Roll Cage & Other Chassis Braces

[DRIVEN]

I'm sure you've already read this:
viewtopic.php?f=14&t=8126#.UeHqHnniETA
I'm with the other guys on the cage. You may notice that the car is more rigid with one but it's pretty a drastic and intrusive "upgrade" for a V-6 street car :lol: . It's one of those things that you really have to need or else you look like a huge poser. Something you might consider is an X-brace like the older Corvettes used. Should be pretty inexpensive to fabricate. I peeked under my car and it looks like stock exhaust would be in the way but if you have an aftermarket system it may work.

 

[joesregalproject]

I'm sure you've already read this:
viewtopic.php?f=14&t=8126#.UeHqHnniETA
I'm with the other guys on the cage. You may notice that the car is more rigid with one but it's pretty a drastic and intrusive "upgrade" for a V-6 street car :lol: . It's one of those things that you really have to need or else you look like a huge poser. Something you might consider is an X-brace like the older Corvettes used. Should be pretty inexpensive to fabricate. I peeked under my car and it looks like stock exhaust would be in the way but if you have an aftermarket system it may work.

I think you hit the nail right on the head. I don't want to look like a poser, but I'm concerned about the flex in the car. The car currently has no exhaust on it, so I could have provisions put in for an X brace. I gotta give it a little more thought though. I will think of something.

 

[Nozer]

make sure you have front jounce bars and also radiator support bar. the x radiator brace is great too. theres lots of cheap bracing ideas

 

[joesregalproject]

After thinking about it, I think I might fab up some jounce bars and a GP bar, in addition to my rear seat brace, which has done wonders. I also might try connecting the rear frame rails somehow, be it by a piece of angle iron, or maybe a hitch.

 

[lilbowtie]

Anything you do behind the rear axle won't help you. You could box your frame - and here's a couple ideas for the future.

 

[joesregalproject]

Ok, scratch the hitch. I'm just throwing out ideas here, really. Boxing the frame is a little deeper than I want to go. Will a rear sway bar help my case? That can definately happen.

 

[DRIVEN]

The sway bars won't stiffen your frame at all. If anything it will add to any flex you already have. It will make it corner flatter though. My car is strictly street driven cruiser and I really like it. The combination is as follows:
-Stock springs
-F41 sway bars F&R
-F41 quick ratio steering box
-Radiator X-brace (these were shortened from a Vista Cruiser)
-Jounce bars
-Fender-to-core support braces
-Monte Carlo firewall braces
-Homemade F&R tie bars between bumper mounts. (Now, admittedly, I don't really see the advantage they add but guys swear by them. I did everything at once so I can't really testify to how much they really help on their own.)
-Monroe Sensa-Trac shocks on all 4 corners
-BFG T/As

The end result is a relatively smooth ride and confident cornering. My frame has no rust at all and all my body mounts are good. If I had more than a stock 305 it might make sense to focus on brakes next. Your V-6 puts you in the same boat.

 

[lilbowtie]

Boxing the frame would be simple even with the body on - I'm talking about the side rails which are open and a weak link.

 

[joesregalproject]

Driven, I like the sound of your setup. I have some other stuff that has to come first, but once the car gets exhaust and painted, suspension is gonna be my main focus, since I don't have the means to do an engine swap (as much I want to do one).