Need Ideas - Light Weight Dront Crossmember
Tech Contributor
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From: I tend to be leery of any guy who doesn't own a chainsaw or a handgun.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2002
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From: Lawrenceburg, KY
Found the thread
Last edited by ChrisLSx; Jun 1, 2021 at 06:27 PM.
Racer
Joined: Mar 2021
Posts: 278
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From: Kansas
I'd be interested in pictures too. Thanks for the ideas and insight
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 21,953
Likes: 1,445
From: Reno Nevada
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist- Modified
I posted pictures above. But 69427 has done the most amazing job of weight reduction and flat bottom for a Big Block Chevy. I really like that he went to the extent of even learning aluminum welding to fabricate his own custom stuff. Some people have the ability to envision things and make them work! 
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 1,939
Likes: 477
From: NSW, Australia
C3 of Year Finalist (track prepared) 2019
I just threw away the vacuum tank. Made an aluminium lower radiator support out of plate and angle. Relied on the original side brackets and bumper support (with a huge amount of weight cut out of them) to support the nose. I've actually had an accident since doing this - on a damp track, I put the nose straight into the end of a tyre barrier at ~80-90kmh (50-55mph). The car survived seemingly unharmed, except the front of the car was sitting too low and the hood wouldn't open. It bent my heavily lightened side brackets supporting the nose and flexed the whole nose of the car down. I drove it home, unbolted the side brackets and the fibreglass popped straight back up. Straightened the side brackets, and bolted it all back together and it's been fine since... That was several years ago. I think that's reasonable proof that my method retains adequate strength, I actually think I unintentionally built a bit of a crumple zone into the front. I suspect that if I still had all the factory brackets there that it would have done a lot more damage, as there wouldn't have been anything to "give".
Last edited by Metalhead140; Jun 5, 2021 at 10:08 PM.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 20,914
Likes: 962
From: I tend to be leery of any guy who doesn't own a chainsaw or a handgun.
I posted pictures above. But 69427 has done the most amazing job of weight reduction and flat bottom for a Big Block Chevy. I really like that he went to the extent of even learning aluminum welding to fabricate his own custom stuff. Some people have the ability to envision things and make them work!
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 21,953
Likes: 1,445
From: Reno Nevada
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist- Modified
I was going closer to 140 Kph and an object the size of a 5 gallon bucket came off the vehicle in front of me that I was going to pass. I just punted the debris off the track and didn't think much of it and kept driving. In the pits I saw a crack from the front to the top of my passenger fender. I never did find out who's car it was or what body part came came off.
Last edited by gkull; Jun 6, 2021 at 02:27 PM.
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2004
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From: Youngstown Ohio
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Racer
Joined: Mar 2021
Posts: 278
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From: Kansas
I noticed in the thread you used to venture out to Heartland Park, are you in that area of the country? It's local to me
Tech Contributor
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From: I tend to be leery of any guy who doesn't own a chainsaw or a handgun.
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 144
Likes: 29
From: Champlin MN
Hmm, I wasn't really thinking about weight reduction on my BB, but it would be easy for me to fab everything up in aluminum to replace those heavy parts. Do they all unbolt? I would want to make sure I could return it to stock someday since it's a very clean original car.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 20,914
Likes: 962
From: I tend to be leery of any guy who doesn't own a chainsaw or a handgun.
Hmm, I wasn't really thinking about weight reduction on my BB, but it would be easy for me to fab everything up in aluminum to replace those heavy parts. Do they all unbolt? I would want to make sure I could return it to stock someday since it's a very clean original car.