Instr_book__07#2.

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CH01,2
SERIES

CH03
SERIES

RATCO FRAME
INFORMATIONAL BOOKLET
CH01 Series - TR250, 5, 6
CH02 Series - TR4A IRS
CH03 Series - TR2, 3, 3B, 4 and
4A Solid Rear Axle
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

ITEM PAGE
HISTORY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
PRODUCTION JIGS AND FIXTURES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
SHORT COMING OF THE STOCK FRAME DESIGN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
IMPROVEMENTS PROVIDED IN RATCO FRAMES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
REAR SWING ARM MOUNTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
FRONT LOWER WISHBONE MOUNTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
IMPROVED MOTOR MOUNTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
STEERING RACK MOUNT ASSEMBLY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
T-SHIRT MID FRAME SUPPORT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
REAR SPRING TOWER/DIF. MOUNT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
REAR DIFFERENTIAL SUPPORT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
CH02 SERIES FRAMES (TR4A IRS). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
CHO3 SERIES FRAMES (TR1, TR3, TR3A, TR4, TR4A SRA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
SHORTCOMINGS OF THE ORIGINAL DESIGN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
IMPROVEMENTS IN DESIGN (TR2 TO TR4 CHASSIS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
MAIN RAILS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
STEERING RACK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
X-BOX SECTION (CH03 SERIES). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
REAR LEVER SHOCK MOUNTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
FRONT SPRING MOUNTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
FRONT SPRING TOWER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
MISCELLANEOUS PHOTOS (CH03 SERIES) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
FINE DETAILS & SPECS FOR ALL SERIES FRAMES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
STRESS POINT GUSSETING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
PASS THROUGH REINFORCEMENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
BLIND NUTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
INSTALLATION INSTRUCTION MANUAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
BRAKE LINE SUPPORT BRACKETS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
MATERIALS LIST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHTS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
DESCRIPTION OF OPTIONAL ITEMS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
FRAME FINISH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
RUST PROOFING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
SHOCK IN COIL CONVERSION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
TUBE SHOCK BRACKETS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
REAR SWAY BAR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
FRONT SWAY BAR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
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RATCO
FRAME INFORMATION PACKAGE
SERIES CH01, CH02, CH03
H I S TO RY
T h e c o n c e p t o f b u i l d i n g a n d s e l l i n g n e w f r a m e s f o r Tr i u m p h s p o r t
c a r s g r e w f r o m a t e c h p r o j e c t o f t h e L o n g I s l a n d Tr i u m p h A s s o c i a t i o n
in the early winter of 2002. The club had a ‘donor ’ TR6 and a large
i n v e n t o r y o f s p a r e p a r t s a n d p i e c e s . T h e i d e a , i n s p i r e d b y t h e c l u b ’s
Te c h n i c a l C o o r d i n a t o r A n t h o n y Vi g l i o t t i , w a s a g r o u n d u p c o m p l e t e
restoration with an unusual twist: Make the car six inches wider! This
would give the TR6 a distinctive look, more interior shoulder room,
and a wider wheel base for better stability and handling. It also
p r o v i d e d t h e r o o m t o i n s t a l l t h e a l u m i n u m R o v e r V 8 t h a t To n y j u s t
happened to have sitting around. The TR6 plus 6 project was born.
T h e f i r s t j o b w a s t o s t r i p d o w n t h e d o n o r a n d h o i s t t h e b o d y o ff t h e
frame. Ouch! It was soon obvious that there was a major problem…
The thirty year old frame was a mess. The swing arm mounting rails
were very badly rusted and many places on the forward rails were
rusted through in critical spots. There was no way the frame could be
reliably repaired and reinforced much less cut in half and widened six
inches.
The decision to build a new frame from scratch was easily made
and the TR6 plus 6 project began with the new frame as the first major
goal. One year later it was finished and a rolling chassis, complete
with the Rover V8, was assembled in time for the Roadster Factory
S u m m e r P a r t y. T h e w i d e n e d r o l l i n g c h a s s i s w a s f l a t t o w e d t o t h e e v e n t
a n d w a s p l a c e d o n d i s p l a y i n t h e R o a d s t e r F a c t o r y ’s m a i n b u i l d i n g a n d
quickly became a favorite among the spectators. The most common
questions were “why are you doing this” and the second was “How can
I g e t o n e f o r m y r e s t o r a t i o n p r o j e c t ” . We l l i f y o u h a v e t o a s k ‘ w h y ’ y o u
just wouldn’t understand the answer and at that time the building of
frames for sale was not even
contemplated. Over the next
t w o y e a r s To n y f o u n d h i m s e l f
building two more frames for
other projects. It was obvious
that interest in new frames was
out there. It looked like a
commercial enterprise would fly
and he enjoyed the work. That
and a real desire to keep the
Tr i u m p h m a r q u e e a l i v e l e d t o t h e
founding of the frame division of
R AT C O I n c .
TR6 Plus 6 Rolling Chassis

