Frame Reinforcement

[JedIEG]

I'm working on the metal on my 72 Satellite. I have already repaired sever frame rot on the front drivers side and then safeTcaped it, rot on the front passenger frame, reinforced the inside of the torsion crossmember installed sub-frame connectors to ensure the car doesn't snap in half when it goes on the rotisserie and will have to replace the front drivers leafspring perch bracket.
I am thinking that I might make some 440-6/Hemi torque boxes and install them while I am already down there (Im not buying the factory correct one).

I was wondering if anyone has made reinforcements for rear shock cross brace on their car? it seems really flimsy to me and could use some stiffening.

I am interesting in seeing pictures of any frame reinforcements or modifications

 

[benno440]

magnumforce 4 link kit comes with brackets that loop over frame rail then go upto the rear upper shock mount made out of 6mm plate. you could make something similiar

 

[Phantom440]

Hey, I'm in the process of working over a '71 Coronet, and while trying to find the structural differences between standard and Police-spec Mopars, I found this over on the C-body dry dock forum- I know they're different bodies, but I'm trying to do the same thing as you, and figure any strengthening to the unibody that would work on a C-body could be adapted to a B... I hope this helps!

"On the top of the rear hump (behind the rear seat back site and boxed in by the rear inner fender wells laterally, the rear parcel tray above) is a flat metal bar (approx. 3/16 thick, 3" wide, at least 2' long) set on this forward part of the trunk space directly above the shock absorber crossmember mount below and on the bottom side of this hump space that the rear axle occupies.

This flat bar has four 3/8" holes through which are pressed studs which you see only the round heads from above. Below, looking underneath up into the rear end space are the frame rails (left and right) and the shock absorber mounting crossmember welded on its lateral ends to each frame rail. Above the crossmember would normally be empty space of approx. 1/4" and then the floor/hump. In standard cars the crossmember is attached only to the frame rails.

In this (and other police cars) is another flat bar above the crossmember, filling the empty space.
The bar and the crossmember have 4 drilled holes through which the studs course and nut(s) threaded to clamp the whole area together. I can not see any welds to the bar stock above or below the floor/hump nor to the cross member, just the stud bolts. Laterally the cross member may be better welded to the crossmember(s) than a standard cars but this is not confirmed by lack of a comparison. My '69 charger (B body) is on the rotisserie and it shows the crossmember spot welded to the frame rails and unsupported in the mid portion."

That's about all I can find about the F58 Rear Crossmember reinforcement option for Mopar police cars- but hopefully this can point you in the right direction with what to do with your Satellite!
Good luck, and please post pics of your progress!

 

[JedIEG]

Thanks for the info. I will try to post some pics once/if the car gets on the rotisserie. I am moving next week and the car is in my fathers garage so the project may slow down quite a bit since the body is getting left behind for the time being.

Just for fun- here is a front frame before and after picture. I wish I would have taken a picture of what I rebuilt that is under the safety cap.

 

[plumgtx]

Looks like real nice work. That was very bad to start with. Wish I could work with metal like that

 

[Redhorse719]

That is an amazing transformation.