Bottoms-Up

[X-Frame]

I am wondering if people here can post pictures of the chassis of vehicles over the years? Doesn't have to be cars but could be trucks, buses, or military vehicles. They are the foundations for an automobile and often underappreciated.

I am personally interested in very eary X-brace and cruciform designs. I know there were some X-braces in the 1920s and variations as early as 1902 but came into their stride around 1932.

The last American made X or criciform would be the 1982 Checker and the last European is still being made as the London Taxi TX4. I am hoping to zero in on "firsts" if possible... Thanks guys!

[X-Frame]

Hmmm... a lot of lookers but no takers to participate? I thought this would be a fun subject to post pictures on?

[benjamin j]

i thought bottoms up ment something else sorry.

[benjamin j]

when i was posting i noticed your in richmond. have you been to phantom works in Norfolk? I stoped in and checked it out one rainy day last fall when i was in the area.

[Gary_Ash]

The Studebaker chassis from 1934 incorporated an X member for President and Commander models. Not all later models had the X, but the Lark-type convertibles and station wagons had the X through the 1966 models. The 1963-4 Studebaker Avanti used the Lark convertible chassis with the X member. Avanti II production used the same frame (leftovers from 1964-66 production) through the 1987 model year, I think, so that would make it the last car to use an X member, 5 years longer than the Checker.

See this page for Avanti chassis details: http://www.theavanti.net/chassis.html

Here are some shots of a 1935 Studebaker frame with X member: http://forum.studebakerdriversclub.com/showthread.php?9033-1935-Stude-for-sale

[X-Frame]

i thought bottoms up ment something else sorry.

I am sure it could be taken many different ways We have a Bottom's Up Pizza place here but doubt that applies in Ohio. just thought the thread title would be catchy and catch attention.

[60FlatTop]

1964 Riviera.

With paint (circa 1994)

Bernie

Edited November 7, 2014 by 60FlatTop (see edit history)

[X-Frame]

1964 Riviera.

With paint (circa 1994)

Bernie

Bernie. I believe I asked you this once before about your '60 Buick but the answer is still not conclusive as far as I know. Do you know what was changed or altered between the 1959 and 1960 that made the front floor pan lower on the '60? The frame "looks" to be identical between the two years except one minor alteration of a small sub brace that is at a 90-degree on the '59 but at an angle on the '60 and that is by the outer rails near the transmission area. hard to describe without showing it. I will try and post a diagram.

I also believe that the 1963 Riviera chassis was different than the 1964 because the car was rushed out the door so shared the standard Buick frame in '63 (altered for wheelbase) but had its own in '64? Do you know that for sure?

Eric

[X-Frame]

There are so many X designs and variables. The French and Italians seem to have lead the way. I have thousands of pictures but here is one of the early models used on the 1929 Stutz Blackhawk. It is very similar to what was used on the French Delage and other European cars. They seem to have most likely copied this for their own use? I consider this the "first" American automobile that used the X in some form beating the Cord L-29 to the punch though many historians say different. That is because the Cord L-29 was introduced in August 1929 as a 1930 model while the Stutz introduced in January 1929 as that year model. The Cord was tested in 1927 but was a disaster so the engineers who saw the Italian Lancia Dilambda prototype chassis at the Paris auto show that used a X brace, decided to test the same design on their Cord. Like the Stutz and Delage design looked similar so did the Cord and Lancia - both obvious influenced.

1929 Stutz Blackhawk frame

1928 Delage chassis

1929 Cord L-29 (sold as 1930 model)

1928 Lancia Dilambda

Edited November 8, 2014 by X-Frame (see edit history)