Steel 'X' Bolted Setup To The Underside Frame Of My 77 280Z

[Guest Anonymous]

I have plans to make an 'X' shaped piece of 2 pieces of welded together steel evenly in the middle and not stacked on top of one of the other lenghts of steel.You know,like at where an 'X' Crosses in the middle?Weld 4 brackets to the underside frame of the car,1 behind the front left wheel,1 behind the front right wheel,1 in front of the rear left wheel,and 1 in front of the rear right wheel.Those brackets could have studs and at each of the 4 points of the steel 'X' could have small flanges with a hole to fit exactly over the bolts that will be on those welded brackets and bolt on.That way I can just loosen the bolts and bring the 'X' down if I have to do any work under the car.Does anyone get what I'm saying?It's a bit hard to follow,but I think that it will work.Of course,it will be under everything underneath the car thus it will be easy to take out if the need persists.I was thinking about an 8 Point Cage,but they're a bit more than I want to spend.Will this steel 'X' provide the least bit of reinforcement?And if it will,what kind of steel do I need to get to do it right and it provide reinforcement?I have a cousin that can professionally weld the brackets and the steel together,so there's not a problem there.I don't think that there would be any kind of twists in front of the front wheels and in behind the rear wheels because of it being a bit tougher in those places because of other bolted on components.I don't plan on warming up the engine just yet except for maybe a set of 10:1 Flattop Pistons and a set of Performance Heads.But I know that I will sometime in the future since I am going to sell my Chevelle to do this Conversion if I don't back out.Does anyone think that this will work?I know that this sounds wierd and you probably don't get what I'm saying,but I'm going to try to draw out a model on a piece of paper and copy it to my computer to maybe give someone an idea of what I'm talking about.Any help or advice is appreciated!

 

Thanks,

Izzy Middleton

[fl327]

it would work.

[Guest Anonymous]

How much resistance would it have and what gauge of steel do I need?

 

Izzy

[fl327]

you could probably get the x member out of a big car, like some of those riverias and cutlasses, cadilac and i know for sure convertible just about anything came stock with a x brace like you are talking about, snip here weld here and you got x brace. bigger the car, usually means thicker brace.

[Guest Anonymous]

Alright.Thanks for the Advice.Anyone that doesn't understand what I am talking about,I have put together an overhead view of what it would look like on my Z in the Microsoft Paint Program.Anyone that wants a copy,e-mail me at:

 

izzy_middleton@hotmail.com

 

Thanks.

Izzy

[Guest Anonymous]

One more question that doesn't really act upon the 'X' reinforcement...Does a 77 280Z have a full frame or a uniframe?Just thought that I'd ask.I was curious.

 

Thanks.

Izzy

[Mudge]

So far as I know, all these cars are unibody.

[Guest Phil1934]

The twisting of a frame is about the same as the twisting of the individual components. This is why with old hot rods the channel frames are boxed as it is much harder to twist a tube than a channel. The next modification is usually an X member as crossmember legs at a 45* resist the frame twisting in bending rather than twisting. Bending requires more force. Also keep in mind a deeper frame will be stiffer. In other words a cage will also stiffen it.

[Guest JAMIE T]

My only concern is ground clearance. I know my '71 is only about 4-5" off the ground. Remember, you must also fit exhuast under there. If Iunderstand what you are saying, I would use 1"x3" rectangle tubing in about .120" wall thickness for you crossmember, and probably 1/4" thick flanges to bolt it to. That's my $.02. BTW, I am a professional welder.

[Guest Anonymous]

Thanks for your reply James.I sent a copy of the drawing to your E-Mail address so you can view it and see if you have anymore ideas about what needs to be done to it.

 

Thanks!

Izzy Middleton