'83 Cougar LS 5.0, has anyone added subframe connectors to their car? If you did, how did you re-route the fuel lines that snake back and forth in the factory-severed frame rail space?? Thanks in advance.
Yup.
Didn't do anything with the fuel lines on mine, just wrapped a wet towel around them while I was welding.
i think he meant the the fuel lines were in the way of the connectors. i know the rear brake line is in the way, near the firewall.
Mine wasn't, at least not that I recall :dunno:
the earlier cars use a different fuel pump/filter/line setup than our cars.
That happen to be right in the way on my 83 Cougar LS 5.0...
On mine I didn't have any issues. I pulled the lines down from the front subframe while I did the welding and made sure they were clear on the rear SF when I welded back there. The lines were then reinstalled in their original location after the welds cooled. Did it on both '83's and the '84.
Thanks, I just have to do a bit of re-routing.
What subframe connectors did you use, mustang ones? Or did you make your own. I need to put some in myself.
mustang ones dont match the floor pan of the bird/cat.
nice thing is though, if you are goin bottom mount you can jus use straight box tube w/no breaks in it.
there are one or two companies out there that still have tbird sfc. I can't remember the names though. I think MOtion Dynamics may have some, even MM IIRC.
40bob sells some on his website.
But, they're really just straight pieces of rectangular box tubing with caps welded on the ends (they're cheap though, $65/pair and they come with reinforcement plates).
Also good luck finding any with seat braces as I don't believe anyone actually sells them with seat braces.
Mine have got seat braces :D They were from the last few KB ones that Chuck sold here awhile ago. Unfortunately the only thing mine are bracing right now are the garage wall - still haven't gotten around to installing 'em. Might do that this week, now that the TC rear is in...
I have made a set using sqaure tubing and we didn't do anything with the fuel lines cuz my friend had a fuel cell in his car but I am working on designing a set for my car and I don't have a fuel sell. I will try to get a picture of the ones I made for my friend. I am a welder/fabricator and I would have to say that it is a little difficult seeing that the subframe is galvanized. But I will see if I can get something for ya.
Well, I have seat braces too, I got what I believe was Chuck's last set of braces.
However, I figure it probably wouldn't be THAT hard to make your own seat braces. Would just require a little extra R&D work under the car.
If I could get enough interest, I'd get some more made up.
Start a thread!
Griggs racing has some serious sfc kits.
http://www.griggsracing.com/index.php/cPath/5_1020
If you guys can talk Chuck into making them again, use his seat braces, and then source the straight tube local. They make a HUGe difference in the car, and I think the seat braces are important to that. I just installed a set in my Capri, and there is no way those seat braces could be made to work with the t-bird Chassis.
these are the brackets from Chuck.......
(http://inlinethumb44.webshots.com/3115/1292283624066453426S500x500Q85.jpg) (http://rides.webshots.com/photo/1292283624066453426FkNYFs)
Real nice pieces, and worth every penny.
Bob Myers
Would be nice if they had some "installed" pics, I don't understand exactly how their "upper" connectors work...whether they're through the floor subs or what. I also don't understand where the bulkhead stiffeners attach.
http://people.ucsc.edu/~kbrandt/mustang/InternalSFC.shtml
http://www.griggsracing.com/pdfFiles/mfk2000wc.pdf
Clear?
Thanks... great info
Yeah, Griggs doesn't have the greatest website.
I think the biggest reasons for the two part sfc is that not everyone wants to fork out the cash for the stiffest you can get and there are a few like me that may have to go with the lower SFC first and add the upper later. You also have to consider that the two extra walls between the connectors is going to give an extra measure of rgidity.