Ed Blue 03

Call around, and go to frame shops with the pictures. Pick the one you think is best and have it flat bedded over there. I've seen much worse repaired to look like new. Shouldn't cost that much. Good luck.

seventysixvette

If you'll go over to tech/performance and search for the thread

Help! Frame issues!

you'll find a wealth of pics and advise. BTW, my frame was ripped like yours, but on the back side of the crossmember. Front crosssmember damage seems to be a LOT more common than I'd ever had thought!
John

Paul L

Yes, these things do happen. Best to do an inspection to discover it before it gets to this stage.

Emeightch

I agree. The guy that I bought it from used to let his wifey drive it all around. I can tell that it has been like that for a while because someone tried to align the front and you can see how the rearward upper a-arm had a ton more shims on the rear attachment then on the front. So someone (AKA Bubba) tried to compensate for the break and take the easy way out or he just wanted to get rid of his wife. Who knows.

I do have to say Thanks for all the help. I don't feel so bad about my project now. At least it's fixable!

sdonnelly

This is from mine breaking loose with the wheel turned. The other side had been rewelded and that side (that broke) checked and given a clean bill of health. The car was only driven a few hundred miles after that. So I don't think it was checked real well. Make sure to get both sides welded up! I haven't seen the bill from the body shop yet. But I'm sure it will be higher than an hour of welding.

seventysixvette

I've been an 'ol skool hot rodder from way back. I've owned and/or worked on a lot of fairly high horse cars sold by all the big three.

I've NEVER seen a car (or group of cars) more prone to front control arm to front crossmember problems than our beloved C-3s. That's why my own ripping and tearing problem caught me with my pants down. I'm just not used to a close check to see if the a-frames are ripping away from the front crossmember. I drove my 'new purchace' home 70 mph on I-65 about 250 miles to get it home. A close check later revealed one of the rear gussets had torn a gaping hole in the rear of my crossmember. Bubba had tried to weld it all up, but it was so poorly puddled and had so many burn throughs, the dummy did far more harm than good.

I can't figger out if it's thin, weak metal used in an effort to save weight, or poorly set up gometery that overly stresses the a-frame shaft attachment points.

At any rate, I made my own control arm shaft brackets out of heavy C channel, welded that to a piece of 1/4" X 2.5" strap steel. I brought a new lower crossmember pan from Corvette Central, (no problems, great service). I figure I've added about 4 extra pounds to the front end, and now the a-frame shaft attachment brackets are likely the strongest areas on the frame.
John

Emeightch

The title says it all. Just had someone out to look at the damage and he is figuring $600-$800. So by the time I buy the $150 + shipping & tax crossmember, $200 in towing both ways, all the welding, and whatever else comes up (and it will) I'm well over a grand to fix this.

So, I should probably go frame shopping. By any chance, anyone in SE Mich area have one sitting around?!?!?!?!

Crazy81

I found mine while shoping ebay and noticed a guy selling lots of Vette parts located a few hours from me. I emailed him through ebay asking if he had any frames for my year. He replied and said he had several good ones. $500.00 I went to pick it up, It was in excellent shape and he also left a lot of good parts on it. I know there are several Corvette salvage yards up that way, but the ones I called all wanted $850-1100 for them. Try to find someone with an Ebay store who is parting cars out of his back yard.
Good luck

markdtn

A good frame shop can fix this. When I bought my car the right lower a-arm was torn off. I welded it back myself with some reinforcement and had a frame shop straighten the frame. Drives straight as an arrow. No big.