Wheel Base adjustment. What could cause difference ?
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 3,116
Likes: 598
Wheel Base adjustment. What could cause difference ?
For people that have done frame off restorations, what do you do to make sure the left side matches the right side. By specs it should be 98" wheel base. I was checking my 1978 and found about 1/2" difference left vs right. Any one have a procedure for proper frame setup ? If the frame measurements are correct and once the suspension parts are installed how accurate is the 98" ?
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 21,953
Likes: 1,445
From: Reno Nevada
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist- Modified
For people that have done frame off restorations, what do you do to make sure the left side matches the right side. By specs it should be 98" wheel base. I was checking my 1978 and found about 1/2" difference left vs right. Any one have a procedure for proper frame setup ? If the frame measurements are correct and once the suspension parts are installed how accurate is the 98" ?
Yes you want equadistance on the wheel bases
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 4,226
Likes: 643
From: Orange County Ca
I've noticed alot of c3's seem to have wheels sitting slightly different front to back in the wheel wells. Probabably from accident damage as stated above. Yes, it would be best to get to a good frame shop and get it corrected, but like everything else, it is a question of priorities and cost.
If doing a body off restro, I would get it fixed. If it's a driver, how does it drive?
If doing a body off restro, I would get it fixed. If it's a driver, how does it drive?
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 3,116
Likes: 598
I've noticed alot of c3's seem to have wheels sitting slightly different front to back in the wheel wells. Probabably from accident damage as stated above. Yes, it would be best to get to a good frame shop and get it corrected, but like everything else, it is a question of priorities and cost.
If doing a body off restro, I would get it fixed. If it's a driver, how does it drive?
If doing a body off restro, I would get it fixed. If it's a driver, how does it drive?
2026 Loser of the Year
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 36,599
Likes: 7,046
From: New Or-leens Loo-z-anna
Its just a driver. The car drives fine, I was just checking my alignment and decided to check the 35 year old frame and see how its doing. Its never been in any accident I have owned this car for 33 years. I will take some more measurements. I was just wondering what measurement people that have done frame off restorations check. With everything installed some measurements are hard to make accurately.
What front and rear points did you measure from/to?
I'm going to the garage now...will be back in 5.....
EDIT: I'm back.....Driver's side = 98 & 1/16" C/C......... I just rebuilt the driver's side rear suspension.....(the front susp.is O.K.)
Passenger's side = 97 & 3/4"......I'm rebuilding/resetting camber/toe as we speak.
(Both sides could be 98" C/C on a car but one side could still be "ahead of the other"...."parallelogram with 4 wheels"!
Like Mike Ward said....A tape measure can keep you awake for a month.
Last edited by doorgunner; Mar 3, 2014 at 01:07 AM.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 3,116
Likes: 598
I am measuring center of front hub to center of rear hub. I left on my center caps since the cross flags marks dead centre of the hub. I think if the toe is out my measuring point will not be accurate. Interesting to see your is measurements is not 1/2" off but is not perfect. Where did you measure from ?
Last edited by cagotzmann; Mar 3, 2014 at 01:17 AM.
2026 Loser of the Year
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 36,599
Likes: 7,046
From: New Or-leens Loo-z-anna
I am measuring center of front hub to center of rear hub. I left on my center caps since the cross flags marks dead centre of the hub. I think if the toe is out my measuring point will not be accurate. Interesting to see your is measurements is not 1/2" off but is not perfect. Where did you measure from ?
I used the same points...I'm guessing that the toe wouldn't throw the measurement off more than 1/8".........if the steering isn't centered, it could throw the measurement off 1/2"----but one side would measure longer than the other (provided that the frame is still "square").
Originally Posted by Mike Ward:
I bet if you guys were to run around measuring a large selection of C3s you wouldn't sleep for a month.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 3,116
Likes: 598
Actually, the caps could throw us off some because of the way they are assembled and snap onto the rim---but I wouldn't worry about that;
I used the same points...I'm guessing that the toe wouldn't throw the measurement off more than 1/8".........if the steering isn't centered, it could throw the measurement off 1/2"----but one side would measure longer than the other (provided that the frame is still "square").
Originally Posted by Mike Ward:
I bet if you guys were to run around measuring a large selection of C3s you wouldn't sleep for a month.
I used the same points...I'm guessing that the toe wouldn't throw the measurement off more than 1/8".........if the steering isn't centered, it could throw the measurement off 1/2"----but one side would measure longer than the other (provided that the frame is still "square").
Originally Posted by Mike Ward:
I bet if you guys were to run around measuring a large selection of C3s you wouldn't sleep for a month.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 3,116
Likes: 598
Actually, the caps could throw us off some because of the way they are assembled and snap onto the rim---but I wouldn't worry about that;
I used the same points...I'm guessing that the toe wouldn't throw the measurement off more than 1/8".........if the steering isn't centered, it could throw the measurement off 1/2"----but one side would measure longer than the other (provided that the frame is still "square").
Originally Posted by Mike Ward:
I bet if you guys were to run around measuring a large selection of C3s you wouldn't sleep for a month.
I used the same points...I'm guessing that the toe wouldn't throw the measurement off more than 1/8".........if the steering isn't centered, it could throw the measurement off 1/2"----but one side would measure longer than the other (provided that the frame is still "square").
Originally Posted by Mike Ward:
I bet if you guys were to run around measuring a large selection of C3s you wouldn't sleep for a month.