Quite a few years back there was a thread where a gentleman built a chassis for his hot rod out of stainless. I've been digging for two hours and I can't find it. Does anyone remember this it have a link?
It's been a long time, but I remember a blue '32? coupe at Macungie Wheels of Time with a stainless frame. A BIG $$ guy had the car, said there were two frames built. I'm thinking the company that made them was from Michigan.
Solar Midgets built just after WWII had stainless steel chassis. Helpful ore useless info I've had floating in my brain. Bob
A fellow down here built a boxed 33 chassis from SS, looked nice. I was led to believe that SS would work harden over time and eventually suffer from fatigue as it not as well suited to stressors when compared to mild steel.
Back in the Pro Street days, Rick Dobbertin built the ultimate street machine starting with a fully polished, stainless tubular space frame. I think it was called the J-2000. Had a blown AND turboed engine in it. Built it all himself.
Chassis Engineering (the dropped axle guys) used to build complete chassis. I remember seeing an A chassis they did in their booth at the shows that was completely polished stainless.
Don't know of that chassis, but there's a guy that did a nice job on a Stainless chassis for an Avanti not too long ago. Mike
nothing wrong with stainless if its the right type , your city busses (mci, nova , orions ) some have stainless frames and most chemical tankers are the barrel is loadbearing and frameless and they hold up for years ( we do get ocassional cracking ) . just cost and fabrication would be the limits of doing it .
I really can't see that as there are many parts made in stainless that are under far more stress than a frame without breaking, I used 316L as it resists weld migration