Full-Frame Chassis for Unibody Cars - Lateral-g Forums

Silver69Camaro · #1 11-08-2005, 01:47 PM

I'm trying to get an idea of how many of you would be interested in a full frame for unibody cars. Here's the chassis:

This chassis has been extremely sucessful with builders like Bobby Alloway, Foose, etc. You can get C5 or our in-house front suspension, and a multitude of rear setups (air, triangulated 4-bar, parallel 4-bar, 4-link, etc). This is a very rigid chassis both in bending and in torsion. 1.0+g in cornering? No problem. YOU pick the ride height. YOU choose the suspension configuration.

But for us Camaro guys, we have to modify the car. After hours and hours, I've found there is no feasable way to create a bolt-on chassis for the Camaro like we did for the '55-'57 Chev and the C1 Vette. Currently, builders have to remove the floor and most of the trunk. But, if there is enough interest, we can solve that problem to make installing this chassis simple enough for most gearheads.

So guys, tell me. How much work would you be willing to do to install a new chassis?
__________________
Matt Jones
Mechanical Engineer
Art Morrison Enterprises

TravisB · #2 11-08-2005, 02:13 PM

Most of the time factory floor pans don't allow enough room for a chassis and exhaust etc etc

We would have no problem cutting anything needed out of the way.....

**XcYZ** · #3 11-08-2005, 02:36 PM

Definitely intersting to me, something I may have considered before starting my project.

Is that the Max-g chassis?

Silver69Camaro · #4 11-08-2005, 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by XcYZ

Definitely intersting to me, something I may have considered before starting my project.

Is that the Max-g chassis?

Yep, it is. We're trying to get an idea on how to make this chassis more appealing to those who don't want to modify the floor a whole lot. On the other hand, they're selling like crazy.

**XcYZ** · #5 11-08-2005, 03:01 PM

You wouldn't happen to have any build pictures from any of your customers, would you? I'd really like to see it going in a car and how much of the firewall was cut.

Hooligan · #6 11-08-2005, 03:16 PM

I'm planning on using one for my roadrunner. Ill cut out anything I have to, that being said the less I have to fab up the better.

race-rodz · #7 11-09-2005, 10:20 PM

keep in mind...along with the floor and firewall....its also wheel houses/tubs, inner fenders, mod the core support, and findig the best place(s) for the body mounts and a structure not originally intended to be bolted down at spots A,B,C etc. one could "unibody" the car into the rigid chassis, but that would take almost as much "engineering" to successfully pull off.

62fairlane · #8 11-09-2005, 10:40 PM

I think on some cars you could "unibody" it in pretty easy. on my fairlane (I think classics mustangs are this way too) the inside of the rockers are nice flat and vertical. But I have the added bonus over them of subframe mounted trans x-member BEEFY torque boxes (talking like .090" plate) and a reall beefy front clip.

I could see this full frame really cutting into rear footwell area and the work for body mounts would prob be more than doing a unibody install. plus with a unibody install I think you would have a REAL stiff structure that would be lighter than a frame/body setup (IE no mounts to flex, no extra metal for mounts) if you had a chassis tailored for the specific car/body that could just be rolled under a gutted shell and once lined up welded in place would be easier. heck even have a couple cheap locating brackets to bolt it in place for welding.

I think the more you add to a unibody to strengthen it the better. could those outer frame rails be made not as wide so when tucked up next to and welded to a stock rocker it forms a beefy component? plus it seems with most of the hardtop cars you are just gonna be plauged with flex anyways.

Silver69Camaro · #9 11-10-2005, 08:20 AM

62Fairlane,
The purpose of this frame, and what most builders currently do, is weld the body to the frame...no bolt-ons. Some builders even go further to use 10ga. floorpans to make it one super stiff structure. This is not intended to be bolted on, but it can be done I'm sure. However, with the shell welded to the frame, the front fenders & core support can all be bolted on as stock.

Race-rodz,
Believe it or not, we have indeed sold our display models at shows! We never intend to do that, but hey, it saves them shipping.

The suspension used in these chassis works very well, and you can put any size tire you want in there. The same suspension used in Art Morrison's GT55 (designed by Katz) can be had in this chassis...or C5 Vette components (front only). Both make a very, very nimble and well handling car. Like I said, 1.0+g is easily done.

ProdigyCustoms · #10 11-10-2005, 11:06 AM

I think it is a great idea, look at Prodigy. The only problem I see, and I was looking for Craig to discuss this, is putting the body on top of the frame as you present design would require, will make it a 4 wheel drive stance. And there is no real way, with your present design, to channel the body. I think channeling the body is the single best move one can make, lowering the center of gravity 4 inches, and allowing the car to be dropped 3 to 4 inches, while keeping the suspension out of droop.

We would love to work with you guys adapting your chassis into a Camaro, while being able to channel the body. It would require some changes at the toe boards, but as witnessed in Prodigy and the Motion car, is very doable.