A body subframe connectors finally arrived!

[flyboy01]

Tomrrow is Thursday. 

[illfish]

These are finally the pictures of the subframe connectors.  One is the front near the trans cmember, one is under the seat, one at the rear and one fully across.  They fit well with grinding.

[Tejas]

They look great! I wish I had done mine like that.

[illfish]

Yeah but Tejas they didn't make 'em until a couple of weeks ago.

[73swinger]

Those are nice, How thick is the material? and it's probably already stated but, how much$$$?

[Bakaruda]

Look great.

[illfish]

I believe the wall thickness is .125.  The price is right around $169.  I can feel the difference in the car when I roll it.

[NYFDFF]

  Nice job they look good Thanx for the pic's

[JohnnyfromChicago]

I hope they do fit both wheelbases - I bought the short ones and had to send them back to another company. Cost me my handling charge.

[73swinger]

hey illfish, i checked out their website and couldn't find those parts on it. do you have part numbers?

[illfish]

They may not be listed on their website yet.  Call John, the owner, and talk to him.  I got in on the first production run but he should have many more at this point. Good luck.

[dangerdawg]

looking good.

[john426]

Hi Guys!!

My first post on BigBlockDart, so help me along on this.

I am John Pasemann of US Car Tool - the folks that make the laser cut frame rail connectors. Glad to see folks installing them and enjoying them! The A-body versions are made for both wheelbase cars and the difference is in the years - one version for 67-69 and another for 70-74.

We have a bunch of A-bodies here with the frame connectors on them and they do make a large difference (any frame connector will, BTW!). These are engineered to add as much strength as possible to the shear plane (floor portion of the unibody mopar) once welded in and still look like factory frame rails - drain holes and all. They are constructed of 1/8" thick material and are plenty strong!

You can order the frame connectors from any of dealers, including RMS (https://www.reillymotorsports.com/). We can also install the connectors here in Raleigh NC, so if you want to bring the car, we'll weld them in (along with rollbars, mini tubs, inner fender and front frame braces, custom headers - whatever fab you need !) You can see the sort of work we do on www.UsCarTool.com

Oh yeah, one other thing about us. On occasion, a part does not fit onto a car. It happens, not sure why or what the issue with factory floors might be, but sometimes a customer can not get it to fit. We always take back our products for a full refund. Even if you ground on it and cut it, I still take them back. I doubt a lot of other companies would do that, but we are small and I figure we can treat folks like I wanrt to be treated!

Let me know if I can help in anyway,

John P.
www.UsCarTool.com
919-855-8200

[robx4406]

Hi Guys!!

My first post on BigBlockDart, so help me along on this.

I am John Pasemann of US Car Tool - the folks that make the laser cut frame rail connectors. Glad to see folks installing them and enjoying them! The A-body versions are made for both wheelbase cars and the difference is in the years - one version for 67-69 and another for 70-74.

We have a bunch of A-bodies here with the frame connectors on them and they do make a large difference (any frame connector will, BTW!). These are engineered to add as much strength as possible to the shear plane (floor portion of the unibody mopar) once welded in and still look like factory frame rails - drain holes and all. They are constructed of 1/8" thick material and are plenty strong!

You can order the frame connectors from any of dealers, including RMS (https://www.reillymotorsports.com/). We can also install the connectors here in Raleigh NC, so if you want to bring the car, we'll weld them in (along with rollbars, mini tubs, inner fender and front frame braces, custom headers - whatever fab you need !) You can see the sort of work we do on www.UsCarTool.com

Oh yeah, one other thing about us. On occasion, a part does not fit onto a car. It happens, not sure why or what the issue with factory floors might be, but sometimes a customer can not get it to fit. We always take back our products for a full refund. Even if you ground on it and cut it, I still take them back. I doubt a lot of other companies would do that, but we are small and I figure we can treat folks like I wanrt to be treated!

Let me know if I can help in anyway,

John P.
www.UsCarTool.com
919-855-8200

Very nice John,

I got a set of connectors from John and have yet to install them.  I'll be happy to report back on the install.

John ---- Hope the A-arms got worked out after the first snafu...     

Rob

[A13Dart]

Looks like a great product.  I really, really didn't want to saw through my rust free floor. 

