Frame Rails on my 80 Regal

[1980buickregal2]

Hello everyone, I just wanted to get some expert input on my car. I bought it on Ebay and the owner claimed there was not any rust other than on the bumper.. Wow was she off... the rear frame rails are totally rotten, basically from where the curve comes down from the wheel well. What can be done about this? I would love to fix this car but I have been told its only good for parts now. Any suggestions would be appreciated! thanks in advance

 

[Silent viewer]

its fixable. you have a few options, you can find some salvage yard frame rails and have them welded in, you could make your own or there is a guy in canada that makes replacement frame rails. or swap the whole frame. make sure your body mounts are still intact and still strrong, if they are gone then it would be too big of a project for most people. good luck!

 

[1980buickregal2]

Replace frame rails

Thanks for the advice... does anyone know what year(s) would be a match for the 80 Regal? Do all the G Body cars 1978-1987 have the same ones? T

 

[85 Cutlass Brougham]

Pretty much all of them would interchange. The only possible exceptions would be the El Camino and maybe the wagons. I would try to get one off a 1978-80 model as it's pretty much a guaranteed fit.

 

[joe_padavano]

El Camino frames are different - longer wheel base and different body mount locations. The wagons use the same wheelbase but different body mounts. Bottom line is any 78-88 sedan or coupe will work.

 

[Uncletruck]

Joe gave me this link a few months ago:

http://www3.sympatico.ca/conradlozier/

I am going to buy a set of these for my '81 Malibu wagon and install them over the winter. It looks like a fairly straightforward cut and weld job. Rot on this secton of the frame is very common to the G bodies, that area of the frame was made really thin to save weight.

-UT-

 

[Trends]

I live near this guy in woodstock ont who makes these frfame rails.. there pretty good ones iv heard. I myself use to change these rotten frame rails and the yrs are not all the same even in the mid to late 80's. You should get good used frame end cuts from exact yr you have iv learned , saves alot of time.

 

[jerrycad472]

Not sure where you are located, but there was a guy selling a g-body frame in the Detroit Area Craig's List in the last week.

 

[RITTER]

I would say cutting them out and welding in new pieces would be the easiest way!