Tools You'll Need: <br/ >*Tools for cutting floor <br/ >* Welder <br/ >* C-clamp <br/ >* Jacks, or a lift <br/ >* Jack stands <br/ >* Grinding wheel <br/ >* Wire wheel <br/ >* Seam sealer <br/ >* Welder and supplies <br/ >* Dead-blow hammer
When you think about it, the front and rear halves of a Camaro or Firebird aren't held together by very much. Only the sheetmetal of the floor and roof keep them from twisting into a knot and going separate ways. Flex is inherent to the design, and from the factory's standpoint, not a big deal. Nonetheless, when you start applying gobs of power and push your car to perform better, the unibody design can cause slower quarter-mile times and a loss of handling. The good news is that it's relatively easy to fix.
One of the most common ways to stiffen the chassis is by adding subframe connectors. Detroit Speed & Engineering decided to take the idea of subframe connectors to the next level by integrating them into the floor rather than having them hang under the car. They take more work to install compared to bolt-in connectors, but the final product has a clean look, and DSE feels its connectors add additional rigidity over other types. "The idea behind the DSE subframe connectors is to increase the car's beaming and torsional stiffness by integrating the connector into the floorpan while connecting the front subframe to the rear framerail," DSE's Kyle Tucker says. "In addition, the subframe connectors aren't visible from the side view of the car with our design. Many believe that stiffening the body to this extent will increase ride harshness and noise, but, in fact, it improves the car's driveability by allowing the suspension to do its job. It also helps reduce the car's other itches, squeaks, and vibrations caused by inadequate frame structure."
