Support for upper strut mount,, HELP!!!

[Marv D]

I'm trying to finish up everything to put the new AJE strut front frame under my little Chevy II. Seems every large tube / stepped sbc headers is going to have a problem with the diagonal support that runs from the rear lower frame bolt plate, to just under the upper strut mount. I know,,, the simple soltion is to have a set of custom headers built to fit the chassis but I have a new set of Lemons stepped fenderwell headers and I'm just not inclined to go hacking up 6 tubes when only one bar on the chassis is the problem.

I have a tubing bender and some 1-1/4" mild steel tubing on the way and was think the solution is to bend up a support bar that bows outboard of the offending diagonal bar and turns verticle to support the upper strut mount. Somewhat of an "S" that will run UNDER the header tubes and connect at the same points on the frame. Then finish it off with a short brace running down to the lower frame tube. In other words the diagonal brace that is in the way of the headers will become something akin to a verticle bar between the upper and lower frame tubes. That is what Alston uses in his strut 'Avenger' chassis so I'm guessing it works OK? You guys who are more knowledagable in tube chassis see anything wrong with this idea????

This is what it looks like now,,, sorry don't have any way to mark up the pic to show what all that rambeling is about Just a fyi, the upper frame bar will go through the firewall and mount to the cage uprights, not going to trust anythjing bolted to the flimsy Chevy II firewall!!!

http://www.small-block-chevy.com/AJE1.JPG

[gilsbachracecraft]

you could just move that support behind the strut(all the cars i have built are that way)i would suggest adding a motor plate and mid plate.add some 1.25 tubes inline with the motor plate from the lower frame rail to the upper and tab off them.the motor plate is alot of the structure in the front end of strut cars,(especially if that is your car in your avatar :-D )

[Marv D]

Thanks Billy, yeah that's my pile! The car is a tube chassis / 4link car from the firewall back. The tube chassis grafts into the bolt plate where the stock Chevy II chassis bolts toghether., and where this new AJE chassis will bolt on (but upper bars will go through the firewall to the cage uprights). The car is undergoing the front chassis upgrade partially because I've been beating hell out of the stock Chevy II front suspension this year with the big wheelstands,, and next year a new motor program ought to put me in the 8.50 / 150 range. Would be totally foolish to attempt to go that quick on the flimsy stock Chevy II suspension. At least I aint that brave.

I'm with you 100%. (since that picture of the frame was snapped) The motor plate is all trimmed and the tabs are on both the upper and lower bars. My problem is the fenderwell spreadport headers I have for the new motor want to hit that diagonal bar. So what I'm going to end up with is something similar to this Alston strut kit, but that verticle support bar we are talking about will be bent in the inverse of the one shown,,, it will bow OUTSIDE, away from the motor instead of in towards the motor.

https://www.cachassisworks.com/images/7320id.gif

Again because of the frame width and the headers exiting so far before they turn back, I won't be able to make a diagonal brace like the AJE frame has, or the one shown in the Alston sketch. I was thinking of running a diagonal bar that intersects my new verticle 'strut support bar' bar about midway between the upper and lower tubes (under the headers) Am I being stiupid Billy? Or you think that will work?

Along with the frontend upgrades are a set of training wheels to keep this thing off the bumper. SO the new suspension won't have to endure quite as much as what I've been throwing at the stock junk.

[gilsbachracecraft]

http://www2.propichosting.com/Images/5102206/7.bmp i would not worry about it too much there is alot of ways to support the struts.just make sure it is strong enough not to break.a little flex is acceptable.without the motor plate in a prostock car you can move the strut mounts by hand pretty easy.

[Marv D]

Thanks much for your expertise Billy. I'll post some pics as I start moving things around just as a sanity check. Again, Thanks

[Marv D]

Billy, here's what I ended up with (bracing at back of the clip was just to support everything rigid while I made the modifications)

http://www.small-block-chevy.com/fit2.jpg


I'll brace the back side of the firewall with some triangulated tubes to the cage and should be good to go???