Tube Chassis cars, what to look for?

i'm going to check out a tube chassis car next week, i've always had back halfed street cars so what does one look for with a tube chassis?
The car has box section in the middle with tubed extentions front & rear. A steel shell has been fitted & a glass front clip. A Mark Williams fabricated 9 3/4 differential with Strange case & floater axles. It's 4 bar rear, Front struts & a Strange Steering rack fitted. Some tin work still needs doing but has a floor tunnel over the trans & a driveshaft loop inside the car. This is an unfinished project from 2x previous owners. Both owners had gone the Hemi Route so BBM is an easy fit. Since its never been a finished racecar, what things would i need to pay attention to when i'm looking at everything? Anybody got pics of theirs or someones project? it's not quite a Pro Mod but its getting close.

How old is it? If you are planning on getting a cert, NHRA changed wall thicknesses on M/S a bunch of years ago. Check welds, eyeball up squareness. Sit in it and make sure you fit.

I looked at a couple tube frame cars before I bought my project. I looked at all the welds and general workmanship. Is it a home built chassis or from a chassis shop? Look for all the stuff that still needs to finish. Steering, brakes, tabs and mounts etc.
Are you planning a specific cert?

I'm not sure how your rules are were you race but I would get a rule book or chassis spec sheet. My mild steel Daytona was well built and would easily pass 8.50 cert. When I wanted to lower it to 7.50 we figured 4 bars but when it was on a host it actually needed 8 as some of the rules changed over the years. They were all small bars and only cost 400-500 dollars but it could have gotten crazy real fast. Hopefully he one you are looking at has struts already and a good rearend or once again it will cost big money to get track ready. Sometimes a deal isn't a deal.

Pay a chassis inspector to look at it. Way cheaper in the long run...

When I was building chassis's we were allowed to
sleeve tubes but they had to be welded also with
at least 2 added puddle welds to show that they
were welded there.. I dont know if that rule still
stands or not.. the books will tell you

here are a few pics i've received of the car. it needs work but i'm ok with that.

I think the rear x brace should have landed on top of the frame rails, not on the inside. In the upper left of the pic, it looks like the x brace is spliced to the main hoop. I would question that area.

And the rear down bars are welded on a plate, that is welded to the rear shock crossmember? I don't know about that, either.

From the main hoop back is all wrong ...not that it won't pass tech or cert at about 90% of the tracks. But if this car gets in a high speed inpact those rear struts are leaving the scene for sure....

Good catch on all of those.

Can you turn your head with a helmet on in that thing? the F/C cage looks a little narrow in the pic. Just looking at it, I would pass.

Looks like it's mig welded (mild steel) and the ones I see don't look to good. Even at a great price, would you trust your life in that cage? If you threw away the cage is the body and parts worth the price? Gotta be a reason both guys walked. Do you have the skills to change things or would you have to pay someone else? Could be a lot of work.

You will have more time and money in fixing that than building one from scratch. And it will still be a hacked up car when you're done. Good used cars are cheap now. If it doesn't have a current tag on it, I would pass, regardless what it looks like. That wouldn't pass with any inspectors I know. The stories I could tell about projects that started out with something like that to save money. Most of the time it ends up being thrown in the trash and maybe saving a rear end and some brakes and wheels out of it. Not bashing. I just hate to see people waste money.

That thing is miles away from being a ProMod!
If I were you I would pass on this thing.
How fast are you wanting to go?
I doubt that chassis would pass any cert.

8.50 Cert that I changed to 6.0 Cert

Old Cage out

New Cage in!

Repaint

Would have been money way ahead to just start with a 6.0 25.1E to start!

What spec is that? I see 2x3 main rails, those are only good to 7.50, or did you add redundant chromoly rails?

Lots of work but worth it!

Tin Work

All chromoly in cage area, even double frame railed.

So you replaced the 2x3 rails?

Very nice ! thxs for sharing

I just added the two frame rail bars along with the 2 x 3.

I would have had to completely redo the car to to remove the 2 x 3 and that was out of the question.

All that and still nowhere close to a ProMod.

Awesome job! Shame to cover that up but that tinwork is awesome!

Thanx for your replies, i'm off to physically see this car next weekend. as i was told of the cars history, the first owner ran out of time & money. he was building the car to be a turbo'd hemi. the second owner bought the car, sold the turbo'd hemi & built a big cube blown hemi but having 4 racecars, figured he was spending money on all of them but racing none of them, so he's selling 2 of his projects & this car is one of them.
i'm only looking to buy the roller & my plan was just to run it as an 8 second budget bracket car. i already have a street car that is the same year so i thought having 2 racecars looking identicle would be a cool thing. As the pics show it needs work which i'm not afraid of as i can do it myself.

If you like the price, take a shot .
I like it and think you will make it fast