F41 and aftermarket bracing diagrams (MORE pics added)

[SRD art]

Just curious what everyone's thoughts are- If there was a complete kit to brace a G body available would you guys buy it? What type of cost range would it need to be?

Or would it be better to have parts available individually?

Would you want frame rail boxing plates to be a part of it?

 

[Hellobozos]

Here's what they look like all installed...What's not seen is the rear control arms mounts re-enforcements,16 gauge rear seat firewall/brace. All my bushings are urathan,With one neopreme upper rear passenger side bushing (so it don't melt),I added a trans/oil pan skid bar due i can put the car on the ground if lowered. I run adjustiable q1a's.







Enjoy

 

[Hellobozos]

This why all the bracing is need....

http://youtu.be/OiHoz9vMkJs

http://youtu.be/LOflUwwz9Dw

 

[clean8485]

Hi Ben. I think that if Speedtech is going to offer frame bracing parts, then it should be available in stages, and priced accordingly. A basic kit could be the front frame brace that you offer, along with the underhood bracing, and possibly a rear frame brace-offer a kit with basic bolt-on parts for the beginner. Then have a kit that offers the boxing plates and the rear control arm mount reinforcements-the stuff that should be welded in, for the person who is more serious, and has access to the proper equipment to get the welding work done. Then you could offer a kit that includes everything in one kit.
Hellobozos, I know that the issue of frame strength/rigidity has been covered extensively both here and on other sites, and I know that these frames could/should be stronger. The question that I have is this-if the frame is in good condition (not rusted or damaged), and the body is properly mounted with mounts in good condition, wouldn't the strength of the body structure counteract at least some of the frame flex shown in those videos? Those are the videos of a stock G body frame, compared to the Schwatz frame, aren't they? I'm not disputing that the stock G body frame should have less flex. What I'm saying is, that with the body off the frame, the frame would tend to flex MORE, than with the body on the frame, so that in those videos, the amount of frame flex is somewhat exaggerated, as compared to the amount of frame flex with the body securely mounted to the frame.
I'm not saying that strengthening the stock frame is a bad idea, because its not. What I'm saying, is that you don't drive around a vehicle which is just a frame, and with the body mounted to it, the frame will have less flex.

 

[Hellobozos]

The body's on help of course,but from the factory there's soft rubber bushings.so the flex is still there. Also it depends on the power out put of your drivtrian. high torque motors will crack the a-pillars due to the same flex if not corrected. A cage is the best way to fix any flex, But to do a cage Correctly..It has to go to the frame,Enice once done, your body is perminiilty fixed to your frame. I installed all the bracing,all the urathane bushings,But no cage and no boxed framing or narrowing,I still have flex,but know where neer as much as before,but i put out over 500ft lbs torque and it's just a street car...heh People will have to decided how stiff they like or need there ride to be for the driving they indend on doing it with. ifyou stay stock pot-holes are a breeze, go all out on a frame and cage, A pot-hole equals back to the frame shop for alinment...

 

[SRD art]

Speedtech dropped the front frame brace from production. The latest word is that it's too complicated to put together a frame brace kit like the new A body kit we recently put into production. Admittedly the G body has a difficult frame and floor pan design to work with but I think it's doable. I'm actually thinking of producing frame bracing of my own design, so before I invest the financial backing I want to see if there's a serious market for it.

Many of you know of how much bracing I did to the Pumkinator wagon. This includes just about everything I could do under the car and an 8 pt cage inside. In autocross videos you can see the front door to fender gap flex about 1/4" (!) under hard cornering. It really blew me away when I first saw that. I see there is still a weak link between the front of the car and the area behind the engine. Our firewalls are lame when it comes to having room to add down bars that connect the body to the frame so I'm working out another possible solution I want to put on my car. Again, since Speedtech has dropped the G body bracing components and there is room for new ideas to resolve our flex I've been thinking with my contacts I may be able tocome up with something I can do as a side business. We'll see how it goes...

 

[clean8485]

I'm a bit surprised that Speedtech isn't marketing G body frame braces anymore. With the chassis upgrades that they have available, it only makes sense to me that they would offer products to improve the stiffness of the frame, as it would also improve the performance of the products that they do offer.
Ben, if you were to offer products to improve the stiffness of the frame and/or body structure for the '78-'88 A/G body vehicles, I believe that there would be interest in those products. Good luck with whatever you decide.

 

[Brother Al]

That would be awesome. One of the problems Ive seen is a lack of complete systems... a sway bar set and rear control arms is about the extent, & VERY overpriced at that... If someone made a whole package and maybe broke that up into several smaller, partial packages, they be onto something, but only if the price was affordable to the average G Body owner... Lets face it, we love these cars because of their low "buy-in" cost and availability of relatively cheap parts. The "Classic" A Body market has become outrageously expensive... and so have their parts. Some "Late A"/G Body stuff is expensive, but deservingly so. God Bless the '73-77 crowd... its barely existant... poor bastages.. the '07/'08 economic collapse pretty much nuked its mild resurgence... our '78-88's are hanging tough, but it seems to be cooling off... Some stuff has bescome insane though... clean 4 door Malibu's for $7K plus is not exactly helping our hobby, nor are clapped out Monte SS cars, that are barely worth their weight in scrap, yet carry $2500 plus price tags... As our supply runs down, our demand isnt going up because there isnt enough support and there's too much mythology about these cars being worthless crap.

Anything that improves these cars and keeps them reasonably affordable, definately will be beneficial..

 

[abbey castro]

I added the bar that ties the rear shock upper mounts together. They are a quick and easy bolt on with no modifications what so ever. I have the lower control arm to upper control arm braces also installed. I built the brace that ties at the rear of the frame. I can think of no other braces that would stiffen the back.

 

[L67ss]

not to scale or even complete but with a cage like that what all braces would be worthwhile?