Frame Repair

Need some advice/opinions from some experts on repair frame or scrap it.
the attached pictures show rusted out frame rails under seating area on both sides. About 1.5FT Long and 2.5inchs wide. Also Drivers read bumper horn is rusted away. I can probably weld piece of metal in frame rails, but I am concedrned about the amount of scale rust and thickness of frame in that area.
Can source a frame for anywhere from 400-800 used not a 1977 though. What thickness should I use? 3/16

first you will need to clean all the rust and scale off to really see how much thickness you actually have. how bad is the rest of the frame, you maybe looking for a new one

I had a really twisted frame and ultimately made the decision to replace it. I think most people will try and make their frames work due to VIN number issues. I believe Throttle Down Kustoms sells frame rails that you could use to cut and paste.

Nothing wrong with getting a better frame from another year. If fact I would highly encourage it by the looks of those pics. If it were me find a good frame that has a matching title. I wouldn’t do it any other way if buying a used frame. You can also go the brand new frame route from JBG or other custom frames vendors offer. Keep your original frame as ur dmv or police may want to inspect it’s vin.

In the end if you put a 67 frame under your 77 I’d basically call it a 67 bronco with a 77 tub on it. My 77 is a happy meal of various year parts such as a 72 tub, 68 hardtop, 66 grill etc etc.

From what I can tell, you have approximately 50% of the original frame thickness. Your patching will only move the weakest part of the frame somewhere else. If the frame horn rotted off, I'd bet a dime to a dozen there are worse places inside the frame than what you can see or have posted. I vote for a titled frame.

Yeah that would be a no-go for me. Too much thickness has been lost and the rust deep between frame overlap and just going to pop the welds.

What are are you in? If near PA/NJ/DE/MD DelcoNick has a plenty of them.

replace it, restamp new frame with your vin and be done with it. I doubt you could find the the vin# on that one either.

Do not re-stamp another frame! Don’t be that guy. That’s the worst advice anyone could pass on to you. It is illegal and if caught expect a good amount of legal ramifications. It is against the law to re-stamp or otherwise modify VIN stamp locations. That includes cutting out your old section and welding it onto a better frame. None of us on here want to pay $25k on a rare bronco only to find out the vin was welded in or if the frame has two totally different VINs stamped onto it.
It may take you some time and some traveling but get you a legit frame with matching title. Keep the frame you have now only if you can visually make out the stamped VINs. If you can’t see the stamped VINs in on of maybe three areas then you may need to trash it.

I am in Louisiana,
Thanks for all the replies, first I will finish body than worry about frame replacement.

That frame looks thin to me.

Crawdad said:

Do not re-stamp another frame! Don’t be that guy. That’s the worst advice anyone could pass on to you. It is illegal and if caught expect a good amount of legal ramifications. It is against the law to re-stamp or otherwise modify VIN stamp locations. That includes cutting out your old section and welding it onto a better frame. None of us on here want to pay $25k on a rare bronco only to find out the vin was welded in or if the frame has two totally different VINs stamped onto it.
It may take you some time and some traveling but get you a legit frame with matching title. Keep the frame you have now only if you can visually make out the stamped VINs. If you can’t see the stamped VINs in on of maybe three areas then you may need to trash it.

Click to expand...

What does one do if buying a new frame? I always wondered this.

5001craig said:

What does one do if buying a new frame? I always wondered this.

Click to expand...

