While I have the frame off...

elevatordude said:
Well it looks like I'm going to cut and weld paltes on like bullshark did on one of his projects.
I pmed him and he told me it was ok to use his pics here.


crossmember2.jpg

crossmember4.jpg
Click to expand...

Could some dimensions be added to the hand sketch, for instance height and width? The interior opening of the hand sketch looks different than the actual cut metal. I assume the interior opening is different because it's a cut made by using the outline of the cross section of the cut off crossmember.

Thanks
 
68/70Vette said:
elevatordude said:
crossmember4.jpg
Click to expand...

Could some dimensions be added to the hand sketch, for instance height and width? The interior opening of the hand sketch looks different than the actual cut metal. I assume the interior opening is different because it's a cut made by using the outline of the cross section of the cut off crossmember.

Thanks
Click to expand...

I took printouts from this thread to J&D Corvette in Bellflower, California. J&D has a lot of salvage parts, they do crash repairs, body work and painting, and also will do custom work. They also ship salvage parts internationally. They agreed to build me a removable crossmember that will be their version of duplicating the crossmember in this thread. This is in preparation for installing a TKO-600 in my 68. They gave me a quote for building the removable crossmember and TKO-600 installation and I took the car in for the work. I've done a lot of business with them before.

I need to have a removable crossmember for my 70 also, so I'll have two sets of brackets made!!
 
Last edited:
427Swede said:
JeffP1167 said:
I like that jig, would make a good foundation to adapt C4 suspension. Do you have more pictures of it?
Click to expand...

Take a look at my thread, I think there are a few good photos of it there.

//Daniel
Click to expand...

Maybe I'm missing something. How do I look at your thread? Thanks. BTW, I once walked into J&D Corvette and they had several very large boxes going to England and Belgium on Federal Express. They make a lot of repro fiberglass panels and also just have a lot of salvage parts. Being a Southern California facility, there's less chance that a salvage part will be damaged by salt corrosion. I've ordered salvage parts from the US northern east coast and northern midwestern states and learned that salt corrosion can be problem.
And of course, a Corvette could have spent it's lifetime on salted winter roads, only to be driven to Southern California, and junked. So buying salvage parts in So Cal is not a guarantee of being salt free rust problems.
 
Here's what we did on the 71. Just a thought for those of wanting to modify your crossmembers...

Originally 4-spd car with non-removable crossmember. Purchased a used auto tranny crossmember, cut out the 4spd crossmember, leaving the welded tabs in place on both sides of the frame with enough metal left to be able to massage the metal a bit to adapt to the auto tranny crossmember. All mounting bolt holes were created as well to basically make it look like it was an original automatic car. To a trained eye though, you can see where the metal work was done. Took a bit of work to do this and some of you may question why? My sole purpose for doing this was because I will be installing a Tremec TKO-600. Having the removable crossmember will definitely help if I ever need to pull the tranny or replace the clutch. The 71 was not a numbers matching car anyway, so I was not too concerned about originality. I'm sure the Corvette Forum Purists would die if they saw this! Anyway, below are some before/after photos...

Before: - Kinda hard to see 4-spd crossmember still welded in. Apparently, I did not take any close-ups before the mods were made.

IMG_4326.jpg


During: Frame sandblasted and 4-spd crossmember cut out.

IMG_4749.jpg


During: Close-up of remainder of crossmeber left in place. Right and Left sides.

IMG_4751.jpg


IMG_4750.jpg


Donor Crossmember:

IMG_6098.jpg


After: Finished! Auto tranny crossmember bolted in and frame painted.

IMG_6137.jpg


After: Right and Left side close-ups of modified crossmember.

IMG_6138.jpg


IMG_6140.jpg


IMG_6148.jpg
 
It always annoyed my why Chevrolet didn't commonize the frame for both trans options during production. IIRC wasn't the service frame (from the dealer) compatible with both transmissions (having a removable crossmember and the Z-link bracket)?
 
68/70Vette said:
427Swede said:
JeffP1167 said:
I like that jig, would make a good foundation to adapt C4 suspension. Do you have more pictures of it?
Click to expand...

Take a look at my thread, I think there are a few good photos of it there.

//Daniel
Click to expand...

Maybe I'm missing something. How do I look at your thread? Thanks. BTW, I once walked into J&D Corvette and they had several very large boxes going to England and Belgium on Federal Express. They make a lot of repro fiberglass panels and also just have a lot of salvage parts. Being a Southern California facility, there's less chance that a salvage part will be damaged by salt corrosion. I've ordered salvage parts from the US northern east coast and northern midwestern states and learned that salt corrosion can be problem.
And of course, a Corvette could have spent it's lifetime on salted winter roads, only to be driven to Southern California, and junked. So buying salvage parts in So Cal is not a guarantee of being salt free rust problems.
Click to expand...

I always chuckle at this opinion - for some reason people think California is Arizona when it comes to rust free. This idea seems to fly contrary what a map tells us.... that there's this large body of salty water next to the entire state, and next to that salty brine is a thing called "sand" which has quite a bit of salt in it as well.

This idea was recently driven (pun intended) home for me - I was looking at a 65 Buick wagon, and (shocking?) it was full of rust. After talking to the original owner, he mentioned an affinity for surfing and opined that no greater surf rig was built (perhaps he'd never heard of a VW bus?) :lol:
Needless to say, I passed and bought one in my own home state of Washington. :D (far fewer surfers here because 9 in 10 sharks agree that they're as tasty as seals)
 
spdrcr29 said:
Here's what we did on the 71. Just a thought for those of wanting to modify your crossmembers...

IMG_6148.jpg
Click to expand...

I cut out my stickshift cross member also, with body on, and had welded on 2" channel on top/bottom rear of the cut section, the tabs rest on the left over cut outs, a very similar bolt holding it in place fore/aft.....

A suggestion I have would be to cut out the lower sections of the exhaust loops, and make the cut through the support itself very much wider than the loop, through the bottom, sort of a wide /\ wedge.....leaving a weak section up top of the loop, so to weld in the frame edges with plate, and then build a bridge/lattice one cross piece across the top of the main support, then measure to top of the arch, fill in one vertical, and it's strong as dirt....

What that did for ME, is enable the entire cross support to come out with ease, and I don't have to mess with exhaust pipes, unless I want to, after it's gone.....

:D GOD I"m a cheeeeeeeeep lazy bastard.....

:devil:
 
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