-71 B body stiffening

[mrluoto]

Good day Gents

Installing US Car tool Level 3 chassis stiffening kitt on my -71 Satellite
It’s my first b body project and looking forward to get it ready.

Minitubbing, spring relocations, torque boxes and subframes already connected. Next will be Inner fender braces weldings.
What I need to know with the
Inner fender braces weldings?

Question here is my old K frame. What to do with it? Any recomedations on it. I have BB 700hp under hood to street and strip
Thank you

 

[Dan64]

I put them on my 64' Polara, went on easy enough but you will burn the paint inside of your engine compartment, no way to avoid that one. I know most guys rebuild what came from the factory with a good measure of success but have you looked at Reily motor sports "AlterKation" front end set up. It will handle like its on rails and you loose around 120lb. off the front .

 

[davek]

would love to see some pics of your car.

 

[bearman]

you can always rebuild and do like others have done cut out a section of the k frame it makes the front end lighter and saves on cost. they also have stiffen plates for the lower control arms look at pst they are a sponsor and have some great pricing. but you build it your way is always the best way.

 

[mrluoto]

Good day Gents
Thank you for your comments. Added underneath pics.
Need to check out what fits my engine bay layout best.
Elephant ears is one option as well. I assume it will stiff well front subframe.
Thank you

 

[mrluoto]

would love to see some pics of your car.

Picks added

 

[mrluoto]

Picks added

https://www.instagram.com/mrluoto/?hl=fi

 

[dvw]

Two different directions here. Drag racing you can trim the K and other stuff and lose quite a bit of weight. My all steel except hood 64 Belvedere drag car weighs just under 3100lb with lightened stock stuff.. Handing and corner carving you want to add stiffness. Boxed arms, reinforced steering box mount, core support. I just did a QA1 complete front end for a customer. To be honest I'd keep the stock stuff. No way its 120lbs lighter than a factory manual box setup.
Doug

 

[71Beeper]

Mrluoto - I put the US cartool inner fender braces on my 71 Clonerunner along with the rad support brace.

US cartool at the time only offered the inner braces for E-bodies & not B-bodies.
I phoned them and asked if the E-body ones would work on a B-body and they wouldn't give me a straight answer.
So I ordered them anyway.
Long story short is they will need some massaging but its not a difficult task.
My car also has front and rear torque boxes and the frame connectors too.

But it is a street car.

 

[biomedtechguy]

Two different directions here. Drag racing you can trim the K and other stuff and lose quite a bit of weight. My all steel except hood 64 Belvedere drag car weighs just under 3100lb with lightened stock stuff.. Handing and corner carving you want to add stiffness. Boxed arms, reinforced steering box mount, core support. I just did a QA1 complete front end for a customer. To be honest I'd keep the stock stuff. No way its 120lbs lighter than a factory manual box setup.
Doug

Your posts are so informative, but in my case I changed out the entire front suspension including the K-member with QA1 components. I'm not looking to carve corners, I definitely want to get on the quarter mile, but still mostly used on the street.
I'm trying to be relevant in this post for the OP. My Upper Control Arms (UCAs) are the only non-QA1 item as SPC UCAs have far more adjustability.
With all of the strengthening, stiffening (including USCT frame connectors, torque boxes) and systems I had installed, Calvert split mono leaf springs and Assassin traction bars, and so on, I believe the QA1 complete swap over along with their K-member just adds to the overall goals I have and it sure looks nice too!

 

[polyjohn]

Wonderful build Mrluoto,
I am a fellow 71 Plymouth owner in the UK.
I was going to go the same route as you with all the body mods, but as she is a numbers matching GTX I kept her fairly original.
Just some home made frame connectors and lots of rust replacement lol...

 

[polyjohn]

Nice work beeper!
I have a 71 GTX myself.
Those look like factory GTX strengthening plates and torque boxes?
Have you fitted them yourself or did your car come with them?

Obviously its a lengthened E-body floorpan for the 71 B-body...(hope thats right)?



The 512ci engine in the 'avatar' picture is the one I will use for drag racing, (spare).
I was very lucky, as my 440ci hipo engine and trans are factory originals too.

 

[71Beeper]

Thanks polyjohn.
Yes, I fitted the front and rear torque boxes.
I got them from here.

I do believe that the front floor pans are the same as E-body, not sure about the rear pans.
I did install an E-body drivers side floor pan when I was putting in the 4 speed hump.

 

[mrluoto]

 

[davek]

dang your going at it,good luck hope it all gos well.

 

[ckessel]

Try what I did on the 70 k thats for my 65. Using my RotaBroach set, I put in 120+ holes in the frame to add more welds to the k. I only went through one layer with the exception of the idler arm mount where I went through two. Factory was only 30 or so. Added gusseting to the strut bar pockets, cut windows to expose the lower a-arm shaft tubes, welded those where accessible, added reinforcements at both ends of the tubes, skid plate. I still need to work on the topside to cut away some excess material, add gussets to the steering box mount and some other areas. Other than the broach set, very low budget improvements. Adding the extra welds in cuts down on the flexing. I did these mods as I plan on doing track events, autocross, some drags and plenty of twisty fun.

 

[mrluoto]

Paint work pics. It’s my first mopar and my first paint job.

 

[mrluoto]

Painters just asked too much money for paint works. It’s my project and my learning curve. Learning by doing!

 

[mrluoto]

Some progress!

 

[polyjohn]

Great work Mr.luoto.
Hoping to get my 512cube motor back from a Moparmate soon.
Then we can have a race to see which 71 is the best in Euro Super-stock lol?