Different view

Is it just me or do those magnum force ones just ooks like they're not gonna cut it? man for $249, I could and pay myself $50/hr and include materials and still make at least 2 sets!

No I have not......until now. Hmmmmmmmmmm

71 Challenger I did'nt want to cut mine either nor did I want rails sticking up through the floor pan, but I did want to attach the floor to them. Which is why I did them the way I did, it's a 70 cuda by the way and it really did'nt take that long to do

Thanks Pete. Have a question for you then. Did it interfere with the front seat any (as far as clearance with the brackets), probaly not, but thought I would ask. What about foot placement in the rear floorpan? Cumbersome? Or is the protrusion minimal? Thanks again Pete.

Just for reference, I used 2 x 3 x 0.125 tube with the 3" being verticle on the boy's 72 duster. I went all the way back to my MP inboard spring kit box by only cutting out the TOP 2" where it interferes with the rear subframe ( Like ken is asking), so I overboxed the original subframe. What is strange to me is, with the above done the floorpan DID NOT need to be cut open, as it perfectly butted against the floor when it bottomed against the original frame rails. I am wondering if my framerails are taller than some others that have done A bodies? Anyway, my framerail has not been put to the test, but it was nice to not have to cut sheetmetal. This also allowed welding the rail to the floorpan (where the ribs allowed contact to be seen) all the way foreward to the higher section for the front seat. I think that my car was built different than many others, especially since I used bigblockdart for reference, and If I recall they had to cut the pans! Maybe I got metric tubing-LOL Hope this helps Allen

Regarding Pete's install (which looks awesome), isn't the connector only as strong as it's weakest/smallest point? If you trim the height to fit flush against the floor, then wouldn't it be the same as just using ~1.5x2" box tubing? I know welding it to the floor helps, and you could do that as well with the 1.5x2" connectors with well placed outriggers (specifies in MP chassis manual)

Oldtimer, Here is a pic. of the scrapper I used. A lot better than the flimsey flat ones. Plus you can get just about everything.

71 Challenger No interference at all. The floor pan is intact no cuts and the rail is completely under the pan. will try and post an interior pic this weekend. Another reason I did it this way was to make it look as original as at all possible, you'll see I also drilled drain holes, I guess I maybe went to far but what the h#ll I'm only gonna do this once.(on this car)

Thanks Pete, I would appreciate that. And I agree, very nice job!

Man Pete, after reading your post again, and how you said you did not cut it, I went and looked at your pic. I thought you HAD cut the floor, and the connector was running THROUGH the floor (I did my Mustang that way, which is why I assumed you did too). Wow! I did not realize it was just FOLLOWING the bottom of the pan, even more impressive then I originally thought!!!

Read the post and I had a thought that I haven't heard anyone mention. I've attached a pic that vaguely illustrates the welding technique I am considering. Not sure if it's a good idea, but it seems to eliminate what would appear to be a byproduct of welding around a single cross section of a subsection (frame-rail). The idea is to cut the new section at angles that will be welded along the 'rails' in such a way that no two welds are adjacent to each other, therefore the old metal does not have a single cross-section weld that creates an 'overheat' weak-spot.

Any questions?

Hey OldTimer...

Do yourself a favor... If you are cleaning the undercoating off of the entire underside of the car, go out and get a cake serving spatula. There exists a 10-12" long, flexible flat steel with rounded tip. Makes removing undercoating from the trans tunnel and all the radiuses SOOOOO eaasy!

I think I posted a pic of this once before. I will see if I can find it. I have tried EVERYTHING and this was the best by FAR!

Heck, I would even be willing to send it to you, as long as you sent it back after you were done!

Got any pics of the inside yet Pete?

'nother pic (welded):

Pic from the top. Pokes through a bunch on 71 B-bodies. Not as bad as on 69 B-body.