We've got a big motor in the works for the CC/Rambler project car, and big motors mean big twist. Add that twist to a flimsy econobox body and you get a bent race car. That's where frame connectors help. When the tires are hooked and the suspension is trying to lift the front left corner and twist the body to the right, frame connectors transfer the energy to the suspension where it can be used to load the tires and launch the car.
Since no companies make premade connectors for a '67 Rambler, we were going to have to make them ourselves. Sure it took a lot longer, but we learned a few things along the way, like the phone number for The Funny Car Farm in Monrovia, California. Watch as FCF owner Dale Snoke makes it look easy.
Round or Square?
The difference between round and square tubing is a matter of vehicle application and cosmetics. The rectanglar stuff will hang lower than the tubular versions, so for a late-model car, you might find that most of the offerings are round. If you are making the connectors yourself, you'll need a tubing bender as well, so square tubing is better for the do-it-yourself guy. Hotchkis and Global West suggest also replacing the two mounts at the point where the front subframe meets the body. This ensures a consistent mounting point so the parts will fit correctly and weld in straight.