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R AT C O ’ S P R O D U C T I O N J I G S A N D F I X T U R E S

The entire project hinges around the ability to build accurate jigs
and fixtures upon which to assemble, align and weld the myriad of
components necessary to complete the frame. For this purpose a
frame that was found to be square and true to the original dimensions
and whose history was documented, was used as a model to build the
j i g s n o w i n u s e t o d a y. E s s e n t i a l l y, t h e m o d e l f r a m e w a s p e r c h e d u p o n
a rigid steel base made of 5 inch channel and 3X3 box steel uprights
and when leveled and secured, it was surrounded by angled steel
which was cut or bent to match every detail of the frames shape and
welded into place. Next, Jig fitment points of all the models brackets
and ancillary components were made, precisely located and added to
the Jig. Finally separate Jigs were fabricated to duplicate the details
a n d d i m e n s i o n s o f t h e r e a r s p r i n g t o w e r s , d i ff e r e n t i a l s u p p o r t s a n d t h e
f r o n t s t e e r i n g r a c k m o u n t a s s e m b l y. A t t h i s p o i n t t h e J i g g i n g b u i l d
process was essentially complete and ready for test. New 3X3 box
steel pieces were measured, documented, cut and placed in the new
Jig perfectly duplicating the model. Once the dimensions, elevations
and position of the frame were checked and rechecked against the
m o d e l , t h e e n t i r e s t r u c t u r e w a s w e l d e d t o g e t h e r. T h e n o w c o m p l e t e
base frame underwent a final inspection and for the ultimate test a
true and square TR6 body was dropped on it to assure that the frame
was complete and that the mounting brackets were in alignment.
Perfect!

After the body was removed the frame was replaced in the jig
a n d t h e n e w l y f a b r i c a t e d c o m p o n e n t s ( t o w e r s , d i ff e r e n t i a l s u p p o r t s ,
steering and suspension mounting points etc.) were welded in place.
Once finished a second and third frame were built in this same essen-
tial manner but now all dimensional parts are cut from drawings creat-
ed using sophisticated computer assisted design (CAD) software and
the folded steel components are cut with a CNC plasma cutter also
using the same CAD package . The results are beautifully precise.
The Jigs, fixtures, drawings, processes and procedures are now a
p r o v e n r e a l i t y.

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S H O R T C O M I N G O F T H E S TO C K F R A M E D E S I G N

E v e r y o n e w h o o w n s a Tr i u m p h f o r a n y l e n g t h o f t i m e s o o n l e a r n s
of the failures and shortcomings of the cars design with the frame
right at the top of the list. It must be said that these frames have
stood up surprisingly well for having been made so long ago with less
than quality materials and no attempt at rust proofing. Still many have
endured for 40 + years and some will go on for much longer in faithful
service to there loving owners. Still others will not make it much
longer and many should not be in service at all.

The original frame was made of sheet metal bent into “C” chan-
n e l s . Tw o s i z e s w e r e m a d e . O n e w a s d e e p d r a w n m e a s u r i n g 3 i n c h e s
tall and 2.75 inches deep (approximately!!) and the other was 2.875
inches tall and .75 inches deep. The smaller channel was placed into
the larger and the resulting lip was spot welded every 1/2 inch (or so!)
along its length. The resulting box was cut to length and, if necessary
the pieces were bent to shape before being welded together to form
t h e f i n a l b a s e f r a m e a s s e m b l y. T h e t o w e r s , b r a c k e t s a n d m o u n t i n g s
were all stamped from 12 gauge (.090) steel then assembled and
mounted on the base frame using electric spot welds or full pass arc
welds.

The result was an impressively strong chassis that caused some

journalists in that day to say that the car seemed to be machined out
of one solid piece of metal and others to say that it was the most rigid
sports car available. It was all that, but time has a way of sapping the
strength out of most everything.

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The assembly technique of using sandwiched steel channels

might have been economical and expedient but it made for pockets in
the sandwiched metal to fill with water and eventually rust. The
Tr i u m p h e n g i n e e r s f a i l e d t o p l a c e w e e p h o l e s i n t h e c o r r e c t s p o t s o n
the chassis which would have allowed water to exit. There was no
rust-proofing applied other than areas of extreme stress were not
properly reinforced, if at all. Add thirty or forty years to these design
flaws and eventually serious problems will occur in many critical loca-
tions; with the rear swing arm and the lower front wishbone mounts
being the most prone to rust and failure . Bodies sag on weakened
frames and doors began not to close. Bumper brackets lose their
mounting points to rust and A and B posts brake from their mounts due
the flex in the chassis. Hang around these cars long enough and you
will see all the failures in due time.

