Opinions Wanted- E Body chassis stiffening parts?

[mellowguy]

For a E- Body coupe that will use torsion bars (front), and rear leaf spings. What chassis stiffening parts would you use for handling performance and a little track use.

Let me start and get your opinions and additions.

Subframe connectors-Auto rust
front and rear torque boxes-Auto rust
lower radiator core support- US car tool
engine compartment brace- XV motorsports

Anything else? Opinions?

Thanks everybody.

[Carlwalski]

I got the XV chassis kit but HATE their service and aftermarket sales help, absolute crap.  I will do a big "vent" thread once my build is done going into detail about their kit and my personal opinion/review. Their products are good and well made but they often leave parts out, deny it and never replace it. I sold the brace in their kit (didn't want a big eye sore in the bay overshadowing a Hemi).

I didn't use the lower rad support either (as I don't like the look of it hanging down) and it didn't fit due to the radiator. Could have made it fit but it would have sat any further down. The subframes were good as were the inner fender frames. My car isn't a circle track car ("G-Machine") and what I have is ample for the street. Tied in with their XV1 torsion bars, strut rods, weight loss etc it'll be more than fine for a street/strip car. XV owe me a good $350+ US for parts we had to fabricate in their 3 link XV2 rear so just be wary. I still haven't seen it and now they ignore my calls and emails....cowards. Anyhow, here's my car, good luck with your setup. 

[larry4406]

I installed the US Cartool frame connectors and new style front inner fender braces.  Minor trimming to fit as expected.  Very pleased and good company to deal with.

[diyhemi.com]

I got the XV chassis kit but HATE their service and aftermarket sales help, absolute crap.  I will do a big "vent" thread once my build is done going into detail about their kit and my personal opinion/review. Their products are good and well made but they often leave parts out, deny it and never replace it. I sold the brace in their kit (didn't want a big eye sore in the bay overshadowing a Hemi).

I didn't use the lower rad support either (as I don't like the look of it hanging down) and it didn't fit due to the radiator. Could have made it fit but it would have sat any further down. The subframes were good as were the inner fender frames. My car isn't a circle track car ("G-Machine") and what I have is ample for the street. Tied in with their XV1 torsion bars, strut rods, weight loss etc it'll be more than fine for a street/strip car. XV owe me a good $350+ US for parts we had to fabricate in their 3 link XV2 rear so just be wary. I still haven't seen it and now they ignore my calls and emails....cowards. Anyhow, here's my car, good luck with your setup. 

Do you still have the radiator cross brace? I tried to contact them this week but they did not answer. What is it with companies now and customer service? Us cartool seems to have great customer service and I want to run all of their stiffening products, with the exception of the round tubular radiator brace. I simply don't like how it looks, but everything else in their kit looks top notch.

[Carlwalski]

Do you still have the radiator cross brace? I tried to contact them this week but they did not answer. What is it with companies now and customer service? Us cartool seems to have great customer service and I want to run all of their stiffening products, with the exception of the round tubular radiator brace. I simply don't like how it looks, but everything else in their kit looks top notch.

Sorry mate, nope, I actually told them to leave that out of the order so I didn't have top pay for it. Took them around 6 months to finally ship the engine brace too after I paid for it. Waste of time in the end hahaha. Ah, XV are useless, I'd rather get Ray Charles to do the pre-deliver inspections and QC than those guys.


When I think of XV, these guys come to mind.........

[ragtopdodge]

Use much or all of it as you can.  It doesn't HURT, that's for sure, but I'm not so certain they help THAT much.  Probably the subframe connectors help the most.

I have the US Car tool connectors and boy, did they fit like crap.  Took 20 hours to grind and grind to fit them.  I gather the XV ones are just as bad to install.

Maybe the Hotchkiss ones are lot easier to install (looks like it) and a lot more easy to remove, but I don't like how they hang down so low.

The US Cartool lower rad support looks pretty darn thin, but at least you can use your stock down-drain radiator..

