Here is the underside without the piece in question-notice the bracing to keep the front end in place





here is the bracket on the floor, it was tacked in place on the car



here is the new connector that mates the front subframe to the rear. The rear portion is still missing some straps to tie it to the rear end.

 

That's a good looking set-up man! Will have to keep that in mind for the wife's car or if I get another car.

Got the other floor support out and the new one put in place, and got it lined up using the subframe connector. Before I start laying down my crappy welds, I installed the x-brace to pull the floor supports together to make sure there are no gaps between the subframe connectors and the x-brace. I was blown away by how well the x-brace bolted it. Usually, everything I have ordered for this car has required extensive massaging to fit properly. Tomorrow I will tighten everything up, start laying down some welds, and get back on track with the torque boxes.

Driver side floor support with subframe connector and x-brace


Rear Section


Little bit better picture


The flat piece is where the driveshaft safety loop will be mounted.


Front view


Fred

 

This is a great thread...whats the status of the build now?

 

I've really been neglecting this project for a while but I was down at the shop doing some winter cleaning and decided to wrench on it some at the end of the day. I had forgotten I even had this part for the car. This is a Cobra Automotive Trans Am crossmember like the ones constructed and used in the 70's Trans Am racing series. I have to take my hat off to CA on fitment. I swear they used my car as a jig. This piece ties the lower control arm pivots to the chassis.




Also got the driveshaft loop in place.


The new poly eye bushings on the leaf springs are a tad bit too wide now so I have to shave them down a bit to get them to fit.

Fred

 

Picked these tires up locally for my auto-x outings and maybe a visit to the ASR road course one of these days.







Suspension set-up almost complete. All that is left is some strut rods.



The adjustable export brace and monte carlo bar were turning out to be more of a head ache than anything else so I decided to scrap it and use the parts for a later project. Since I had ordered the tubular lower control arms, I received a $60 gift card from CJPony so I ordered up a Scott Drake stamped export bar. Originally, I had my doubts about a stamped steel export brace preventing flex but once I got this piece in.... WOW! This thing is beefy! Best part of all, it dropped right into place. Lucky me.




Fred

 

Added the Monte Carlo bar as well. One more week of work before summer break. Hoping to get a lot done this summer.





Fred

 

Are your LCA's on upside down?

 

Yes. I found they work better this way. LOL I was just mocking up the crossmember in place so I dropped the arms in there to make sure it would line up since it ties the lower control arms in.

 

As long as the part is stiff in the directions that it is loaded in, stampings are perfectly acceptable from a structural standpoint. In this case, I don't see there being much torsional loading in the export brace since its axial directions already oppose the general chassis torsion between the towers and the firewall. Other than what happens during cornering or one wheel bumps, nothing else is going to twist them.


Looking good, and I see a few things in this thread to file away for my own future reference. Thanks.


Norm

 

Wow it only took me one whole year to get one torque box done. Can you says skills? Last time I worked on this car was a year ago. Was finally able to get down to the shop and get some more wrenching in on this thing.

Sheet metal replacement sucks *****. Lots of trimming, reshaping, crying, more trimming, etc. and I got it fitted.


To make sure I got all the gaps out I placed a jack under the bottom piece.


Welded it in.


Brushed off the welds and laid some some rattle can rust preventer until the undercoating goes on.


Actually spent the last two days getting this done. Should hopefully have the other side done by sometime next week then I can start on the strut rod mounts.

Fred