FueledSoul

iTrader: (18)

So after trying to decide on a few of my designs. I finally came up with one i liked and i felt was adequate. My dad stop over one night and i showed him some of the previous designs i had drawn out on some note book paper. He liked them but tweaked one of my ideas which was to angle the center tubes a bit differently, something i over looked so i drew it out and this is what i came up with.







After that i wanted to see how it would look and at the same time figure out how much materiel i would need. so i used some twine and duck tape to give me a rough idea of placement and a estimate on materiel under the car

FueledSoul

iTrader: (18)

I decided on 14 gauge 2 x 1-1/2" rectangular tubing. and 2 -1/4 plate

FueledSoul

iTrader: (18)

I already had a game plan before i started and that was to start making the LCA mounts frist.



After i cut out four peaces about the same length. i used the LCA mounting point as my guide and took one of the four peaces and marked where i wanted a hole. then i drilled a hole in one of the peaces and clamped all of peaces together and tack welded them together. after that i drilled the rest of the holes so all of them where even then trimmed all the peaces to the same lengths.

FueledSoul

iTrader: (18)

After that i used the LCA mounting point once again to mark some lines to shape the plates to the contours of the where the LCAs mount too

FueledSoul

iTrader: (18)

Ground down the tack welds. and clamped them where i wanted them and made some bottom plates.

FueledSoul

iTrader: (18)

Here is the end result after i tacked the bottom plates on.

yankeecarman

iTrader: (9)

Youre going great on these. Very interested to see the final product. Great going. thanks.

BlueIroc-Z

iTrader: (6)

Same here. I wish I had a welder... If I ever get around to it, I'd like to make my own as well.

FueledSoul

iTrader: (18)

Thanks. I figured this thread might help others out or at least ad some motivation for someone to make there own set. its been a very busy week for me but i plan on working on these a lot this weekend. I will keep updating this thread with more progress pics and info as i move along

FueledSoul

iTrader: (18)

Next step. I started with about 80" long tubing i just eye balled them under the car and marked them where i was going to cut. The drivers side was easy. I cut it at 65" The right side (passenger side) i left even more since i was planing on over lapping two tubes.
i angle cut them and lined the tubes up to the LCA brackets where i wanted them and marked





Since i was welding them metal on metal i used a weldable corrosion proof primer on both sides that where being matted together its not necessary but i like to

FueledSoul

iTrader: (18)

I wanted to leave a even lip on the top so i could fully weld these in later so i used the steel plate as a guide before i clamp them down not only did it work to give me a gap i wanted but i also used to to line the tubing up perfectly straight. Then tacked them in place

FueledSoul

iTrader: (18)

FueledSoul

iTrader: (18)

I bolted both in. the drivers side was perfect just needed to be trimmed. The passenger side was longer but i marked where i was going to cut it in the middle to have the other tube over lap it on the top. then angle cut it them

FueledSoul

iTrader: (18)

i marked the over lap under the car and since both where being over lap and welded i taped the line then cleaned them up and used the weldable primmer again





I used a few props to support the end of the tube and boards to straighten them out before tacking and clamping them down to do the rest of the sides





After that i bolted them up and swong them into place and marked where i was going to trim the ends

FueledSoul

iTrader: (18)

here is the end result. i have a lilte bit of modifying to do on the ends to fit the contours of the front sub frames.

//<86TA>\\

iTrader: (14)

looking good, and seem to be similar in design as a sponsors offerings.....

FueledSoul

iTrader: (18)

That wasn't my intent at all they are how ever smiler in a appearance i guess.

calamitascamaro

iTrader: (5)

They are def. similar to my UMI's. Yours look incredible though, wish I had thought of it before making my purchase.

iroc a 86 berli

lookin good! how much was the flat plating, if u dont mind me asking?

jtaj77

They look nice. About how much money do you have in the steel and other stuff you needed? This is just the motivation I need to make some too. Doesn't really seem like to difficult of a project. Nice work and thanks for the pics.

FueledSoul

iTrader: (18)

I don't remember off hand i will have to look

FueledSoul

iTrader: (18)

Not sure exactly when you consider all the tools and power needed.
but for steel and gas im at half the price as some of the populer ones people install. As far as price goes its the time factor on this build

FueledSoul

iTrader: (18)

Inner subframes. i started mocking up the rear plates and they turnned out great but i was running into to many issues with these so i had to came up with something else.

jtaj77

The materials cost is what I was looking for, have all the tools. I'm guessing you have less than $100 in them plus your time.

FueledSoul

iTrader: (18)

Here is what i came up with.
The tubing is 2x1" and since the floor pan is lower then the rear rails these will allow me to have a close gap between the froor pan and when i run the tubing to connet the frort and rear rails



i used a hydraulic jack to hold them in place as i tacked them.

FueledSoul

iTrader: (18)

Front plates. I started to cut and pound the sides for the frame rails into shape.







Then i tacked the bottem plates on. Heres what they look like they fallow the contours of the rails perfectly

FueledSoul

iTrader: (18)

yea about $100 give or take a few dollers

yankeecarman

iTrader: (9)

How did you make those cuts that go on each side of the lower control arm? The rounded sort of flat metal? Looks so good. Did you do them in multiple layers?

