Fabricated frame connectors for 73 or 4 B's

[Kernel Sanders]

Has anyone here created their own frame connectors for a 73 or 74 Charger?

Here is what I will be doing to my 74 Charger to help stop the slop but want to go a little further;

- Will be installing solid aluminum K frame bushings I picked up from cudazappa on moparts
- Having a machine shop create a set of steel tortion bar x member bushings from a set of aluminum ones I also picked up from cudazappa.
- picked up an awesome replacement tortion bar x member to replace my bent up one (PO must have snagged it on something in the center)

I'll be bolting and welding in the tortion bar x member with the steel bushings but I also want to weld in frame connectors... the only way I see to do this IS to the torsion bar x member... Is there a better way?

Thank you kindly

PS The only other idea I had was to perhaps eliminate the removable torsion bar x member and using the holes in the transmission x member that are there to allow the torsion bars though, and weld in some torsion bar anchors and finding shorter bars... now keep in mind I have done NO research on this option as I'm not sure how long the bars are from A-bodies which I assume are shorter.

 

[Kernel Sanders]

Never mind...

... I figured out how I'm going to do it.

Weel after relooking at the rear frame rails, they are situated in such a way that they are not parallel to the rockers. They sort of flare out to towards the front tires... wierd (my A-body rear frame rails are parallel to the rockers and the frame connectors went straight to the trans x-member)

Anyways I made a sketch (rear exagerated some to show slight angle of rail) of how it looks and in red how I'll put in the connectors. This means of course I'll have to re-route the fuel and brake line and somehow work the e-brake into the picture. But in the long run will be stronger than welding to the stupid torsion bar x-member which you may see in the pix as being very bent as I mentioned.

Oh and yes I will be re doing the floor properly this year, I have left the PO's crappy pop rivet job WAY to long! weldie-weldie time!

 

[Kernel Sanders]

OH! Just for the record and to share some good (I think) info on torsion bars, I found the chart below today when I was looking into the possibility of eliminating the torsion bar x-member. Looks as though it may be possible to use shorter 72 and prior b-body tortion bars and welding in (with some length modification) some tortion bar anchors where the existing holes are in the transmission x-member.

 

[Mopar To Ya]

I did mine the same way on a 70 RR which really isn't that different than your car other than the nonparallel rear frame railsand the iso K member design. I made mine from 2"x2" box and fabbed the ends to fit over the rear rails and the T-bar xmember where it meets the front rail. For me it caused the connectors to run slighly diagonal to the rockers. I never really understood the thinking behind the MP connectors that attach at the front inboard of where the front rail meets the xmember. I guess they were made that way to avoid the brake and fuel line issues you mention. I also reinforced the xmember attachment so that the connector became continuous with the front rail actually making "frame connectors". Not sure if I achieved significant strength over what Mopar designed but I am happy with the design. I also buried mine into the floor so that the entire connector becomes continuous with the floor and rails. You could probably find racers who are running in the nines with bolt in connectors but that is how I did mine.