Has anyone used U.S. car tools or XV motors lazer cut frame connectors with the goodmark floor? I would like to order a set but I'm worried they won't fit. Chuck
They're not going to fit like a hand in a glove on either OEM or repro if thats what you're thinking. You're going to have to trial fit them by trimming and re trial fit them over and over. I couldn't imagine putting U.S. Cartool frame connecters on unless...
A. The car is on a lift. (would seem to work but
B. On a rotisserie.
C. make cardboard templates of the connectors, or out of wood. Then copy over to the real ones.
I did mine while on a rotisserie. It took quite a few hours per side to get correctly fitted. Until you see them right out of the box, then you'll know what I mean.
What I did to keep the same consistent location to re check my fitment over and over was;I first cut heads off 4 bolts. Then I welded them on each end where the ends of the connectors are. Now they slide on and off in the same exact location everytime after I took them off. Then I did my trimming and kept re checking the tolorance to where they would weld up. Then welded them up.
If you plan to use new floors, make sure that you sand and wire brush the areas real good where the welding will be. Weld primer in weld lanes of course would be a good idea also.
Don't get too carried away using POR inside the connectors close to the weld edges. It starts to burn and the mig welding doesn't like that foreign smoke and residue to weld on. You can always go get a under coat gun and wand and spray POR inside the holes later on when you're finished.
Use Twenty Guage weld wire what I recommend.
XV connectors are a copy of the U.S. except they don't have the tail piece that wraps up on the inside on the frame to weld to.
