My 53 Champion has a thin frame (.078) the 1954 and up V* frmaes from what I understand have a heavier (.120) frame.
Since I will be running in E/CGALT class I can modify or replace the frame.
I to will not trust the thin frame, so I am smoking over several ideas (none of which are cheap since I can not do any welding myself) man I could have saved a ton of $ on my last 2 projects if I could only weld.
1. I can take .125 thick C chanel and weld over the existing hat chanel of the main rails, graft a new rear section with ladder bars or 4 link/panhard setup and coilovers.
and then use either a dropped straight axle with leaf springs, or Mustang II or aftermarket IFS with coilovers up front.
2. I could have someone build a boxed frame front to rear all new.
3. I could get one of the Nascar or chassis shops around here to build me a straight rail main rail chassis with full tube cage, but them guys don't useually biuld door cars ?
Still in the design stage, but have the car and the motor, just waiting till November to get started.
Charles