I M P R O V E M E N T S P R O V I D E D I N R AT C O F R A M E S

R E A R S W I N G A R M M O U N T S : F i r s t o ff t h e r e a r s w i n g a r m m o u n t s a r e
completely redesigned with modern materials. Their size has been
made smaller measuring 2X3 rather than the 3X3. Also, they are now
m a d e w i t h . 11 9 t h i c k s t e e l ( 11 G A . ) .

The smaller cross section dimensions and thicker material, increases

t h e s t r u c t u r a l r i g i d i t y t r e m e n d o u s l y. T h e t u b u l a r s e c t i o n s h a v e b l i n d
nuts welded to the inboard outside surface for ease in assembly and
the through-bolt holes are reinforced along their length with tubular
steel spacers. These spacers insure that the box structure will not col-
lapse over time under the strain of the swing arm movements and over
tightened bolts.

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FRONT LOWER WISHBONE MOUNTS: The lower wishbone mounts are

m a d e o f 2 X 2 11 g a . t u b i n g . T h e r e a r m o s t m o u n t s a r e r e i n f o r c e d b y t h e
vertical member of the redesigned motor mounts. The forward mounts
are reinforced by welding them to the steering rack mount which in
turn reinforces both assemblies. The robust material and attention to
stress points makes this arrangement extremely strong. The original
mounts were not reinforced from the factory on the early cars and
required field installed gussets as reinforcements within a short period
o f t i m e . T h e l a t e r m o d e l T R 6 c a r s w e r e g u s s e t e d a t t h e f a c t o r y.

Lower Wishbone Mounts Lower Wishbone Mounts &

CH01 and CH02 Series Motor Mounts for
CH03 Series

NOTE: The superior structure for lower wishbone mounts

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I M P R O V E D M O TO R M O U N T S : O r i g i n a l m o t o r m o u n t s h a v e a t e n d e n c y
t o c r a c k a t t h e u p p e r w e l d l i n e o n t h e s h o c k t o w e r. T h e f a i l u r e i s
rarely catastrophic but it is unnerving to find cracks in the bracket
h o l d i n g y o u r e n g i n e i n p l a c e . T h e R AT C O d e s i g n f o r t h e e n g i n e
mounts incorporate support legs that extend down from the mount and
are welded to the frame rail adjacent to the rear lower wishbone
mounts. In this way the weight of the engine is supported by the frame
rails, the shock towers and the lower wishbone mounts and all support
o n e a n o t h e r. T h e m o u n t s a r e m a d e o f 1 0 g a . ( . 1 3 1 i n c h ) s t e e l p l a t e .

S T E E R I N G R A C K M O U N T A S S E M B LY: T h e s t e e r i n g r a c k m o u n t i s
made of 12ga. steel and is formed to provide superior strength as
compared to the original. It is now attached to the front lower wish-
bone mount as well and has cutouts for application of the steering
rack mounting brackets.

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STEERING RACK CH01 SERIES STEERING RACK CH03 SERIES

T- S H I R T M I D F R A M E S U P P O R T: T h e m i d f r a m e “ T- s h i r t ” , a s i t i s
sometimes called because of its shape, has been redesigned and
made more functional than the original. The upper t-shirt is welded to
the frame and the swing arm rails. The added material at the swing
arm rails reinforces the mounting points at the inboard frame rail. The
l o w e r T- s h i r t i s b o l t e d t o t h e f r a m e r a i l s a n d i s r e m o v a b l e . T h i s w a s
d o n e t o m a k e i n s t a l l a t i o n o f m u ff l e r s y s t e m s e a s y a s c o m p a r e d t o
t h r e a d i n g b e n t m u ff l e r p i p e s t h r o u g h t h e s m a l l o p e n i n g . S t r u c t u r a l
integrity is maintained by using 14ga. steel (.076 inch) instead of
sheet metal as in the original. The t-shirts are formed in such a way
as not to allow water to accumulate in low spots.

