56 step/C5/C6 Z06 BBC

[mknittle]

Man that thing is solid! lookin good. Makes mine look like a turd!
As much as I like modifying things........
It would be fun to build a new frame from the ground up.

[Kim57]

Looks like it should be real solid.
Kim

[48ChevBagged]

Awesome looking build. Love what your doing with it.

[Chevette]

Thanks Mr. Kittle, Thanks Kim, Thanks 48ChevBagged. I put my chassis on a diet this morning.

[Chevette]

Originally Posted by mknittle

Man that thing is solid! lookin good. Makes mine look like a turd!
As much as I like modifying things........
It would be fun to build a new frame from the ground up.

Your truck doesn't look like any turd I ever saw. I was wishing you were in my shop this morning. Your plasma cutting skills would have come in handy, cutting out the holes in my plate. I'm the $hits with a plasma torch. Then it was time to reinstall the plate. Lying on my back under the damn thing. Putting the first bolt back in was like trying to shove a worm up a wild cat's ass.

[_Ogre]

Originally Posted by Chevette

I got a bit more done on the chassis. Built and installed the cross brace. It ought to hold the frame rails steady.

from a structural viewpoint all that bracing won't add any strength to the frame unless you tie it together with more steel across the top and bottom.
as is it might even cause your frame to flex as you go over bumps by just the weight being cantilevered out there.
the plate doesn't add any strength except diagonally and then bolted on it's marginal, if you really want to make all that bracing work,
run a piece of 1.5''x1.5'' square tubing across the the whole width of the frame at the 45* inside miters
not sure where your drive shaft runs but you could also box the drive shaft in top and bottom and really strengthen that frame



my x-member is braced to keep the frame from twisting, the bolt in pice on the bottom holds the rear trans mount and is held in with four 1/2'' bolts
the stock x-member right behind it, has a structural boxed member across the frame and then K-bracing to keep the frame rails from twisting or buckling.
the tubing welded in at an angle braces the cab mounts that were originally braced by the stock trans x-member

[_Ogre]

i pulled these pics from the net on how to tie the frame rails together
you have right idea but you need to finish by tieing the 2 braces together properly

these are fatman fab frames





this is a CPP frame. notice how CPP ties the cab mounts to the bracing



this link is for the TCI frames

[Chevette]

Thanks for the advice Ogre. It is to achieve lateral stability. You must understand that I'm using a late model Corvette suspension and running gear. There is a torque tube tying the rear end and transmission to the motor. The torque tube must be accessible for removal, so I designed it similar to the way GM did. I'm not finish it yet, as there is a 2" round brace to be installed on each side and there will be 18 more bolts. GM used 34 bolts on the Corvette and the aftermarket racer supply companies have produced a 3/16" plate to replace GM's 1/8" stock one for improved stability.

[reinmeister1951]

On the chassis for my coupe we had a piece of plate rolled to make a tunnel over the torque tube and I will have a friend machine some fancy billet plates to tie the bottom together.

[reinmeister1951]

Sorry I was supposed to have pictures.

[Chevette]

Doug: Thanks for the great pictures. I had been thinking of tubes bent over the top then clad the tubes with 18g, but I like your idea better. Is that 1/8" rolled?
BTW your chassis is superb!

[reinmeister1951]

I think it is 1/8" but I can confirm that tomorrow.

[mknittle]

Originally Posted by Chevette

Your truck doesn't look like any turd I ever saw. I was wishing you were in my shop this morning. Your plasma cutting skills would have come in handy, cutting out the holes in my plate. I'm the $hits with a plasma torch. Then it was time to reinstall the plate. Lying on my back under the damn thing. Putting the first bolt back in was like trying to shove a worm up a wild cat's ass.

LOL.I am not realy that good with that thing. I just have learned how to make it think i am the boss.
Really though If i am doing somthing like the slots you made i would make a template out of a piece of rectangle.scribe a line through end to end. cut holes with a hole saw{ you have to experiment to find how much bigger tocut the template to get the size hole you want}. then cut the part out between two holes clean up and .... now you can cut slots realy fast anywhere you want. just dont sand off the centerline on the template.{don't ask.} Whwn done hang them on a nail.