Just do it if you're not concerned with originality.  These cars need all the help they can get to stiffen the chassis.

[BIGSHCLUNK]

I did a very similar sub-frame connect as CARLWALKSI. Used 1X3 steel.. cost me $10 and had a chunk left over.  Easy fitting -no endless fabbibg/grinding.  And yes it did make a difference. 

[Carlwalski]

I did a very similar sub-frame connect as CARLWALKSI. Used 1X3 steel.. cost me $10 and had a chunk left over.  Easy fitting -no endless fabbibg/grinding.  And yes it did make a difference. 

$10? Easy fitting with no endless grinding or fabing? Is it welded in contour to the floor or just bolted on/weld over top of the floor with gaps etc? Not doubting you lol, just sounds too easy cheap. Even laser cut ready to fit ones take time to massage to get the best out of them.

[BIGSHCLUNK]

Carl, a thousand pardons , I didnt look at your pic close enuff( freakin ole BIGS).  WE went accross the bottom... no modify of ebrake lines either.. worked out great

[Carlwalski]

Carl, a thousand pardons , I didnt look at your pic close enuff( freakin ole BIGS).  WE went accross the bottom... no modify of ebrake lines either.. worked out great

Hahaha, not a problem man, I was just thinking, holy crap, I caould have saved myself some $$$!! LOL

As long as it works and you're happy, it's allllll good brother!

[mellowguy]

Sorry about the problems with XV.  My partial solution, only buy when XV have in stock. The XV and US car tools sub frame connectors need a lot of prep, and grinding, on the bottom of the floorpan. NO THANKS, TOO MUCH WORK, regardless of the benifits. Another question. If I was using a front spring suspenion then I would consider using a upper fender support or gusseted inner, upper, fender where the top of the front shock attaches (the us car tool version). I am using a torsion bar suspenion, so no extra load like coil springs, so I passed on this kit . So what do you think?

[Changin Gears]

One thing to remember about frame connectors is that they are only as strong as the weakest point.  The ones that are welded flush to the floor get pretty small under the seats. 

[Carlwalski]

Sorry about the problems with XV.  My partial solution, only buy when XV have in stock. The XV and US car tools sub frame connectors need a lot of prep, and grinding, on the bottom of the floorpan. NO THANKS, TOO MUCH WORK, regardless of the benifits. Another question. If I was using a front spring suspenion then I would consider using a upper fender support or gusseted inner, upper, fender where the top of the front shock attaches (the us car tool version). I am using a torsion bar suspenion, so no extra load like coil springs, so I passed on this kit . So what do you think?

The upper inner fender connectors don't have anything to do with what shocks you're running. Stiffening kits, in short, keep the car rigid and basically together. These cars never came out with 600+hp and we'ren't built to handle that so added these components helps keep the car tight. It'll also help keep the car straight so you'll have a better ride and handling.

One thing to remember about frame connectors is that they are only as strong as the weakest point.  The ones that are welded flush to the floor get pretty small under the seats. 

I have always heard that bolt on ones or ones that have zero connection to the floor actually do very little in way of stiffening. 3 point steel contact (frame, frame, floor) will always be superior.

[Changin Gears]

I have always heard that bolt on ones or ones that have zero connection to the floor actually do very little in way of stiffening. 3 point steel contact (frame, frame, floor) will always be superior.

I agree, you want them welded front and rear and to the floor, they usually pass through the floor (at least partially).

[mellowguy]

"The upper inner fender connectors don't have anything to do with what shocks you're running. Stiffening kits, in short, keep the car rigid and basically together. These cars never came out with 600+hp and we'ren't built to handle that so added these components helps keep the car tight. It'll also help keep the car straight so you'll have a better ride and handling. "

I wasn't refering to what kind of shocks I was running. This area was designed for shock use not the load of the car and forces of a coil spring. I mentioned the area because the added kit that uses gusseting and reinforcements. To me this beefs up that area for a aftermarket coil spring setup install and the extra forces put in those areas that weren't there in the original torsion bar design.