I have no doubts that welding in subframe connectors on my stock '70 Charger 500 (383 magnum, 4 speed) would help stiffen it up, but at what point would subframe connectors be necessary? I am asking because I might stray away from the stock engine.
When are subframe connectors necessary?
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You going to drop the clutch at 6500 RPM's on the strip or road course the car?? If not.. never...
Aarons Air
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I've seen b bodies that have cracks from flex, where the a pillars attach at the cowl. I've wondered if subframe connectors would help with that.
I've heard of rear windows popping out of Road Runners and B body cracks/splits where the forward edge of the rear quarters wrap around into the door jamb.
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Must have been running a **** load of power to do that. My Bee is stock, and I beat the hell out of it like no one else would in my teens and all of my glass is still in place.
If you have a B body, do what the factory should have done. Put Em in. Convertible?
Definitely! They tie the front half of the car to the back half.
Definitely! They tie the front half of the car to the back half.
Aarons Air
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Mine was split, on the drivers side. And i've seen it on others.
The first time I saw this was in the late 70's. I bought a 69 Roadrunner hardtop with a blown engine. It was a 4 speed car. The blown engine was already a later model one, meaning it had already been replaced at least once. There were two good sized cracks where the quarter wrapped around the door jamb. Both were on the driver's side. In addition, the door latch in the door jamb had cracking around it in the sheet metal. The car was not very rusty at all, but once I got it running again you could tell the body was pretty well shook. I felt bad for the car even back then.
Shortly after that I bought a 69 Super Bee that was an automatic car. It had a shift kit in it of some sort that hit so hard the whole car would shudder. That one was starting to show the same cracks in the door jamb area. I was glad to turn that one and make my $200.00. The guy who bought it rolled it within a week, so I guess the cracks were irrelevant.
Aarons Air
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I bought hotchkis geometry correcting leaf springs. I intend to buy their weld in subframe connectors too.
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Just my opinion: if the car has great collector value, a numbers matching T/A, sixpack or hemi, NO! If its a 318,car with a 440 swaped in, gonna get beat on, drag or road course, absolutely put em in! Especially for a four speed car. I put in a weld-in homemade set in my 62 (slant six car) along with a eight point bar, and tied it all together, when i put a 440 in it. My numbers matching rr didn't get any.
I would consider them at 450 honest crank horsepower, mandatory at 500, especially with a stick.
I would consider them at 450 honest crank horsepower, mandatory at 500, especially with a stick.
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oldbee
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Gotta agree with ur post, but they work very well in auto's also. Put more power to where it really belongs, instead of bending sheet metal along the way.
My car is numbers matching, but it is the 383 magnum, 4 speed..."the little brother". Good collector value or great collector value?
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I have a 68 Hardtop that cracked the quarters twice since I have owned it from sheer torque.
The middle part of these uni-bodies are week if you throw any kind of torque at them.
This time around I reinforced the back side of the quarter/door seam and welded in frame rail connectors with all 4 wheels firmly planted on a level surface.
The car is currently sitting on three stands. The front passenger side is about 1/4 inch off the fourth stand because the car is so stiff and the floor slopes on that corner.
Looking forward to driving it.
The middle part of these uni-bodies are week if you throw any kind of torque at them.
This time around I reinforced the back side of the quarter/door seam and welded in frame rail connectors with all 4 wheels firmly planted on a level surface.
The car is currently sitting on three stands. The front passenger side is about 1/4 inch off the fourth stand because the car is so stiff and the floor slopes on that corner.
Looking forward to driving it.
Aarons Air
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Yep, same spot mine was cracked. And it was only a 318 originally.
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It's my understanding that coupes or "Post" cars didn't suffer quite as bad from it as the hardtops.
The short answer, weld in frame rail connectors even with a stock motor unless you are building a concourse car.
The short answer, weld in frame rail connectors even with a stock motor unless you are building a concourse car.
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Delta, with a numbers matching car that i planned to beat on a little, i would consider the bolt-in style. More easily reversable if you change your mind later. Also, the fact that all chargers are hardtops with no post, makes the body less stiff than a post coupe, or two door sedan.
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