3 Ways to Customize Your Classic Car's Chassis
If we were to look at a car as a body, then the chassis would be its skeleton. It supports every other component and serves as a mounting point for everything that makes up your car, from the engine to the wheels to the seats.
Alas, the chassis of vintage vehicles have one fatal flaw: they are aging. This means they might be losing some of their functionality. Fortunately, Orange County, CA subframe and chassis services have a way to customize and improve your car’s frame to make it better, safer, and much longer lasting.
How can I improve my car chassis?
There are numerous ways to improve your car’s chassis. However, the extent of upgrades will vary depending on its current state. Therefore, the best way to approach the problem is to take your car to a reputable shop for inspection. Then, you’ll know exactly what can and can’t be done, which will save you a lot of money and nerves.
Full Chassis Replacement
Yes, we know, this isn’t the first thing that pops to mind when you say “customization”. Naturally, most classic car owners want to keep as many of the old components as possible. However, complete chassis replacement is an improvement over the old one in exactly every way.
From structural integrity to performance, to safety, new chassis will make your car better in every way possible. Considering how chassis of an older car are, in most cases, too old to warrant salvaging and that a new one will last you at worst 20 years, replacement is a phenomenal long-term investment.
Restoration
As the name suggests, restoration serves to mend the damage created by time and usual wear and tear. In most cases, this entails removing the worn and corroded parts (which is a fancy way of saying “cutting them off”) and replacing them with new parts (which is a fancy way of saying “welding the pieces back together”).
As it stands, doing this is usually not all that it takes to repair the damages. Additional reinforcement may be required. The best way to go about restoration is to have an experienced mechanic do a thorough examination, as it will show if doing this is plausible at all.
Reinforcement
Now, this is what everybody imagines when they think of “customization”. If an inspection shows that your chassis is in a good condition, your array of options will expand to include:
Installing weld-on/bolt-on braces/bars;
Adding ladder and/or traction bars;
Installing a roll cage.
Reinforcement is a straight-up upgrade that will make a classic car compliant with current safety standards but, also, boost its performance, including:
Reducing frame flex and body roll (even up to 40%!);
Improving stability and handling;
Improving braking performance;
Reducing vibrations and noise (especially on rough roads);
Increasing comfort and safety.
From giving you the possibility to have an engine cradle on a vintage car to even further boost performance to making you safer in the case of a car crash, reinforcement is an amazing option and an excellent investment.
Which Orange County, CA subframe and chassis services are the best?
Whether you want to upgrade your car, restore its original functionality, or spruce it up to turn every head on the sidewalk, Chimera Motors is your finest choice. Our skilled technicians have years of experience in classic car modifications and wield state-of-the-art tools to make the work surgically precise. Get in touch with us today or visit our Orange County HQ just east of Huntington Central Park and you can have a vintage ride that is reliable, safe, and gorgeous.
