fabricated box tubing frame?

[jbracing]

has anyone seen or have a fabricated frame on their g body? im a welder and fabricator and while i was at work today i was thinking about my 87 gp and my 85 monte carlo which is a pure stock dirt track car...and somehow i got to thinking of building a frame for my gp. i kind of like the idea of building one, not just for the uniqueness of it but as well for the challenge and improvements that could be made like stiffening it with an x-brace, etc. and overall i think the total weight would be about the same if not lighter. this could really make any g body the total package if you are going for a pro touring car, or any kind of competition. so if anyone has heard of one on a g body or has one id like to see some pics, ideas for improvements from stock frame welcome

 

[oldtinsmith]

Do a search of "Schwartz Performance" and see that G-body chassis.

Doug

You can also look at it on Monte CarloSS, Malibu Racing, etc.

 

[Bob]

I used Art Morrison rear frame clip. It worked well!

 

[pontiacgp]

If your going to build your own frame take a look at using a Chevelle clip from Port City Racing. It has better geometry than a G body front clip. For the rear if you can get a nice flat table you can make your own jig to build the rear. Another method is to take an older late model, limited late model or a sportsman that still used a front camaro clip and modify that chassis to fit your needs. The schwartch chassis is nice but there isn't much info as to the specs and based on what I have seen with tubular frames it's overpriced

 

[jbracing]

id say its over priced. i was thinking about building better front geometry into the frame. with enough research you can come up with "theoretical" figures on what "should" work. i have several chassis fabrication books (yet to read all of them cover to cover yet lol) and take numbers and design cues from other frames that have proven themselves. im seriously considering building a frame this winter. if i can find time with my half million other projects lol. stock car trailer has to be one of the first on the list. im just building a copy of one that i am currently borrowing from a friend so that shouldnt take long as long as i get the axles and material here right after race season. and this is what i like about being a welder and fabricator....if you have the skills, tools and material you can make just about anything you want :wink:

 

[online170]

There are a few guys who have dropped their bodies onto a nascar chassis as pontiacgp is alluding to. But it all looks a bit painful.

 

[oldtinsmith]

jbracing,
I hope you didn't think I was suggesting you buy the Schwartz frame! I thought you just wanted to look at some frames to get ideas for a possible build project. The schwartz frame isn't expensive,,,,it's outrageously expensive !

Doug

 

[jbracing]

i definitely wasnt going to buy one lol. if i started making them i could prob sell for like 2000-2500 bucks lol. they must be paying their welders like 40 bucks and hour lol. i want the satisfaction of doing something myself that you definitely dont see everyday on a street car that actually does something

 

[pontiacgp]

the hardest part of a chassis is the front clip so I would use a clip that suits my plans and it's easy to modify to improve it, the rails to the rear clip isn't a problem and the rear clip isn't complicated. Like I said as long as you have a flat table it's not that difficult to fabricate a jig to build your own frame. And for the rear 4 link you can fabricate a 3 link so the rear axle doesn't turn the wrong way when you are trying to corner

 

[tc1959]

jbracing,
I hope you didn't think I was suggesting you buy the Schwartz frame! I thought you just wanted to look at some frames to get ideas for a possible build project. The schwartz frame isn't expensive,,,,it's outrageously expensive !

Doug

Almost $20,000 for all the goodies I chose, :shock: