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Put 69 Chevelle body on C6 Chassis?

24K views 19 replies 16 participants last post by  Slick71ss 
#1 ·
I have a self restored '69 SS 396 4 speed ... I want a pro-touring '69 ... Son (mechanic and real LS fan ...) wants to get crashed/salvaged Corvette C5 or C6 - complete car (for the same price of custom Chassis)... good motor and chassis, trash the rest of the 'vette, use the great handling already chassis and LS motor/trans ... add a Chevelle body ... Anyone done that? ... he poo-poos any fears I have with fitment ... says we can fab it up ... ... H-m-m-m I kind of like the idea.
 
#3 ·
You realize the transmitions are in the rear of the vetts now.Sounds like a nightmare waiting to happen so you'd be way better off upgrading your stock suspention or getting a custom frame with suspention.If somebody has done it Id be interested in seeing it.
 
#5 ·
I think anything can be done with enough time, knowledge, patience, and $$$$.
Don't think I've ever heard of an attempt but if you jump I wish you the best of luck and outcome. I think it would be great, performance and handleing wise. If you do it, be sure to document/photograph it.
Ricky
 
#6 ·
If I recall correctly, Jay Leno's 427 Turbocharged 1966 Toronado is built on a Corvette Chassis. The car was converted to rear wheel drive, so a custom made floor for the Toronado was fabricated. Also, the Toronado was wider and longer, so the Corvette frame was widened and lengthened.
I think it can be done with some careful planning and patience.
 
#7 ·
Thanks guys for feedback... Son and I are going to do another Chevelle, but quick google of Chevelle-on-Vette frame finds a few guys doing it ... and doing a touch more work than my Fabbing energy level might be up for. There's no quit in my son, and he's VERY strong LS platform advocate, but right off the bat these others guys are stretching the vette to go under the longer wheel base of the Chevelle (duh - hadn;'thought about wheel bases being different)- hence these guys are looking for help to cut and lengthen the torque tube. Yeeouch! I don't mind doing patch panels on a chevelle, but CUTTING a frame - and don't forget a hydro formed, alloy one at that , no?... I'm a retired school principal not Chip you-know-who :):).

The lure though is strong - sonny boy of mine can find any day it seems from the internet (and shows me) ... for $15,000-16K a crunched 4 yr old vette, low miles - rear or side hit. The body is toast, air bags may even be intact. For 15K you can get a chassis, alloy wheels, LS motor, Tremec trans, wiring harness, ecu, even decent seats in most cases . ...That's some kinda go-cart!

That's about the same cost as custom frame only, or frame and some suspension pieces for a Chevelle from one of the companies that do new frame and suspension set ups for our cars ... you know 'em - Not knocking them at all, they're gorgeous and work well apparently. So that's the dilema. :):) ...
 
#8 ·
There is a guy out of Ocala, Florida that did this 2-3 years ago on a blue '68 convertible and an '07 Corvette. I believe he told me he was a mechanical engineer. This thing was fabulous and looked factory! I sat in it and you would swear you were in a new Corvette. Until you looked out over the long hood and saw the SS humps! When you walked up on the car, it just looked like a well restored '68 Chevelle with Corvette rims.

Not only did he use the frame/chassis, but the whole interior including the dash. Major modifications to the fire wall b/c engine had to be set back. Lots of room left in the engine compartment(for twin turbos :D). Owner told me the gas tank fabrication was very tricky. Filler neck had to come up and out the driver side quarter right behind the rear side window.

I saw this car at the Turkey Run a few years ago and he was looking to sell it. I don't remember how much, but he had well over $100K in it. This was a serious, well-put together show and go!

I'll see if I can find the photos.
 
#11 ·
The biggest problem you'll have is that in a Corvette, the engine sits almost entirely behind the centerline of the front wheels... In order to make it work, you'll have about 8" of engine setback, so you won't have any room for an HVAC system under the stock dash, and the toe-boards will be too narrow to have any room for your feet and the 3 pedals. The only way around that is to move the seats and toe boards back too... Take 8" out of the rear seat footwells, and you might as well not have a rear seat at all.
 
#15 ·
C5 & C6 don't have a "chassis". There is a 'tube' down the center that connects the front cradle to the rear cradle. You would have to build a frame to accept the cradles and the body mounts. With that said, you could then set the wheelbase where you need it and mod the driveshaft and cover for length. (That's the way Leno's Olds is built) Or just use 'components' without the cradles. (Like aftermarket chassis)
 
#18 ·
Might be better to mate the LS powertrain and Vette rear suspension to a Chevelle frame and body or maybe custom frame as mentioned. Upgrade the front susp to Detroit Speed or similar components, add big brakes, etc.
 
#19 ·
Try this company. They make chassis that will adapt stock Corvette components. There is a bare chassis available for under 7K and all you need is a Corvette donor which can be much more reasonable cost wise instead of building the entire chassis with trick steering and suspension components. Though the sky is the limit and they can certainly do that as well. You can get a C4 Vette pretty cheap now and end up with all the steering and suspension components you need to adapt to one of their bare frames. Buddy of mine has a 65 2 door wagon and procured a really cheap early 90's vette as a donor and discovered this company in his research to make the Vette components work. Looks like they can do any gen Vette you want to use for the donor.

http://www.streetrodgarage.com/
 
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