Just know that each state is different. Also know each DMV in each state is different. Your question has come up a lot over the years bc JBG and Krawlers Edge produce and sell replacement frames. And these frames are super nice if you are in a pinch like the OP. I’d go down to your local dmv and get their advice, show them your frame. All they care about is the stamped vin. Ask them about buying an aftermarket frame. They may sure but you may need to keep your old frame, a part of your old frame or just the area with the stamped vin. As long as you can run a history chk on your vin and it comes back clean I don’t see an issue.
Many of us on here will say they won’t sell their bronco. But there are some that will have to due to life’s curve balls. It was a tuff decision but I had to sell my dads 76 he gave me (house roof began to leak and AC unit died). I learned a lot during the selling process. I also learned a lot about the vin as it relates to South Carolina. SC wants to see the stamped VINs when registering my name to the title. They will not go off of the glove box door (as some states dmvs do). I asked about shorty frames and getting a Krawlers Edge frame they said I could as long as I kept the original frame with stamp VINs intact. They said doing this I should not have any problems selling the bronco to anyone in any other state as long as I keep the original frame with the bronco. So keep up with your original frame as it may become important if you or someone in your familiar gets in a bind and has to sell. I won’t have a problem buying a good bronco with a Krawlers Edge frame as long as the original frame came with it. SC will allow me to register it in my name and I’m on my way in 30 minutes. I will have problems buying an out of state bronco with “matching title” even though the seller can’t prove the vin is actually there. He may have the glovebox door with warrantee tag but in SC that won’t fly. SC will want to see the vin and the process of registering it in my name may take days or weeks or even months OR worse never. Could you imagine paying $20k on a bronco on eBay and not being able to register it in your name once you got it home?!?! It happens a lot. Buyers need to study up and ask those questions. Having a legit & legible stamped vin will work n any state.

/\/\
To add to that; the different states DMVs know that other states do not all do it the same.
Some states treat vehicles from some other states as suspected to be stolen until proven otherwise because of this.

Frame looks thin, but I cannot put hole in it with ball pin hammer

I recall hearing somewhere that West Coast Bronco gets the original frames that ICON replaces when doing their builds. Of course, it could just be a rumor since I have never actually seen it with my own eyes.

West Coast has some ok frames between $500 - $1000 but they don't come with a tittle so you have to deal with a different VIN. As stated above I would go to your DMV and ask them how to handle replacing your frame, your is obviously rotted and needs to be replaced. My gut says if you find a frame from the same year as your car you might find it easier since it is associated with your VIN year. That is what I learned from the CA Highway Patrol.... Good luck.

It is super easy for any good welder to cut out the section of the frame with a VIN and put that in to another frame. That's what I've done to transfer a valid VIN that I had title for to a frame that I had no title for.

Another option for the OP might be to graft the rear half or 3/4 of a good frame to the front half or quarter of his rusted out frame.

Crawdad said:

Nothing wrong with getting a better frame from another year. If fact I would highly encourage it by the looks of those pics. If it were me find a good frame that has a matching title.

Click to expand...

Most definitely.... be easier for sure

bmc69 said:

It is super easy for any good welder to cut out the section of the frame with a VIN and put that in to another frame. That's what I've done to transfer a valid VIN that I had title for to a frame that I had no title for.

Click to expand...

I agree with ya, it would be so easy to cut and add a stamped vin. I mentioned this to my dmv and they said no and that it’s illegal. They said I’m altering the frame and it’s original vin location. I asked how would they know and they said they have cameras. They said no one can go inside the frame and fix the backside welds.

I guess if I paid $40k for a super rare bronco only to find a grafted-in stamped vin I’d feel a lil cheated and I’d want my money back.

bmc69 said:

It is super easy for any good welder to cut out the section of the frame with a VIN and put that in to another frame. That's what I've done to transfer a valid VIN that I had title for to a frame that I had no title for.

Another option for the OP might be to graft the rear half or 3/4 of a good frame to the front half or quarter of his rusted out frame.

Click to expand...

Those are exactly the ways chop shops (professional auto thieves) do it.

I doubt anyone could ever determine my frame was retsamped, but I also have the title to the donor vehicle. In Ca. you can file for a new title if you have an older vehicle without a title. DMV or law enforcement officer will have to verify VIN #. If that is an option in your state, you could go with the number on your donor frame and have a new glove box tag made by marti auto works.