Stainless Frame Build

[DZ75V]

Hello All,
I'm new to the forum. A little about my project. When I was young and dumb I got the "great" idea to buy a 75 for cheap and rebuild it. This was about 10 years ago. Didn't know much about what to watch out for, and let's face it really wanted a C3 Corvette. You know beer goggles but with cars...
When I took the body off, the frame bent down in the typical place. So young and energetic me decided "hey let's build a custom stainless frame and this'll never happen again". You read this was 10 years ago right??? So you know where I'm going with this. Well I have most of the frame built minus engine mount horns, trans cross member, body mounts, steering box mount. It's been sitting in this state for over 3 years completly untouched. Relationships, running a business, family, etc... You know the drill.
Well it's time to get back into it and am looking for some input.

So first question for engine mount frame horns. (Terminology??) Is there a reason there is a raised section on the top of each horn, ie do I need to build this in on mine or can it simply be a straight part going back to the frame. Also does the motor mount on the engine block actually contact the horn and sit on it or does all the loading go through the cross bolt?

Thank you reading my blurb and having any positive feedback.

 

[ddgermann]

Hello All,
I'm new to the forum. A little about my project. When I was young and dumb I got the "great" idea to buy a 75 for cheap and rebuild it. This was about 10 years ago. Didn't know much about what to watch out for, and let's face it really wanted a C3 Corvette. You know beer goggles but with cars...
When I took the body off, the frame bent down in the typical place. So young and energetic me decided "hey let's build a custom stainless frame and this'll never happen again". You read this was 10 years ago right??? So you know where I'm going with this. Well I have most of the frame built minus engine mount horns, trans cross member, body mounts, steering box mount. It's been sitting in this state for over 3 years completly untouched. Relationships, running a business, family, etc... You know the drill.
Well it's time to get back into it and am looking for some input.

So first question for engine mount frame horns. (Terminology??) Is there a reason there is a raised section on the top of each horn, ie do I need to build this in on mine or can it simply be a straight part going back to the frame. Also does the motor mount on the engine block actually contact the horn and sit on it or does all the loading go through the cross bolt?

Thank you reading my blurb and having any positive feedback.

Hi first off welcome to CCF.
What an interesting project you have going on there.
I’m not at all versed on C3s or frames for that matter but if you would send some photos to help illustrate what you are describing I’m sure those that are would be able to offer some help.

Look forward to seeing you get this beauty back on the rubber.

 

[XFIRE82]

Obviously you are a welder and engineer ? interesting job you have taken on. As with all factory motor mounts , they are cushioned to absorb vibration. The bolt holds the engine mount to the frame bracket and takes the load. There should be no direct steel to steel contact between the frame and engine block , otherwise you'll feel some vibration in the car . Yet there are mounts that you can buy that have no cushion in them that guys use to eliminate the torque movement of the engine and no need for safety cables to hold the engine down in case a rubber mount breaks under extreme torque situations. So in your case there , no the horn does not need to rest on the motor mount , the bolt will hold the engine in place.

 

[DZ75V]

Yes I did go to college for mechanical engineering design and analysis.
I figured it wouldn't be too much of an issue since the hotrods and other custom builds I've seen use a pipe in the engine mount and then build from there to the frame.
wasn't sure if there was something specific to the corvette as to why they would take the effort the design in the hump for the stamped part.
I'll try to post a picture of what I mean.

 

[DZ75V]

 

[nascar03]

First off. Welcome to the CCForums.
And.. This is another thread that I hope to both help and learn from.

Graham

 

[DZ75V]

Here is the project as it stands. Next to be fabricated are the engine mounts and transmission cross member.

 

[taylorsk8]

Looking good.....and I though I took on a lot of work!

T

 

[DZ75V]

Stainless update.
After calling my insurance broker, they have discovered that they do not have an insurance company that will insure a "home built" frame.
So after consideration, the stainless frame will not continue.
I have purchased an original frame that will get sandblasted and painted and my parts swapped over.
If anyone is interested in a stainless frame for an off road use, please contact me.

 

[taylorsk8]

That is terrible. Especially since you put in a lot of work already! Can't get them to budge even with extra inspections? I would wager your frame would have been much more capable that a almost 50yr old mass produced one!

T

 

[Rruuff Day]

Stainless update.
After calling my insurance broker, they have discovered that they do not have an insurance company that will insure a "home built" frame.
So after consideration, the stainless frame will not continue.
I have purchased an original frame that will get sandblasted and painted and my parts swapped over.
If anyone is interested in a stainless frame for an off road use, please contact me.

Interesting. I have two home built from scratch farm trailers. Other than having to carve a custom serial number in the frames, licensing and insurance didn't have any problem at all. Granted, they aren't a car though. Lots of insurance companies out there. For the sake of a few more phone calls, I'd be looking around before I totally abandoned the frame. JMO

 

[Tourmax]

Call around, lots of cars on the road with custom built frames.

I'll wager most don't even tell their insurance and if asked, simply state it is a replacement piece.

Or, a way around it is to incorporate a piece of the original frame in teh new one. It's a technicality, but you could call it a repaired frame at that point. You'd need a sympathetic adjuster if you ever had to make a claim though and those guys are usually pre-loaded to "deny". I've seen them give guys a hard time with replaced engines, transmissions, etc. They look for any excuse it seems. Some are decent guys, but most? Well........


Personally, I probably wouldn't have even asked my insurance as I would consider it a "replacement part" and not a modification. Especially if it's all built to OE specs.....