8 point roll bar

[SalTy71CuDa]

  Since the resurection of my Cuda is in the works, I've been toying with the idea of adding a 8 point cage in it for better chassis stiffness. Now my question is if I do go for the cage should I go ahead and still install the torque boxes? Frame connectors are still going in, I'm just wondering if it would be worth going through the trouble of doing the boxes?
 

[360 'CUDA]

Even a rollbar in a car really stiffens it up but nobody likes a bar or cage in a street car. They get old really fast....

The other problem you might have is the a cage wont do much to help the stiffness of the spring mounts like torque boxes.

The Frame connectors will help

[SalTy71CuDa]

I really dont mind the cage all too much, hell ... lol I'm forced into the Ol'lady's SRT-4 sometimes.  Ok so It would be a good idear to still use the boxes.

I'm going for the semi pro-street look since the car was never original when I bought it 15 years ago.

[gkring]

Torque boxes serve a different purpose than the roll bar, so go with them. The torque boxes reinforce the spring mounts in the rear and help stiffen up the front frame . The roll bar if installed correctly should also be tied into the rockers as well through the use of runners to the rockers. I ran a 10 point cage in my buick and got pretty good at hopping in and out. It is definitely an art to getting in and out. Although I prefer not to use them, removeable swingouts may be the ticket if you are going as much for looks as perormance.

[SalTy71CuDa]

Very good point.

   I'm sry for asking a lot of questions... Would the torque boxes still function the same way even if I relocate the rear springs inward about 3-4 inches? Chassis stuff is new grounds for me and now where I'm starting a resto/mod on my cuda I just want to make sure I do it all right the first time.

Thankx ~Wes

[360 'CUDA]

Unless you plan on back halfing the car with aftermarket frame sections moved in you really can't move the rear wheels in more then 2 inches or so.  The problem is the tires start hitting the longitudinals (frame) in the rear of the wheelwell. Even with minitubs you don't get very much room back there because the longitudinals are in crooked with the fronts closer together and the rear much further apart

Of course if you back half the car then you wont need torque boxes anyway.

The best thing to do IMO for more room in the rear wheelwells is to get the bolt in spring hangers that move the spring leafs in about an inch. That gives you about 13 1/2 or 14 inches in the wheelwell to stuff a big tire in there and you can always change it back because it's a bolt in

Leave the 4 inch spring relo kits to the A and B bodies

[SalTy71CuDa]

Thankx for the advice. Backhalfing isnt in my best intrest .... lol I kinda want it to handle a little bit, not much but just a little.

Thankx ~Wes