Today I got a sheet of 13 Gauge steel, gonna make subframe connectors for my wife's 65 Barracuda and for my 70 Barracuda.
Now, I stowed away mine for the winter, hard to get to, but I measured the length on my Challenger, just remembered that the Cuda is 2" shorter.
Does those 2" affect the area where the connectors go? (Between the front and rear frames).
Quote from: soundcontrol on December 03, 2021, 11:56:11 AM
Today I got a sheet of 13 Gauge steel, gonna make subframe connectors for my wife's 65 Barracuda and for my 70 Barracuda.
Now, I stowed away mine for the winter, hard to get to, but I measured the length on my Challenger, just remembered that the Cuda is 2" shorter.
Does those 2" affect the area where the connectors go? (Between the front and rear frames).
YES, the two inches is found in the rear foot well floor pans .
Quote from: anlauto on December 03, 2021, 12:37:30 PM
YES, the two inches is found in the rear foot well floor pans .
Thanks Alan! I'll wait to cut the exact length until I can measure on the `70 then. Just gonna make the U-profiles.
Have a shop nearby with a huge metal brake machine.
Made one of the connectors for the 65 Barracuda today, need some minor grinding to fit a bit better.
I wonder if I should just weld them in as is? The car is on a rotisserie. I know the correct way is to have the car all put together and have
it on its suspension. But that a long way from now, and how much can it flex, it's on its side and it had a roof...
If it was a convertible, I wouldn't even think about it, but now I am. :dunno:
I have seen people do it with no issues AND I have a friend with a Cuda convertible that did it and the doors didn't fit after, it flexed about 1" (but they changed the floors also).
Right or wrong I welded the US Cartool frame connectors in on my 71 barracuda vert while on the rotisserie.
I braced across the door openings while on all 4 wheels but no drive train. Then put body on rotisserie removing axle and front suspension.
Rotated body so it was sideways to the ground (axles would be vertical had they been installed). Logic being that with the body this way, it was in its strongest axis.
Took my time adjusting the contours of the frame connectors to the floor pan. I installed some bolts with washers thru the floor pan and into a piece of lumber that then wedged the connectors tight to the floor. Welded all up.
After the body was back on all 4 (no drive train), everything seemed happy.
Quote from: moparcar on January 30, 2022, 01:10:54 PM
@soundcontrol (https://forum.e-bodies.org/mlist/soundcontrol_67) Was your 13G steel rectangular or did you bend these from flat sheet? If you bent them how did you do this? Sheet metal brake or?
Thanks
I bought a big sheet, then I let a local shop cut and bend for me, cost me $80, I made 4 of them.
They have a huge metal brake, but even with that, the U profile I needed was too deep, it didn't make a perfect bend first, the first U profile was a little crooked, so they made 4 L profiles with a loose side so I have to weld one side.
But the U-profile they made first was OK for me, I just took a BFH and adjusted it, thats the one in that picture. The rest I have to weld up one side of first.
Quote from: larry4406 on January 30, 2022, 12:31:28 PM
Right or wrong I welded the US Cartool frame connectors in on my 71 barracuda vert while on the rotisserie.
I braced across the door openings while on all 4 wheels but no drive train. Then put body on rotisserie removing axle and front suspension.
Rotated body so it was sideways to the ground (axles would be vertical had they been installed). Logic being that with the body this way, it was in its strongest axis.
Took my time adjusting the contours of the frame connectors to the floor pan. I installed some bolts with washers thru the floor pan and into a piece of lumber that then wedged the connectors tight to the floor. Welded all up.
After the body was back on all 4 (no drive train), everything seemed happy.
Thats is good. Smart with the bolts! I'll do that. On my Challenger I did it from under and used a jack, but it's very hard to weld.
Thanks!
[/quote]
I bought a big sheet, then I let a local shop cut and bend for me, cost me $80, I made 4 of them.
They have a huge metal brake, but even with that, the U profile I needed was too deep, it didn't make a perfect bend first, the first U profile was a little crooked, so they made 4 L profiles with a loose side so I have to weld one side.
But the U-profile they made first was OK for me, I just took a BFH and adjusted it, thats the one in that picture. The rest I have to weld up one side of first.
[/quote]
Thanks!
Very cool. Been thinking about doing the same with mine with home made pieces.