I have an e-body on casters right now, the front is supported at the bumper mounts, no engine and the rear is supported at the front spring mounts.

I would like to install sub-frame connectors on the car, weld-in.


What is your preferred method for squaring up the car as much as possible? A given right off the bat is that I cannot assume my garage floor is flat, from there my casters can be at slightly different heights. My original thought was to just try to use a level in various places that "should be" parallel with the ground, but that won't be the easiest thing to do either but it would be better than nothing.

I'm trying not to induce twist into the chassis, so I am interested in hearing various methods on installing sub-frame connectors.

I just made sure my doors opened and closed well and the gaps in the body work all looked good. How ever you have the unibody when you weld it up is probably how it will stay.

I used .125 wall 2x3" tube. Night and day difference in handling and lots of squeaks and rattles disappeared.

Good luck!

What size connectors are you planning on using? I've had 2x3x.083 rectangular tubing used on a early(1963)B body and also 2x2x.083 on a later model(1971 Duster) A body. I had to have the floor cut and welded to the tubing in the B body 2x3 and not so on 2x2 on the A body (I've never had them added into one of my E bodys )I had both of those connectors welded into the rear subframes also, cut the front edge of the rear subframe and slide the tubing in and then hammer the remaining sub frame up onto the tubing and weld it in place, I did drill several 1/2 inch holes in the rear sub frame before inserting the tubing so I could have the tubing rosette welded to the rear subframes

Unless the body has been twisted in an accident you should have no worries about it twisting on an uneven floor. These things are pretty damn rigid when there are no induced forces.

I'd also bet that if you put a level across the front and back and found it was uneven, you wouldn't be able to get it even. In fact, I'd be worried if you could !

If it were me, I'd re-support it by using some wood blocks at the rear K frame bolts, and by spanning from the front of each rear rail and te rear of each rail. You want to do your best to get the weight as it normally would be with the car on the ground. Unibodies do flex like mad, even with no real load on them. By suspending it at the front of the front rails, and the front of the rear rails, you induce some bend into the cabin and engine bay. Might make it harder later to line up the doors and nose if you weld it that way.

I would make sure the doors are mounted and adjusted properly, then I would install them.

I did a set on a E body that was just a shell with the car mounted on a rotisserie. I just turned the car sideways and welded them in along with 4 torque boxes.

There was no warp age or other problems as everything fit perfect when I put it back together.

Just as long as the doors fit, that's all I worried about and the car came out great!.

I welded them in when the car was in this position. It was really easy like this, took only an hour or two for all four boxes and the frame connectors. First I blasted the bottom clean, then welded and then blasted the boxes and connectors a second time to insure good paint adhesion. All in my driveway at home.