FueledSoul

iTrader: (18)

i left them tacked. used a sawall then the grinder to finished it off

camarozz383

iTrader: (2)

hey really nice work! good fabrication skills also, here is a set i made when i done a fabrication course, just something simple.

mooch1

great job!..well done.

FueledSoul

iTrader: (18)

Thanks! im not done yet!

gunner53227

Looking good so far.

Ca[maro]88

iTrader: (2)

dude looks real good. whenever i see peoples SFC they dont look very strong imo, yours look heavy duty as hell lol. i bet your adding about 40-50 pounds by doing this? well worth it though huh?

FueledSoul

iTrader: (18)

I was really trying to keep the weight down when i was coming up with different designs. because i have so many connecting points i was able to scale back to 14 gauge which is 1.882 weight per lineal foot Vs 11 gauge 2.66lbs weight per lineal foot (talking in 2x1.5" rectangular tubing of course). most sub frames are made from 11 gauge steel.

camaro_boy123

i was debating making my own! ended up ordering UMI's because of time. Regardless, yours are looking great! Are you using mig gas? argon/co2?

ghettocruiser

iTrader: (4)

These are looking pretty good. I want to see where you are going with your bracing though. I like them so far!

As far as cost, I was going to build my own, but after I added up steel prices for what I wanted, it was pretty close to some pre-builts. The biggest savings to me was time. I just didnt have the time to mess with them. I was waiting to have my SFCs installed before I started the motor swap, so I wanted them in and done. Otherwise...making your own is def a good idea.

They'll fit how you want them, and work a LOT better than pre-built units. I saw work better because they'll most likely be tighter and you'll be able to weld to more areas...which I believe is VERY important.

Mine now are so far away from the pinch seam and floor boards that Ide have to make filler pieces to weld them. They work ok as is...but my Spohns tucked up against the floors, and made a noticable difference in stiffness since they were welded alla long the car.

Good work man! Keep us posted! Im really anxious to see how they turn out for you. Oh...good call on the weld-thru primer. That stuff is expensive, but if youre any good at fabbing you know to use it. Great stuff!

J.

92RS_Ttop

iTrader: (3)

What are the lengths of the tubing and plate that you got? Any other measurements you have would be appreciated as well. I like the design and want to try this on my Camaro when I get around to fabbing the subframes. I know the exact measurements will probably be slightly different, but if you can post yours I'll know I'm in the ballpark. That way I also know how much steel I need to pick up.

customblackbird

iTrader: (15)

those are turning out really good. good job! are you gona cap the ends of the 2x1.5 tubing? i would... cap both sides this would increase strength and not allow water to enter the tubing. u could leave it open but it would rust from the inside out.

also are u gona pinch/stitch weld them to the floor boards? this would also increase strength. i would also think about stitch welding the STOCK subframes where they are spot welded to the floor pan, these are extremly weak and scary. at least do an area that would be behind the SFC since u wont be able to get to them after they are installed. if i had a choice and the time i would stitch weld the entire car to increase the rigidy of a factory spot welded car lol

83RDRACR

great looking sfc's and workmanship. just a thought to share. 3rd gens sit low and most are lowered even more making jacking the car difficult. since you are obviously not going to run a cat in the exhaust why not just run the right side rail straight along the rocker pinch weld and give yourself a front jacking point on the right side.

FueledSoul

iTrader: (18)

Im just tacking everything with my 110v mig welder with 75% 25% mix, i havent decided what im going to finish it off with yet but probably the 220 mig

FueledSoul

iTrader: (18)

Thanks man, yea i hope to get to them more this week but iv been busy but i will deff keep updating this thread with my progress

FueledSoul

iTrader: (18)

i was thinking of doing a write up when i get done with them. its to early in the build to tell you everything

FueledSoul

iTrader: (18)

Thanks man! yea im going to cap the ends i knew someone would ask about that haha, its just not on the top of my list. i want to get everying to where i want it then come back cap the ends and fully weld it off the car. The floor board idea you have is great. but i dont plan to do that.

FueledSoul

iTrader: (18)

Thanks.

FueledSoul

iTrader: (18)

I got done tacking the front peaces in and started on the the main inner sub frame tubes, but i ran into a dilemma with the 2 x 1.5" tubing. my plan was to notch the tubing 0.5" over the rear peaces so it would run really close to the floor boards. but after looking at it, its going to hang to low even if i notch it. here is example with exactly how low it would be the tubing in this pic is 2x1 im talking the bottom of the tubing not the top area from the tube to the floor pan just the bottom. this is how the 2x1.5" would sit.


(Sits lower then the rear shock mount)

FueledSoul

iTrader: (18)

Here is how nicey it was going to tuck up to the floor boards after i notched it

FueledSoul

iTrader: (18)

So I'm undecided at this point i guess the only idea i have is doing the inners and center tubes in 2x1"

(here is how nicey 2x1" would tuck up to the floor boards just like the 2x1.5" but woudn't hang nearly as low)

chevyowner02

iTrader: (3)

Man you are the jack of all trades lol NICE Job.

FueledSoul

iTrader: (18)

Thanks.