I have inherited a 1973 vette. It was originally purchased new by my great uncle so I know the history and that he crunched the front a couple of times. I have noticed the right front tire sits back in the wheel well about 1" 1/2" more than the left. Could this be a bent frame or maybe suspension components? He was elderly and the speed of the wrecks was pretty slow.........otherwise its beautiful. Any thoughts, Thanks

 

Could be bent frame, could be suspension, could be that someone replaced some body panels with ones that didn't quite fit and "adjusted" them into place so the seams would line up. Bent frames will usually result in strange handling, front ends that won't align, etc..

If you can find a good "old school" frame and body shop in the area, see what they find. The newer shops that do all unibody stuff will likely scratch their heads and then guess. You need to find an old frame guy at an old frame shop that knows how to deal with ladder style frames, and knows how to throw chains around the frame and yank just right. My frame had some "sag" in it, and the local frame shop's owner (pushing 80 yrs old now) drove it over the pit, threw some chains over the frame, and got out some big hydraulic bottle jacks. A couple hours later, after his son put it back together, he couldn't stop apologizing for the 800 bucks that he charged me to straighten it and install all new front suspension parts (upper A arms, ball joints, bushings, etc.) and brakes (rotors, calipers, pads). I *love* that shop.

bill.

 

The upper a arm is shimmed to death to make it track straight. Anyone know a frame shop around Temecula Ca. that might be able to help?

 

Welcome to CF!
Congrats on inheriting a C3!!!
I have noticed this "quirk" on several different makes and models.
Even cars that haven't had any front end damage. I have no explanation for it.
I've never heard of it happening on a Vette though.
If you know the extent of the damage at the time, and what was done to repair it, this would give ya a clue as to what you would need to do, to correct it.
I would need a little more info to steer ya in the right direction.
Does the car dog track at all?, hows the tire wear?
Check the spacing at the front of the doors, do the gaps match in size?, if they do, the frame is most likely not bent.
So next, take some measurements, from each side of the suspension componants, and compare them. It could be tweeked A-arms.

 

Thanks for the replies. It doesn't dog track at all, the doors align real nice. I was going to rebuild the entire front end but dont want to waste time and money putting it back together with a bent part. The great uncle who owned it was 70 when he bought it new and drove it until he was 96. I dont think either wreck was over 20 mph. I will try measuring everything to see if I can narrow it down.

 

If you can get your hands on the 1973 GM Service Manual (public libraries sometimes have them), you can get some critical frame/suspension dimensions that are relatively easy to check. That could give you a clue as to where to go. Good luck.

 

I would take it to a body shop that works on Vets and get a free estimate.
This way you will have some direction in which way to go.

 

I'll bet dollars to donunts the prob lies with the lower A-frame.
With all the shims up top, they are compensating for the tweeked lower.
See if you can get a match on the caster and camber, on both sides. I'll bet both are out, on the right side. IMO, everything points to the lower A-frame it's self, or where it mounts.

 

If you look in the yellow pages under frame shops you should be able to fined a good one that will look at it for free and give you an estimate on the cause and cost of repairs.Have fun enjoy the car and let us know how you make out.Talk at ya later