Tremec TKX first cuts

@DC Dart , I appreciate you making this thread. I love the upper torsion bar crossmember piece you made to replace what was cut out. That is literally the ONLY thing keeping me from buying SST's TKX kit for my '71 Dart (727 car). I'm scared of the rigidity loss (not regarding drivability, but safety), I feel like the torsion bars need that upper part as well as the lower part.

A couple questions for you:

1. Did you choose to fabricate everything because SST didn't offer a PerfectFit kit for your particular application with the 400 block?

2. Would you consider running US Car Tool's frame connectors and torque boxes a good enough reinforcement, instead of fabricating the upper part like you did? I'm not confident I can make the replacement piece that you did... I just recently learned how to weld. However, I am confident I can weld on the frame connectors and torque boxes lol.

If you'd like, please also let me know your thoughts on just running the kit as they send it - with no upper replacement piece. The torsion bar crossmember would then look like this:

Screen Shot 2022-04-02 at 10.20.41 AM.png

Thank you!
-Arthur