Frame issue big or small?

[jbruce4390]

So I finally got the cab, engine and bed off my 67' F100 and found something I one somehow hadn't seen before and two don't know how to go about fixing. The second cross member back has been hacked off. This is my first ever rebuild and I need some advice on how to proceed. I plan on keeping the 302 that was in it and adding a top loader 4 speed. The options that I can think of are find a donor truck grind the rivets off and replace them with bolts, fabricate my own replacement, or find another frame. I don't know how much this cross member matters in terms of support, but being where it is located and how big it is I don't really want to leave it out. Here are some pics of the problem.

[tac]

It's needed if you keep the the Twin I-beam suspension.

[HIO Silver]

No need to ditch the frame. I'd either fabricate a crossmember or find a member in here or FTE who is gonna scrap a truck and request the part.

[jbruce4390]

That is what I figured. I appreciate the advice. I'm probably going to try and find a scrap one to use cause my fab skills aren't on that level right now since it ties into the suspension and cab mounts. Plus I don't have equipment large enough to work the plate steel.

[tac]

I just cut one out a couple of weeks ago that you might be able to weld in.

[jbruce4390]

Thanks, but I already got a line on one in town that I'm going to rip out this weekend.

[jbruce4390]

So there is it completed. If you ever have to pull one of these it seems that 71 and up were bolted and 70 down were riveted on the bottom.