lbell101

Hi!

Any frame experts wanna comment on these questions about 71 frames?
- Are the convertable and coupe frames the same?
- What other year frames are exactly the same as the 71 unit?
Thanks!

mrvette

Either one will work fine in either application...vert or coupe...however I HEAR the vert frames have some extra corner supports/gusseting.....you should compare a-b and see when you get your's apart...and add/weld up as necessary....
any of the frames from 68-72 are the same, but when you start getting into higher years, the crash protection plastic bumbers started in...and certain frame and/or frame extension parts started changing, probably nothing you could not live with or 'adapt' ......nothing super critical anyway....

GENE

Mike P

I think '69 & up added a pair of braces from the rear crossmember up to the dogleg over the rear end. They would end up hiding right behind the battery and jack storage compartments. '63-'68 didn't have them. You can buy just the brace and weld it to your older frame, however.

Mike P


[Modified by Mike P, 12:30 PM 1/3/2002]

daniel77350

I thought the only difference between a vert and a coupe where the verts had a brace across the trans tunnel that I think the coupes don't have....other then that I guess they'd be similar frame...

Daniel

Dalannex

It is correct that 68-72 are the same. I hear the gusseting on the corner story, but all of the frames I have have that gusset, so I dont' know. As far as it goes, all 68-82 frames are pretty much the same, the back part the kicks up behind the rear wheels is what is different for the most part. Do you need a whole frame, or just some particular part? A lot of parts off of newer frames will weld right in to repair rusty spots on older frames.

lbell101

Thanks guys!
That's what I needed to know.
The frame in my car is good. But I have a line on a supposedly very nice '71 chassis (unrestored). Down the road I want to build a steel bumper big block vert. So I'm thinking I may buy the chassis and wait for an affordable vert to come along with a rusty or damaged frame. I just don't want to be limited to only '71 or a coupe by the chassis!

Barry's70LT1

Hi..
I can't verify this, however I believe the 'Auto' frame has a removable trans
cross member and the '4-speed' is welded.
Also, not sure the 'auto' frame has the little bracket to attach the 'Z' linkage
for the clutch.
I was looking at a 'stack' of frames this summer at the local Corvette supplier
and the frames with the removable cross members did not have the brackets.

Not sure what years these frames were. They were pre rubber bumper.

Barry

lbell101

Geez - I never even thought about the transmission differences!
Good to know.
It looks like this chassis should work for what I'm up to. I don't have anything against the '73 and up C3s but I want the steel bumper type. Looks like it should work with very little alterations for those years (at least that's what I'm imagining - LOL). Not that I really need another project!
Thanks for the help!