Frame connectors?

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1969GTS

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When does a guy have to worry about frame connectors and welding it all together? I'm running about a 400HP 340, manual valve body 727, 3500 stall, 391:1 posi and 10 x 27 street et slicks. Should I be considering connecting the stub frames or am I safe with the occasional day at the track?

Thanks
 
personally I like them because they help stiffen the entire car. The cars I have driven with connectors feel more solid.
 
res1vw21 said:
personally I like them because they help stiffen the entire car. The cars I have driven with connectors feel more solid.
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Do you have to weld them to the floor or just the stub frames?
 
I had been running my big block 4spd. car for years and had no problems. When I installed a big 500 c.i. stroker motor I noticed a crack starting to form on the rocker panel just below the bottom rear corner of the drivers door. It was imperative that I install the connectors then.
 
1969GTS said:
Do you have to weld them to the floor or just the stub frames?
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The best way is to take the floor out and make them inset into the rear frame then run them to the tranny cross member weld them in and box the inner part of the tranny cross member.

You can also put them in like I did in the pic it's not quite as strong but you don't have to remove floor.

like longgone said you most likely don't need them yet but the way I see it they can't hurt. (unless you cut you toe on them like I did)

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You don't have to but it does help. the more points its welded to the stronger it will be. if you want to see just how much "sag" or flex your car has go to a local shop with a two post lift and have them lift the car up. i fabbed up my own connectors and did a before and after on the lift. all I can say is damn! the car feels much more nimble moving through traffic.
 
Made a huge difference in how my convertible feels. Very solid car without the flex. They should have come from the factory but oh well.
 
res1vw21 said:
The best way is to take the floor out and make them inset into the rear frame then run them to the tranny cross member weld them in and box the inner part of the tranny cross member.

You can also put them in like I did in the pic it's not quite as strong but you don't have to remove floor.

like longgone said you most likely don't need them yet but the way I see it they can't hurt. (unless you cut you toe on them like I did)
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Did you cut a pie wedge in those & bend them? Or maybe just stick them in a press?
 
After having my car on the lift and checking the door gaps I decided it was time to install frame connectors. I didn't want to cut into the floor. I liked the look of US Car Tools frame connectors but they are not available for early A's. Here's are a few pictures of how I made mine. The pattern is partical board and a local shop bent the channel out of 11 gauge steel.

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'64 Cuda said:
Ditto! I'd be interested in buying a pattern. What did you use to cut the metal?
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Thanks for the compliments (where's the little smiley with the expanding head? LOL). I used a 5" angle grinder to get it close to the line and a small air powered die grinder to finish. I never thought about selling the patterns. I still have them, I could trace them onto paper and mail it to you with some additional measurements.
 
stroked 340 said:
I'd say you can benefit from frame connectors,on any car..
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My car has a worn out 340, and I installed connectors. Makes the car feel more solid and doesn't flex as much going over bumps in the road.

Also, the 2 post lift trick is very convincing. Lift your car and try to open the doors!
 
Hmmmm I think I'll look into the US Car Tool ones.
 
1969GTS said:
Hmmmm I think I'll look into the US Car Tool ones.
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That is what I ended up getting. Hve not put them on yet but they look well built. And you don't have to cut your floor. That is why I got them. Did not want to cut up an H code car.
 
Burntorange70 said:
That is what I ended up getting. Hve not put them on yet but they look well built. And you don't have to cut your floor. That is why I got them. Did not want to cut up an H code car.
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I agree, Mine is LS23P9E...... and I don't want to take it too far either. I'll go that route as well. Mine will never be on Barrett Jackson but its still a surviving GTS and I shouldn't hack it up for the hell of it.
 
Making em is just a small matter of fabrication. I made mine in my 74 440 duster and like the feel. I use a lenght of 2" X 4" square tube. This will make 2 sets after cut in half. Will be fabing a couple of more sets in the near future. If you get a template there will more than likely be some small amount of fitting when you get em cut out. For a template i use a thin but rigid piece of aluminum and cope, cut and fit as you go. That plasma cutter is great then do a final finish with a grinder then put em in with the wire feed.
 
Are darts different then dusters,i see guys commenting on cutting the floor on darts to get frame connectors on,i know you don't on dusters...
 
But I have always been told if you run slicks, You Need
Them. One really good bite and you can bend both back fenders.
 
IMHO..... Any A-body would benefit from sub-frame connecters. Think of it in terms, not horse power related and its still a good mod.

There is a point.... to me, if you run slicks its time.

Even the Mopar bolt in ones will be fine for a street/strip car most of the time.
 
I was thinking of making some out of 2x3 tubing. Bought a foot long contour gauge at Harbor Freight awhile back. Use it to get the contour of the floor then transfer it to cardboard then to the tubing. Use a plasma cutter to trim to correct shape. Sandblast the floor and weld in.
 
Capt. Zorro said:
I was thinking of making some out of 2x3 tubing. Bought a foot long contour gauge at Harbor Freight awhile back. Use it to get the contour of the floor then transfer it to cardboard then to the tubing. Use a plasma cutter to trim to correct shape. Sandblast the floor and weld in.
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I only have a grinder and my welds look like bird poop. Good thing my neighbor is a pro.
 
A grinder with a sanding disk will work just fine. May take a little longer but it will git the job done.

Put up some pics so we can check out how they look. Good luck!
 
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