Ratchet

Here are some pics of the subframe connectors I made and installed in the project.

Cost 15$ cdn. for the 1 and1/2 inch square tubing to make them plus about 6 hours to fab and install.

The first pic shows the drivers side installation This one was pretty easy because it was just a straight run. Note rear attachment point is where the rear subframe is welded to the floor pan.

The second pic shows the front attacment point of the drivers side connector


The third pic shows passemger side installation. Note the offset in this connector due to the different height of the floor pan on passenger side


The final pic shows the attachment point of the passenger side connector


connectors are welded to front and rear subframes not the rocker panels
also welded to seat frame and all around floor where they pass through.

MrDude_1

cool


bet that stiffens it up a hell of alot more then most of the SFCs you can buy...

Ratchet

Not sure yet she is still sitting on blocks but it should be solid as a iRock considering I have also installed a 6 point roll bar.

MrDude_1

yea, that should make her pretty stiff.. lol

so what are you planning to use this car for? autocross? strip? what motor, ect..

Really-Slow-RS

Did you have to cut anything to install them? If you make directions for installation and feel like selling a set for like $25 or $30 let me know, I'll buy them. But only if I don't have to cut anything. E-mail me at camaro2688@yahoo.com

MrDude_1

since they are basicly straight tube, you can see they go THRU the floor...

so you would have to cut your floor to fit.

johnyIROC

You are correct... they do go through the floor, but the passenger side has a bend in it because the front "frame rails" are not symmetrical. They are basically frame ties... they go directly from the rear "frame rails" to the front "frame rails". This is not an easy job, but it is definitely do-able.

Spdfrk1990

That is pretty sweet the way u went through the floor that would make it real strong. Then with a roll cage damn she is gonna be sturdy. Now will those effect anything in the interior they wont get in the way of the seats or anything will they.

REVLIMIT

looks pretty good...I dont really like the idea though that they go through the floor

Ratchet

Yeah going through the floor was really a last resort. My main goal was to connect the subframes together and not the rocker panel to the rear sub frame. But here is the kicker I did not want to loose a lot of ground clearance because I will be lowering this car quite a bit. Going through the floor allows for zero ground clearance losses and a very minimal loss of clearance for the exhaust pipe.

MdFormula350

nice work, cant beat the price either

Badazz85TA

that's very good work and very cheap.

TomP

Thanks for the pics!! It's always cool to see stuff fabricated! On my "to-do" list is to box my own control arms... people tell me just to buy ones that are already boxed- but man, where's the fun in that? Besides it'll take me longer to take the arms off the car then it will to do the welding.

How'd you cut the floor? I have to replace the back right of my car, and will be cutting along the floorboards (flat metal). I can't decide if I should use an air-nibbler, an air-powered saw, an electric jigsaw, or drop $1000 for a Plasma Cutter (sigh)!

The junkyard didn't give me too much extra metal to weld on, so I have the extra stress of making only one cut, and it has to be perfect; no heat (warping), no funny cuts, etc...

Thanks!!

Ratchet

As for how these affect the interior: No modification of the seats is required at all seats will still slide back and forth on original brackets.

There will however be two extra bumps in the carpet in the back seat floor area. But if someone really wants to sit back there and they have the energy to climb over the door bar then a couple little bumps in the carpet shouldn't bug them too much.

Ratchet

Oh yeah cutting the floor is actually pretty easy. I use a 4 and 1/2 inch disc grinder with a Zip wheel in it (Cut off Wheel). you can make very straight accurate cuts with a Zip wheel and it takes like no time at all.

ontogenesis

you know...i dunno how long you've been doing this kinda stuff, how much cash you've got to play with, how serious you are, or how sure you are any of these ideas of yours are gonna work...but i'm truly impressed and inspired at what your doing, your making advancements and improvements and breakthroughs and my hat is off to you, thank you very much, keep the ideas comming.

