VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND NEWER 1958-1960 FRAMES BENT ON NEW 1958 CHEVYS ?

I read an article from a guy who transported new 1958 Chevys to the dealerships.

In this write up, the driver states the '58 frames were flimsy, and when chained down for transport, the frames would "bend".

Upon arrival at the dealership, the vehicle had to go to the frame shop for straightening.

The write up stated the bending of the frame was obvious to the naked eye, because the car would lean right to left or left to right, when parked on a level surface.

I began with Chevy a short time after 1958, but never heard any conversations about "1958 bent frames from transporting".

Any truth to the above ?

I was there in 1958 and never heard of that one. The frame rail design was used from 1958-1964 and the rails were very strdy. Also there were three different companies tha made the frams and they were all a little different.
What they did have to chain down in 1958 is the rear end of the early cars (first year with coils). They installed the wrong springs and the rear ends sat up in the air as if they were jacked up with a bumper jack. They put them on the show floor after they chained the rear ends down, Also the early (very early) cars need to rear lower control arm supports rewelded to the frame. The only demonstrator we had that could be driven in the first weeks had air suspension and sat level.
The 1958's had a lot of problems bt that wasn't one of them.

Thanks Gene.

Rail shipped cars supposedly had brackets welded to the rear frame rails for tie downs. The dealers were supposed to remove them upon arrival. I became aware of this through a '59 TSB.

Verne

I have all of the 1958 TSB's and the only thing under "frame" is the welding of the rear lower control arm brackets.
I did see you mentioned 1959.