Rob Gordon

I just insalled these on friday. The aren't pretty, but that didn't matter to me. First, the passenger side connector pushed my y pipe down about 1". Other than that it went in ok. You must clean the front frame mouning point and the outside of the rear controll arm bracket. Also clean the rail under the rocker pannel. The lefy side was worse. The connector was too long and we needed to modify. The hole where the controll arm bolt goes was too far forward. We used an end mill to slot the hole.

------------------
Iroc 350 5 speed

junkyarddog

sounds alot like my borla system!!!
don't tell me this I was about to order some SSM SFCs!

blak92!

My SSM subframes fit perfectly. In fact, the subframes look like they were standard from the factory.

Also, do not forget that these unibody chassis flex and twist up regardless of the power levels, throwing alighnment and making installation more difficult. What we did was line the SFC on the rear control arm mount first, bolted them up and then attempted to get as close to the front SF as possible, then we pryed them into position and welded. At least from my experience they fit well, and are definatley a two man job.

Guido

My SSM bars fit with no problems. They DO look like they were factory. They fit good and work good too. I had an SLP y-pipe when I put them on and it hit but Ive since gotten rid of that and no longer have an issue with it. No problems.



------------------
-86 IROC
Vortech stuffed EFI 406 in progress
-=ICON Motorsports=-

bad camaro RS

mine fit perfect no probs at all love them cant even tell theyre there without knowing there looks factory

------------------
1992 camaro RS
373 10 bolt rearend
ssm sfc's
87 350 TPI
bored 30 over
compucam 2032 with 1.6
482-495 LIFT 214-220 duration full roller rockers
msd6AL
1 5/8 headman headers
2 `1/2 flowmaster exuast
k&n filters gutter air box gutted maf
3 pc under drive pulleys
no emissions no egr etc
custom ED Wright chip
eddelbroc intake base and runners ported plenum
midly ported and polished stock heads
Taylor 8mm wires
B&M mega shifter
gutted maf/airbox
hotchkis lower control arms
3" exhuast cutout
homemade cold air intake
2000 tci stall
700R4 with B&M shift kit
new best ET 13.5 @104.66

Jarod87IROC

Mine fit perfect as well, no modifications necessary.

------------------
87 IROC
350 TPI 5-speed
- Edelbrock Aluminum Heads, LPE 219 Cam, Super Ram, SS Wheels, Graphite Leather, etc. Click here to see the rest.

-=ICON Motorsports=-

zee28

no 10 year old camaro/firebird will have the same clerances as another.over time they flex differant ways,and these points can change car to car.Even if they are bolt in they should be welded,you really dont need to use the bolts then.

------------------
~mike~
1 superclean 86IROC-Z

MikeT 88IROC350

Mine also fit very nicely. I have about 1" clearance from the Y-pipe. I painted them up with primer, then hit them them with some undercoating. They look like they came from the factory!!! They also give you some nice jacking points when you need one.

------------------
Best ET 14.413 @95.57 without
pulling valve covers or manifolds.
Also with stock 2.77 rear end!!!

IrocStan

I just installed my SSM sfc's last week. Overall, I am very happy with the product, but I did run into some problems during installation. I expected it to be a weekend job, but it took more like a week. I think that the SSM sfc's are a very good product, however, I learned that it is impossible for every 3rd gen f-body in the world to have the same dimensions underneath.

I had the same problems as Rob Gordon. The driver’s side sfc was about 5/8” to long, so I used a mill to remove some material at the back mounting point then I drilled a new hole for the LCA bolt. It fit very tight (which is good). I used a bottle jack to force it up tight to the floor, then I welded the front and rear mounting points solid, then I spot welded along the side of the car to the rocker panel. This is what I like the best about SSM sfc’s. The rectangle tubing that they are constructed of allows for welding to the rocker panel, which I believe is one of the biggest strengthening factors. I also welded to the floorboard on the right side of the drivers sfc, but I don’t recommend it. The sheet metal floor provides little no strength, required removal of seats and lifting the carpet, and is simply a pain in the ___ to weld to thin sheet metal.

