C-3 Alum Crossmember
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 1,987
Likes: 3
From: Manchester, Dead Center in the Middle of TN 25 miles to Jack Daniels,10 miles to Geo Dickle, and .8 mile from the Liquor Store at I-24 Exit 114
St. Jude Donor '05
C-3 Alum Crossmember
I am wanting True Duals for my '80 C-3. I was thinking of having a crossmember made from Aluminum to utilize the older style exhaust.
I am thinking of doing a duplication of the older style crossmember with the two holes for the pipes to go through. I thought about using Alum. Rectangular Tubing. Any suggestions?
I have a buddy that runs a welding & fabrication shop, It might be possible to get several made at one time. Anyone else?
PROSOUTH
I am thinking of doing a duplication of the older style crossmember with the two holes for the pipes to go through. I thought about using Alum. Rectangular Tubing. Any suggestions?
I have a buddy that runs a welding & fabrication shop, It might be possible to get several made at one time. Anyone else?
PROSOUTH
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 2,581
Likes: 14
From: Tolar Texas
Re: C-3 Alum Crossmember (PROSOUTH)
An aluminum crossmember would be pretty neat and it would even save a little weight.
I notched the original crossmember on my '80 and it works fine. Not much to look at but it is simple and only seen by road kill.
[Modified by MIKER, 9:17 PM 2/15/2002]
I notched the original crossmember on my '80 and it works fine. Not much to look at but it is simple and only seen by road kill.
[Modified by MIKER, 9:17 PM 2/15/2002]
C6 the C5 of tomorrow
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 6,665
Likes: 2
From: Twin Cities Minnesota
Re: C-3 Alum Crossmember (PROSOUTH)
you know guys...if we replace enough steel on these cars with Aluminum they will actually become a respectable weight!
And I might be interested in a crossmember, if it were light enough...
(For a bolt in automatic)
And I might be interested in a crossmember, if it were light enough...
(For a bolt in automatic)
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 65,492
Likes: 230
From: Orange Park Florida
Re: C-3 Alum Crossmember (427V8)
427, that comment about our cars being heavy IMO, is not correct. really...
stock our cars weigh about 3400 lbs....not so bad, considering the newer ones are NO MORE than 100 lbs lighter, for all the aluminum and 'high tech' surrounding them....what with aluminum engines in the C5 and all, I would think that would save well over 200 lbs alone off the front end, but for some reasons I can't imagine....it don't.....
I had a bed experience once with aluminum used for a simple bracket on a boat engine once...and it did a strange thing....it 'shattered'...looked like metal fatigue right at a bolt.....
replaced it with steel.....end of problem....that was thick aluminum too....
so I"d be a bit circumspect about using it for a frame part, at least keep a good eye on it for several years....hate to see it break for some odd reason...
I talked to an ME I used to work with, he said that under the conditions I was using that aluminum, it's not unheard of to snap like glass....the pattern was weird, looked like it shattered...all crystaline looking and sh it....
GENE
stock our cars weigh about 3400 lbs....not so bad, considering the newer ones are NO MORE than 100 lbs lighter, for all the aluminum and 'high tech' surrounding them....what with aluminum engines in the C5 and all, I would think that would save well over 200 lbs alone off the front end, but for some reasons I can't imagine....it don't.....
I had a bed experience once with aluminum used for a simple bracket on a boat engine once...and it did a strange thing....it 'shattered'...looked like metal fatigue right at a bolt.....
replaced it with steel.....end of problem....that was thick aluminum too....
so I"d be a bit circumspect about using it for a frame part, at least keep a good eye on it for several years....hate to see it break for some odd reason...
I talked to an ME I used to work with, he said that under the conditions I was using that aluminum, it's not unheard of to snap like glass....the pattern was weird, looked like it shattered...all crystaline looking and sh it....
GENE
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 16,416
Likes: 1
From: NC,USA
Re: C-3 Alum Crossmember (mrvette)
Mrvette
A friend of mine like to race go-carts or whatever you call them now. With brigs 5horse engines... on all the aluminum parts, he has polished them to a mirror. He explained that under a microscope the alumium has a lot of pokets and dings and such, so when you smooth it out it only flexes in one direction
I thought it was pretty neat, dunno if it works but he hasnt broken the rod since he polished it
A friend of mine like to race go-carts or whatever you call them now. With brigs 5horse engines... on all the aluminum parts, he has polished them to a mirror. He explained that under a microscope the alumium has a lot of pokets and dings and such, so when you smooth it out it only flexes in one direction
I thought it was pretty neat, dunno if it works but he hasnt broken the rod since he polished it
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 7,562
Likes: 9
From: B'Ville NY
Cruise-In III Veteran
St. Jude Donor '05
Re: C-3 Alum Crossmember (ZD75blue)
Bowtie Overdrive has a tubular crossmember which I plan on installing. Not sure about exhaust clearance, but may be worth shooting an e-mail their way ;) http://www.700r4.com/conv.asp?action...s/corvette.htm Looks like it should be MUCH lighter than stock :yesnod: .
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 2,581
Likes: 14
From: Tolar Texas
Re: C-3 Alum Crossmember (PROSOUTH)
I just weighed my cross member and it was about ~13 to14 lbs.
