Check the frame near all suspension mounts for cracks. At the rear, a lot of cars were “upgraded” to air shocks at some time during the 1970s, which put additional pres¬sure on the upper shock mounts and often resulted in damage. It’s very com-mon for the shock absorber mounts at the front and rear to be damaged by a shock coming loose. In addition to upgrading the frame, you need to inspect the original frame for damage and fatigue. Brakes include Wilwood Engineering, Inc., six-piston front calipers with 13-inch rotors and Wil¬wood four-piston rears, also with 13-inch rotors. The steering is a Ford-style Fox platform rack-and-pinion system. Teflon is self-lubricating, so the rod ends are quieter than stan¬dard rod ends. Teflon-lined spherical rod ends are used in the front suspension for much less bind than polyurethane bushings. Schwartz fits the chassis with a 1-inch splined sway bar with billet arms and adjust¬able links. The springs and shocks are Ridetech sin¬gle-adjustable coil-overs. The front suspension uses Schwartz-fabricated spindles and strut-rod-style lower control arms and upper control arms. The chassis is made from mandrel-bent 2×3-inch main rails, which boast torsional flex that is 200 percent less than that of a stock frame. Schwartz Performance makes a G-machine chassis to fit 1964–19– 1972 Chevelles. Art Morrison Enter¬prises and Schwartz Performance, Inc., make all-new chassis for these cars that bolt in place, complete with front and rear suspension. If your car is from the “Rust Belt,” inspect it very carefully to make sure that it has not been com¬promised by corrosion.Īnother option to overcoming open-channel frame rails and frame damage is to upgrade to a completely new chassis. Even regular road use can cause cracks in the frames near suspension attachment points, including the A-arm mounts in the front and the upper shock mounts at the rear of the car. After all, the new¬est original frame is at least 40 years old. You also want to inspect the frame carefully. Boxing the frame center sections should be considered mandatory if you have aspirations of turning your car into a performance Chevelle. The kit results in a frame that is four times as stiff as the original. ABC Performance makes a do-it-yourself Frame Boxing Kit including CNC laser-cut sections you can weld in place and box your frame. While driving under the conditions these cars were originally designed for, this isn’t an issue but when you double or triple the power and expect the car to launch hard on the dragstrip or turn corners with grace at anything over 40 mph, this weak link becomes an issue. The lack of fully-boxed frame sections here introduces flex. The biggest drawback is that the center sections of the frame rails are C-channels. The frame design is pretty good as muscle car production frames go. While many people begin their research and modifications with the suspension components, it’s best to start with the frame itself. You can use the social sharing buttons to the left, or copy and paste the website link: SHARE THIS ARTICLE: Please feel free to share this post on Facebook / Twitter / Google+ or any automotive Forums or blogs you read. For a comprehensive guide on this entire subject you can visit this link: LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS BOOK HERE ![]() This Tech Tip is From the Full Book “ CHEVELLE PERFORMANCE PROJECTS: 1964-1972“. More good news, though almost everything you need to convert your Chevelle into a modern-handling machine can be done through bolt-on components. The bad news is that the frame rails are really the only pieces of the original chassis that you won’t be unbolt¬ing and replacing, although you can replace them too, if you want. The suspension location points are in good places and the basic double A-arm front suspension is a sound design, as is the rear four-link. The good news is that it’s a fantastic founda¬tion for a solid performing chassis. There’s good news and bad news when it comes to the chassis under your 1964–1972 Chevelle.
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