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Old Mar 31, 2006 | 09:45 PM
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Default C6R Frame

I was just curious, why does the C6r use a steel frame. If it indeed does then why not aluminum.Is LG's race car using the aluminum frame too? I remember asking this once before but I suppose I didn't receive a complete answer. Thanks.

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Old Mar 31, 2006 | 09:49 PM
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For strength !
200miles an hour into a wall would be no fun in aluminum
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Old Mar 31, 2006 | 09:51 PM
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So why is the aluminum alright in the Z06? I'm sure there's the potential of going to 200mph with the Z06 into a wall as well. This frame stuff is confusing!
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Old Mar 31, 2006 | 09:54 PM
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Originally Posted by Tavarez
I was just curious, why does the C6r use a steel frame. If it indeed does then why not aluminum. It seems that Geiger also made their C6 Z06-r or whatever it's called from a base vette with the steel frame. Is LG's race car using the aluminum frame too? I remember asking this once before but I suppose I didn't receive a complete answer. Thanks.
Steel vs Aluminum for thin walled tube frames, which the big fat square hydroformed Corvette frames are, is about a toss up. Aluminum is about 1/3 as stiff and about 1/3 the weight. It takes 3 times the wall thickness to do the same job with aluminum so all else being equal, the weight isn't much different for a comparable frame.
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Old Mar 31, 2006 | 10:11 PM
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Originally Posted by burtonbl103
For strength !
200miles an hour into a wall would be no fun in aluminum
Also, maybe for added stiffness due to the stress loads put on it - just a guess.
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Old Mar 31, 2006 | 10:19 PM
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The rules for the races they are in require steel frames.
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Old Apr 1, 2006 | 01:14 AM
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Originally Posted by Tavarez
I was just curious, why does the C6r use a steel frame. If it indeed does then why not aluminum. It seems that Geiger also made their C6 Z06-r or whatever it's called from a base vette with the steel frame. Is LG's race car using the aluminum frame too? I remember asking this once before but I suppose I didn't receive a complete answer. Thanks.
as of now the steel roll cage must be welded to the frame and there is no way to weld steel to aluminum so race corvette use a steel frame.there is a website about racing ZO-6s in europe and they are allowing the roll cage to be bolted to the frame. with all the unemployed lawyers in this country i do not think you will see this over here
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Old Apr 1, 2006 | 07:38 AM
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About the only thing the C6R has in common with the C6, besides the looks, is side marker lamps lenses, and a few trim peices. The other stuff is perception, but then again, isn't that what racing is all about, perception.
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Old Apr 1, 2006 | 10:15 AM
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Originally Posted by clem zahrobsky
as of now the steel roll cage must be welded to the frame and there is no way to weld steel to aluminum so race corvette use a steel frame....
I was having steel welded to aluminum in a production environment over 20 years ago.
Inertia Welding

You can reduce it to a backyard job if you have transition pieces made. Something like 6 inch lengths of aluminum and steel tubes inertia welded together to form a transition piece, then the steel and aluminum ends conventionally welded to their respective matching materials on the car chassis and roll cage.
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Old Apr 1, 2006 | 10:23 AM
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Aluminum fatigues (grows weaker over the life of the metal), it is weaker (per given mass), it is difficult to weld steel to, and it is extrememly difficult to repair properly without reducing it's strength considerably.

In our racing environments, where we can save nearly 1000lbs over a street car (no interior, safety stuff, carbon body), saving 100lbs due to a structural sacrifice just doesn't make sense.
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Old Apr 1, 2006 | 10:49 AM
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[QUOTE=davidfarmer]Aluminum fatigues (grows weaker over the life of the metal), it is weaker (per given mass), it is difficult to weld steel to, and it is extrememly difficult to repair properly without reducing it's strength considerably. i wonder what this will do to the insurance rates for a ZO-6 when the frame can not be repaired in case of a accident
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Old Apr 1, 2006 | 11:32 AM
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so then why not use carbon fiber. less whieght, and i think its stronger then aluminum.
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Old Apr 1, 2006 | 12:06 PM
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Originally Posted by Corvette Junkie
The rules for the races they are in require steel frames.


Ding, ding, ding.... The ACO and ALMS both require steel. There was a detailed article in Corvette Magazine recently.

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Old Apr 1, 2006 | 02:30 PM
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Originally Posted by david.k
so then why not use carbon fiber. less whieght, and i think its stronger then aluminum.
CF is a whole boatload of money more expensive than aluminum.
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Old Apr 1, 2006 | 06:57 PM
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I'm pretty sure there's a reason why they require steel.
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Old Apr 1, 2006 | 08:22 PM
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*******news flash*********

Aluminum frame is not all its cracked up to be
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Old Apr 1, 2006 | 10:30 PM
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Originally Posted by Tavarez
I'm pretty sure there's a reason why they require steel.


Because there is small weight advantage to a well designed aluminum frame at a greatly increased cost over the life of race car.

Limiting everyone to steel keeps the cost down and helps level the playing field.
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Old Apr 2, 2006 | 05:26 AM
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Originally Posted by haulina29
*******news flash*********

Aluminum frame is not all its cracked up to be


You're right, unlike steel, aluminum has no fatigue limit. (Stresses below the fatigue limit will never cause failure.) What that means for aluminum is that it will crack from repeated flexing, no matter how overbuilt it is.
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Old Apr 2, 2006 | 08:32 AM
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Originally Posted by shopdog


You're right, unlike steel, aluminum has no fatigue limit. (Stresses below the fatigue limit will never cause failure.) What that means for aluminum is that it will crack from repeated flexing, no matter how overbuilt it is.
BMW is having problems with the aluminum frame bending in their little sports car because they can not hold front end settings
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Old Apr 2, 2006 | 08:37 AM
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Originally Posted by david.k
so then why not use carbon fiber. less whieght, and i think its stronger then aluminum.
huge cost...
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