Ok. I am only looking for people who can help me with this. Not people to say its stupid or a waste of time b/c its going to happen either way. With that said. Post only if you can help or add ideas.
Have an 87 Fbody. 2 pump hydraulic setup w/ 8"s of lift inthe front and 14"s in the back. Now with the stress they hydraulics add to the body I am looking for reinforcement ideas. Most importantly b/c I have 6 deep cycle marine batteries weighing down the trunk and I am adding another pump to get a standing 3wheel.
So far I have my lower control arms reinforced. I am reinforcing my axel as we speak.
*I want to install SFC's but whats the strongest out there? I will be doing all the welding...and also is there any cutting through the floor board for the installation?
*I have thought about fiberglassing the subrame in the rear fender wells to stifen it...filling in the ribs...good idea or no?
*Strut brace for the front...good idea? and how much roll do they stop?
*is there anything else I could add to stop the flex w/ the unibody? All ideas and input are greatly appreciated with anyone that has good advice or experience. Thanks!

 

Here is a pic of what I want to achieve.

 

Here is the only Fbody I have seen achieve a "standing 3" sorry for the bad quality

 

now i dont know anything about low riders , but if you wanna stiffen up the chassis ill give ya what i know. Your gonna wanna put in a wonder bar, this is like a stb for the bottom of the car , a strut tower brace, a 3 point one is the best . Then subframe connectors, your gonna wanna put in alstons and spohns sfc. THe spohn ones run along the pinch welds on the outside of the car and the alstons run more on the inside. you can use the two in conjunction with each other.

 

that is some setious twisting...I could only recommend a roll cage for that kind of flex...but the other items mentioned would certainly help. how much does that thing weigh with all that stuff in there?

 

nothing's twisting in these pictures; it's just the way the suspension is loaded from the hydraulics. You lift two diagonal corners and drop the other two. The body doesn't twist as long as it's reinforced.

I recommend Spohn and Alston style SFCs in conjuction with a cage. If you plan on swapping trannys in the future, don't do the Alston's; it's too much of a hassle. Grab a wonderbar (steering brace) for the front, and a 3-point strut tower bar. I've also heard people say to weld some parts of the body, but I don't know much about this. Maybe someone else knows more.

 

ANY subframe connector will accomplish about the same goal, as long as its stiff and is designed to fit a third gen f body....and at least a 6 point cage, probably an 8 that will make it about as stiff as its gonna get

 

well anytime you move a car like that, you won't convince me that there isn't something moving a way it wasn't supposed to. So why do we put SFC and all that stuff on our cars? If there is no twisting in that picture, there sure as hell isn't any on a daily driven camaro.

 

Stress: yes. Twist: no.

 

Why would anyone wanna do somthing like that is just nuts

 

Man. You guys are awesome. Ive never seen or heard of a wonderbar until today. I was looking around and Is sort of a brace up front, infront of the front crossmember? I like the idea of a rollcage. The car is almost stripped inside and it would make it easy to install, but I assume it would be ALOT of welding. This is going to make for a great winter project! If you havent noticed I have t.tops so flex is inevitable. What happens is when I reinforce one area, the stress is shifted to another area. I know unibodys were made to have small amounts of flex. That is there design. Its the twisting I want to keep away from. Subframe connectors. Ill hafta research these more...the 2 different brands. One day probably within the next 5 years Ill hafta drop the motor for a rebuild and tranny. So Ill stay away from the "Alstons?"
I also removed both of my swaybars to alow the car to roll from side to side. I appreciate all the help.
Would a fiberglass resin in the rear fender well on the subframe where its "ribbed" add any strength?
Oh, and the 3pt. brace. I read you ahve to drill holes for the application. Is it a simple drill and bolt on application?
Thanks alot :yourock: Robert

 

sorry if I ask alot of questions or post too much but this is what I want to avoid for those of you who never see a car bend and twist!:nono:

 

I couldn't imagine why you'd want to do that to a camaro. Maybe an impala or something, but why a camaro? Just doesnt seem right.

 

One set of SFCs should do just fine. You don't need a cage. Anyone who's had a decently stiff car on jack stands has probably had it wobble at one time or another. My bolt in tubular connectors made the car stiff enough that I had the car tipping on two corners and the doors would still open. Don't ask why I was doing that, just know that I never want to again.

Unibody cars were never intended to be stiff, just light and cheap.

 

well they didnt get the light part right

 

so thats why you build em heavy and the motors powerful

 

Check into Kenny Brown sub frame connectors. I "think" they have cross braces goin across the bottom of the car tieing one side to the other .

 

i would think if you are really serious about that, you are going to want more that what standard sub-frames get you.

use yoru subfram money, and buy a welder

 

I would do some serious subframes. Take a look at this post, and get some ideas. Best picture of the underside of a f-body I have ever seen.

https://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/sho...hreadid=167803

3 point strut brace
Wonder bar.
Their is a flat bar that runs above the pan hard, I am debating making one tubular.

Also, is this show only, hopping, or going to be driven also? If show only (no hopping), maybe look at lightening the front end with some fiberglass parts, and maybe take ac out, or some aluminum engine parts, polished for look also. Lighter front makes the front easier to lift, and more all the bats and pumps in back will counter weight it.