BBCorv70

Why does it matter so much to some if the front cross member is dented?

Is it just a cosmetic concern? I can't imagine it affects the structure unless the cross member is severely damaged.

exposingtime

I walked up to a group of guys looking under my car at a local car show a few months ago. The guy tried to tell me after looking under my car that he wouldnt feel safe driving in a car with a dented front cross member.

He proceeded to tell his friends that there was no way that my car could have ever been a matching numbers car because somehow the dent probably happened when my original engine failed.

I told him that if I had known he was going to take such offense to my dented cross member that I would have covered it with some playdoh.

JimT

Don't worry about it. Complainer probably drives a VW...
Jim

Easy Mike

Points on the judging field.

Eddie 70

I don't remember who it was but one of the members here really beefed his up because of the dent. I use a floor jack under mine to lift the car. I usually add a 2x4 to the top of the jack to avoid putting a deeper dent to the cross member though. IMO, it only matters to those that would be looking there anyway. I am fine with it, you are fine with it. To heck with that dude.

Rowdy Rat

Attention to detail.

Regards,

Stan Falenski

7T1vette

If it doesn't matter to you, it shouldn't matter to anyone else. If someone takes issue with a dented crossmember on YOUR car, ignore them.

TCracingCA

So how bad is this thing??? If it is hit substantially and/or bent, then it pulls the frame alignment closer together, but if no cracks or undue stress and you can still align the car, then no harm, no foul. Who cares if the car might be be crabbing to a very small degree maybe! Us racers plate this area to eliminate flex anyways! My welds anyways are all continuous for strength! i would focus on the integrity of the factory spot welds! how is your front tire wear and tracking?

PS if you have a big for sale sign on your car, first you will get no further advice from me, but then it is an issue- and you should lose money on your investment, if things are all dented and i am always happy to see "corvette investor types" losing their a$$es! So i hope you aren't one of them!

Rowdy Rat

Agreed, 100%. It's the OP's car. If it doesn't matter to him, that's all that really matters from his standpoint.

I should have clarified... "Why is it important to me?"

Attention to detail.

Regards,

Stan

BBCorv70

Thanks for the replies. I really don't know if mine is dented or if it is to what degree. I was just asking out of curiosity when I read about people going to great lengths to repair the dent or in some cases replace the panel, not due to rust. I wondered if I was missing something...

mikem350

They sell a tool to insert inside the frame that expands and will work out the dents

GregS_72

I repaired mine as part of an ongoing resto because wouldn't sit right with me to leave it and restore/fix everything else. Attention to detail as someone else said... at least as much as this rookie is capable of

Easy Mike

keithinspace

Mine's dented. I don't care. I didn't dent it. And I understand how they get dented. It's just one of those things.

I'd honestly laugh at someone who pointed it out as some type of 'fail' on my car to have the crossmember dented. Honestly...to even imply that it would have an impact on the roadworthiness is just silly.

My Stepdad just told me a story about a guy he came across in conversation. Talking about cars, he mentioned that his son (me) has a 1970. They blah-blah'd about it for a few minutes and my Stepdad mentioned how I had put a new engine in and how much fun I was having. They guy actually stopped him and started lecturing him on how I've defiled/defaced the car by making ANY modifications and if I was a 'good steward' of the hobby, I'd do whatever I could to make it showroom original.

Geez...I buy a previously hit NOM car with several issues and have a great time with my wife and children, with no small helping of satisfaction from me, and I'm doing something WRONG? Sorry, guys. I'm doing my best over here...

Anywho. I have a frame in my garage which I'm going to restore/gusset and as part of my work I'm going to cut out, strengthen, and straighten the front crossmember. Not because I give two craps about it being dented, but because if I'm going through the effort of restoring the frame and replacing the one in my car, I may as well fix that too.

For crying out loud...some folks need to find happiness instead of bringing the world down to their own level of miserable.

BBCorv70

Who was this fellow, where did your step dad run into him? I guess we'll find some people with extreme views wherever we go. I often hear if it's a NOM, do what you like with the car. What's to preserve? Sounds like this guy needs to get a life.

ddawson

Which hobby, the Hot Rod hobby or the Restoration hobby?

leadfoot4

I dented the one on the '79, that my wife used to own. Like many people, I was rotating the tires, and thought that would be a good place to jack the car. Who EVER would have thought that a crossmember would be so fragile???

mrvette

My frame dented by p/o I have two pieces of 3/4 ply sandwiched/bolted to my lo profile floor jack cup.....about 10" long and 5" wide, which works well going fore/aft under the frame....I take a 2x4 on edge to put it under the rear spring, clears the pipes easy.....

I sold my L48 OEM engine for 650 bux, and put in a factory 4 bolt truck block .o30 cut L98 heads, and LT1 injection keeping the HEI dizzy in back....

keithinspace

HIS hobby, I guess.

I'm happy with my car...

TCracingCA

But when parking my gnarly modified cars next to the purdy ones, I just throw the NCRS manual on the air cleaner with a 100% scored sheet of theirs and the old purple ribbon from our old C1 next to the manual and then i sit back in a chair and enjoy the reaction, when I had gone to a few of those car showing things!