No Factory torque boxes...USCT front and rear Torque Boxes ordered, What else would you do?

[biomedtechguy]

i was poking fun at you, i can see your worried about getting your car right, it just seems to me that you are driving yourself nuts, lighten up

I see that Mr. Six Pack, Bob K, came by your house. Bob helped me out a lot, over the phone, when I first got my car and had some problems with the 6bbl. so I guess you're not such a bad guy after all.
I do take my and my wife's car (421 GTO) seriously, so what you thought was fun wasn't funny to me, but that's ok. No harm, no foul. I can continue to say "real V-code" in my posts...as often as possible, and do so with confidence.

 

[biomedtechguy]

Front and rear torque boxes and EDIT: I ordered the AR racing reinforcement plates from Mancini, so just these, not "inner and outer".

The subframe connectors are due at the shop any day now.
That should take care of my immediate reinforcement needs, right? Did I miss anything critical?
Wes at Mancini said I should be good to go, and the AR reinforcement plates work with the factory hardware.

 

[Jerry Hall]

Did I miss anything critical?

Does your car have the pinion snubber reinforcement piece?

 

[biomedtechguy]

Does your car have the pinion snubber reinforcement piece?

No, but I'm using Assassin traction bars, so I can't imagine the diff snout getting anywhere close to the floorpan, and I'm not using a snubber. Does that make sense?

 

[biomedtechguy]

On another note,
Classic Industries, who saved me a few bucks on the USCT subframe connectors, had the 4 torque boxes at $369 "free shipping" plus 20% off. They were significantly higher than USCT direct who were $259 and only $10 shipping.
After being on the phone for FIFTY MINUTES with Classic Industries, they told me they couldn't do anything about the price difference so I cancelled my order with them.

 

[4406bbl]

Inner plates should be fine, l would not weld those in. I would do a little welding on the backside to reinforce the spotwelds. Factory plates are thinner than the ar...but together are thicker.

 

[biomedtechguy]

Inner plates should be fine, l would not weld those in.

The AR plate goes under the nuts for the 4 bolts OR on the other side by removing the spring hanger, holding the plate there w/my fingers, and the 4 bolts then hold it in place? I'm thinking that plate goes on the nut side?

 

[Jerry Hall]

The AR plate goes under the nuts for the 4 bolts OR on the other side by removing the spring hanger, holding the plate there w/my fingers, and the 4 bolts then hold it in place? I'm thinking that plate goes on the nut side?

And they were not welded on the factory cars that I have taken apart.

 

[biomedtechguy]

Hey @Jerry Hall thanks.
Do they go under the 4 nuts or on the other side?

 

[Jerry Hall]

Hey @Jerry Hall thanks.
Do they go under the 4 nuts or on the other side?

Under the 4 nuts.

 

[4406bbl]

The factory front plate is welded thru the big center round hole, only tack welds to hold in place. The rear plate is absolutely welded. Front would be fine with no weld, and I would not weld it. If you want to weld it put it in the back that way it is easy to remove.

 

[4406bbl]

The smart thing to do is use you ar plates for a pattern and make a rear plate out of .125 and full weld it to the frame rail and spring box.

 

[Jerry Hall]

The smart thing to do is use you ar plates for a pattern and make a rear plate out of .125 and full weld it to the frame rail and spring box.

I agree if you are eventually going toward the 700HP range.
On the V code 70 that I did the plates on the spring hanger side were welded and were never taken off, but the plates on the nut side were not welded.

 

[biomedtechguy]

I'm going to get the rear (square) plates from Classic Industries.
Mancini already shipped the AR plates, and my mechanic said if the spring hanger studs are too short he will replace them with grade 8 bolts no problem!

 

[4406bbl]

Could be a plant deal who knows, makes sense they would go on with the spring nuts, or weld on if in metal shop when boxes went in.

 

[440+6]

My opinion may not matter so much to you but if you do all this crap I'll tell you what, you'll have the tiightest car possible, nothing wrong with that, it's good to be bad *** especially if you think you're going to run the speed and time you think you are, to you need to do this stuff.
your going to launch like a rocket!

 

[biomedtechguy]

So I just got finished talking with the owner of the shop, he does almost all the work on my car himself, and even better than the level of care he normally takes, he's "taken to" my car, in other words he's emotionally and professionally INVESTED in the result. Old school pride of craftsmanship you can call it, and a particularly vested interest in this coming out right.
He is fine with having to add the spring plates, no problem.
I'm going to get the rear (outer) (spring hanger side) "square" plates from Classic Industries because I'm having trouble finding them elsewhere, and if the AR inner (front) plate plus the factory plate on the other side is too thick, he will replace the studs with bolts.

 

[4406bbl]

Nice plan, you will be glad you did it.

 

[biomedtechguy]

After talking with him about replacing the spring hanger bolts, I decided to just get the factory inner plates, and use the thicker AR outer plates that are already on the way. He said absolutely no problem if the factory studs aren't long enough, he will replace them with grade 8 bolts.
Now the next unnecessary drama is American Powertrain sent the 23 spline Hydramax hydraulic throwout bearing kit, with "Passon a855 5 speed" on the order form. I KNOW I have an 18 spline setup, and I am beside myself that American Powertrain sent the WRONG KIT!
This happens too much, too many people just don't care....

 

[493 Mike]

On the other hand, I just received the correct inner fender splash shield seals from Kramer. Last week I finally tried to install them and they were for a different model so I called and they shipped the correct seals. My initial order was placed in 2011. I sent the incorrect seals back Monday. That is good service!
Mike