Frame connector question

[Darren]

Hey guys I,m getting ready to weld in my connectors, on a 68 dart do you have to notch the floor any where? Thanks      Darren.

[drew54]

I think it depends on the size of the connectors.  I'm getting ready to do the same thing and mine are 3x2" square steel tubing.  I'm thinking I'll have to cut the floor right behind the seat mounts and before the shelf for the back seat.  Check the tech section of you haven't yet, good info.

[Darren]

Mine are 2x3 also , they are the same mesurements as used in the tech section, there is nothing siad in the tech section about cutting the floor.  Darren

[jet-taz]

from what i seen it's more likely on 70's and later models,

[70 Dustpan]

You can do it both ways and add a lot of stiffness to the car. Notching them inti the floor and welding the floor to them is the strongest way. On my Duster I put them in the floor, but in my Valiant I didn't want them in the floor so I notched them to follow the floor.

[Bakaruda]

I would put them in the floor. I am getting ready to redo mine and they are going in the floor.

[farmington]

I used 2 x 2 stock for mine (72 duster) and they came through the floor but only about 1/4".  Can't tell with the carpet in.  Having them come through the floor and welding them up will GREATLY increase the stiffening of the structure.  Do it.

[b569rr]

I did mine per the tech pages with the long side horizontal. You have to cut the floors and the tube sticks up about 3/8". The carpet will hide that. I welded mine up solid.






Cut the tube steel, slide it over the rear sub frame and hole it tight to the floor with a jack. Scribe your mark, take the tube out and cut it with a .045" cutting wheel. Cut a little at first. You can always cut more later if you need to.

Tom

[Ryan (Strange246)]

    I did mine like Tom's...

[70 Dustpan]

Man Tom, that is just some nice welding you've done there.

[b569rr]

Thanks 70 Dustpan. You guys make cutting up Darts so much fun

Tom

[Bakaruda]

Man Tom, that is just some nice welding you've done there.

Ditto.

[sr71mopar]

I third that.

[68GTconvert]

I didn't cut my floor boards, they did push up some behind the seats.

[drew54]

not to steal the thread, but what is the deal with having the car resting on its suspension when you weld them in?  jackstands under the front and rear subframe won't work?  With the car on its suspension there is no way I can get under there to weld.

[sr71mopar]

Lifts or a pit. I have both, and the welder. 95407

[drew54]

on the stands the doors fit really well and I don't think anything is tweaked, its a post car so it might have a little more strength than a hardtop, we'll see what happens, thanks.

[70 Dustpan]

Put the jack stands under the suspension. If you have them under the frame and there is any twist in the frame at that time you are going to weld it that way forever.

[67 dartgts]

Here is mine on project 440 also a 2 door post car....2x3 tube.
 Maynard

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[rharveysr]

Using the measurements and steel tubing from Tech Tips...will you need to notch the floor pan???   The reason that I ask...is that I like the idea of notching the pan and welding it to the pan.  It seems to me that by doing it this way it really makes it more rigid.
My son's Dart is going to be running a 383 and 4 speed...so twist needs to be addressed...

Rick

[Ryan (Strange246)]

Putting them through the floorboards is definatly more rigid, but if you dont want to cut the floors up, they can also be made to curve slightly to hug the floor without pushing up on it, just another idea..

[qkcuda]

I am planning on sectioning mine a bit so they clear the rear footwell area.