Just tossing this idea out there, so if it's unsafe or just a bad idea in general let me know. I'm building(well helping a friend of mine) a frame for my 51 studebaker starlight coupe. Its getting a paralell leaf sprung chromoly tube axel set up on the front. He's built the front frame rails from 2x3 3/16 rec tubing. And I was thinking about drilling a few 1 1/2 inch holes in the rails and sleeving them with some 1 1/2 o.d. 120 wall h.r.e.w. tubing. I just don't know if this will compromise the stabillty of the frame. The car weighs 3200 lbs, is getting 331 hemi and four speed. Its not going to be a fairgrounds car its sole purpose will be getting down the track in a timely manner and doing so safely. So if this idea is a bad one let me know. Thanks in advance, Jason
I am this friend he speaks of... We are thinking about carrying this theme throughout the build... Here is a pic of the z'd front frame section with fish plates...
I like the "industrial" look of those fish plates. I like the look of "speed holes" but something different like your plates and maybe some big rivet heads would look unique and cool .
Worm, don't know where you are in Oklahoma but your welcome to look over my T. It is drilled and sleeved and very ridgid. It has a 348 Chevy so it has a pretty tourqey motor as well. I'm in Enid. I like the indusrial look of that frame, different isn't always good but that looks nice and different.
I am very new to the hotrod scene so Im not sure exactly what your calling a rivet head... I mainly fab on rock crawlers and 4x4s... We were thinking about drilling and sleeving the frame from the Z to the end of the frame... It will also tapper down into a 1.5 front cross member... Thanks, -Chris Here is a pic of what Im used to building
Your fab looks like something you would see on a 4x4 rig. I like it. I use similar techniques. Honestly, the tube you started out with is more than adequate for the job. If you remove metal, and weld in a piece of tubing, the strength will be rather close to what it is. The only real downfall I could see to this, is that it would actually make the tubing more rigid, and it may not want to flex. Aside from that, I think you will see no issues. Also, I would probably start with a 1.75" hole, because ti will end up with a 1.5" ID and I think it will look better. But that is just my opinion. And since you do offroad fab, you may already have some 1.75" tube since its a pretty common size for crawlers.
So your saying you have some of you roll cage tubing left over, and want to sleeve the holes you cut in a frame with it? Unless you use a really thin walled tupe to sleeze it, I really think youll actully gain weight by cutting the holes and welding in the tubing as you will be gaining surface area of metal from the tubing you add. But it sure would look cool. FWIW, the frame on my 35 is short and so stiff, that if I go in a steep driveway at an angle, and the front suspension bottoms out, it lifts the opposite rear tire because I have little travel and sush a stiff frame. Therefore: you have a tubing frame (same as a boxed frame) with a well designed crossmember, itll be really stiff and transfter torque very well. If you drill holes to lighten it, but then add more material than you took off, well it really wont be any lighter, or stiffer. Thus, I honestly dont think youll be ahead if you plan to make it strictly for racing.
Drilling holes was done to reduce weight. If you drill holes, then fill it up with even more metal...you're just adding weight.
ya but if he drills it does add weight but using a cylinder would increase the strength of it as most of your frames are built on what is considered a triangleular area, but a round bar stock or tube would be real strung in that area
Well first and foremost this car is going to be a race car, that being said wieght is an issue. So it looks like the holes are out! I was just caught up in the idea of the swiss cheese catalina from back in the 60's. Also since the hemi has mechanical individual runner injection and industrial valve covers I thought the holes would be an interesting touch. But since all the extra material would add weight to the front and hamper performance I'll leave the holes alone. Hopefully I can have some more pics up this evening of what all we get done to the ole turd.
I believe you are over thinking this weight issue. Lets say the material from the holes you drill weigh 1x oz. The tubing you install in the holes should weigh 4x oz...net gain of 3x oz. If the disc removed is only an ounce or 2, the gross gain will be 6 oz. per hole. Unless you plan on drilling 1,000 holes, the net weight gain will probably be in the 10-15 pound area. Unless you're running an all out, micro managed race class, you will probably have more motor and tire to ever see any difference in performance. Additionally, your reaction time on the lights will most likely have more of an effect on your winning or loosing a drag race. DRILL THE DAMN HOLES......COOL IS COOL
Lightening the Frame: Strength is in the Top and Bottom of the Frame - (Bending) Hence I-Beams are Stronger thatn H-Beams. Mass -Momoent of Inertia formulas.... any Engineering Book. The neutral axis "center of sides" does nothing for bending strength in the up and down or y-axis. If you have the tubing, you can performing the bending on std and ligntened section. Use a press etc, and compare reduction in strength. And I agree with the others, the Industrial Plated Frame you have shown, very cool, so holes or not still looks good. Doug
I have a buddy that has lots of molds for fiberglass Studebaker parts including bullet nose grill section and hood. Just what you'll need to loose lots of weight to compensate for all the extra weight of the reinforced holes. Let me know, I'll hook you up.
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