I have a really crummy old bathroom scale. I need to get a scale that is much more accurate.
I have a really crummy old bathroom scale. I need to get a scale that is much more accurate.
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C6 the C5 of tomorrow
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 6,665
Likes: 2
From: Twin Cities Minnesota
Re: C-3 Alum Crossmember (mrvette)
Gene,
Yea I agree that aluminum is not good for all things, but if you use good aluminum and design it properly it can be ok.
6061 alum is pretty good stuff, but it does still fatigue and needs to be over designed to compensate. Steel is a lot more forgiving.
I just don't see a lot of stresses on the trans crossmember. I'd be most concerned about rigidity so the trans doesn't 'bounce' and vibrate to death
Yea I agree that aluminum is not good for all things, but if you use good aluminum and design it properly it can be ok.
6061 alum is pretty good stuff, but it does still fatigue and needs to be over designed to compensate. Steel is a lot more forgiving.
I just don't see a lot of stresses on the trans crossmember. I'd be most concerned about rigidity so the trans doesn't 'bounce' and vibrate to death
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 3,050
Likes: 9
From: Fairport NY
Re: C-3 Alum Crossmember (SmokedTires)
I have the crossmember from BTO for my 700R4. Look at my photo link below and look at the last set of pictures to see how it looks installed. I think you could run any exhaust configuration you would like with the BTO crossmember. Rod
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,847
Likes: 0
From: Tampa FL
Re: C-3 Alum Crossmember (Red73)
If you are interested in the plans for what Bill built for me, let me know.
Here's a larger shot: http://stevenkamis.com/cars/MyVette/Series16/12.jpg
Here's a larger shot: http://stevenkamis.com/cars/MyVette/Series16/12.jpg
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,847
Likes: 0
From: Tampa FL
Re: C-3 Alum Crossmember (A C)
I was thinking he might be able to doctor it to work with the stock tranny or Tremec - whatever people happen to be running. Being that it's just a flat support plate, I would think he has some flexibility there. It's much lighter than stock & obviously has to be pretty strong. If it can be broken, I'm gonna find out soon!
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 16,945
Likes: 9
Re: C-3 Alum Crossmember (Merlin522)
You can use the older style crossmember w/ the 2 holes. You only need to mod the ears on each side that bolt up to the frame (the ones standing verticaly) or you can just weld it in ;)
Here you cans ee where I welded it, the holes don't match up. The rest bolts on just fine.
THIS PIC IS TAKEN FROM MY FRAME LYING UPSIDE DOWN!
And I modded the transmember a bit for the 700r4 that I had
Marck
[Modified by Twinnie, 3:23 PM 3/2/2002]
Here you cans ee where I welded it, the holes don't match up. The rest bolts on just fine.
THIS PIC IS TAKEN FROM MY FRAME LYING UPSIDE DOWN!
And I modded the transmember a bit for the 700r4 that I had
Marck
[Modified by Twinnie, 3:23 PM 3/2/2002]
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 1,987
Likes: 3
From: Manchester, Dead Center in the Middle of TN 25 miles to Jack Daniels,10 miles to Geo Dickle, and .8 mile from the Liquor Store at I-24 Exit 114
St. Jude Donor '05
Re: C-3 Alum Crossmember (Red73)
MIKER, haven't had time to look at it lately. I was going to see about using an early style member with the exhaust holes through it and make it out of Alum. rectangular tubing. I think it may be overkill though.
The picture shown of the custom member is it Alum? I'd like to see the plans for it. I really don't think it's going to be that hard to do and I'm looking for something along that line. Thanks,PROSOUTH
The picture shown of the custom member is it Alum? I'd like to see the plans for it. I really don't think it's going to be that hard to do and I'm looking for something along that line. Thanks,PROSOUTH
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 16,945
Likes: 9
Re: C-3 Alum Crossmember (Lasse)
It's a mockup :D There's plastic wrap around the block too, you can see it in the pic. What you see is empty, no internals. Hasn't even run yet.
Without the Turbo's it works...w/.. ??? Twilight zone?
Marck
Without the Turbo's it works...w/.. ??? Twilight zone?
Marck
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 1,987
Likes: 3
From: Manchester, Dead Center in the Middle of TN 25 miles to Jack Daniels,10 miles to Geo Dickle, and .8 mile from the Liquor Store at I-24 Exit 114
St. Jude Donor '05
Re: C-3 Alum Crossmember (Lasse)
MERLIN, after looking at your crossmember I like the design very much. The only thing is as was stated that the center trans mount area might flex. I think that if I used a piece of Alum. C channel as a base it would structure this area to be a lot more rigid. I'm going to have to get out in the garage and get to work measuring and draw this up and fab one. Jim
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,847
Likes: 0
From: Tampa FL
Re: C-3 Alum Crossmember (PROSOUTH)
I think we're going to have LOTS of flex issues in my application, but Bill did build this thing as strong as we could get it. Certainly any additional structural strenghtening that you do is a definite plus, with the only drawback being the additional weight. By using aluminum, that wouldn't be too much of an issue. Titanium would be a nice bonus....