AllVettes4Me Building Another Chassis Soon
 

Starting spot for the frame to chassis rebuild.
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...8584602a48.jpg
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...1475b8ed51.jpg


I had a couple of forum members ask me to please let them know if I was going to be building another chassis from the ground up so they could subscribe and follow along. I am flattered that they are wanting to tag along so I am posting this starting point for those that may be interested. I removed the chassis from the car; stripped it down to a bare frame; welded new body mounts; reinforced welds; and added new kick up lower support brackets (gussets); then had it gauge blocked and tram gauged it for straightness (which it is spot on). Next step is media blasting (happening now) and it will then be powder coated 35% black (not too glossy but not flat) and hope to have it back next week to begin the build.

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...6ba483ec76.jpg
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...2f022a5de0.jpg
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...4e0093c28f.jpg
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...e74ce10c61.jpg
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...3201f56e59.jpg
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...887d922b38.jpg


All items for assembling a rolling chassis are sitting here in my garage now and awaiting the frame.

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...36e3011eb7.jpg
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...c13e6426cb.jpg
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...6a862b26c6.jpg
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...fb6d48af96.jpg


Building these is one of my favorite activities.

Won't go back up under the car until everything is in place and ready to go, but the fun is about to begin once again.

Looking forward to sharing the journey.

Best regards,

David Howard
AllVettes4Me

But Honey, I didn’t drop the frame, I raised the body! ��

im in!!!

Very nice as usual David, I take it this if for the 74? Will be watching. Hope all's well.

John

Here is something I wrote to Davids lovely and understanding wife a few months ago when this just started. It was going to be a freshen up of the car and be driveable by spring 2019. As you can see it has gone over the edge.

Hi. Mrs Howard. You husband has a sickness. It can not be cured or even helped. There is no medication for it either. It will drain your bank account and he will spend an extraordinary amount of time in the garage. In the end though he will present you with a work of art. I do not expect you to understand and there is no reasonable explanation for this sickness but it does exist. He is a good man and cares for you deeply he just can not help himself. Good luck with him.

Regards
Dr Corvette.

Maybe this wasn't a good idea after all. Sorry guys, didn't mean to dissapoint you all.

I think it is a great idea. It obviously needed to be done and now it will all be done correctly. I think many here would really like to see it. You do an. Excellent job of documenting your builds.

Agree, looking forward to seeing the 74 come together.
Eddy

Subscribed. Thank you for doing this. It will give me another good reference to follow as I put mine back together. :cheers:

Hi John, good to hear from you. Yes, the 1974 convertible had some issues the more I dug into it and not being able to leave it "as is" I decided to repair those issues and make the car much safer to drive before venturing out on the highways with it. Once the frame comes back home I can begin to build the chassis up correctly and safely. Goal is to have it ready for 2020 Spring driving, if all goes to plan. Fun to work on another classic C-3. This one will be mostly stock with a few minor improvements for handling and performance, but not many. Fun in the sun driver.
Have a great summer.
David

For those that may wonder what they are looking at with the 74 frame rear let me show you a close up detail of the "impact" zone for the frame. GM took the 1973 frame (modified up front for the rubber bumper in 73) and rather than building a new frame found a way to attach the apparatus you see here. It bolts onto the original frame and it has a cross member internal "bumper" that attaches to it.

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...735b2143e7.jpg


In case of a rear end impact the bolts on the apparatus are supposed to absorb the impact and move forward about 4". Not for major impact but maybe a 15 mph which is what I think they were rated to handle. Anyway, it was a one year only modification until GM could develop a new frame that would house "impact shocks absorbers" which they did for the 1975 model year. In 1975 the rear cross member was changed as was the rear of the entire frame to open up an area for mounting real shock absorbing technology. While still not perfect the new technology was far superior to the metal on metal impact absorber of the 74.

This is not the best picture, sorry for that, but it shows the impact absorber mounted to a 1975 frame and the impact bumper mounted to it. Quite a bit of metal and an improvement over the 74 system for sure.
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...dcc8b91f3c.jpg


If you are restoring a 1973 corvette and need a frame to work with you can do one of three things fairly easily. Buy a 1969-1972 frame and modify the front holes to work with your 73; buy a 1973 frame and modify nothing; or buy a 1974 frame and remove the rear attachment and use it as a 1973. You could always use later years as well but that takes a lot more modification I won't go into here.

To answer one more question about the 68-72 frames let me show one more picture that might help. This picture is a 1969 frame and a 1972 frame stacked one on top of the other. Differences, if you can see them, are minor. Interchangeable. Need more proof in pictures, let me know.
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...9371a5a0da.jpg


Questions or comments welcomed; just let me know if I can help further.

Best regards,

David

Nice work Dave.
This is a great share. :thumbs:

Yep , I'll be watching this for sure !
The more I learn the easier it is for me later instead of learning it the hard way !
Thanks David

I’m subscribed! Although I’ll never do a frame off, I do enjoy seeing your complete restoration and can learn a lot just by observing! Thanks for doing this thread!

OLE442

I'm in!
I was privileged enough to see you working on the 74 with the frame on-car. And with your attention to detail, I am not surprised at all that it has turned into a frame-off job.
I hope to use your tips when my frame comes off this summer!

Hello David
I have for a long time now been tying to find information on the differences in the drilling’s of the front horns of these frames.
I have a few frames however as yet I have not been able to find a 69/72 frame to measure.
I wandering if you know or have information on the configuration of the holes of the front horns , if any of the four holes are common to all the frames .
looking forward to following your build here.
Bob

David - thank you for posting these photos and I'm looking forward to watching your build process.

Mike

Stopped by the forum tonight and here you are again. I'm in for the fun of watching! I always learn stuff and enjoy the process.

I will be heading down to the frame shop that I use on Thursday and will be able to measure up the front for you on either Thursday or Friday. I have a 69, a 74, and a 76 frame sitting at the frame shop presently, all are being used for parts to repair my other frames. I will try to get some pictures for you as well. Should be able to post those up here by the weekend. Be glad to do that.
Best regards,
David

Thank you very much David .
I have a 74 frame and two 80 frames , I’m working on the 74 to fit under a 69.
I find it very interesting just how many differences there are in these frames as the years progressed .
bob