looking to replace my rusty frame. Located a 65 cutlass 4 speed frame, but the rear upper control arm mount does not have the four sets of holes like a 442. It does have the Z bar bracket.

question is; would this 65 4 speed frame have the same part number at the rear exhaust hanger area as a 64 442 frame and can i just drill the non existing holes in the 65 frame to match my 64 frame.

 

http://442restoration.homestead.com/442BRO_Frames.html


Factory manual trans 65 A body Ive seen has the so called "442" frame. Check the welds around the Z bracket and everything else on bros page in regards to the 442 frame atributes. There are more to them than just the holes in the rear mount braces.

 

thx tk65 for the ref. I too thought all 64 65 cutlass 4 speed or 3 speed cars had the 442 frame. Not the case according to your BRO reference . I will look for a 442 auto frame and just weld the Z bar bracket then; as 442 cars got the extra holes for the 12 bolt rear option and the non welded front rail. but if the frame has the continuous rail with no weld maybe i can just drill the four holes and use that frame.

 

All manual transmission a bodies including 4 doors used the 442 frame. The holes, the gussets, the one piece side rails etc. May not have same part numbers on rear rail but physically there is no difference. We really don't know why the extra holes are there because olds didn't offer a 12 bolt rear end.

 

The frame differences, other than presence of the welded tab for the Z bar, are merely the differences between the A.O. Smith frame and the Pontiac frame. Both suppliers were used by Olds, but afaik the Smith was used on manual trans cars. For example, I know of a 66 442 automatic car that came with the Pontiac frame.

 

Also, at least in that time period, all the Olds convertible frames that I have seen came from Smith.