12-30-2008, 10:27 AM
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#1 (permalink)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Crash
That depends on the car still. The corvette has a full chassis. There are cars that only have half frames (Like F-Bodies and mustangs).
But more importantly, there's a HUGE difference between convertibles and roadsters: Roadsters were designed to be topless. Their frames are tough from the get-go. Convertibles, however, are usually an afterthought. Hence the extra crap on them to make them more rigid... But that doesn't mean they're as rigid as a coupe.
BTW, I felt the lack of stiffness in my Trans Am which was a T-Top. That frame flexed and twisted like it was NOTHING. Taking turn, or going up and down drive ways was a fantastic reminder how crappy the half frames were. It felt slightly better when the tops were on, but not much. And the car DESPERATELY needed sub-frame connectors which I'd never got around to doing.
You can certainly feel rigidity in a car, convertible vs. coupe. You CAN feel that. Added weight is a mute point, but for racing, convertible isn't the smartest idea (suspension and rigidity wise)
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As a former F-bod owner myself, I know the pains of body flex with the T-tops. In fact, body flex was so bad that I remember a couple people on the boards actually twisting the bodies enough for the T's to actually come out of place and fall to the ground. Subframe connectors were my first purchase which helped out a lot.
That being said, it definitely depends on the car, because both my c5 and c6 vette had a "removable" (not allowed to call it a targa because that name is owned by porche) top and felt stiff as hell, even with the top off. Just depends on the money invested into the car by the manufacturer.
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