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Topic: SFC Questions (Read 1373 times) previous topic - next topic

SFC Questions

Has anyone tried full length connectors, with seat brackets AND the global west units? Cuz the global west units kick out wider toward the doors. So they might not interfere with one another.
1986 Ford Thunderchicken, 5.0 AOD w/ Shift kit,  354,XXX miles. 1-Family owned. Original engine+trans.
8.8 Disc Rear w/ 3.73 Posi. CHE Control Arms. '04 Cobra brakes all around. 2000 Cobra R wheels. Tubular front LCA's. MM Steering Shaft. Unlocked Speedo, Lowering springs, Eibach sway bars front and rear. Ram air intake.

SFC Questions

Reply #1 –
I have the Global West full length subframe connectors on my Bird and have the Griggs Racing upper subframe connectors as well.  The one word that best describes this is rigid.  You can jack the car up on any corner and it will pick up three tires and the doors will open and close with no issue.  The one draw back is that the uppers come up into the car so it does kill the space under the seat a bit and you have a 2" square tube in the foot wells behind the front seats.

Griggs T-Bird Specific Upper Subframe Connectors:
http://www.griggsracing.com/product_info.php?products_id=221

Griggs Full Frame Kit Install Instructions (for a Fox Mustang but has the pics of the uppers):
http://www.griggsracing.com/pdfFiles/MFK1000_pics_compressed.pdf

Global West does not make the seat bracket stiffener for the T-Bird subframe connectors like they do for the Fox Mustang.  I have them on my Coupe and inquired about them for the Bird but they did not make them.  We even had a pretty long thread on this very subject here:

http://www.foxtbirdcougarforums.com/showthread.php?32834-Seat-Bracess-For-Global-West-Sub-Frame-Connectors&highlight=global+west+seat

I am pretty sure you understand that the seat brackets (supports) weld to the subframe connector and support the part of the floor pan that the seats bolt to and are notorious for cracking and making the seat loose as a goose.  Installing the Global West subframe connectors in our cars and then installing square tube subframes directly under the front and rear subframes to put in the seat supports would be a lot of overkill with not much gain IMO.  At least that is what it sounds like you are wanting to do so correct me if I misread or misinterpreted your original question.

Hopefully all of that was of some help.

83 351W TKO'd T-Bird on the bottle


93 331 Mustang Coupe - 368 rwhp

SFC Questions

Reply #2 –
I'm opposed to doing upper SFCs because i don't want to pull up the carpet and seats and cut out some of the floor pans. I understand that its better, but its more involved.

And yes, that's exactly what i was thinking about doing. Homemade SFC, with chucks seat brackets, and global west units.
1986 Ford Thunderchicken, 5.0 AOD w/ Shift kit,  354,XXX miles. 1-Family owned. Original engine+trans.
8.8 Disc Rear w/ 3.73 Posi. CHE Control Arms. '04 Cobra brakes all around. 2000 Cobra R wheels. Tubular front LCA's. MM Steering Shaft. Unlocked Speedo, Lowering springs, Eibach sway bars front and rear. Ram air intake.

SFC Questions

Reply #3 –
I wouldn't waste time with the GW SFCs AND the DIY units.


Since you're making your parts, get yourself some lengths of 1" x .120" wayy square tubing, in addition to your SFC material. Weld in your SFCs. Then take some of that 1" material, and weld it inboard of the pinchweld on the rocker. Then make some shorter pieces and connect the SFC to that rocker piece. Try and get an "M"-looking bit of structure between the two.
You'll get more stiffness and also have a fully supported rocker that you can use to place jsackstands, or just jack the car up easily.

You will need to remove and relocate the e-brake cable brackets that are mounted on the pinch weld, but it'll be worth it.

You're still going to need to pull back the carpets and most likely remove the seats as it is. Always better safe than sorry when welding under the car and the rear seat studs are too short to bolt up to the SFC braces like on the Mustangs. You'll need to remove the studs and replace them with Bolts (one M12 and one M8).

My car has the SFC/jackingrail/M-supports as well as a cage...which is kind of over-kill. Kind of one of those things that evolved over 20+ years of owning and modding a car. If I were to do it again, I would do the thru-floor SFCs (Kind of like what Gumby did) with the jacking rails and additional supports, but NO cage (At least nothing filling up the passenger compartment).
Long live the 4-eyes!  - '83 Tbird Turbo - '85 Marquis LTS - '86 LTD Wagon
 

SFC Questions

Reply #4 –
Okay, I like that. Seems like a good solution. Thanks for your input guys! I'll make sure to post pics of how they turn out

-Kyle
1986 Ford Thunderchicken, 5.0 AOD w/ Shift kit,  354,XXX miles. 1-Family owned. Original engine+trans.
8.8 Disc Rear w/ 3.73 Posi. CHE Control Arms. '04 Cobra brakes all around. 2000 Cobra R wheels. Tubular front LCA's. MM Steering Shaft. Unlocked Speedo, Lowering springs, Eibach sway bars front and rear. Ram air intake.