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R E A R S P R I N G TO W E R / D I F F E R E N T I A L M O U N T S : T h i s e n t i r e s t r u c -
ture has been redesigned as the original was plagued with many prob-
lems. The original mounting pin arrangement has been maintained but
has been made incredibly strong with the use of heavier gauge materi-
als. The mounting pins are full .625 inch thick solid bars with threaded
e n d s t o a c c o m m o d a t e t h e d i ff e r e n t i a l m o u n t i n g b u s h i n g s . T h e y a r e
welded at four locations along their travel through the top surface of
the tower and lower mounting plate. The surfaces cannot hold water at
any location which solves major problem of the original design which
allowed water to accumulate and prematurely rust the mounting points.

The towers shape is unique and comes predrilled for the instal-
lation of the optional upper mounted sway bar for shock in coil conver-
sions. They are made of 10ga. steel (.131 inches) and are cold formed
a n d w e l d e d f o r r i g i d i t y. T h e v e r t i c a l s u p p o r t s p a s s t h r o u g h t h e t o w e r ’s
cross-member slots with 2 inch tabs as extensions on the uprights.
These tabs are welded across the top for added structural support.
Strength and versatility are the keynotes of the spring towers design.

R E A R D I F F E R E N T I A L S U P P O R T: The last vertical member of the frame

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assembly is the tower which secures the rear of the differential and is the
mounting point of the lever shock brackets. As with the spring tower/differ-
ential mount, the securing pins on the stock frames often broke free of the
cross-member. Also the material used in its construction was too weak to
maintain its integrity and prematurely succumbed to torque, vibration and
rust. RATCO’s rear differential mounts are 2X3, 11ga. tubular steel and the
mounting pins are the same .625 steel rods used in the forward spring
tower. These towers supporting the rear of the differential are more than
capable of sustaining increased torque created by engine modifications and
are certainly a major improvement over the original folded sheet metal
design.

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CH02 SERIES FRAME FOR TR4A IRS

CH03 SERIES FRAMES FOR TR2, TR3, TR3A, TR4, TR4A
(SRA)

After the introduction of the series CH01 frames for the TR250/6 IRS
cars, work began on the balance of the TR lines for TR2 thru TR4. The
CH02 series frames are specifically for the TR4A IRS cars and are
almost identical to the CH01 (TR250/6) except for the front steering
r a c k m o u n t s . T h e s e r a c k s c a m e i n d i ff e r e n t f o r m s o v e r t h e c a r s p r o -
duction life and with these changes in mind, we had to give it its own
series to distinguish them from the other IRS cars. The CH03 series
encompasses everything from TR2 thru TR4 solid rear axle (SRA).
E s s e n t i a l l y t h e d i ff e r e n c e s b e t w e e n t h e T R 2 t o T R 4 c a r s a r e d i ff e r -
e n c e s i n t h e t y p e , p l a c e m e n t a n d l o c a t i o n o f t h e d i ff e r e n t b r a c k e t s
u s e d o n e a c h m o d e l n u m b e r a n d y e a r. O u r p r o d u c t i o n m o d e l s a r e a l l
made on the same jigs and fixtures and at a point in the production
the correct brackets are added to make the model type correct.

SHORT COMINGS OF THE ORIGINAL DESIGN

The early TR series cars before the introduction of the IRS models had
some design deficiencies that have become apparent over the years.
We m u s t s a y h o w e v e r t h a t t h e s e f r a m e s w e r e l e s s p r o n e t o r u s t t h a n
the TR250/6 design. The reason is possibly because the TR2-4 frames
were continuous tubes with no blind ends and therefore allowed water
and air to pass right through. TR250/6 frames had two blind ends and
allowed water to accumulate and air could not pass through to dry the
interiors. That being a positive they still had design flaws which
became apparent over the years.
The main rails are the same design later used in the IRS cars
and in that are structurally inadequate in high stress areas. The
m o u n t i n g a r o u n d t h e s t e e r i n g r a c k a s s e m b l y, t h e r e a r l e v e r s h o c k
mounts and the rear spring shackles are frequent points of failure.
Also the x-box center section at the intersection of the rails accumu-
lated water and debris and rotted out long before the other compo-
nents. Another bone of contention was the forward spring mount pins
became rusted in place and the pins could not be removed without
destroying the surrounding material. These are the major complaints
a s i d e f o r m l a c k o f s t r u c t u r a l s t i ff n e s s a n d a l l i t e m s a n d m o r e w e r e
addressed in our frame redesign.

