Anyone have kind of closeup pics showing how the rear shock mount crossmember is attached? Just sitting here at the office wondering how big a deal it would be to remove... Anyone have experience with taking one of these out? Thanks for any input...
There's no crossmember, just a pair of angle brackets that bolt to the sheet metal under the forward section of the trunk. At least that's how it is in my '70.
It's spot welded in place. Why are you going to remove it? I have been considering the same thing, I plan on converting to a torque arm setup with coil overs so it would be best removed to make room for a sturdier unit.
Well...that would certainly explain why I was having a hard time trying to find any spot welds to remove it . Note too self...get a good light anytime your old butt is trying to see something under the car lol. I was going to remove it and weld in a tubular shock mount so I could install my Calvert shocks that I've had sitting in a box for a long time now. My factory upper shock mounts are bolted on as well. I guess technically, that will make the whole deal a little easier. I'll probably just weld in a bracket to mount the shock that runs in front of the axle and call it good for now. It only has to work for a few more weeks lol. For clarity...I modified my stock leaf spring plates to mount the CalTrac style setup on my car, so I still had the stock mounting locations. The Calvert shocks are not the same style of shock...as far as mounting them, so I got new leaf spring mounting plates from them. The new Calvert leaf spring plates mount both of the shocks inline, so I haven't put the shocks on yet. Was going to give them a try before the end of the season so I could compare apples to apples after planned changes this winter. Not the end of the world if it doesn't get done...just a curiosity for me. I'm more than likely going to go with AFCO double adjustable coil overs over the winter, and I wanted to have a benchmark to see how the stock replacement shocks @ $50, the Calverts @ $250, and the AFCO's @ $700+ compare.
Maybe I mis-read his request but he said crossmember not mount. The mounts are bolted on mine too but the crossmember they mount to is not. I was thinking this piece.
Thanks Rick...and yes, that's the piece in question. Mine has more "stuff" on the bottom of the car though, and I wasn't able to see that flange running around it. It looks like it does indeed have spot welds attaching it to the floor of the car. I might have to break the spot weld cutter back out and try to remove it. Not sure if I'll feel that ambitious this evening after I get home though lol. It wouldn't take a lot of time to make the crossmember and get it welded between the framerails though, so who knows. Just not sure I'm in the mood to lay under the car with a wire wheel to get the spot welds and frame rails cleaned up on such short notice. I'm planning on racing tomorrow. I'll have to keep an eye on the forecast...right now they're calling for showers tomorrow. If that's the case, I might give it a shot. Thanks for that pic...it's exactly what I was looking for and wondering about.
The Calvert spring plates must be different than the ones I am running because mine are for either inline or staggered shocks , I am running QA1 nine way adjustable shocks as the Rancho shocks that Calvert was using at the time were slightly too tall. Beefing up the area will certainly help as it is a week link and not made for the torture you are giving it, dont think I would try and build it and install it in a night though you might end up sleeping at the light. LOL
LOL Mike...Kinda what I'm thinking. All nighters hurt more than they used to . I think the spring plates probably are different...I called Calvert when I ordered their mono-leafs and shocks, and they apparently don't offer the shocks in the configuration we would need as far as stock shock mounting on the leaf spring plates goes. I ordered the shocks with the same style mounting as our factory shocks have on the top as well as the bottom, and they sent me the plates they thought I'd need that would work with that mounting style. It's all good...this isn't a make or break deal...just research as much as anything. I'd just like to know...and share with the folks here. I'm curious how big a difference there is in applying the power to the track, as indicated by 60' times, between the 3 types of shocks with all other things being relatively equal.
If the shocks are mounted straight up & straight down,not angled like stock,it tends to make them stiffer.Show me any high HP car that is not set up verticle,there is a reason.
