Hello..

Im restoring my car and have dumped lots o cash into things such as headliners, new weatherstipping, etc...

Anyway, after spending stupid amounts of cash replacing all the weatherstipping aound the t-tops I have window issues. Im new at this whole game so try not to laugh at me. I know its as simple as taking the door apart and lining up the window clamps and tightening them etc.. but two minutes and the next bumb there loose again. The weatherstipping guy sais these cars are just way to flexy..

So, what should I do to solve this? Will sub-frame connectors and a tightening hold my windows in place?

 

Well, if you even think you may wanna reduce chassis flex (which is a HUGE issue with these cars...), than slap on a set of SFC's (maybe Spohn SFC's). They will help so much you wont believe it. If I end up keeping the car I got right now and doing the work required to make is nnniiiiccceeeee, sub frame connectors will be damn near first on my list of mods, ya know, after I fix everything that is FUBAR...

 

Subframe connecter to start.
I was think on put a 8 point roll bar to stiffen it even more.
I guess a wonder bar could help. (Didn't see that much improvement)

 

From what I have heard about the wonderbar, its more of a longevity mod than anything as it will prevent cracking behind the steering box (which I have heard is a problem with 3rd gens...)

 

One way to tighten up your car would be a Strut Tower
Brace for the front and a new Panhard bar for the rear, these would be cheaper add on's to start with. My opinion.

 

I know that a STB would help a lot, but would a stiffer (either tubular, or boxed...) panhard bar really have a noticable SOTP difference?

 

buck
I have just installed Spohn Perf. rear LCA's and Panhard
Bar and it give me SOTP feel of being tighter even with my winter
tires.

 

I put in the Hotchkis rear suspension kit (LCAs, panhard bar, polygraphite greasable bushings all around) and it's a definate difference. The side to side movement of the rear is near 0 now.

As for the strut tower brace... it helped reducing flex for me when I pull into my steep garage, until the back flexes. I need SBCs.

 

the pan hard bar really does tighten it up? I just dont see how if flexes...but then again - I havent really thought about it much yet (I got no power...). And I know what ya mean about body flex on steep driveways!

 

I would say that if your windows keep falling out of alignment that there's something wrong with the way it's fastened. Maybe the clips are worn out or broken. True the chassis does flex alot especially on the T's, this was an annoying problem that I solved with the SFC's. Not only do they help to reduce those anoying sqeeks, but the car will handle a lot better and your suspension will work much better. Another way to reduce flex is to replace the rubber bushings with stiffer poly units.

For you other guys where does most of the flex in the rear come from? I'm guessing that it would be the LCA's. I have SFC's and poly all around but the car still feels a little loose in the back when taking corners. I plan on getting a STB soon and after that I won't be able to spend any more money on upgrades for a while. I was thinking of boxing the LCA's myself and maybe the panhard bar, just as a temperary solution, but would there be any noticable difference in just boxing them? What about the torque bar, It looks pretty flimsy would these be another place to look at eliminating flex in the rear? I'm not going to go boxing everything on the car but just want to know which components are the leading causes of flex in the rear?

 

grafx, I was wondering the same thing. Seems like a good adjustable panhard bar might help us considering the somewhat weak looking track bar. And for us horsepower challenged guys it sounds like boxing the LCAs would be a good solution.
Besides, I know my driving gives the track bar a harder time than the 305 gives my LCAs.