its my parts  car and to fix it would definitely need some sort of complete frame swap...thanks  for your reply. 

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