Stiffening up the 'vertible

[dhammans]

Sorry, I'm sure this has been covered before but with the search function disabled it makes it a little difficult to find information.

I have an '03 convertible, and I would like to stiffen up the chassis as much as possible.

Previously I had an '03 10th Anniversary coupe that (sadly) someone tried to pull out in front of in the rain. I'd like to get the convertible as close to that as possible.

I've never owned another convertible before so I'm a little in the dark as to what I should do with it. Also I'm a little freaked out by having such a high horsepower convertible, do those lightbars that go over the top do anything to protect you in a rollover accident?

 

[coleman]

most (if not all true) lightbars are cosmetic. i hope you find one out there that is functional.

verts come with some dinky sub-frame connectors so you should start by either replacing them or suplementing them with full-length SFCs from Maximum Motorports.

 

[RedfireVert]

Maximum Motorsports full length subframe connectors will help quite a bit.

 

[nj7703]

MM full lengh SFC worked wonders on mine. It is like night and day, it truly is. Just make sure when they are welded on that the weight of the car is on the tires, not lifted up by the frame, otherwise you will not get a proper fit.

 

[dhammans]

I'm wary of welding anything onto the car. Is it really a big difference to have them welded on? I imagine since you are all referencing Maximum Motorsports that these are the ones to get?

As for the lightbars I figured as much. They don't look like they provide any safety. I've got a 6-point in my other car and sometimes I still worry :shrug:

 

[nj7703]

Yeah they really should be welded. Aside from the Borla Stingers, this is my fav mod, makes the car much much more solid. now i will say some dealers may frown upon it, but, if they don't, it truly makes the car flex much less.

 

[Hicompression]

Kenny Brown makes the "Extreme Matrix" subframe connectors. They are also weld-in but are of very good quality.

If you want to stiffen it up even more....buy yourself an AutoPower 4 point roll bar. You can bolt it or weld it in.
AutoPower Roll Bar

 

[capnlbj]

Welded SFC's on my car made a big difference. The lightbar looks great, but I don't know if it helped at all. My SFC's looked great after welded on and painted to match the car.

 

[dhammans]

Hey Coleman, any reccomendations for places to do the weld-in SFC's in the DFW area?

 

[jimh]

Weld in subframe connectors make a HUGE difference. I also have a vert and for this reason went with the GlobalWest subframe connectors. I went with the ones that go out to the rockers too. MM's are excellent but they don't make a version that braces out to the rockers. KBs are good but not as thick as the GWs. IMHO GWs are the best you can get without having to cut up the floor of the car. Verts lose a lot of rigidity without the roof. If you don't mind cutting through the floor then Griggs rules.

Don't skimp on the SFCs. Get a good set of weld in full length connectors. Aside from the performance benefit they just help your car last longer. They help prevent stress cracks and those annoying squeaks and rattles that appear over time. I had 45000 miles on my 2K GT with GW frame connectors welded on as soon as I got the car. When I traded it in it was as quiet as the day I bought it.

Also make sure who ever you get to weld them on put your car on a drive on lift. The suspension should be loaded when the connectors are welded in.

You can see pics of the GWs on my car here:
http://www.liquidresults.net/pictures.aspx

.02
jim

 

[dhammans]

Are you referring to this company?

http://www.globalwest.net

They don't seem to have anything listed for '03 Cobras. I was squeemish about welding on subframe connectors, I certainly don't want to cut into the floor :-D

 

[2veloce]

check out this group buy and information
http://www.modularfords.com/forums/showthread.php?t=11140&highlight=group+buy


http://www.modularfords.com/forums/showthread.php?t=11140&highlight=group+buy

 

[jimh]

Yeah that's them. Their web site is a little cheesey and has not been updated in years. Call them they have them (same as an 01). Make sure you specify that your car is a vert. They are the only company I know of that distiunguishes and has a different part number for a vert. I got the 929-C set.

http://www.globalwest.net/mustang 79-98.htm

Yeah, I didn't want to cut up the floor either. I also won't be racing in points series or anything. It's my daily driver. I did it more for piece of mind.

 

[dhammans]

How much did it cost you to have them welded in?

 

[jimh]

The place I went to was over priced (Steeda). I forget exactly how much it was. I think it was between 200-300? (There is a lot more to weld than with regular connectors) I really don't remember. Way over priced, but I'm fairly new to the area. Find a good muffler shop or body shop. You don't need a speed shop to do it. Just make sure they put it on a drive-on lift. Suspension must be loaded. Ask around the boards. The link that 2veloce put up in his reply had a couple guys that just had theirs welded in recently. They probably still remember.