Looking for a service letter on frame repair

[DieselJim]

Doing a body off restoration on a 62 Daytona conv. Found the lower plate cracked at the rear rivet on the front crossmember. Used search function and found nothing. Jim

[Welcome]

Doing a body off restoration on a 62 Daytona conv. Found the lower plate cracked at the rear rivet on the front crossmember. Used search function and found nothing. Jim

Sorry, I don't have a "Service Letter" covering that. If you have the frame assembly sandblasted, as I did the Hawk, all the cracks will be apparent on close examination.

[N8N]

The only service letter I can think of related to this addresses cracking around the holes to mount the inner shaft for the upper control arm. A '62 should already have a reinforcement plate in that area from the factory.

nate

[Warren Webb]

That area is a common place for cracking. Sandblast the area, weld making sure there is plenty of heat for good penetration and weld the entire crossmember to side rail where it is connected. A good idea may be to grind the head of the rivets off leaving the rivet in the hole and welding that area completly. This should eliminate any movement that the rivets allow.

[StudeRich]

I think the Factory fix was a NEW FRAME! I have notes from the Parts dept. of a Dealer in the Frames section of a original copy of the '59-'64 Studebaker Chassis Parts Catalog, noting which frames were sold out, and which Taxi, Export, H.D. etc. frames and others that will cross over to a 4 Dr. Sedan frame to use.

Which makes me think that possibly some of the longer wheelbase 113 in. frames had failed, and also possibly some high mileage cars.

The pre-'62's before they switched to 11 ga. frame rails would also be more of a problem especially the 2 Dr. Sedans which use the lightest (13 & 14 ga. frames.