Hi Guys,
I'm at the frame restoration stage - 16 touring.
I've noticed on of my running board brackets takes a bit of a turn and will need to be straightened or replaced.
I don't see them listed with the suppliers for some reason. Can I just apply some high heat and bend this one back into shape?
I see the suppliers sell the rivets to hot rivet one on, so I'm surprised they don't sell the brackets.
You can reshape by cold bending the original brackets. That Ford steel is a work of beauty, and will take the bending. Don't add heat unless you have a real hard bend, most times a gradual reshape cold will do. Use a long iron pipe with dia to fit over the bracket.
As for new, a new steel part like that would these days be a casting, and not a tough at the original forged part. Contact the vendors for a used part, Lang's and others have lots of used chassis parts in stock, just not in catalogs as the demand is low and not worth print page or published prices, as demand and supply will set the price.
Here is a picture of a replacement bracket got from a supplier of used parts.
I have quite a few, Bob