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IMPROVEMENTS IN DESIGN FOR THE TR2 TO TR4 CHASSIS

MAIN RAILS
T h e m a i n f r a m e r a i l s a r e t h e s a m e 3 X 3 , 11 g a . b o x s e c t i o n w e l d -
e d s t e e l t u b i n g u s e d s u c c e s s f u l l y i n t h e e a r l i e r T R 2 5 0 / 6 d e s i g n . To
g i v e y o u s o m e m e a s u r e o f r i g i d i t y, w h e n t h e 3 X 3 b o x s t e e l w a s t e s t e d
in compression, it withstood 6 tons of pressure at the weld seams
before deflection of the material was detected. The best original frame
m a t e r i a l w e c o u l d f i n d w i t h s t o o d o n l y 1 . 2 5 t o n s b e f o r e d e f l e c t i o n . We
can interpolate that a new section out of the factory might have
endured 2.2 tons of pressure at a weld seam. With this in mind it is
not hard to imagine that the critical components such as steering
racks, shock mounts and spring mounting points are better secured
with this modern material.

STEERING RACK
The steering racks are made of 10 gage cold rolled steel sheet
cut and formed to meet the original dimensional requirements. They
are gusseted and reinforced with steel plate and a steel tube with a
.100 wall thickness. The tube connects the rack mounts together and
also acts as the body and radiator mounts. The mounting holes are
ovaled for easy alignment with the steering shaft and the firewall pass
through.

S T E E R I N G R A C K A S S E M B LY C H 0 3 S E R I E S F R A M E S .

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X- BOX SECTION
The x- box section at the intersection of the inner frame rails is
responsible as the exhaust system to pass through and anti twist rein-
forcing structure. As mentioned, this structure accumulated water and
debris and rotted before it time. Our design allows for easy water
ingress and egress and is built of substantially thicker material than
the original. The openings that allow the exhaust system to pass
through are as large as the area will allow and is comprised of one
large oval opening, in and out, instead of two small openings to facili-
t a t e t h e e x h a u s t p i p e s e a s i l y.

X-BOX SECTION OF CH03 SERIES FRAMES

N O T E L A R G E O VA L O P E N I N G
REAR LEVER SHOCK MOUNTS
Notorious for cracking at the mating lines with the rails, these
brackets have been replaced with substantial steel bracketry and are
welded securely to the 3X3 box steel rails. Robust gussets are placed
on the rear of the units to stop twisting and eventual breaking of the
bracket. The material is 10ga. (.140 thick) folded steel plate.

LEVER SHOCK MOUNT AND FRONT

SPRING MOUNT FOR SERIES CH03 FRAMES

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FRONT SPRING MOUNTS

The front spring mounts and the spring shackle pin are replaced
with a simpler design using a 7 inch long 5/8dia. bolt as the main
c h a r a c t e r. I t s l i p s t h r o u g h a s t e e l t u b e w h i c h i s g u s s e t e d t o t h e f r a m e
inside and outside for strength. This should be installed with anti-
cease compound so that it can be easily removed for service when
needed.
The bolt head can be secured with a box wrench while securing the
r e t a i n i n g n u t f o r t h e s p r i n g i n p l a c e . S e e p h o t o a b o v e a n d b e l o w.

F O RWA R D R E A R S P R I N G M O U N T I N G P I N A N D R E A R B O D Y M O U N T
PIN FOR CH03 SERIES FRAMES

F R O N T S P R I N G TO W E R
Our front spring towers are made of 10ga. folded steel plate with
completed encased fulcrum pins. The vertical column of the tower is
really a 2/3 box section steel tube that is cut to shape and surround-
ed by the material that makes up the engine mounts, the upper ful-
crum mounts and the engine cross-member mounts. The fulcrum pins
are .625 thick and are reinforced with an .875dia steel tube which
passes through the tower structure and is welded and gusseted in
place. This entire arrangement is nothing like the original in terms of
r i g i d i t y. T h i s a s s e m b l y w i l l n o t t w i s t u n d e r t h e m o s t a r d e n t c o n d i t i o n s .

F R O N T TO W E R
A S S E M B LY C H 0 3
SERIES FRAME

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M I S C . P H O TO S C H 0 3 S E R I E S

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F I N E D E TA I L S A N D S P E C I F I C AT I O N S
FOR ALL SERIES FRAMES

STRESS POINT GUSSETING: Those areas of the frame which are

under the most stress are gusseted either internally or externally with
additional steel support. An example of internal gusseting is the joint
just behind the engine mounts and rear lower wishbone mounts. This
rail joint is internally gusseted with steel plates top and bottom. The
lower plate is in tension and the upper plate is in compression comple-
m e n t i n g o n e a n o t h e r s t r u c t u r a l l y.

PA S S T H R O U G H R E I N F O R C E M E N T S : W h e n e v e r a b o l t p a s s e s
through a frame rail, the rail is internally reinforced with a tube run-
ning its length and welded to the outside surfaces of the frame rail.
This prevents the tubing from collapsing and strengthens the mounting
points.

