Wow, really enjoyed this trailer!!
Trailer 4 Creation
Le Mans Master
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St. Jude Donor '14
Thanks for the blowup. Don't have a clue as to what the holes are in the fender liners, but I noticed that you can see the top of the throttle body and the top of the intake manifold. Comparing that to the top of the cowl, it appears that there is room for a supercharger and a top mounted inner cooler without having a raised hood as with the C6 ZR1.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 1999
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From: Springfield MO
On the C6, no wires go through the liner but are routed between the front fascia/headlight housing and the liner. I wouldn't think you would want any headlight wiring harness exposed to the elements around the front suspension and tires.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 41,732
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From: Springfield MO
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 41,732
Likes: 1,718
From: Springfield MO
.
The frame certainly does look "lower mass". No more massive full-length hydroformed frame rails. The C7's aluminum hydroformed sections are much shorter and chopped off right after the front and rear control arm mounting points. Then lighter extruded aluminum extensions are welded on for the remaining distance to front and rear.
.
The frame certainly does look "lower mass". No more massive full-length hydroformed frame rails. The C7's aluminum hydroformed sections are much shorter and chopped off right after the front and rear control arm mounting points. Then lighter extruded aluminum extensions are welded on for the remaining distance to front and rear.
.
It appears that they have designed the center box section to make the chassis much more rigid then the C6. It appears to be taller and appears to have some aluminum castings at the front that are welded to the inner frame that connects to the hydroformed frame rails. The C5/C6 did not have that extra framing, just the lower firewall stamping.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 8,099
Likes: 398
From: Oakland, CA
I must have missed something -- how do we know it's all aluminum and not steel?
I disagree. I think the outer rails remain full-length, with the suspension pickup points on a separate piece that's attached to the rails. The more complex creased shape of the ends of the rails is for strength and crash energy management. Mazda did this on their new CX5 chassis -- check out this chassis walkaround on Autoline Detroit:
Doesn't hold a candle to Corvette's chassis, but it's still informative.
.Jinx
.
The frame certainly does look "lower mass". No more massive full-length hydroformed frame rails. The C7's aluminum hydroformed sections are much shorter and chopped off right after the front and rear control arm mounting points. Then lighter extruded aluminum extensions are welded on for the remaining distance to front and rear.
.
The frame certainly does look "lower mass". No more massive full-length hydroformed frame rails. The C7's aluminum hydroformed sections are much shorter and chopped off right after the front and rear control arm mounting points. Then lighter extruded aluminum extensions are welded on for the remaining distance to front and rear.
.
Doesn't hold a candle to Corvette's chassis, but it's still informative.
.Jinx
Last edited by Jinx; Jan 10, 2013 at 02:45 PM. Reason: work around forum's "smart" handling of youtube video URLs
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2012
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I'm thinking that the hydroformed frame rails have a thicker wall then the welded in place frame extensions(thinner wall thickness) that connect to the bumper beams so that the extensions are part of the designed/engineered crush zone(to absorb energy).
It appears that they have designed the center box section to make the chassis much more rigid then the C6. It appears to be taller and appears to have some aluminum castings at the front that are welded to the inner frame that connects to the hydroformed frame rails. The C5/C6 did not have that extra framing, just the lower firewall stamping.
It appears that they have designed the center box section to make the chassis much more rigid then the C6. It appears to be taller and appears to have some aluminum castings at the front that are welded to the inner frame that connects to the hydroformed frame rails. The C5/C6 did not have that extra framing, just the lower firewall stamping.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 1999
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From: Springfield MO
Last edited by JoesC5; Jan 10, 2013 at 03:00 PM.
Race Director
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From: NorCal
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2000
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From: Oakland, CA
BTW, could those be magnesium castings, not aluminum? IIRC a while back there were some articles posted on GM's enthusiasm for magnesium because it could be cast in more complex shapes.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 41,732
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From: Springfield MO
My guess is aluminum as they are welded to the aluminum stampings. But, maybe GM had developed a means to weld magnesium to aluminum. Another thing I noticed, is that I don't see the self piercing rivets like were used in the C6's aluminum frame
Last edited by JoesC5; Jan 10, 2013 at 03:05 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2000
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From: Oakland, CA
How do we know it's aluminum stampings?
Race Director
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http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xtu...o#.UO8f1hzfbxM