Not every rodder-to-be is going to tackle a ground-up hot rod build that includes fabricating a chassis or frame from scratch-especially a first-timer. Luckily the aftermarket is rife with quality offerings in this respect, and purchasing a perimeter frame or chassis package is an affordable option that goes a long way in our quest for instant gratification with our hot rod projects. Leaving frame and/or chassis engineering and fabrication to a professional is an easy and really cost-effective method for jump-starting a project -especially when compared to the outlay required to purchase a turnkey hot rod.
The subject of this Saturday assembly chore is my brand-spankin'-new Street Rod Engineering Model A frame. SRE frame and complete chassis packages are the result of 20-plus years of street rod chassis-fabrication experience, and the company's 2x4x.120 rectangular tube construction will make a fine foundation for my next build-a '29 A pickup.
With this in mind, I decided to turn to a professional to supply me with the foundation for my next hot rod project rather than go through the tribulations of chassis building like I did with my Homebuilt Hot Rod. To this end, I shopped around quite a bit, which was actually a pretty tough job in itself, as there are a lot of quality manufacturers out there making some really nice products. This time around, though, I chose to deal with Tom Pierce of Street Rod Engineering/Bruiser Enterprises over In Lake Havasu City, Arizona. SRE has been fabricating frames, chassis, and IFS systems for 20 years, and I'm familiar with the company's selection, quality, and service. In addition, the fact that the body for this particular build is a product of SRE's affi liate, Bruiser Enterprises, pretty much made for one-stop shopping in the body and chassis department. Plus, I didn't want a standard, off-the-shelf frame for my Model A-I wanted a frame built to my specs, and SRE was more than happy to oblige.
After discussing my needs and wants with Tom, he got right down to business and stitched together a frame assembly that was exactly what I was looking for. A few weeks later, he gave me a shout and told me my frame was ready for pickup (luckily I'm only five hours or so from the shop, so picking up the frame was an option for me). I made the trip out to SRE a few days later, happily snagged my treasure, and beat feet back to the nInland Empire-ready to get to work.
With a high-quality, professionally built frame assembly in hand, and most of the needed accessories on hand as well, I was ready to pre-assemble my newly acquired components into a rolling chassis. So, follow along and see just how quick and easy assembling a hot rod foundation can be when you start out with quality components, SRE's 20-plus years of chassis-fabrication expertise, and a slew of aftermarket components behind you.
