Most of the handling improvements focus on the front and center of the car where most of the action is, but (short of installing a rollbar/cage) I like to see some inputs about improving the body/frame stiffness on the rear of the car.

Partly reason for asking is my own car has some sheetmetal rust-issues at the rear which I'm fixing as time permits, but over time I noticed (duh) how quickly the body structure becomes weaker because of this. Letting me to think even a stock (rustfree) body is just marginally sound to begin with.
Like, when I'm in the process of parking my car over a heavily crowned roadsurface and wheel on a curb, or when slowly avigating a speedbump at a sharp angle, I can sometimes actually hear the body structure 'work' at the rear because of the rearaxle and leafsprings putting more and less strain on the suspension-mountings.

I'm thinking, for instance, just like the beefy lower radiator supportkits available, the rear of the body could use some similar improvements aswell.

What say you?
Or, is my car really just a turd waiting to crumble and fall apart...

I was thinking about this the other day and will need to take a look at things. At least on my e-body, things are pretty tight back there with the fuel system wanting to take a bunch of real estate. The shock crossmember is the best thing going back there, perhaps it can be improved upon, boxed, reinforced.

While your rust is reducing it's rigidity, it is a form of active light weighting too.

When I installed my ATL fuel cell I had a fuel cell cage built out of 1x1 inch (25mm x 25mm) square tubing grafted on two 2x2 inch (50mm x 50mm) square tubing running across the frame rails.
It really stiffens things up back there

https://board.moparts.org/ubbthreads/show...page=0&vc=1

Not sure in daily drivers there is a lot to be gained back there relative to efforts spent at the front, IMO.

Some of what I did can be seen starting at Pic #14
https://board.moparts.org/ubbthreads/show...part=1&vc=1

Thanks, I built three, of different depths, for my different cars, weight lower is always better

I did some 1x2 structure to support my aftermarket fabricated tank.

Ive owned a few E bodies and they have been pretty sound but then I purchased what was supposed to be my last car dream car. AAR Cuda It has every E body flaw known to man the rear upper shock mount has cracks and flexes the lower front frame rails have issues. So anything you can do to repair or replace and reinforce is going to make it a better car.

Herman, a while back I found these pictures of reinforcing the rear:

A-bodies are a little different in that area. The rear shackles are much closer to the rear of the car.

I think I will want to beef up the rear crossmember and perhaps add/beef up the crosssection near the upper shockmounts.
And of course fix the rust in the outer sheetmetal.

With the extra propane(?) tank you're carrying in the rear, I don't doubt you hear some creaking and groaning going on. If I recall, you've added something like 300# to the trunk. What the actually translates to for stresses in your vehicle, I'm not sure, but I bet you could use a few extra gussets here and there. Rear torque boxes at least and maybe a some extra brackets around the shock bracket.


Gotta say, I've never seen a car tear up the shackle area, so not sure how much of an improvement those would yield.

Quote:

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Herman, a while back I found these pictures of reinforcing the rear:

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My thinking, any past rear shackles is only for impact protection.

The rearcross member, to me, has about the same function as the lower radiator support; Keeping the frame rails located in one plane.
Especially when one springpack is pushing harder on the body then the other side, like when cornering.

Yes we agree, however the rear bumper for example also to some degree does the same thing, the point is, if its past the rear shackles, it does a poorer job of stiffening and a better job of impact resistance, relative to its distance from the shackles.

We've had our fair share of issues with the rear cross brace.



And we've R&D'd a pretty good solution....



We've done initial testing on 68-72 B Bodies and E Bodies. Works great so far.

Dan any time frame when that will be available.