Joined
·
5,470 Posts
Well, AlphaCat is coming along nicely these days over at my buddy's. Terry has finished patching all of the rot holes on the underside of the car (front strut rod cross member, front frame rails, floors, trunk drop-offs....), and finished off the installation of the engine compartment rear fender aprons.
The latest project was installing a set of homemade 2" square tubing subframe connectors that are semi-inletted into the rear floor pans to keep them up out of sight. If you were to look at the floor pans of our Cats you'd see that the rear floor is lower than the front floor or rear torque box. Terry notched the rear floor out and welded the new frame connectors in place front and rear, then to the rear floors. They intrude into the rear floors about 1/2 to 3/4" and you'd think that would make for a big bump in the rear carpeting, but you'll hardly notice that once I cut the carpet underlayment and sound deadening to fit around them. He was taking pics as he did the work, so once he gets them developed I'll post them to make this clearer.
Why subframe connectors? Well, I hope to be putting around 400+hp to the ground in a drag race environment and really don't want to twist the car out of shape. The frame connectors will also be a good mounting foundation if'n I ever decide to go nuts and install a ladder bar/ coilover rear suspension.
I have finally located the trunk weatherstrip channel I was looking for, so once that gets here and is installed, I'll get my car back. Then the reassembly begins!
OH, and the 98 Crown Vic handling package wheels look good on there. 16x7 deep dish lacy spoke (BBS-style) with 235/60/16s.. They weren't my first choice, but they'll do!
The latest project was installing a set of homemade 2" square tubing subframe connectors that are semi-inletted into the rear floor pans to keep them up out of sight. If you were to look at the floor pans of our Cats you'd see that the rear floor is lower than the front floor or rear torque box. Terry notched the rear floor out and welded the new frame connectors in place front and rear, then to the rear floors. They intrude into the rear floors about 1/2 to 3/4" and you'd think that would make for a big bump in the rear carpeting, but you'll hardly notice that once I cut the carpet underlayment and sound deadening to fit around them. He was taking pics as he did the work, so once he gets them developed I'll post them to make this clearer.
Why subframe connectors? Well, I hope to be putting around 400+hp to the ground in a drag race environment and really don't want to twist the car out of shape. The frame connectors will also be a good mounting foundation if'n I ever decide to go nuts and install a ladder bar/ coilover rear suspension.
I have finally located the trunk weatherstrip channel I was looking for, so once that gets here and is installed, I'll get my car back. Then the reassembly begins!
OH, and the 98 Crown Vic handling package wheels look good on there. 16x7 deep dish lacy spoke (BBS-style) with 235/60/16s.. They weren't my first choice, but they'll do!
I also need a pass. floor pan. I started wire brushing it and it fell apart. I replaced the torgue boxes a few years ago, and have the new driver fllor pan and subframe connector welded in, and pass. connectore welded in, just need to cut the pass. floor pan out and replace. I LOVE WELDING 
