Rembrandt

I finally got them welded on (they are designed to bolt on, but I wanted them welded) last Friday, and the car is substantially more rigid.

Pulling out of steep driveways, the car feels awesome. Going through turns, it feels incredibly more tight and steady.

I have some pics although they are too big byte-wise and I'm not sure how to host them or get them online.

The installation for the driver's side was pretty straightforward. The passenger side was a problem though. These are much like Alston SFCs in that they go to the literal subframe at the trans tunnel, and then mine go back to the rear lower control arm boxes. They attach to the front subframe by bolting on underneath the trans crossmember, then have supplemental side posts that branch out from there and go the the rocker's edge. These have square pads leafing off the pipes to weld them to the floor. They do not follow the floor pan closely enough to be welded along a spine of the pipe like the Spohns.

Anyway, the passenger side had a 1/4 inch gap between the cup and the subframe towards the front and an even bigger one towards the rear of the cup. The end of the side post's flange was getting caught where the sheetmetal overlaps underneath so we got a pry bar and a clamp and let it slip all the way up like it was supposed to.

On the passenger side bar it touches the floor right where the it starts to cave in for the exhaust, and then again at the top of the exhaust-accomodating floor bulge.

Rembrandt

The crossmember that also attaches with the SFCs hangs pretty low and makes an unpleasant thunk when it hits something, and my car is factory ride height, which makes me worry because I really want to lower it.

I may have to make my own replacement crossmember bar for when I lower it. The main pipes themselves aren't lower than much else, but the crossmember bar bends down to where it can hold their torque arm parallel to the ground.

This setup also came with a driveshaft loop, but the factory torque arm (which I don't have enough money to replace now or when I ordered) gets in the way. Besides, I don't yet have enough power to break much.

These may sound like too many problems but I just want to give a detailed review.

Rembrandt

had to edit, tried to post a pic but it was too huge. maybe I can email them to one of you and someone else can change the file size or something then post them.

Rembrandt

I'm going to try emailing them to you.

Apeiron

Ugh, that brings up an irritating password prompt. I can post it if you're having trouble.

Rembrandt

I know, I backspaced over it when I edited so it shouldn't show the empty box or the prompt anymore.

Apeiron

<img src="http://members.shaw.ca/crussel/100_0025-small.jpg">

Sorry it took so long, my Spam filter ate it.

JeremyNYR

iTrader: (2)

Those look like awesome SFCs! I know you have no cat in your system from looking at the pic, but do you think they allow decent clearance to mount a Cat? I'd hate to incurr the expence of modifying the exhaust system routing from stock form if I can avoid it. I guess what would best answer my question is how much of a gap is there between the SFC and floor board right above where the Cat mounts? Any info would be greatly appreciated.

Matthew91-Z28

Thats really cool. I've never seen S&W's actually mounted. I id somethign similar with my MAC weld-on SFC's. I bought some 1" 12 guage round steel and made my own "side posts". I did the sideposts after having the MACs on for about 6 months. I can testify that they do make a difference.

I have thought many times about that center crosspiece. But I cant figure a way to do it yet.

BTW, my MAC sfc's hang down a good 1-2" below the level of the rockers and I have Eibach prokit springs. Have a few scrapes going over tall speed bumps or driveways that have a steep incline followed immediately by a decline. Thats about it. Not really a bother at all.

Rembrandt

Yes I would say the clearance is pretty decent. The passenger side bar on mine, at the top of the bend, actually touches the floor pan at the peak. There is about 2" from the top of my exhaust pipe directly up to the bottom of the SFC (the one that goes the length of the car) pipe.

Since cats are usually much wider than they are tall, there probably won't be a problem. My exhaust hangs kinda low, but I haven't looked under many stock cars to know what the stock height is.

On the passenger side where the large pad is, it is welded directly to the floor, and the pipe is less than .5" from the floor board from the rocker sill until where it (the branch) curves down to meet the lengthwise bar at the subframe.