[Rurudyne]

I’m talking about the chunk of frame that would have been under the windshield, which they cut away.

[Don W]

Here's a photo of a Crown Vic frame. You will notice that the frame comes out to the wheels immediately after the between-wheels (under the engine) crossmember, which appears to be intact in the video. If the between-wheels crossmember were removed, bolting the frame rails directly to the engine block would serve the purpose of the between-wheels crossmember, which is to reinforce the front frame crossmember.

This is called a *perimeter ladder* frame, for obvious reasons. Early 1960's design.