its time to build another project ....and i have to fab up a frame(model a frame), so i was thinking about building an aluminum frame ether c chanel or boxed tubing, ill be bolting a 4 link up to the rear has any one done this(that could post some pics) if i can learn from others mistakes...than i wont have as many!!
Bill Darr in NM has built an all aluminum T ch***is over the last few years. Check the National T Bucket Alliance website for details. NTBA.com
Boyd did a couple of Aluminum framed cars. Aluma Tub had a frame made from 3/16 wall, 5052 aluminum rectangular tubing. He also did an all aluminum Model A closed cab, The rectangular frame began as a length of 1-1/2-inch by 5-inch 6061 aluminum
When i worked at Metalcrafters in Ca i built an aluminum frame designed by engineers for a Jeep electric car.That was rectangular tubing. my weekly metal work blog www.themetalsurgeon.com
What style Model A frame? Stock type or more 32 style? There are structural reasons for not using Aluminum for structural bits like a frame. Aluminum alloys like 6061 are very rigid but do tend to fracture when bent. And repeated bending by stress loads could cause a failure if it's not supported correctly. You will notice not too many metalshapers use it for body work, 5052 is more forgiving and 3003 may not provide enough memory to be useful. Porsche 928 and Acura NSX owners are always talking about the lifespan of the body/frame, some have had issues with fatigue and other have not. Google yourself to tears trying to research it if you like. It is entirely possible and has been done, nothing too cutting edge there. Just be careful about your welded and mechanical joints. And an annual inspection wouldn't hurt.
I'm building a Bunch Midget tether car with an aluminum frame. Wouldn't do it on a fullsize, though...for reasons aforementioned...
Like ElP said, there is an endurance limit as to how many times an aluminum part will flex before it fails. In a standard Model A frame configuration (and most frame designs) there is inherent flex built in. If the flex in steel is limited to a tolerable amount, the steel will not fail, but tests with aluminum show that no matter how small the flex, aluminum has a 100% failure rate. The failure could be so far off, depending on the design, that you would never see it in reality, but every deflection adds up to a ***ulative injury to the metal.
There was talk about an aluminum frame with cast corners in Rod and Custom back about 1959 or so. The car was built, and used a 389 pancho. It was wicked light and lightening fast, but I dont know how long it lasted. Someone who has a complete colection may be able to refresh my memory.
2006 and newer Corvette has an aluminum frame...5745 aluminum alloy Like to see what your doing as you go
The exact metallurgical reason for this is the fatigue limit. Steel has a fatigue limit where if the applied cyclic load is under about 50% of the yield, it will never have a crack initiate or propagate. Aluminum does not have a fatigue limit, it will eventually fail no matter how small the load. This is the reason that aluminum rods have to be changed out after a period of time.
I have had my parts cut out and will be building my frame this year. I can tell you one thing, I could have purchased two sets of 32 rails and then some for what I have in my frame. I also looked into ***anium but taking out a second mortgage to build my frame was out of the question.
Yeah now we're talking! According to this article it can be done, as they have managed to weld succesfully without a vacuum chamber. I'd hate to pay for it though. http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...8dW5Bw&usg=AFQjCNHMKGtomi_SP_C3jR05R***qJZKsA
Heres a link to Mike Minariks ***anium Midget. http://www.indianaopenwheel.com/showthread.php?t=55018
My wife's OT little sporty car (rhymes with "prowler") has an aluminum frame. It's pretty exotic looking....they have lots of custom extruded shapes used for brackets, etc. and the main rails appear to be hydro-formed or something. The hard part will be figuring out how to make the attaching points for the suspension, etc so that the stress is low enough that it won't crack there.
Here's a link to a post on the Ford Truck Enthusiast forum where a guy built an aluminum frame for his 56 F100 http://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1089983-56-frame-build-with-crown-vic-front-end.html Some nice fabrication work, as for fatigue I am not sure that that is a reasonable argument...there are a lot of automobile parts in use today made from aluminum; a-arms, engines, etc so I don't think that I would shy away from using it based on the fatigue argument.
I am pretty sure Peterbilt used to use aluminum frames on at least some of their trucks..... (Confirmed) These utilized castings to transition corners, brackets etc. Not that you would use one, but it seems with the right engineering they can be durable enough.
thanks for all the replys!! as far as suspension mounting and reinforcment i would be adding extra boxing and gussets in that area(try to spread load out).....as well as rubber mounting everything to try to fight cracking... our lead fabricator at work here builds airplanes, and other aluminum ****, and he wants to help(thinks it would be cool) so we are researching before we go to it!! i think i will also be bolting chromoly tubing to a few areas....and maybe a chromoly roll cage to try to brace everything even better. thanks again for replys .....
The most recent Ford GT40's had aluminum frame parts. I know because I made tensile bars out of them.
I believe they have been aluminum since 1984. I know for sure the C5's were (97-04). But I seem to remember the C4's also being aluminum or partial aluminum.
There sure are a lot of trailers out there, both recreational and commercial big-rig, that are fabricated of aluminum. 39 All Ford makes a good point about the cast couplings and bracketry.
To add to Ol Don's memory, Roger Huntington I believe built the 389 tripower pontiac T bucket, was on the cover of Hot Rod I think? No radiator, just a grille shell with no insert, radiator out back, hairy looking ******* as the cover shot was knee high with the car coming at you. That was an aluminum bolted frame.
The Plymouth Prowler used an Aluminum frame. But they had the resources to engineer it correctly, and manufacture it correctly. Easy to do poorly.
I stand corrected. They used an aluminum torque bar to connect the frame sections. http://www.vetteweb.com/tech/vemp_1104_corvette_frames/viewall.html I thought I remembered them saying the C5 frame was hydroformed aluminum when I took the plant tour back in 2003.
Unless I'm reading it wrong I believe the only mention of aluminum in that thread is in reference to the front suspension crossmember, which is a cast aluminum piece. The OP does say "it's aluminum" in one post, but I get the impression he's talking about the Crown Vic crossmember and not the entire frame.
yea, but the frames in those trucks were made of a wierd alloy. Ever seen the stickers on em that say "DO NOT WELD"?
i have seen a picture of a alunimum frame to a pontiac 1963 catalina in smoke signals.it was orded buy Mickey Tomson to replace swiss frames.they was weak and flexed in rear outer control arms both when you leave starting line and other way when braking.never put body on and when mickey jumped to ford he gave frame to Arnie Beswick.
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