The passenger side fit almost perfect. I removed my edelbrock y-pipe and then held the sfc up tight to the car w/ a bottle jack. I welded the front solid, but the back mounting point to the LCA bracket didn’t line up perfect because my bracket wasn’t perfectly vertical. We used a 3’ steel bar to bend the sfc into place while welding the rear. Then welded the rocker panel.

The results are great! I was skeptical at first, but what everyone says is true. My t-tops no longer squeak, and I have a very solid ride. I really like my SSM sfc’s, but I wouldn’t recommend the SSM’s(or any weld in sfc for that matter) to anyone w/ average welding/fabrication abilities. They aren’t a simple installation. In my opinion, welding in SFC’s is quite an undertaking.

One more thing, if you have access to a hoist the installation will take half the time, half the effort, and half the pain. My burns are still healing.

------------------
87 IROC 350, 3:42 Torsen
13.94@103mph, 2.25 60'
Stock cam, chip and trans
In the works: ported SLP runners, ported base, Xtreme Cam, homemade suspension pieces, and 27x10 Hoosiers.
Hoping for 12.999

GMTech

My SSM SFC fit perfectly, and I did them by myself, in about 3 hours (which included pulling back my carpet just in case). They look factory (sprayed them with undercoating) and work great. No modifications needed.

------------------
If you live in Southeastern US, check us out!
South East Thirdgen


ASE Master Tech + L1
Savannah, GA

'87 Trans Am
S/D TPI retrofit including functional PassKey,
22# injectors,
JET AFPR,
Ported Plenum,
TB Coolant Bypass,
SSM SFC,
Boxed LCAs,
8mm Accel wires,
Flowmaster Exhaust,
16" GTA rims,
Corvette Servo,
KYB Shocks
-->14.97 @ 94.9 MPH<--

'97 Bonneville SSE

88305tpiT/A

iTrader: (2)

I had terrible problems with flex because I bought my 88 ta with the infamous c&c aftmk.
t tops. It got really bad when I put bilsteins in. then I had the guys at the frame shop put the ssm conectors in and it is solid. i had them support the car in a way that made the flex settle into stretching the bars. but overall a vast improvement in ride + handling.

------------------
88 T/A 305 TPI--
K&N,Air foil,hypertech chip, thermostat+fanswitch
no MAF screens, no cat, dynomax exh, urethane motor+trans mounts,
SSM frame con, Bilsteins
homemade ramair.

Jza

IrocStan: I would partially agree about attempting the install with little fab/welding experience. I had access to a hoist, but I'm not sure if that made it too much easier. It was a four-post drive-on lift so the rails got in the way of where the SFCs were going and made welding a bit tricky until I got the hang of it. But I didn't want to use a standard offset lift because there was no way to guarantee the car was still square with it (there aren't many places where popular lift points are the same height all around).

Even with the lift though, I got my share of pain. Especially the slag burns (the one in my scalp kinda stung, I don't think you have to worry about that down on the ground).

I did have to mill the holes on both about 1/8th of an inch, but once I did that, the bars fit perfectly flush and didn't mess with anything. I held them up with a pole and lowered the lift a bit to hold them tight against the floorpan. I did not weld to the floorpan itself, though I did pull up the carpet just in case.

There's one other thing I think should be done before installation and that's making sure all tires are properly inflated so the car's level.

Other than the hole milling and the fact they come bare-metal, I think the pieces are extremely well made. I just painted mine primer black and left it at that.

[This message has been edited by Jza (edited November 26, 2000).]

Paul Riccioli Jr

iTrader: (1)

Blak92,
Where in NJ did you have your SFC's installed?

------------------
Riccioli Performance Motorworks

--RPM Racing--

-Currently building first ever engine. 383 with Super Ram plenum and runners, Edelbrock lower intake, Bosch 24# injectors, either AFR or Trick Flow heads, MSD ignition.
-Will be installing Baer Brakes
-Will be installing full Spohn suspension in rear
-Art Carr 700R4 trans??