[Chevette]

Originally Posted by mknittle

LOL.I am not realy that good with that thing. I just have learned how to make it think i am the boss.
Really though If i am doing somthing like the slots you made i would make a template out of a piece of rectangle.scribe a line through end to end. cut holes with a hole saw{ you have to experiment to find how much bigger tocut the template to get the size hole you want}. then cut the part out between two holes clean up and .... now you can cut slots realy fast anywhere you want. just dont sand off the centerline on the template.{don't ask.} Whwn done hang them on a nail.

I made a tracing template with two large washers tacked to a piece of 3/16 plate. Then I traced around it with the plasma torch using a dragging tip. I did remember to "hang it on a nail" when I got finished. My next project is floor boards. I bought a 36" press brake, so I'll make new floor boards (three piece, because of the torque tube) and the firewall. I have a small slip roll I will use to make the hump. A friend of mine has a 10' brake and is going to make the 18G channel pieces so that I can build the bed. Then it's door skins. Having motivational problems when it involves body work.
How's things with you?

[mknittle]

Originally Posted by Chevette

I made a tracing template with two large washers tacked to a piece of 3/16 plate. Then I traced around it with the plasma torch using a dragging tip. I did remember to "hang it on a nail" when I got finished. My next project is floor boards. I bought a 36" press brake, so I'll make new floor boards (three piece, because of the torque tube) and the firewall. I have a small slip roll I will use to make the hump. A friend of mine has a 10' brake and is going to make the 18G channel pieces so that I can build the bed. Then it's door skins. Having motivational problems when it involves body work.
How's things with you?

gaining slowly sort of steady by jerks. I discovered my pontaic engine was full of water like 3 gallons in the crank case so i am thinking about building a an inline six and a camaro t5 5 speed.the frame is getting closer I need to make a rear cross member then pull it apart for clean up. then the fun body stuff.
I am like you if I would get started id be OKI just have a hell of a time getting anything done this time of year.

Ineed to updade my build thread so you will have somthing to point and laugh at

[wutnxt]

Awesome thread......some really cool stuff going on over here...

[nebdrummer]

The amount of fab work on this is awesome. Now all this talk of tube frames ect, makes me want to redo the one in mine! Excited to see more progress on this. Subscribed.
Posted via Mobile Device

[Chevette]

Originally Posted by nebdrummer

The amount of fab work on this is awesome. Now all this talk of tube frames ect, makes me want to redo the one in mine! Excited to see more progress on this. Subscribed.
Posted via Mobile Device

Thanks, nebdrummer.

I'm also excited to see more progress. Unfortunately, there isn't much to report. I have been busy with work and also lacking motivation. However, I did recieve my new Stoptech SS brake lines, so maybe that will get me back at it.

[reinmeister1951]

Originally Posted by Chevette

Doug: Thanks for the great pictures. I had been thinking of tubes bent over the top then clad the tubes with 18g, but I like your idea better. Is that 1/8" rolled?
BTW your chassis is superb!

I finally got around to measuring the backbone, it is 3/16".
We were looking today at ways to tie some removable tubes to the lower portion of the frame below the torque tube.

[Chevette]

Originally Posted by wutnxt

Awesome thread......some really cool stuff going on over here...

Thank you, wutnxt. Glad to see you resolved your engine/transmission problems. You're on a much faster pace than I.

[Chevette]

Originally Posted by reinmeister1951

I finally got around to measuring the backbone, it is 3/16".
We were looking today at ways to tie some removable tubes to the lower portion of the frame below the torque tube.

Thanks, reinmeister. Are you sure a plate won't do the trick? Seems like you have a lot of strength in that chassis already. You might want to check out Roger Lee's 57 pu build. He did a tube frame and C5. I believe his shop is called Ironworks. I don't remember what he tied the bottom together with.

[reinmeister1951]

Chevette, With the backbone, a plate below might be strong enough but being an old road racer chassis stiffness is important to me and if 2 lbs of tubing will guarantee the chassis will not twist I'm OK with that.
I looked at the Ironworks chassis and they use tubing under the torque tube which we didn't because we wanted to be able to take the drive train out the bottom.

[made2drag]

amazing work

[shadow1967]

Chevette,
Great progress. Make sure you put something on the upper part of the frame to cover the tube.

[Chevette]

Originally Posted by shadow1967

Chevette,
Great progress. Make sure you put something on the upper part of the frame to cover the tube.

Thanks, Shadow. Three - 1 1/2" hoops. I should be getting them from the bender this week.