[MonaroSS]

I just thought I'd post this for the edification of our American friends who are used to their old cars being Body On Frame (BOF) whereas Holden from the get-go in 1948 used a radical new lightweight Chevy design that Chevy decided not to use. It was constructed, as all Holden’s since, as a unitary or monocoque body design.

This is from the Monaro Club of Victoria website and is a project by Glen. Below are 3 of 7 pics linked.

http://www.monaroclubvic.asn.au/members_pages/glen_a/first%20lot%20019.jpg

http://www.monaroclubvic.asn.au/members_pages/glen_a/first%20lot%20063.jpg

http://www.monaroclubvic.asn.au/members_pages/glen_a/First%20outing%20003.jpg

And here is his matching Monaro..

http://www.monaroclubvic.asn.au/members_pages/glen_a/01%20Good%20Friday%20Cruise_1120.jpg

 

[Joevette]

i wonder why chevy never used this kind of construction?

 

[MonaroSS]

i wonder why Chevy never used this kind of construction?

From what I've read it was too costly. By that I mean it was too costly given that at the time Chevy was into as low as 2 year model changes, with dramatically different bodies which were cheaper to change when mounted on frames which with the drive train stayed unchanged.

With a monocoque design where the body takes the stresses you can't just change the shape for styling sake without doing a complete engineering retest of it's structural integrity. So BOF allowed all those many many lovely body changes we saw back in the 50's and 60's. They would have had to be much more constrained had the cars been monocoque - or cost GM a lot more money to do.

But of course now when models last several years the monocoque is now just as cheap, while being stronger and lighter.

 

[mikmak]

Sure the result is nice. I just want a shed where I can do stuff like that. "My" shed (read :farm shed) is full off 50 years of farm machinery parts....and not in the possible hidden gems kinda way. It's just full of useless crap.

 

[cedarman24]

Look at the V8 in all it's rawness, Look s great doesn't it!