BLIND NUTS: Blind nuts are places in all locations requiring them by
design. Most are full thickness fine threaded hex nuts and are welded
to the frame members or brackets. In places where blind nuts cannot
be welded, compression type blind nuts are used.

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I N S TA L L AT I O N I N S T R U C T I O N M A N U A L : A n i n s t a l l a t i o n m a n u a l i s
provided with each frame addressing all the issues of reassembly with
the new frame. There have been some changes made in the original
factory design in order to facilitate ease of reassembly and future
maintenance. For instance, the front tower cross strut which passes

between the front towers across the engine bay has been moved for-
ward 1/2 inch. This is to facilitate easy removal and replacement of
the pulley belts without having to remove the cross strut to do so.
The note here would be that the brace that mounts to the strut and
secures the radiator will have to be modified by drilling a new hole in
order to accommodate the new strut location. All issues of this type
will be discussed in detail in the instructions.

BRAKE LINE SUPPORT BRACKETS: The brake and fuel lines run
a l o n g t h e i n s i d e f r a m e r a i l s . We h a v e a d d e d a t t a c h m e n t p o i n t s i n
strategic locations along the path which allow the use of nylon wire
ties in order to secure the lines to the frame. This allows a convenient
and readily available method of securing the lines and is easily main-
tained in the future.

C H 0 1 & C H 0 2 S E R I E S M AT E R I A L S L I S T

A l l f r a m e r a i l s e x c e p t f o r t h e s w i n g a r m s u p p o r t r a i l s a r e 3 x 3 11 g a .
( . 11 9 i n c h w a l l ) c o l d r o l l e d w e l d e d s t e e l t u b i n g .

All towerr assemblies are 10ga. (.131 thick) cold rolled steel plate.

Engine mounts, steering rack mounts, radiator/body mounts and trans-

mission mounts are 10ga. cold rolled steel.

T- S h i r t s / m i d f r a m e s u p p o r t s a r e 1 4 g a . ( . 0 7 8 i n c h t h i c k ) c o l d r o l l e d s t e e l
plate.

Body mount brackets are 12ga. (.101 inch thick) cold rolled steel plate

R e a r t r u n k s u p p o r t c r o s s m e m b e r i s 1 . 2 5 x 1 , 2 5 11 g a . c o l ; d r o l l e d w e l d -
ed steel tube.

F r o n t l o w e r w i s h b o n e m o u n t s a r e 2 x 2 11 g a . c o l d r o l l e d w e l d e d s t e e l
tube.

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C H 0 3 S E R I E S M AT E R I A L L I S T

A l l o u t s i d e f r a m e r a i l s a r e 11 g a . 3 X 3 i n c h s t e e l b o x ( . 11 9 w a l l t h i c k -
ness) cold rolled welded steel tubing

T h e x - b o x r a i l s a r e 11 g a . 1 . 5 X 3 i n c h C - c h a n n e l . T h e x - b o x c e n t e r i s
12ga. (.100 inch thick) steel plate.

The all body mounting brackets are 12ga. steel

The lever shock mounts, front towers and and shackle supports are
10ga. steel

A l l c r o s s t u b i n g i s 1 . 2 5 X 1 . 2 5 11 g a . s t e e l t u b i n g

Brake and fuel line connection points are 14ga. (.090 thick)

Steering rack mounts are 10ga. steel

CH01 /CH02 SERIES

DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHTS

WEIGHT OF FINISHED BARE FRAME . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .235 LBS

F O R R E F E R E N C E O U R 1 9 7 2 T R 6 M O D E L F R A M E WA S W E I G H E D AT
1 8 0 L B S A F T E R W E R E M O V E D A L L T H E R U S T A N D D I RT F R O M T H E
I N T E R I O R . W E R E A L LY D O N O T K N O W W H AT A N E W FA C TO RY
F R A M E A C T U A L LY W E I G H E D B U T W E C A N O N LY G U E S S T H AT I T
WA S M O R E T H A N 1 8 0 L B S B E F O R E R U S T R E M O V E D S O M E O F I T S
BULK.

FRAME LENGTH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 ft. 10 inches

W I D T H AT F R O N T S H O C K TO W E R S W I D E S T P O I N T . . . .35.5 inches

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W I D T H AT R E A R S P R I N G / D I F F E R E N T I A L M O U N T . . . . . . 3 9 . 0 i n c h e s

H E I G H T ( M A X ) AT F R O N T TO W E R . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14.5 inches

H E I G H T ( M A X ) AT R E A R D I F F. TO W E R . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 . 0 i n c h e s

CH03 SERIES DIMMENSION AND WEIGHTS

WEIGHT OF FINISHED BARE FRAME IS 190 LBS.

