Re: [VAC] Hitch Replacement on Pipe Frame

[Jim Dunmyer <jdunmyer@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Elisa,
 Sorry you missed the rally; unloading bales of straw wasn't nearly as
much fun!

I built a new 'A' frame on my '68 G.T., dunno if yours has an 'A' frame
or not. The basic procedure was very simple: cut off the old frame, just
in front of the body. Measure carefully, cut some 4" channel iron and
flat stock for the filler (the channel iron is "boxed" with flat stock),
tack it together onto the existing frame, including tacking on the
hitch. Once satisfied with everything, we cut the tacks holding the new
frame to the old so we could remove the new frame and do a good job of
welding everything in an easy-to-work position. Then, we clamped the
fully-welded 'A' frame with hitch to the stubs of the existing frame and
welded it fast. A few minutes with a silver/aluminum bug bomb and it
looked like 'factory'.

Pop Rivets are fine for the belly, that's what was used originally as
far as I can tell. I used small square pieces of 1/8" aluminum to
reinforce all the rivets that I replaced.

                             <<Jim>>