Looking for some help with some information.  I purchased a 2003 Corvette Z06 rolling chassis off Ebay.  I am planing on putting this under my 67 Chevelle.  I need to stretch the torque tube about 21" in order to be the right wheel base. #1 Anyone have any information on how to lengthen the torque tube?  #2 the upper control arms are connected to the Corvette frame, and the lower's are connected to the aluminum cradle front and rear.  I am making a new frame, but am trying to figure out how to set the uppers to be in line with the lowers for proper travel.  Any thoughts on how to make them be in the proper posistion?

ANY THOUGHTS WOULD BE OF GREAT HELP.

THANK YOU, JIM.  

Did you buy it out of a wrecked vette? just the chassis or did you get the powertrain also?  

I have the suspension, brakes, engine, 6 speed trans, rear end.  It is a complete rolling chassis, with out the corvette frame.  They just unbolt it and drop it out from under the car.  It was out of a 2003 Z06 with 20,000 that a guy slid sideways in to something.  Body wrecked, but the running gear is good.  Now to put it togather is another story.  Something to keep me busy at night.  

Chassis straightening equipment as used by quality body shops uses measurements from reference points to reestablish the locations of subframes,etc. You may be able to buy this data from a shop. This could give you a place to start.  jimmyt4  

Hi Jim,

I started my 71 olds a-body project back in 2004 with the c5 full drivetrain setup.

I only finished the rear section.  What I did to get the setup for the upper control arms to frame was to buy a rear frame rail section from a guy off ebay.  He had to cut them as to fit them in a paper box for easy shipping.  He gave the space measurement before cutting though.  I then (snugly) bolted them on the rear subframe.  I used a round steel bar cut to the measured spacing and tack welded in place between the left and right railings.  You should now be able to attach the control arms to the frame.  I worked from the rails to my original frame by cutting/welding in new pieces. Boxed off the hollow corvette frame rails and went to work, when I got all my center to center hole measurements in place including ride height with desired wheels.  The corvette frame rails are now grafted into my a-body frame.  

The torque tube is another problem.  The only person I know who extended one is Jay Leno with his big dog garage on the olds toronado twin turbo all c5 drivetrain/suspension setup.

I want to call them to see if they fabricate the one I need.

If you found someone to do it, please let us know here, thanks.  

I thought that I would check back and see how you project is coming.  Any new news?  Great idea on the measurement idea.  Do you still have what the measurement is between the rear upper control arms?  I was reading the article on project x and how they had cut the front cradle to narrow it.  It looks like I may have to do the same to be able to get to fit under the Chevelle.  They did not go in to detail on how the welded and reinforced it.  Any ideas on how they made it strong enough once welded?  Did they just tig weld and it is fine, or did they need to add more aluminum to the seam once welded?  Any other ideas or thoughts as you move forward would be appreciated.

Thanks Jim.  

hello Jim il have the same problem here in the netherlands il have a C6 Z06 rolling cassis but not the frame so how far are you whit your project?
martin  

Z06chevelle:
Looking for some help with some information.  I purchased a 2003 Corvette Z06 rolling chassis off Ebay.  I am planing on putting this under my 67 Chevelle.  I need to stretch the torque tube about 21" in order to be the right wheel base. #1 Anyone have any information on how to lengthen the torque tube?  #2 the upper control arms are connected to the Corvette frame, and the lower's are connected to the aluminum cradle front and rear.  I am making a new frame, but am trying to figure out how to set the uppers to be in line with the lowers for proper travel.  Any thoughts on how to make them be in the proper posistion?

ANY THOUGHTS WOULD BE OF GREAT HELP.

THANK YOU, JIM.

Jim,

      I am also using a C-5 setup in 2 project cars. The first is a 1934 Coupe by Streetbeast, and the second is a 1971 Chevelle SS coupe w/a BBC.

      I have an extra front cradle that has been narrowed 5", that I may consider selling, but I have also designed a steel alternative frame section that will do the job with a lot less hassle. As we speak, I am fabricating the front unit.

      The rear steel alternative will be coming soon.

      I haven't yet completed the design for the Chevelle wheelbase problem, but I'm confident that it will be the same as the way I used for the 34 Coupe. I just moved the engine back, so that I didn't have to mess with the driveline. The 21" that you mention seems extreme, but I will double check my own dims. I don't know of anyone who has succesfully cut/or leghtened a Corvete torque tube, but I'm sure that it would be cost prohibitive and pose a real problem if you ever had to replace in, on the road, unles you are Jay Leno!!

     After almost 50 years of building cars, I have learned that exotic modifications make for an undesirable ride. Just the mental pressure that comes with fact that you know that if it brakes, you CANNOT get it fixed on the road,should lead you in an alternative direction. I try my best to build cars that can be taken into a dealership for 90% of the driveline and suspension repairs.

     Feel free to contact me if I can be of any futher assistance,

                lwriddell@carolina.rr.com  

Jim,

      I need to correct a mistake in my reply, The narrowed C-5 cradle that I have is a REAR CRADLE, not a front cradle. It was cut and tig welded on a jig. This is no DIY job!! The jig has to be capable of making sure that the doner cradle is square and straight ( my third cradle passed the test!!), then it has to be cut on a large bandsaw and put back in the same jig ( with the narrowed location pins ), beveled for 100% tig weld penatration, and expertly welded in a manner which doesn't warp or over heat the cradle. I had mine narrowed 3 years ago and the cost then was $700.00 plus the 3 E-Bay cradles @ $approx $200.00 each incl S&H. When going this way, you will also have to have shorter axles made, or see if you can find someone to cut and respline yours-just another high unexpected expense that I ran into.

    Please let me know if there is any thing else that you are having a problem with, although I am not in business, nor do I own a business, I sometimes have an extra part or two that I may be willing to sell. I also make more than one of the parts that I find I can't get somewhere else, so sometimes I may have the part that you were wondering where to get, or how to build.

               lwriddell
      I don't have any specs on a 2003 Z O6, but I do have both torque tubes for a 2001. One is for a standard transmission and measures approx 49 1/2" and the other is for a 4L60E transmission. If you are interested in comparing lengths, mine are out of the cars, so just let me know what measurements that you need.