Need advise on Sub frame connectors

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poorformancebagger

poorformancebagger

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I've been checking this site out for yrs trying to find ideas. I'm finally starting to get my 72 dodge dart custom back on the road. I'm currently gathering parts to install a 5.7 hemi into it, it's gunna be relatively stock power wise,. Anyway what im getting at is do I need subframe connectors? And has anyone ever done or seen them on a 4 door?
 
poorformancebagger said:
I've been checking this site out for yrs trying to find ideas. I'm finally starting to get my 72 dodge dart custom back on the road. I'm currently gathering parts to install a 5.7 hemi into it, it's gunna be relatively stock power wise,. Anyway what im getting at is do I need subframe connectors? And has anyone ever done or seen them on a 4 door?
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2 Door and 4 door Darts have the same wheel base, 111”, and use the same frame connectors(except demon/dart sport and wagon). I would definitely recommend adding them to your car.
 
I used the US Car Tool connectors but honestly wish I would’ve just used some square tubing like above because they were a pain to make fit right.
 
I used square tubing. Welded nicely to rear floor pan as well but I'm talking 2 door coupe. Also e brake cable routed nicely above frame rail.

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I used US Car Tool connectors. Couple grinds here and there and they fit with the new torsion bar cross member and new floor nicely. But laying on back welding up along floor seam was not easy. A routed emerg brake cable, brake line, fuel line to run up along inside of connectors.
 
Back in the late 80’s there was a company that made these. Either bolt in or weld in and they were as simple a a piece of steel box tubing 1-1/2” x 2-1/2” 1/8” wall and a flat plate with 2 @ 5/8” holes (torsion bar side) and a box welded to the end to wrap around the beginning of the rear frame rail. 2@ 5/8” holes with pipes that fit into the frame. Competition Engineering was the company. Again pre internet or camera phones. They were simple and worked fine. Now they could be hand build over a weekend and painted and installed.
In this world of “buy everything.” Some times it is fun to build your own.
Good luck on your search.
Syleng1
 
I went with the US Cartool ones... they are molded to the bottom of the floor so no cutting, a bit of trimming to make them fit good and tight and weld in..
 
Completed installation of USCT frame connectors about a month ago. They fit well with only a little trimming depending on how precise a fit is desired. I would think that connectors continuously or intermittently welded to the floor pan would provide a far more rigid chassis than connectors welded front and back only. Glad mine was on a rotisserie for welding.
 
64mopar64 said:
Completed installation of USCT frame connectors about a month ago. They fit well with only a little trimming depending on how precise a fit is desired. I would think that connectors continuously or intermittently welded to the floor pan would provide a far more rigid chassis than connectors welded front and back only. Glad mine was on a rotisserie for welding.
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Yeah... i did mine on my back on the garage floor... it sucked a bit :) Not super happy with my welds but they will hold... i have a bad habit of setting up the welder and if it's not right.. just keep going instead of actually fix it. Not too bad just not what i would like.
 
Having a sedan i am still in the air on doing what our member did above @Syleng1 , a member has a sedan with a 4 speed 340, he hits on it hard, no twist from everything I have heard from @66340SEDAN
 
I used a set from Mancini years ago but you can certainly make your own. Mine is a B body but I think the sub sections line up the same (offset).
I welded mine in front and rear and they do not attach to the floors. Hard to see but the rear section boxes around the frame sections.
Worked great.

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I accepted that no matter what I would have to modify the connectors to fit my car. With that in mind i did a lot of research and bought 1.5" x 3" steel stock, cut the ends to mate to the car and welded them in. Huge difference and was only about $60. That size stock will clear the floor pans (barely) so no need to deal with cutting/welding around the floor pans.
 
USCT ones don't need mods.. just some slight trimming depending how tight you want them to the floor... very easy to put in.

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poorformancebagger said:
I've been checking this site out for yrs trying to find ideas. I'm finally starting to get my 72 dodge dart custom back on the road. I'm currently gathering parts to install a 5.7 hemi into it, it's gunna be relatively stock power wise,. Anyway what im getting at is do I need subframe connectors? And has anyone ever done or seen them on a 4 door?
Click to expand...

Every early Mopar can benefit greatly from adding subframe connectors.
Personally I used 2x3 square stock because 3 inch fits perfect over the existing rear subframe section.

I could see the benefit of the US Cartool connectors being welded to the floor pan, but for a driver type car I think it’s overkill.
 
I used 2x3 heavy stock on my hardtop 500 but used 2x3 lighter gauge on my ragtop 340. Lighter gauge came from cubicles I was scrapping lol worked out great.
Finished pic of hardtop fuel line routed.

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If you want your fuel line in the factory position, put it on before you install the frame connectors. The US Cartool connectors have a provision for the fuel line to pass through.
 
I used a set from Competition Engineering on my Duster...fit great.
They might make a set for your 4 door Dart.. you'll have to check their website.
 
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