Getting Your First-Gen Corvette Properly Framed

The jig-built and mandrel-bent, totally pulse tig-welded '53-'62 Corvette chassis features any engine and transmission mounts, core support, body mounts, bumper bracket mounts-all in their stock locations. For maximum strength, Jim uses tubular crossmembers with a removable transmission mount. This exhaust-friendly chassis is designed for up to a 3-inch-diameter exhaust system and is also available with any track width, front or rear, in case big rubber is your preference. In fact, he also offers the chassis tubbed for ultra-serious rubber out back.

The popular, bolt-in, adjustable Jim Meyer IFS (that can be purchased separately) is also incorporated into this chassis. It features all GM components, including standard 10.5-inch front GM disc brakes, calipers, spindles, and ball joints. The rack-and-pinion steering features a "Quick-Turn" three-turn, lock-to-lock manual rack. The 2x4 x.188-inch wall box tube front crossmember holds urethane bushed lower tubular A-arms (1-inch diameter by .156-inch wall seamless D.O.M. tube) and 71/48-inch diameter by .156-inch wall D.O.M. seamless tube upper A-arms.

Out back, the chassis features a very stout 9-inch rearend housing, available at any width or wheel-bolt pattern, with Dutchman Motorsports alloy axles, housing flanges, and most disc brake packages such as Wilwood, Baer, or Explorer. Any gear ratio, including posi-traction or standard third members, is also optionally available. As you'll notice in the photos, the standard four-link is mounted outboard for more efficient exhaust routing over the rearend. These urethane-bushed, adjustable control arms and adjustable Panhard bars feature 1-inch OD seamless D.O.M. tube with a .156-inch wall. The front-and-rear coilover shocks are QA1 aluminum adjustable units with powdercoated springs (optional spring rates are available). Jim Meyer Racing also offers a separate '53-'62 Corvette rearend kit that features identical components. This kit uses the stock driveshaft and stock wheel-bolt pattern for a totally stock outward appearance, while giving you industry-standard, over-the-counter, 9-inch axle components available everywhere.

Since the new chassis comes with a new rack-and-pinion unit, splined U-joints and a double-D shaft will be required to connect to either a new I-Did-It or a Flaming River steering column. If you are using your old stock column, some modifications will need to be made to connect to the new steering linkage, so Jim Meyer Racing offers a stock column-modification kit and steering-linkage kit designed specifically for this application.

Links:

Jim Meyer Racing