Replacing cross-members

[Martinbuilt]

Hi.
I'm slowly reviving a '29 business coupe.
While prepping the frame for paint, I noticed that both the front and rear crossmembers are bolted in.
They're not new, but they have been swapped.
I could replace them with grade 8's, or maybe figure out rivets.
I don't need it to be perfectly restored, but I don't want it to come apart either.
Advice welcome.

[Oldbluoval]

I suppose you could use flat head bolts in places. The heads will be in the way of both fenders and body sills.
You’d be much better off riveting them. Imho
Rivets available various places including JayCee rivets (have to buy a box of 100 but relatively cheap)

[Brentwood Bob]

If you remove the cross members to address the rust I suggest you do one at a time, hold the member in position with the bolts, removing one bolt at a time to rivet that hole. And prime before reinstalling. There will be rust you won't be able to remove any other way.
I think the frame was dipped originally.

[harryc]

I thought this was going to be a thread about getting rid of crabby posters!

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Originally Posted by Martinbuilt

Hi.
I'm slowly reviving a '29 business coupe.
While prepping the frame for paint, I noticed that both the front and rear crossmembers are bolted in.
They're not new, but they have been swapped.
I could replace them with grade 8's, or maybe figure out rivets.
I don't need it to be perfectly restored, but I don't want it to come apart either.
Advice welcome.

I can tell you what I know about swapping crossmembers and let you decide from there. Bolts struggle to hold the crossmembers to the frame rigid enough.
All they manage to do is wallow-out the holes which lets the crossmember move even more.

If a crossmember has been replaced and bolts were used in lieu of rivets, likely you will need to use oversized rivets, -or do as we do and weld the holes solid and re-drill to the proper rivet size. Very time consuming to do that part correctly.

Replacing a crossmember and squaring the frame is not an easy task (...even for those who have done it before and have the proper tooling). And, -it really cannot be done properly with an air hammer. You must use a Rivet gun and a torch. I hope this helps. If you decide to proceed, I will walk you thru with procedures we use and pix to show the basic steps.

[Martinbuilt]

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Originally Posted by harryc

I thought this was going to be a thread about getting rid of crabby posters!

That's very funny, thanks