For reference the samples we have of the TR3 frames weigh in at

1 6 0 l b s a f t e r t h e y w e r e c l e a n e d a n d f r e e d o f l o s s r u s t a n d d i r t . We
don’t know exactly how heavy the originals were but we can say that
our frames are approximately 30 lbs. heavier than the existing frames
according to there condition.

FRAME LENGTH……………………………………10.66 FEET (128 INCHES)

F R A M E W I D T H AT T H E B O D Y O U T R I G G E R S … … … . . T R 3 – 4 3 I N C H E S
TR4(SRA)-47 INCHES
H E I G H T AT F R O N T TO W E R … … … … … … … … … … . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 3 I N C H E S

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DESCRIPTION OF OPTIONAL ITEMS

FRAME FINISH: The frames are normally delivered with no finish

applied to allow the owner to choose the appropriate finish for
t h e r e n e e d s o r s e l e c t f r o m t h e o p t i o n s t h a t R AT C O p r o v i d e s .

Electrostatic powder coating is our sugested choice and is

popular for its durable surface which looks like plastic coating
and provides a distinctive finished look.

We h a v e f o u n d t h i s s u r f a c e f i n i s h t o b e s u p e r i o r t o t h e p a i n t e d
finish we had suggested in the past. Contrary to earlier state-
ments, this polyester powder coating material can be repaired
e a s i l y a n d w i l l n o t p u l l b a c k s i g n i f i c a n t l y i f w e l d i n g i s n e c e s s a r y.
We h a v e f o u n d t h a t i t c a n b e s p r e a d w i t h a t r o w e l w h e n i t i s h o t
a n d b l e n d e d e a s i l y. To m a k e t h e r e p a i r l o o k n a t u r a l , f e a t h e r t h e
area when cool with sandpaper and paint with any quality enam-
el. Our new awareness of the qualities of this powder coat and
the fact that paint and powder coat now cost about the same,
has led us to drop paint from our options list. Powder coating
includes sandblasting, sanding, powder primer coat and a pow-
d e r f i n i s h c o a t i n a v a r i e t y o f c o l o r s . B l a c k i s t h e m o s t p o p u l a r,
but you can select anything you want.
Frames that our customers would rather finish themselves are
sprayed with a metal prep solution to keep the frame from sur-
face rusting until it is sandblasted and finished. Many people
like to use the POR-15 system

RUST PROOFING: There are two types of rust proofing that can
be applied to the interior surfaces of the frames tubing. First
t h e r e i s t h e t r a d i t i o n a l p a r a ff i n b a s e d c o a t i n g w h i c h c o a t s t h e
interior surface of the tube with a waxy substance that seals the
metal from exposure to oxygen and moisture. This material is
applied through holes drilled in the frame members at strategic
locations and then sprayed in to the openings to coat the interior
surfaces. All the holes drilled are then closed with plastic plugs
that are then part of the frame and can be painted over to seal
the mating line.

The second choice is relatively new to the market and that

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is the application of expanding foam to all the interior areas of

the frame. This foam is water proof and sticks like glue to all
surfaces. The application is once again through holes drilled in
the tubing. The expanding foam is forced into one end of the
tube length and allowed to ooze out of the other end to assure a
complete fill. Once dry the over fill is cut away and the holes are
filled with plastic plugs. This foam application does two things to
the structure. First it makes for an impenetrable water seal and
s e c o n d l y s o u n d d a m p e n s t h e f r a m e . Yo u m a y t h i n k t h i s a m i n o r
point but in fact the frame does resonates and amplify the

vibrations caused by road conditions and those passed along by

t h e d r i v e t r a i n . F o a m f i l l i n g q u i e t s t h e r i d e a p p r e c i a b l y.

Both methods of rust proofing assure a rust free interior

surface for the life of the frame.

SHOCK IN COIL CONVERSION:(Not available on CH03 Series)

In our opinion the best thing you can do for you restorations sus-
pension is to get rid of those lever shocks and go to tubular
s h o c k s o r u l t i m a t e l y a s h o c k i n c o i l s y s t e m . We o ff e r b r a c k e t s a s
do other after market suppliers which allow you to use tubular
shocks. But the ultimate system is to convert to a shock in coil.
To d o t h i s y o u m u s t s e n d u s y o u r s w i n g a r m s a n d r e a r s p r i n g s .
We w i l l m o d i f y t h e s w i n g a r m s w i t h t h e a p p l i c a t i o n o f a m a c h i n e d
brackets which bolt to the bottom of the spring mount. The
bracket is designed in such a way that removal of the shock
absorber in future maintenance is very easy The spring now
goes over the shock and the entire assembly is rotated to meet
the upper spring tower mount point. The upper pin of the shock

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is then inserted through the hole on the tower and secured with
the bushings and nuts. The shock is now contained in the spring
and both now rotate on the same axis.

