C3 frame differences?
Thread Starter
2nd Gear
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
From: Victoria B.C.
C3 frame differences?
Hi, I just wanted to ask if there were any differences between mid '70s and late '70s C3 frames? My dad and I recently acquired a '79. The previous owner ditched it (literally) and the front end of the frame was seriously damaged. A few days ago, my dad got a line on another frame for a price cheaper than repairing our current one. Not sure the exact year, but we think its a '74. We were planning on cutting the two in half and welding our rear to the other frames front end, since the seller thinks he may still have a use for the rear of his frame, and I wanted to check to see if they would match okay.
Thanks
Thanks
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 2,508
Likes: 0
From: Wisconsin
Re: C3 frame differences? (Telsler)
As far as I can see they are very similiar. I looked at a '63 SWC that was just a frame at a friend of my dad's and asked him what the differences were. He said that that my '77 had an extra support in the rear, otherwise they are the same. That is all I can tell you.
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 1,608
Likes: 3
From: Canberra AUSTRALIA
St. Jude Donor '05-'06
Re: C3 frame differences? (Telsler)
OUCH!
I am no metallurgist, but I have welded a tractor plough or two....
Why not give him the rear of your frame and take his full frame.
If you weld two halves of a frame together you will have to worry about alignment and strengthing the join. The "cut and shut" method of car repair scares the S@%$ out of me.
You can also buy new frame pieces from some of the bigger vette suppliers.
In any case I would get the full specs (dimensions etc) before you started cutting and welding......unless you want it to drive down the highway like a crab.
Another option may be to find a cheap "donater corvette" with a crap body.
Good luck...There are other options
:steering:
[Modified by stingry, 7:22 PM 4/11/2003]
I am no metallurgist, but I have welded a tractor plough or two....
Why not give him the rear of your frame and take his full frame.
If you weld two halves of a frame together you will have to worry about alignment and strengthing the join. The "cut and shut" method of car repair scares the S@%$ out of me.
You can also buy new frame pieces from some of the bigger vette suppliers.
In any case I would get the full specs (dimensions etc) before you started cutting and welding......unless you want it to drive down the highway like a crab.
Another option may be to find a cheap "donater corvette" with a crap body.
Good luck...There are other options
:steering:
[Modified by stingry, 7:22 PM 4/11/2003]
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 8,339
Likes: 24
From: I can walk to MA
Re: C3 frame differences? (stingry)
The front of the frames are the same - save for some mounting points of
accesories and extraneous crap. The rear is where all the difference
comes in. The later C3s (78-up) have larger gas tanks/different mounting.
The 74-up have different rear bumper crossmembers. I think the rear suspension
mounting changed a bit in 80 (not sure).
SO - the answer is yes - you could take the front of the 74 frame and attach it
to the newer rear frame to fix it. However, I do share the same concerns as
stingry - that the integrity must be maintained. Inner and outer reinforcement
plates will likely be needed where they meet.
I think yo ucan find a good frame for 500-1000. You gotta weight that $$
against all the time you'll be mucking around with the 2 frames.
The frame dimension drawing is floating around. If you can't locate it
with searches - shoot me an email (I have it). Just saw it at corvettefaq.com
:seeya
[Modified by NHvette, 4:59 PM 4/11/2003]
accesories and extraneous crap. The rear is where all the difference
comes in. The later C3s (78-up) have larger gas tanks/different mounting.
The 74-up have different rear bumper crossmembers. I think the rear suspension
mounting changed a bit in 80 (not sure).
SO - the answer is yes - you could take the front of the 74 frame and attach it
to the newer rear frame to fix it. However, I do share the same concerns as
stingry - that the integrity must be maintained. Inner and outer reinforcement
plates will likely be needed where they meet.
I think yo ucan find a good frame for 500-1000. You gotta weight that $$
against all the time you'll be mucking around with the 2 frames.
The frame dimension drawing is floating around. If you can't locate it
with searches - shoot me an email (I have it). Just saw it at corvettefaq.com
:seeya
[Modified by NHvette, 4:59 PM 4/11/2003]
Thread Starter
2nd Gear
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
From: Victoria B.C.
Re: C3 frame differences? (NHvette)
Great, thanks for the help everyone. We've already had the dimensions drawing from corvettefaq printed out for a week or two so thats not a problem. Weld strength isn't a problem, my dad knows how to do it so it will be as strong as the original frame :)
[Modified by Telsler, 6:33 PM 4/11/2003]
[Modified by Telsler, 6:33 PM 4/11/2003]
