rixtoy59

First a little backround. I bought this 1985 coupe a few months back. New 350 edelbrock intake and 700r4 trans. Stole it for 1000$. As my son and I were preparing it for driving the front left caliper locked up so we rebuilt the whole front brake system. Since I have been driving it the steering has been getting looser so we replaced the ball joints and tie rod ends. Still loose noticed the rag joint has a lot of play so as we were checking that we noticed the frame flexing by the steering box. Th frame rail is cracked but not in front of box as is common that one had been previously and very ugly repaired. I have the option I located a front sub frame I can buy for 150, looking at the amount of time and work to replace it much less not having facilities for that I am looking into just getting it welded and reinforced. How much should that weld job cost? Opinions on options welcome.

sofakingdom

iTrader: (1)

The part that breaks isn't exactly "replaceable"; it's a welded-on part of the chassis.

I'd expect to have to pay something in the $100 - 150 kind of range to drive it someplace, and then them take it apart and weld a reinforcement on there, and reassemble it. Not exactly something you can take apart and then drive it to the repairer. If you take the bumper cover off and then the actual "bumper" itself, you can probably reach up inside the "frame" there and weld completely inside it, and make it invisible.

rixtoy59

Thanks for the reply. Unfortunately I cannot count welding as one of my strong skills , that and access to a welder. I actually thought that what I was needing to replace was the subframe rail and that it was bolted thru rubber isolators to the body but maybe they stopped that after 2nd gen.

sofakingdom

iTrader: (1)

Right: these cars have a K-member, which is sort of the lower half of all that; the engine sits on it, and the control arms bolt to it. But the "rails" beside the engine are part of the car, not part of the "frame"-like thing that unbolts. Look closely up under there, and you'll see parts that are painted the color of the car, and a part below that that's black or unpainted; the painted parts are part of the car, and the other is the K-member. You'll note that the cracks are all in the painted parts.

rixtoy59

Thanks for the help I found a local welding shop can doit for about 100. I m gonna check it and see if they think it will be good to go afterword. If not I ran across an 86 T/A I can pcik up for 600 with a bad trans I can pop ,y 350 and 700r4 into thanks .