Ok,
My first order of business for my 1988 T-Bird LX 5.0 project is to tie the frame together.
Besides fabricating the stuff myself. Anyone have any advise as to any packages out there that I can use to tie the sub frames together?
Will mustang kits fit easily? Do you knwo any companies or part order numbers. any help would be appreciated.
John
John....the search button is your friend, buddy. Give it a try.
Anyhoo.....if you can weld, I made mine for $30. Get a 10' stick (or two 5' pieces) of 1"x2"x.125" tubing, notch and close the ends, lay them up as far back onto the rear LCA mount box as you can and burn them in. Took me about two hours start to finish.
if you want to make your own and have the tools, make yourself a pair of tubular subframe connectors just like the 1's global west sells.. or buy the GW connectors.. they're pricey, but they're great.. they're far more superior than just welding a 1x2 piece of steel in.. they'll completely change the rigidity of the car, like night and day
This is what I did also, cheap and easy if you can weld. :)
http://www.globalwest.net/1980-88thunderbird.html
They are on sale right now.
Maximum Motorsports used to make them for the T-bird/Cougars. I have a set I bought years ago that I am finally getting ready to weld in this week. IIRC they were around $85 or so plus shipping.
If you really want a stiff chassis, do a triangulated SFC's like I have. I have maybe $50 into them if I bought the steel from a regular steel supply. I didn't however so they didn't cost me much of anything, other than my time and welding wire/gas.
Pictures? Thread somewhere?
check the link in my sig, pages 4 &5. If u need measurements, i run back to my car and do it real quick.
John
P.S. I also fabbed up some other pieces to tie the bulk-head to the rear sub-frame as well.
I have been known to play with the hot stick once and a while.....lol Yes I can weld a little. Thanks for the input....sounds pretty easy.
John
this is what's under my car
(http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee79/daminc/IMG_3556.jpg)
I don't think MM makes them for the T-Birds any longer and I am not sure the ones they made were full length either but I could very well be wrong. I would still like to see pics of them if you can.
Darren
I can get pics sometime...they are in the process of being welded in right now. I didn't work on it last night but plan to tonight.
I'm not sure what is considered full length, but my MM oneshiznit the frame rail just behind the trans mount crossmember and go back to about where the LCA's bolt up.
MM probably does not make them anymore. I've had these laying around since 2005 or so.
Full length are like what the GW units are. You can see them on my car in the last page of this thread (ignore the exhaust and look for the black connectors to the side of the subframes):
http://www.foxtbirdcougarforums.com/showthread.php?31210-Custom-Exhaust-for-the-351W/page3
The full length units have two places of attachment on the front subframe and two places of attachment on the rear subframe. The MM Units sound like they are the standard length units and they will work well especially since they are paid for.
Darren
You guys Rock - Thanks Darren...Those rails look heavy duty for sure! Send pic for sure. I have enough steel at home to do it so that wouldnt be a problem for sure.
John