On a car that is stripped down to this level? I really don't want to wait until I get it all put together because I want to paint the underbody...



Oh, the the doors and windsheild have been removed since this picture was taken, and the body seam welded...

 

Yes, definitely. It's probably the best time for it.

Ed

 

Sweet, thanks! I figured I should brace it as close to where it will be sitting stock so it doesn't bow the way it does a little with the jack stands on the frame so near eachother. Is that a correct assumption? Anything else I should do?

Thanks again,
Douglas

 

wait!
Doesnt the car have to be under suspension,?
Wouldnt the best time to connect the subframes be when all the tires are on and the springs are compressed?

I wouldnt weld them on right now to be honest

 

That is exactly why I asked... however, I know eb knows his stuff.

 

I have always heard the car has to be loaded and have weight on the tires. I have no idea what I'm talking about so don't listen to me. Just thought I'd keep the post alive.

 

But the question is really, is the car sitting with the frame in an unusual position. With basically no weight to the car is the car siitting oddly or is it sitting at a natural state. If you haven't noticed, when you put jack stands on the frame of the car normally from the weight of the engine the front subrame drops to bend the car in a kinda U. I can pretty much garuntee that my 84 isn't "drooping" much. To minimize any weird droping I would still probably support the car at the front wheel area and the rear wheel area.

 

You should be fine. I know I've seen pictures of Spohn's first SFCs installed on a bare frame. IMO, I don't see a difference in installing them with the suspension loaded or not if the frame is straight. I believe this is done so the suspension doesn't have to be readjusted; it just avoids some extra work. If you weld them onto a complete car without the suspension loaded, you'd probably just end up having to get the alignment checked. The only thing I would do is have the body checked for straightness with GOOD equipment and then weld away.

 

One easy way to tell if the car is tweaked funny is by opening the doors. Easy to open? Will they shut easily? If so, then the SFCs can be welded fine. If you find that the door wont latch or there's an odd thud when opening or closing, then don't weld and try to relocate the jack stands.

 

Well, the doors are off now, however, when they were on they shut very nicely. Well, as long as the latch didn't somehow shut off the car, then it really didn't want to shut at all.

 

whats with the cut-out sail panels?

 

That would certainly make it a unique thirdgen! Tell us you're putting windows there!

 

Wait... Is that an evo kit in your av? Do you have an evo kit?! If so I want to come up there and take a look at that!

 

i wanna see it too!

 

me too!!!!!

i was actualy just looking at that kit today on the web

 

well can these be welded in place with the car on jackstands (not stripped down) just fine? im doing some serious work this winter to her and i want to have the subframe conectors and a roll cage installed now.

but to be honest i dont even konw how to install them....all i have is two competition engeneering pieces of tube steel with a bracket on one end of each. anyone wanna help out?

 

AmorgetRS: My car is in same stage. I plan to hang he doors back on, make sure they close properly, then weld in sub frame connectors.

 

I don't have a really good set of doors for it, however a set of doors was on it when it was almost at this stage, I think the windshield was all that was left, and they shut just fine then, so I wasn't too worried about them not shutting properly.

 

Yes they can be put on in that stage, there's no reason not to. The suspension doesn't have to be "loaded". All that has to happen, is to make sure the car is straight.

The body sheet metal does not care what state the springs are in during the process; or even whether they're there or not.

I had mine put on with the body in about that same condition, with it bolted to a race car chassis jig.

Here's somebody that did it that way.