Ratchet

Thanks for the compliment but I didn't invent anything here You can purchase a kit from Ground control to install Screw Jacks in an 82 -92 F-body. They don't give you any details or pictures on their web site but tell you that the kit comes with step by step instructions. ( way back in 87 I had screw jacks in my stock car and they were old news then)

As for the subframe connectors there the same as any subframe connector just take a different route through the car.

TomP

Is it an electric angle grinder, or a "straight" air grinder? I have a cut-off tool, are these zip wheels different then a regular cut-off-tool's discs? I tried to make a straight line in a scrap piece of steel once with the cut off tool, and man, it was impossible for me. I drew a line with pencil and tried to follow it along the outside top of the steel; the wheel kept sliding off to the side. Should I just let the wheel sit in one place, cut thru the steel in one spot, and then just slide the cut-off wheel along the line?

This is the exact same cutoff tool I have, the campbell hausfeld TL1035:

<img src="http://www.chpower.com/chimages/catalog/active/at_TL1035cp_150x80.gif">

Thanks!

TROOPER

tomp use the saw with a few fine tooth blades the cut off wheels are quick but hard to turn with pluss sparks everywhere. the saw makes nice clean edges to work with. body repair is what ive done for a living last 25 years

ontogenesis

i know it's not all new...but i dunno anyone else thats put that much effort into an SFC install, and i don't know anyone with screw jacks (not saying your the first around here, just that i personally haven't heard any mention of them)

TomP

Great!!! Thanks, Trooper! Are those sold for air tools (high rpm)? I also have an electric angle grinder; should I use that instead? And where do I find these... Home Depot, or a specialty store? Thanks!

TROOPER

TomP you can use your sabre saw ,there is small air hack saws for les than 70.00( sunnex,buffalo.you want a strait line so it looks like a power screwdriver) most can use busted hack saw blades. they als sell small scrolling blades for cutting curves. the cut off wheels are high speed and you want the tool made for them with the guard once in a while they shatter and the guard shield you fron the pieces
nice connectors wish i`d seen them a month ago
has anyone made control arms ,relocation brakets,or an adjusable panhard bar?

Ratchet

Yup these were a lot easier than the subframe connectors but time consuming and I would have to say that other than being able to say I made them there is no logical reason to make these things. It took me 6 hours of flat out working to complete them. And you can buy them from Spohn for about 60 to 70 bucks. NEVER AGAIN They don't look like a lot of work but they are. I think that I would have to be flat broke with nothing but time on my hands before I would make another set of these. The Spohn deal is a real bargain!!!!!!

Here is a picture of what I made anyway



Here is a pic of the panhard bar
This was the easiest and most cost effective fab job I have done

TROOPER

thanx for the pics ratchet i understand about time but i do like making things myself,plus any money i can save will help feed my car habit. would you hapen to have a pic of them on the axel i understand what the do i just cant seem to pictue them on ,do i cut the old ones off and weld them on or weld to the old brackets? thankzz again

Ratchet

Don't have a pick of them in the car right now but if you do a search you will find tons of pics of installed brackets

TROOPER

thanks ratchet did the search and foud them. thanks again

TomP

Thanks again, Trooper! I'll go check out some of these air powered saws... Home Depot has one for $60 that uses only 2CFM.. my compressor (5hp/20gal) will like that one!

IrocSS85

hey ratchet, anyway you could email me those pics of your conn.s? I cant get he pics to open on here for some reason. the pics of your brackets are great, but for some reason I cant see the conn.s thanks

www.irocss85@hotmail.com

chris

Ratchet

Sorry about that the pics got deleted off of the server so I just put them back on.

laiky

hey Tom,

you can get a cheapie air reciprocating saw from Harbor freight for 20 bucks and up. They have good ones too. The cut off wheels for 4 and 4 1/2 inch electric angle grinders are available at any home depot. This is my favorite way to make strait cuts in sheet metal. If you wath American Chopper on discovery channel they do it all the time ( my new favorite show)