Hole in frame rail...

[TopBanana72]

Hi , I am doing some suspension work and found a small hole in the front frame rail near the brake line area, I took a screwdriver and punched around to get it the size it is in the picture. All other metal around it is solid as is the whole frame rail and the other rails on the car are solid. There is a similar very small hole on the other front side in the exact same place.

I'm not too concerned as the car is pretty solid all the way around, but I would like opinions about how to repair?

 

[440 4 speed]

If both rails match, I would think it is factory.

 

[1 Wild R/T]

Thats not factory....

The metal looks puffy where I put the square..
Also poke around on the top of the rail where the arrow is pointing... Theres a pocket up there that traps debris & tends to rust...

 

[Beekeeper]

View attachment 944886 Thats not factory....

The metal looks puffy where I put the square..
Also poke around on the top of the rail where the arrow is pointing... Theres a pocket up there that traps debris & tends to rust...

your pic is MIA well I can see it now that I quoted you.

 

[R413]

Yes check the cavity, it does fill up. It looks like it is rusted through at your holes.

Those areas highlighted with the black square are the welded on brackets for the bump stop and brake line tab, then undercoated over.

here is a factory photo before paint of a 1971 b-body before it was painted.

 

[dvw]

pound on it with a hamer. Does it fall apart? If so cut it out and patch it.
I've fixed several that had nothing more than a mouse nest in them. There is a brace inside the rail right at that area. It may have junk trapped there.
Easy fix if you can weld.
Doug

 

[Beekeeper]

Example of what can come out of frame rails I cleaned this out of one rail

 

[TopBanana72]

Example of what can come out of frame rails I cleaned this out of one rail
View attachment 944977

Wow! Yes there is stuff like that in there. Looks like small gravel.

 

[Beekeeper]

Unfortunately I have a slight case of OCD so needless to say I had to have the inside of my rails clean

 

[TopBanana72]

pound on it with a hamer. Does it fall apart? If so cut it out and patch it.
I've fixed several that had nothing more than a mouse nest in them. There is a brace inside the rail right at that area. It may have junk trapped there.
Easy fix if you can weld.
Doug

Yes check the cavity, it does fill up. It looks like it is rusted through at your holes.

Those areas highlighted with the black square are the welded on brackets for the bump stop and brake line tab, then undercoated over.

here is a factory photo before paint of a 1971 b-body before it was painted.

View attachment 944905

Neat!

 

[69MikeRT]

When I weld on mine I usually have to endure smoke due to all the seeds from rodents. That looks like a drilled hole. Bust the stuff up with a screw driver and put some vacuum to it and see what happens.