[73swinger]

Looks like a great product.  I really, really didn't want to saw through my rust free floor. 

Except that, if it's such a good product why isn't it listed on USCARTOOL.com or RMS?

This was a question for Bill or John. I will buy a set RIGHT NOW, just as soon as you tell me how to order them

[chryco]

 

[john426]

Except that, if it's such a good product why isn't it listed on USCARTOOL.com or RMS?

This was a question for Bill or John. I will buy a set RIGHT NOW, just as soon as you tell me how to order them

I can't speak for Bill, but I am WAY behind on web site updates. We do have them in stock and if you call us (or Bill !) we will be happy to get a set on the way to you! Send me an email with your zip and I can send you a total with shipping if you prefer the email, online route.

And its a fair comment about my web site lacking the info, so I will get pictures etc. up on a new product listing. In the mean time, you can look at the 68 SS Clone Dart we are building - it has the frame connectors installed, along with some other goodies!

Here is a direct link to the Dart http://www.uscartool.com/img/68SSDart/index.html


Thanks!

[MyCreation68]

very nice pieces. I like. If I hadn't already bought 2 5' lengths of 2" x3"x 1/8" tubing for mine I'd pick up a set.

[rokketride]

I just ordered a set from magnumhp.com.  They have them listed at a pretty good price.

[illfish]

John,
Is there anyway you can make them contact the floorboards all the way from front to back?

[john426]

They do contact the floorboards from the front to the rear. On the A-body version there are small "drop outs" on both the inboard and outboard of each frame connector near the front - these are to accommodate the brake line on one side and fuel line on the other side of the car. The drop outs are relatively small (a few inches) in comparison to the almost 100 inches (50 inches per side) of each frame connector that is welded to the floor.

On a unibody Mopar, the stock floor forms a shear plane that is an integral part of the structure of the car. The rocker channels on either side and the transmission tunnel in the center add strength to the shear plane, but they are still only spot welded together. After 40+ years of street driving, twisting etc. they floors are just not as strong. Add a set of subframe connectors (ours are made of 1/8" thick hot rolled steel) and you add a lot of strength front to rear. Now weld them to the shear plane (floor) like ours are and you make the car incredibly stiff and add a lot of torsional rigidity.

I suppose in a full race capacity you could just add a small piece of material to fill in the "drop out" portion if you did not intend to have the fuel/brake lines run in the stock locations. I'm sure I can make those pieces for you - give me a call and we can figure it out!

Hope that helps,

[Evan]

It's great to see somebody stand behind their products like this. It seems like we see quite a few good companies on this forum. There are too many bad companies out their. I will definitely be buying a set of these when the time comes!

[slantvaliant]

The A-body versions are made for both wheelbase cars and the difference is in the years - one version for 67-69 and another for 70-74.

Any plans on a set for earlier A-bodies, like my '64 Valiant?

[flyboy01]

I think I am going to buy a set.

[john426]

Any plans on a set for earlier A-bodies, like my '64 Valiant?

Early B body cars are next, then the early A body cars!! I don't have a time frame - every time I predict a date, I am proven wrong (chuckle).


John P.

[Bogie]

Any plans on a set for earlier A-bodies, like my '64 Valiant?

Hey John just remember that that's another request for them 

For anyone questioning the products or John Both him & his company are the real deal he currently has 2 of my buddies cars, and I have had the chance to meet him he is ALL about the cars. I also have a set of the E-Body connectors to install & a B-Body set inroute.

[GT_convert.]

John P.,
I looked at all the pictures of your Dart project car!
Man, did you have a full-time photographer?
That is such excellent coverage!
I have never pulled a 'A' body down that far, but if I ever need to i will be
able to see what is involved. Plus, it is a good reference item.

Thanks for the documentation!!

[sickt7cuda]

O.k guys.  They're all done.  All you have to do it cut the front tab off the frame connector(small flat tab).  You then just grind a little here and there and they go in without any noticeable gaps.  I'll take pics and post them Tuesday.  I would highly recommend these as you don't have to cut into the floor pan and they are welded all the way across making them very strong.  It looks like a continuation of the frame.

Glad to hear all went well.  Personally, I never understood why some guys find the need to cut into the floor pans.  I welded mine in out os 2x3 square tubing "on the flat" and everything fit perfectly.