Request for comprehesive frame mod list

I'm street rodding a 68 basketcase coupe. I'm looking for all popular and proven mods to make the engineering aspects more "right". For example - on the lower front A-arms, I welded a strip of steel from one side of the bushing hole to the other. I remember this from a 25 year old article about Guldstrand mod tips.

So I have the following questions:

1. What are the mods to stock trailing arms for better e-brake cable angles?

2. Same for brake line mounting on trailing arm.

3. Any proven mods to upper front A-arms?

4. Proven chassis triangulations 1-1/2 O.D. by .125" wall round tubing placements and bends?

5. rear crossmember- any replacement stuff or alternate engineering for those big rubber biscuits? I acquired a spare cross member to experiment with - my first step was to remove those rubber bushings.

6. gussets all over the place on the frame - engine mounts, a-arm mounts, etc.

7. front spreader bar - instead of mounting the bracket to hold the heim joints through the bolt holes, I'd rather weld the bracketry right on to the bushing shaft. There will probably be an elec fan set up for more clearance, and I'm against engine driven fans anyway, so there should be ample clearance.

I'm on a tight budget and don't have the bank account to do all that steeroids and transverse carbon fiber springs and tubular a arms and all that stuff. I prefer to mod the stock stuf. Going polyurethane replacement bushings as much as possible.

I'd appreciate all you guys doing all my engineering and design work for me as much as possible. That's what the internet was invented for, wasn't it?

Thanks!

-90% Jimmy

:yahoo:

90-percent said:

I'm street rodding a 68 basketcase coupe. I'm looking for all popular and proven mods to make the engineering aspects more "right". For example - on the lower front A-arms, I welded a strip of steel from one side of the bushing hole to the other. I remember this from a 25 year old article about Guldstrand mod tips.

So I have the following questions:

1. What are the mods to stock trailing arms for better e-brake cable angles?

Click to expand...

it's not the e brake cable angle, it's the fact that the bracket is on the outside of the arm, interfering with the tire. Move it to the top for more tire clearance

90-percent said:

2. Same for brake line mounting on trailing arm.

Click to expand...

Brake line routing is just fine

90-percent said:

3. Any proven mods to upper front A-arms?

Click to expand...

Not really, maybe redrill the frame or slot the cross shaft for more caster.

90-percent said:

4. Proven chassis triangulations 1-1/2 O.D. by .125" wall round tubing placements and bends?

Click to expand...

most critical areas are the a arm attachments points and the rear kickups.

You can gusset those. If you want to work with tubing, do a 6 pont cage at least.

90-percent said:

5. rear crossmember- any replacement stuff or alternate engineering for those big rubber biscuits? I acquired a spare cross member to experiment with - my first step was to remove those rubber bushings.

Click to expand...

Easiest is to weld the crossmember straight to the frame, drill a couple of holes in the rear storage area for access to diff mount bolts. Can easily be plugged with ordinary chassis plugs.

90-percent said:

6. gussets all over the place on the frame - engine mounts, a-arm mounts, etc.

Click to expand...

Yup, maybe add spreader bar. Also add gussets to a arm towers and maybe chassis S bends on forward section.

90-percent said:

7. front spreader bar - instead of mounting the bracket to hold the heim joints through the bolt holes, I'd rather weld the bracketry right on to the bushing shaft. There will probably be an elec fan set up for more clearance, and I'm against engine driven fans anyway, so there should be ample clearance.

Click to expand...

Having a bolt on solution would be easier IMO. If at any time you want to move the bar's location you're stuck with where you welded it on the cross shaft. You may also have to mount the bar higher or lower depending on pulleys and accessories, better to have bolt on brackets.

90-percent said:

I'm on a tight budget and don't have the bank account to do all that steeroids and transverse carbon fiber springs and tubular a arms and all that stuff. I prefer to mod the stock stuf. Going polyurethane replacement bushings as much as possible.

Click to expand...

Read up on the johnny joint!

90-percent said:

I'd appreciate all you guys doing all my engineering and design work for me as much as possible. That's what the internet was invented for, wasn't it?

Thanks!

-90% Jimmy

:yahoo:

Click to expand...

just above in the sticky section are links to all the information you seek....good solid CORRECT information...
redvetracr

15 Years ago when modding my t-arms ebrake location, I found I could not easily relocate to on top, so I move the brackets to behind the rotor, and since the frame brackets were bolted on, I relocated them at a odd angle to the ends of the thwart for positioning....

I have the VBP cross support, but have to go electric cooling fans...they say it can be done with a SBC in there....I"d have to SEE that though....

the lower control arms it sounds like you have that covered already.....

I made my own brackets and crap and have the same rack everyone else uses....off a '92 Grand Am at 2.7 turns L-L and made my own brackets and stuff came from junkyard.....200 bux total cost, and that included machine shop to make my center bracket....I got drawings of the brackets....

I modded the tail support mount, by cutting the lower crescent out of the exhaust passages, angled the cuts back a goodly bit to open it up for a easier shot for the 2.5 inch pipes, and we built up some structure to the upper sections for support/strength...triangulated and enclosed the main beam....cost only about a inch of pipe drop, but makes life SO much simpler under there....

:smash::smash:

Thanks

Thanks to all for your contributions. They will go into the project at some point in time.

QUESTION:

Is it as easy as it looks to put an 80 to 82 rear assy in to a 68 frame?

I like the bushing arrangement better than the big rubber biscuits and steel cross member on the 63 to 79 frames.

my reasoning assumes the 80 to 82 is better engineered and the rear gear case is superior. I could be ultra wrong about this.

I might just fab a new carrier using those outboard bushings like 80 to 82 instead?

-jim

The dana 44 diff is much weaker than the iron unit, however you could use just the batwing and bolt up an early case.

i once posted the dims for the frame brackets as well as the weights for the C3 D44 diff.

You'll need to remove the stock crossmember however, the batwing bolts to where it's welded to the frame.

Where the lower a-arms bolt on are most important imo

I personally have cracked the frame under the front block

I haven't been able to gusset my frame around that area yet, too hard with the motor in, though I do have a full cage with front runners now

It should substantially help