Subframe & floor board install in already MODDIFIED car. Need advice (NO 56K)

[Guest iskone]

First the floor. The whole fornt of the floor board is pushed up away from the firewall, about 1/2" on the firewall and floorboard is corodied away it is all bent out of shape as well. The middle has ALOT of pitting in the meatl and I poked a hole the size of a quater throuh it about an inch from the drain plug. The rear of the floor has 2 small holes. The passenger side is fine except for 2 holes 1 front left corner 1 right rear. It's not the worst but I don't like the idea of patch work much.

 

The car has some intersting stiffing already done and I'm not sure how to tie into it. The front is where most of the mods take place.

 

 

Here you can see the angle iron used to stiffen the front. This is the DRIVERS side. The angle iron ends just after the sway bar.

 

 

 

The frame rail/angle iron is extended all the way down on both sides of the car.

 

 

 

You can see how it tappers to follow the contour of the floor as it goes towards the back of the car.

 

 

 

 

Here is a view from outside the car looking in at the angle iron over the stock sub frame.

 

 

 

I was thinking if I was thinking I could run the new frame rails all the way up to the TC bucketand tie it in there, just cut out he other stuff. I could relly use advice in this department.

 

 

 

I think all the goods are in place for the rear though. My fornt diff mount is made out of 1x3 steel tubing. it runs all the from one rear frame rail to the other even passing through the passenger cabin tied into the floor.

 

 

Best pic I could get showing the Front diff mount from under the car. As you can see the sway bar and one side of my rear control arm mount to the 1x3 tube.

 

 

 

View of the diff mount tied into the floor on driver side.

 

 

 

Doing all this work also brings up the question how would I go about it. I'd be looking for a way to avoid pulling out any more parts of the car. I've been thinking I could get teh car 2' off the ground then support some key places. Do I need to pull out the engine, tranny supsension, etc..

 

Also there a some more pics of the car in my album.

http://album.hybridz.org/showgallery.php?si=&limit=&thumbsonly=0&perpage=24&cat=500&ppuser=8740&thumbcheck=0&page=1&sortby=&sorttime=&way=&cat=500

 

Oh what are these aluminum housings? Havn't seen em' before.

 

 

 

 

Thanks

Isk

[BillZ260]

Go to Pete Paraska's website, he's got a ton of information on exactly what you are wanting to do. There are some good posts around on this as well, I had one but not sure if it's there still or not, it's been a while...

[Guest iskone]

Thanks Bill, I've been to Pete's site before but I was worried about going forward considering the mods that are on the car now.

 

It looks like my best option might be to just go forward as if the angle iron was not there. Going with the 2x3 and tieing into the diff mount should still be fine since most people only tie into the floor.

 

What about getting the work done without pulling the motor or suspension?

 

Isk

[BillZ260]

Honestly, I think it will be less work all together if you pulled the engine and trans to proceed with this work. I think if you leave that stuff in, it will be a pain to work around as well as the stress it ill put on the chassis haveing it up in the air. Just my opinion..

[Guest iskone]

Honestly, I think it will be less work all together if you pulled the engine and trans to proceed with this work. I think if you leave that stuff in, it will be a pain to work around as well as the stress it ill put on the chassis haveing it up in the air. Just my opinion..

 

Hmmmmm..... Think so? I'm the most worried about the stress but I don't think it would get in the way too much. Another thing I'm thinking is if I'm going to pull the motor I might just want to drop in a run of the mill small block but I think I'd be best to avoid that right now. Unless I can score a deal

 

Isk

[maichor]

I agree. I can't imagine doing that kind of work without the car on a rotisserie and the drivetrain out. I used 2 X 3 as Pete suggests and then left some ears on the front end and tied into the T/C mounting bucket on both sides.