74 frame and 76 frame difference
Racer
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 343
Likes: 129
From: Napanee Ontario
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist- Modified
If you go to corvettefaq.com there is an artical on C3 frame differences. The 74 is a one of a kind frame, starting in 75 they added shock absorbers into the end of the frame rails to attach the bumper to.
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 200
Likes: 0
hmm....i think my '74 has those shock absorber rails too. they're in the front and back. in the back, there are these metal rods going through a part of the frame. i'll try to take some pics. i'm very interested in this thread also because i just bought a new frame from a '75 and am going to be putting my '74 on it. i was under the impression that i'd have to chop the last couple feet (maybe behind the last body mount) and weld it to the new frame. is that necessary? 
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 140
Likes: 0
From: Sunnyvale TX
74 frame
thanks
looking forward to any pics
I have a 74 frame and the parts from a 76 that shape the rear bumper (long metal piece and several brackets that atach to it as well as black plastic pieces where the tail lights fit)
was wondering what I needed to do to use the parts on the 74 frame
thanks again for the replies
looking forward to any pics
I have a 74 frame and the parts from a 76 that shape the rear bumper (long metal piece and several brackets that atach to it as well as black plastic pieces where the tail lights fit)
was wondering what I needed to do to use the parts on the 74 frame
thanks again for the replies
Racer
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 317
Likes: 0
From: PA
I was actually going to use the 81 frame on a 77 and it looked like it would work, all the years I looked at seemed very similar, yes there were some changes but it did'nt look like anything major, I know I have a few years of the charts at home, I can get the 74 and 75, it will take me a couple of days though as they are at my friends shop, 70 miles away. Also, the funny thing was is the chevy charts compared to the charts at my friends frame shop are different in there measurements for the same years, that's why I wasn't to concerned with things fitting.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 2,865
Likes: 1
From: I may be getting old but I refuse to grow up
The 74 frame is closer to the 73 frame, in 75 changes were made to for the bumper shocks. In 80 the frame was changed for the "bat wing" rear axle and is completely different at the back than the previous years.
Check here http://www.corvettefaq.com/listing.asp?group=3
the article is called C2/C3 Frame History
Stp
Check here http://www.corvettefaq.com/listing.asp?group=3
the article is called C2/C3 Frame History
Stp
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 40,408
Likes: 792
From: Redondo Beach, California
Originally Posted by stpman
Check here [url
Check here [url
http://www.corvettefaq.com/listing.asp?group=3[/url]
the article is called C2/C3 Frame History
Stp
the article is called C2/C3 Frame History
Stp
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Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2000
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From: Massillon,Ohio USA
2020 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
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St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12
Originally Posted by stpman
The 74 frame is closer to the 73 frame, in 75 changes were made to for the bumper shocks. In 80 the frame was changed for the "bat wing" rear axle and is completely different at the back than the previous years.
Check here http://www.corvettefaq.com/listing.asp?group=3
the article is called C2/C3 Frame History
Stp
Check here http://www.corvettefaq.com/listing.asp?group=3
the article is called C2/C3 Frame History
Stp
The back of a '74 frame is similar all the way back to '68. I've had both my '68 & '74 up in the air at the same time and they were virtually identical. The '74, even though it had a similar "rubber rear bumper" like '75-'79s did, the '74 has these unique "shock absorbing sliders" that slid forward on impact on the outside of the rear frame rails. It does not have those hydraulic type shock absorbers found on the '75-'82 cars. The '74 frame does have a few "extra" holes for attachment of these "sliders", other than that, it's like a '68 at the rear.
68, 73, 74, 76, 77, bewteen, c3, charts, corvette, diferences, difference, differences, differencing, frame, whats
