I plan to build a street rod with a 300 lb v6 engine. I am going to do a ladder frame with a modified double wishbone setup and a live axle rear. Total weight should be 1200 lbs with composite body.
What size tubing would be best for 2 main rails and cross rails. I am thinking 2" .095 wall or 50mmx2.5mm.

Any thoughts?

That sounds a bit skimpy to me for a two mail rail ladder frame...I'd be looking at more like 4" diameter 1/8"wall or 4 x 2 x 1/8 if using rectangular.

Alan

factory five uses 4"x.120 dom, and they have quite a bit of extra triangulation.

I was hoping to get by with something lighter due to using lighter components, and a spaceframe is not gonna cut it for this design.

I thought about doing a "stacked" ladder frame, with basically 2 ladder frames, then triangulated, merging closer through the driveshaft tunnel. This way I could still bolt on a complete body.

my chassis is made of 2" tube, but is a full space frame, and will run a 3ltr V6. for the main rails on a ladder chassis, i'd got 4" too

Description

[Edited on 17/7/07 by blakep82]

I would use 4" x 2" box section, much easier to fabricate, just straight cuts with no notching to fit. Also much easier to do X brase, whatever. IMHO Ray