Ok so everyone loves the look of a nice frame that is built from scratch, or has unique touches but not everyone things they can do it because, frankly, mandrel benders and CNC plasmas are too fuckin' expensive! So in lue of that, I decided not to call Jeff at Devious to cut these plates out for me to show that it can be done with a torch, some grinders, and a welder!

So I am rebagging my truck because the job before hand was pretty shotty, so you can see it will be easier for you to do. Also I will be flush building these notches, making them appear to be stock. You can skip this, making them easier to do while still keeping a nice styled notch.


I first took some scrap cardboard, rough cut a shape that covers the notch, and then went to town trimming with scissors and a utility knife 'til I got the shape I wanted. The holes are going to be Holesawed and sleeved later.



The pattern is then transfered to some 3/16" plate to be cut. When it is all cut, ground, and finished, you have your four identical notch plates!

Once that is done, you have to go about bracing your frame for the cuts. If you wont be flush building the notches, you dont have to brace, you can simply weld the outside plates on, cap the top, and then remove the stock frame section. In flush building the notches, a good amount of frame material is removed so you must weld a few braces in place.




Once that is done, trace and cut that bitch up! Make sure that when you figure for the placement of the notch, that you take the thinkness of the top and bottom cap plates into account. If you notch it to lay right at bottoming on the notch, youll be sad when its an eight off the ground.




After some grinding, you can fit your notch where you need it.



Tack one corner in and work the notch by hand into a spot where it is flush and level with the frame.


More to come!

Bitchin!

That's very similar to how I do all mine.

one side almost complete! I welded in two sleeves to tie in the two sides. Pics and more tomorrow...They look awsome once they are nice and smooth!

only photo my computer would load

more write-up coming, just exhausted

Very nice!

diggin it. how are you going about bending the plate to follow the curves? I wish I had a beater truck (re: box body dime) to do this kind of stuff to.

Ive been doing the bottom cap, just about done. I use a couple big ass c-clamps and draw the plate the the bend after i rough bend it on the bench. It works great. Ill bring up a pic from my phone so you can see the progress. I use my torch to heat the corners to get it to form better. Ran outta oxygen! Always on a sunday!!!