How rigid is this chassis?

[strat61caster]

Originally Posted by ILLSMOQ

Maybe it is strong enough when stressed as intended...but yeah it definitely seems pretty flimsy when I’m banging on it with a hammer lol

People have been saying that about unibodies for 50 years now, yet here we are. From F1 cars to spaceships to cheap sports cars, 'stressed as intended' is responsible for most of the mechanical engineering gains seen in the last 40 years as computational analysis has become more and more available.

It's like sitting on the hood of a car and saying "they don't make 'em like they used to" when you get sad about the dent. The damn hood weighs 5 lbs, you can't have your cake and eat it too.

[JazzleSAURUS]

Originally Posted by strat61caster

People have been saying that about unibodies for 50 years now, yet here we are. From F1 cars to spaceships to cheap sports cars, 'stressed as intended' is responsible for most of the mechanical engineering gains seen in the last 40 years as computational analysis has become more and more available.

It's like sitting on the hood of a car and saying "they don't make 'em like they used to" when you get sad about the dent. The damn hood weighs 5 lbs, you can't have your cake and eat it too.

Dang truer words. Go ahead and swap all the body panels on modern cars to some nice thick steel panels. +800lbs later...

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by strat61caster

People have been saying that about unibodies for 50 years now, yet here we are. From F1 cars to spaceships to cheap sports cars, 'stressed as intended' is responsible for most of the mechanical engineering gains seen in the last 40 years as computational analysis has become more and more available.

It's like sitting on the hood of a car and saying "they don't make 'em like they used to" when you get sad about the dent. The damn hood weighs 5 lbs, you can't have your cake and eat it too.

Used to get into a debate every single time I went to a meet in one of my 50s cars and some guy would say "They don't make 'em like they used to" or "that thing would be a tank in a crash". The concept of dissipation of force is lost on many and what seems to be flimsy will actually save your ass.
I wish I had the video below available back then just to show people how bad rigid can be. They were right they don't make 'em like they used too and that is a good thing.


Pay special attention to what happens at :49 and 1:10. Which car would you rather be in?


[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=joMK1WZjP7g"]Crash Test 1959 Chevrolet Bel Air VS. 2009 Chevrolet Malibu (Frontal Offset) IIHS 50th Anniversary - YouTube[/ame]

[Tokay444]

I notice it most when leaving the driveway on a slant, and all the ice on the roof cracks and slides off.

[venturaII]

I love that video. I have a friend who purchased a '60 Chevy Fleetmaster (same color, 4 door, lower spec trim than the Bel Air) not long before that video came out. He was not happy when we showed it to him...

[spitfire481]

our LS car had no cage for 3 years, now it has the LSA blower and TH400 trans. no weird stress issues or anything

[Sapphireho]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

Used to get into a debate every single time I went to a meet in one of my 50s cars and some guy would say "They don't make 'em like they used to" or "that thing would be a tank in a crash". The concept of dissipation of force is lost on many and what seems to be flimsy will actually save your ass.
I wish I had the video below available back then just to show people how bad rigid can be. They were right they don't make 'em like they used too and that is a good thing.

I have had the same argument with friends many times that would think it would be a good idea to get an old "tank" for their teenager because "it's safer".


Also, the "roll bar in a street car" argument. Yea buddy, good idea to have a solid bar inches from your head!

[TorontoNat]

Originally Posted by ILLSMOQ

Hmm, it did feel pretty tight the few times I drove it before I started the swap.

Maybe it is strong enough when stressed as intended...but yeah it definitely seems pretty flimsy when I’m banging on it with a hammer lol

Well forget about how it used to drive... The balance/weight distribution will be off completely unless you are doing some serious engineering before cutting things and slapping what I'm guessing (Don't know what engine you are putting in) is a not flat, heavier/bigger engine in there.

The center of gravity (You know..That thing that actually makes this car amazing) will be completely off as well rendering the whole feel of the car stock completely irrelevant to you.

If you are cutting things your car's safety goes straight out the window. Rigidity doesn't equal safety anyway as we have explained.

Now if you have made this car have body roll while turning as a result of what you have done then you might want to consider a roll cage and some sway bars... but that's another story.

Good luck with the swap... It is an ambitious endeavor you have embarked on.

[ILLSMOQ]

Originally Posted by TorontoNat

Well forget about how it used to drive... The balance/weight distribution will be off completely unless you are doing some serious engineering before cutting things and slapping what I'm guessing (Don't know what engine you are putting in) is a not flat, heavier/bigger engine in there.

The center of gravity (You know..That thing that actually makes this car amazing) will be completely off as well rendering the whole feel of the car stock completely irrelevant to you.

If you are cutting things your car's safety goes straight out the window. Rigidity doesn't equal safety anyway as we have explained.

Now if you have made this car have body roll while turning as a result of what you have done then you might want to consider a roll cage and some sway bars... but that's another story.

Good luck with the swap... It is an ambitious endeavor you have embarked on.

Thanks for the well wishes and valuable insight Toronto Nat...in taking your novel post to heart, perhaps I should have consulted you and the other geniuses before embarking on this perilous journey into creating a top heavy, wobbly, death trap of a machine haha!

...starting to realize that even though this is the Swap forum perhaps this isn’t the best place to actually get swap information and advice...instead, aside from a few helpful posts, it’s mostly know it all answers from those that only know what they know

From the responses of those that actually have experience with the original topic of the thread, it sounds like the car takes the extra power well enough.

[Zer0]

I think it will hold up fine, but I'm getting a cage from Custom Cages out of the UK. It's a bit extreme. But I like the design of it.

[ILLSMOQ]

That is serious...looks like it could be pretty heavy?

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by ILLSMOQ

Thanks for the well wishes and valuable insight Toronto Nat...in taking your novel post to heart, perhaps I should have consulted you and the other geniuses before embarking on this perilous journey into creating a top heavy, wobbly, death trap of a machine haha!

...starting to realize that even though this is the Swap forum perhaps this isn’t the best place to actually get swap information and advice...instead, aside from a few helpful posts, it’s mostly know it all answers from those that only know what they know

From the responses of those that actually have experience with the original topic of the thread, it sounds like the car takes the extra power well enough.

So you wanted only one answer and forget the other very relevant responses?

[Zer0]

Originally Posted by ILLSMOQ

That is serious...looks like it could be pretty heavy?

48.5kg or about 107 pounds.

[ILLSMOQ]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

So you wanted only one answer and forget the other very relevant responses?

Not at all, I posed my question about the rigidity of the chassis and its ability to handle the extra power. There were a few relevant responses , including some of yours which are appreciated.


...Also had some irrelevant responses, that have nothing to do with the question and one response in particular that had more of a condescending, "keep the 86 as it was designed, you've ruined it" tone to it, hence my response.


By your reaction to my response I wonder are you including yourself in the "Genius" group I mentioned and taking offence or actually just curious as to the nature of my response?