I didn't pull the carpet back, he kept saying he didn't think I needed to. After he read the directions he said I did, how much do I have to pull it back? He wants me to prep it before I bring it up to him.

 

Taking all of the carpet out is super easy. Just don't be afraid to start unscrewing things. Each seat is held down by 4 studs and nuts. The plastic rocker panel covers are philips head screws. The rear seats have 13 mm bolts holding them in the front under the lip of the seat and then they just pull out. You can leave the well carpet where it is. The console has to come out to get the carpet out. The 10 mm screws for that are under the lid in the console and under the shifter position indicator. All the little misc hex screws are 7mm. I think that the radio also has to come out. The carpet has "holes" in it so that it can't come out w/o taking out the console and what not. If you want to cut it so it comes out easier, that's up to you.

To answer you question: Spohn subframes follow the rocker panel right? The guy should weld the subframes into the rocker panel, so just pull it up enough that you have a foot or so from the rocker panel. I know some weld into the floor pans, so you might have to pull up more than that. If all else fails, ask the welder how much he wants gone.

 

thanks for the advice, I just got back from the welder and he said he thinks he can do it without pulling up the console, he wants me to take the carpet from both the front and rear and bring it to the middle and place it on top of the console or closest to the center. So hopefully he's right and won't burn my car down (or his shop for that matter).

He kept saying to me, these have to be the strongest subframe connectors I've ever seen. Yet, he couldn't pronouce spohn names at all and never heard of him.

 

Man, I thought I had my Spohn SFC's in the garage for a long time! I did mine over the 4th of july. Anyway, you will have the pull the carpet back. I didn't have any carpet in mine because I wanted to put in a new carpet anyway. I watched the top of the floor pan while my brother welded them in. The paint actually caught on fire inside the car! good thing there wasn't any carpet in there

 

when i had mine installed...i didnt have to move the carpet....I would occasionally get on a ladder and feel around...and it wasnt even hot....of course this guy had installed sfcs before (never spohn..which he was really impressed with)......so maybe he just knew what to do....install came out great....felt a huge difference.

 

sweet car by the way ions

 

Mult68, Thanks. Hopefully it'll work good, he kept saying you sure must want to make this car rigid, most SFCS aren't like these. He quoted me 80 at first, and then said 40 if I sand the paint down... I think he's going to back out of that price.

86IROCZ, Yea, I've had these for awhile, I had plenty of money in the bank and went to spending, then realized I wanted to save a little right before installing the items came to mind. I've probably had these for 3-4 months, he announced he was going tubular about a month after I bought mine. I still have headers, a new steering wheel, and a complete tpi systems that I plan to work on and throw on it (mainly polish and minor porting). SFCs are the first of the new mods I guess.

 

Yeah, what mult68 said. I priced the installation at a place around here, he'd never heard of Spohn, but he heard of Kenny Brown and others. I asked if I needed to pull the carpet back because people had told me I would need to, but he said I didn't have to.

 

I have put in three different sets on three different cars and here are some tips I have gathered,, take them for what they are worth.

1. First install was a 91 Camaro. I welded in Spohn SFC's using his exact directions. Everything is holding up well, but the floorpans are becoming highly distorted and if I had not undercoated the car I think they would be rusting out. They have been in for about two years. TIP 1: Do not weld to the floor pan.

2. 92 GTA with stock dual cats. Installed SPOHN dual cat sub frames. I want to start out by saying do not order thed subframe connectors. Rerout your exaust and use the normal SFC'c. I ended up reinforcing the naroowed part of the SFC's after they cracked and rerouted the exhaust. This was after 6 months of street and track use. So they may be just fine for street. On this car I also took out the plastic inner fender skirts so I could get a good weld on the end of the subframe to the K-member. I reccomend this highly because there is a lack of structure to weld to at the front.

3. 2001 ss camaro. Spohn subframe connectors. What can I say. These went as smooth as could ever be expected. I wish third gen SFC'c were this sweet. Weld at all the connection plates and you are done and the car is solid.

Tips for all the installs I did.
-Bend the rocker seam back before inserting SFC's. It will look, fit and weld better.
-Take off all paint and rust in the areas to be welded before inserting the SFC's and use the paint prep cleaner to clean the area. This can be found at you local autoparts store. dont use brake clean even after it dries the residue still flares up making it a pain to weld.
-support the car by the wheels and measure your ride height all the way around. if there is a 8-10 percent difference in the measurements fix that problem fist because once you weld these in it can be a bear to setup the chassis if it is off.
-I have found my best welding results come from using an argon co2 mix gas with a large high flow nozzle. This helps to prtect the weld area in those hard to get to areas. Also using smaller gauge welding wire helps to reduce the spread of heat and alows for the bridging of gaps at the uneven mating areas. I also like to use stainless steal feed wire if I can get a hold of it. After welding it does not become as brittle as most wires and this will help to keep things from cracking when the chassis is flexed.

Sorry for the long post hope this helps.

Oh yea almost forgot I have never had to pull the carpet back. If you are welding on area that close to the carpet chances are they are not structural enough to be welding to any way.

 

I thought you were supposed to weld it to the floorpan though? And what do you mean when you say 'distorted'? Is it like bending the floorpan or something?

 

From what I have been told you should spot weld it down the floorboard. Steeve Spohn said that if you get a good weld it will go through the floor enough to possibly catch the carpet on fire. He suggested lifting up the carpet and putting boards or something under it to keep it from touching the floorboard. I have been told that if you try and make a constant weld instead of spot welds that it will get the floor too hot and warp it. In my opinion the floorboards are a large part of the structure of a unibody car and it would probably be helpful to weld to it as long as you are carful not to warp it.

Ben

 

Chassis flex is warping the floor pans. Yes I did spot weld them and the penetration was enough that you can see the weld from the inside of the car. Around the welded spots you can see were the floor pan is dimpled in or pushed up. And the metal has strain marks in it.

 

I welded mine to the floor pans. I just shoved a gigantic screwdriver under the carpet to keep it away from the floor. Mine are doing great!!!

Thanx,ANDYZ28