T h e b e n e f i t s o f t h i s a r e m a n y, b u t s i m p l y p u t i t i s t h e b e s t
s y s t e m f o r p e r f o r m a n c e s u s p e n s i o n s t o d a y. T h e s p r i n g f l e x e s
around the shock axis and forces exerted by either are directly
a p p l i e d t o t h e s a m e s u r f a c e i n l i n e w i t h o n e a n o t h e r. T h e r e i s n o
l o s s o f e n e r g y d u e t o d i ff e r e n t l o c a t i o n s o f g e o m e t r i c a l c e n t e r s .
I n s h o r t i t i s e ff i c i e n t a n d t h e m o s t e ff i c i e n t r e l a t i o n s h i p o f e a c h
c o m p o n e n t t o o n e a n o t h e r.

Yo u g e t t h e f o l l o w i n g i t e m s w i t h t h i s c o n v e r s i o n .
Tw o m o d i f i e d s w i n g a r m a s s e m b l i e s ( y o u r p a r t s m o d i f i e d )
Tw o s h o c k a b s o r b e r s ( S o r r y, p e r f o r m a n c e s h o c k s w i l l n o t f i t . )
Tw o s e t s o f n e w s w i n g a r m b u s h i n g s
8 hex bolts and washers
Tw o s e t s o f r u b b e r s p r i n g s e a t s
Assembly of the system on your frame

TUBE SHOCK BRACKETS: (Not available on CH03 Series)

If you would like to use the traditional coil/shock relationship but
would like to switch to tube shocks, then these brackets are
what you need. They are specially designed welded steel plates
which are bolted to the frame in the rear wheel wells and allow
t h e u s e o f t u b u l a r s h o c k s . Yo u c a n c h o o s e i n t h i s c a s e , t h e u s e
of performance shocks like Koni or KYB and Monroe or Gabriel
brands. They mount to the standard shock brackets on the rear
d i ff e r e n t i a l s u p p o r t . A s s e m b l y o f t h i s s y s t e m i s v e r y e a s y a n d
can be done at any time during or after the restoration is com-
plete.

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R E A R S WAY B A R S : ( N o t a v a i l a b l e o n C H 0 3 S e r i e s )
If you are converting to the shock in coil system, then you might
want to look into fitting a rear sway bar to your new frame. This
sway bar is custom made for us by a premier sway bar manufac-
turer and is fabricated to fit our frames only if a shock in coil
system is used. The system frees the mounting hole normally
used by the lever shock on the swing arm. That mounting point
i s n o w u s e d f o r t h e e n d l i n k a t t a c h m e n t o f t h e s w a y b a r. T h e b a r
r i d e s u p a n d o v e r t h e d i ff e r e n t i a l a l o n g t h e s p r i n g t o w e r c r o s s
member and is held in place by brackets and bushings at two
l o c a t i o n s . T h e s e m o u n t i n g p o i n t s a r e u n i q u e o n t h e R AT C O c r o s s
member design and provide the ultimate location for the sway
b a r.

The bars are 4140 chrome molly steel and are mandrel
bent to our specifications. They come with all the hardware and
e n d l i n k s s e t s a n d a r e m o u n t e d t o t h e f r a m e h e r e a t t h e f a c t o r y.
These 3/4 inch diameter bars and all the hardware are powder
c o a t e d f o r l a s t i n g d u r a b i l i t y.

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F R O N T S WAY B A R S S E T: ( N o t a v a i l a b l e o n C H 0 3 S e r i e s )
Front sway bars are also available and ours can be used alone
without the rear bar or can be used in conjunction with the rear
b a r. O u r f r o n t b a r s a r e r e p r o d u c t i o n s o f t h e s t o c k b a r i n 4 1 4 0
c h r o m e m o l l y s t e e l , m a n d r e l b e n t i n 3 / 4 i n c h d i a m e t e r. T h e y
match the rear bar and when used together are designed to pro-
v i d e n e u t r a l s t e e r i n g w i t h o u t i n d u c i n g u n d e r s t e e r o r o v e r s t e e r.
These are powder coated and come with all the necessary
mounting hardware. Front sway bars are normally installed after
the front end suspension build, so they are not factory assem-
b l e d o n t h e f r a m e b u t a r e p a c k a g e d s e p a r a t e l y.

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7 Old Dock Road Yapank, NY 11980

Phone: 631.205.2426 Fax: 631.205.1072