# 1968 gto frame replacement



## dglty (Dec 18, 2009)

I am brand new to the sight and have quick question. I have a 1968 GTO hardtop and I am wondering what frames are compatible?


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## Too Many Projects (Nov 15, 2008)

Welcome to the site....:cheers
All GM 2 door A bodies, 68-72. The 4 door models may be the same too, but I don't know that for fact. You have thousands to choose from...


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## dglty (Dec 18, 2009)

Thanks. I thought all A body 2dr frames from 68-72 would be compatible, but I thought I would check with the experts. Would you recomment the Por 15 to finish it off with?


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## Too Many Projects (Nov 15, 2008)

dglty said:


> Thanks. I thought all A body 2dr frames from 68-72 would be compatible, but I thought I would check with the experts. Would you recomment the Por 15 to finish it off with?


None of the experts have responded yet... I'm still a rookie when it comes to Pontiacs. 
I have no personal experience with the POR products but others on here have used it with good results. The frame you see in my avatar has been sand blasted and coated with Eastwood rust converter. Finding out after the fact that it may not have been the thing to do. Since it was 90% clean, it should've been sprayed with a rust preventive primer. I may need to remove the converter to get paint to stick.....

What part of the country are you in ? I drove to Oklahoma for my frame. It was extremely clean...


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## '68er (Sep 16, 2009)

Convertible frames are boxed.


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## dglty (Dec 18, 2009)

I am from Canada, but plan on getting and bringing back a frame from Arizona
next month. I looked at some last year and was amazed at the condition of them.


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## Too Many Projects (Nov 15, 2008)

dglty said:


> I am from Canada, but plan on getting and bringing back a frame from Arizona
> next month. I looked at some last year and was amazed at the condition of them.


Take a semi and bring back a truck load of clean body parts too........arty:


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## FNG69 (Nov 15, 2009)

If you can get a converlible one go for it. Stronger is always better. Unless you are watching the weight for the need to speed!! I even used boxed rear control arms on my 64 and tell the differential.


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## 66tempestGT (Nov 28, 2009)

Too Many Projects said:


> None of the experts have responded yet... I'm still a rookie when it comes to Pontiacs.
> I have no personal experience with the POR products but others on here have used it with good results. The frame you see in my avatar has been sand blasted and coated with Eastwood rust converter. Finding out after the fact that it may not have been the thing to do. Since it was 90% clean, it should've been sprayed with a rust preventive primer. I may need to remove the converter to get paint to stick.....
> 
> What part of the country are you in ? I drove to Oklahoma for my frame. It was extremely clean...


as long as the converter is stuck to the frame i dont think you will have any problems. stick a long piece of tape to it and yank it off. if it doesnt bring any primer(converter) with it you are probably ok.:cheers


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## dglty (Dec 18, 2009)

A convertible frame will work for a hardtop?


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## Rukee (Feb 8, 2007)

yes.


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## Eric Animal (Oct 28, 2007)

Here is a site of interestNiteMare Performance High Performace American Muscle Car Specialists Located in Conneticuit


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## dglty (Dec 18, 2009)

Thanks Eric. I just went on their website and they sound pretty good. Has anyone heard of, or used these guys before? If so, how are their products?


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## Magnum059 (Jan 30, 2016)

Anyone know if you can do the opposite - use a hardtop frame for a convertible car? I have a barn find I'm trying to purchase. '68 4-spd convertible - original owner. Frame is completely shot. The rest of the car is ok. Send for info from PHS. I cant read the engine code to see if its an HO. thanks!


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## Pinion head (Jan 3, 2015)

'68 and '69 A body frames are cosmetically different in the rear sweep area near the wheel houses than '70-72 A body frames. 2 door frames for '68-72 are 112" wheelbase, 4 doors are 116" wheelbase. Have hauled out/shipped out/and had customers pick up, now over 300 '64-72 GM A body frames. There are a multitude of differences through the years, for instance, '67 frames are by theirselves. 

Am about to tackle a '70 frame replacement and am using a clean relatively low mile '70 frame. In the restoration, will be replacing the lh rear leg in the donor frame with the original one out of the original GTO frame. couple hours work. Have gone this route before on frames out of high mile performance A body's that suffered front frame cradle fatique...would no longer hold an alignment, also on frames that had to be replaced, as the car had been whacked in the front.

Convert frames/ HD frame option frames were factory boxed, the thick inserts that are welded along the center rails were formed with dies and provide more rigidity than just welding in a piece of 1/8" plate steel. On the Net, there are kits with lazer cut inserts out there that the inserts are flat and welding them in is an option, but rigidity will be lost.


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## PontiacJim (Dec 29, 2012)

Hellwig offers this boxing kit that appears to be a bit more like the factory boxing. Frame FX by Hellwig | Hellwig Products

Here is the Hellwig install on a Chevelle just to give you an idea of how to install and what is needed. Hellwig 68 Chevelle Build - Chevelle Tech


ABC Performance offers this basic kit which is laser cut flat steel. I purchased the 2 piece side rail kit for my '68 Lemans HT. Not a perfect fit by any means, but you will find photos where the plates are fitted and welded.

I had some bends in the frame where it was probably jacked up on to lift the car - might have even been me.:blush2: So I first got these bends in the side rails straight. There is a body mount in the middle of the rail. I cut the plate off and fitted the ABC steel plate to fit. The ABC piece was a bit longer than my side rail and it was a tad bit taller, so maybe my frame isn't so perfect in its shape as it appears wider at the front end where it is welded to the boxed section and then narrows a little through the open rails. I measured at different points and it is consistent, so my guess is the factory side rail stamping ain't perfect.

Different ways, theories, and nay-sayers on how to box the rail. Plate on the outside or plate on the inside. Me, I am putting the plate inside the C-rail rather than clamp it to the outside to create the "box" and weld/grind. ( You want to get the frame level. Tack welds first and small welds spaced far apart only as heat will warp your rails and/or twist the frame!) Placing the plates inside the rail takes a lot of fitting and grinding and time. My thinking is (and I can be wrong) that the plate placed inside the rail will act more like an I-beam of sorts and still give the frame stiffness. I can then use smaller welds to weld it in place which will be spaced apart and I won't have to make one solid weld from front to back, and with the plate inset a small amount, I will be able to run/tuck my brake lines and fuel lines within the small recess for a neater look and easier mounting of the lines.

I have not completed nor installed my plates as the car is still in process of building so this is all theory, but this is how I am doing it -and my car is not a restoration so I can do things like this. I will also first bolt the body back down on the frame before I weld the plates up. I feel this will keep the frame straight and prevent any chances of warping out of the picture. :thumbsup:


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