sewlow
Bitchin' Stitchin'
Flexi-flyers. Sub-frame connectors.That goes against everything I've read in chassis manuals etc. It might not make a tremendous difference on a pick up but I've seen my fair share of rear end collisions on pick-ups and almost always one or both upper bedside corners smack the cab corners below the rear window in a collision. Flexi-flyers.
Race cars and hot rods can use all the stiffness they can get. As already mentioned it makes for more predictable suspension action. I do alot of Mopar stuff and following the Mopar chassis manual of just additional welding to what's already there makes a night and day difference in chassis stiffness without adding a single piece. Add sub-frame connects and torque boxes and really make progress.
Considered them for my Nova. Even bought a set. Never installed. Didn't like the way they took away from the stealth look of the car.
On Sunday afternoons, I'd drop by M&D's.
Mooch a meal. Wash my car.
14yo kid next door. Knew from when he was in a stroller. Aspiring gear head.
"CanIhelp,canIhelp,canIhelp?"
"Sure. Wash the wheel wells & the wheels. Tire goop, too."
"All done? Alright, man. Jump in." Go for a drive. Bang off a few gears.
One time we ended up in White Rock. It's right on the ocean. Summer time beach cruisin'.
Spy a '68 GTO. Some competition?
Out to the highway. Standing start 1/4 mile. $100 bill at the other end. (Roll-racing? Mmm...naahhh.)
Goat's got steeper gears. I've got shorter tires.
He gets a 1/2 car off the line. Damn.
But the BBC's just starting to eat. Wait for it.
All through first gear, the kid's hollerin'. "Aahhh...!!!"
Grab 2nd. No lift. Like Grumpy. But without the elbow flapping.
"Get off it! Get off it!"
No way. I'm reelin' him in. Top of 2nd, I'll have him. 3rd.'ll seal the deal.
What I didn't know till later was that when we launched, the kid had had his elbow on top of the door panel, fingers between the top of the window frame & the drip rail. Hanging on.
The Nova's uni-body was flexing so bad that the kid's fingers were getting pinched in there. He couldn't yank them out until the 2-3 shift!
Next weekend, he shows me his fingers. 3 black nails. But he's laughing!
By the next weekend, they'd fallen off.
Think he was kinda proud of them. Showed all his friends.
I reconsidered the sub-frame connectors.
Look at some high HP/Torque Novas without connectors or cages that have been well used. 1/4 milers most of their lives.
The rear edge of the passenger door will bulge out slightly from the door opening at the 1/4 panel. Anywhere from a 1/32" up to 1/4".
That's from the door being squished as the body shell twists!