[Notch Johnson]

My 64 is far from stock so a bolt in factory style cross member will not work.

I need to fab up a crossmember that will bolt into the car. To keep it simple I am going to use flatbar mild steel so I can tuck it under the car and clear my exhaust.

I think 1/4" thick by 2" wide stock will work - will this be supportive enough for a tran corssmember to prevent vertical movement? Anyone see any issues with using 1/4" flat bar beside the weight?

Thanks!

 

[JRouche]

I think you will have flexing of the bar. A 1.25"x 2.5" heavy wall tube will not flex. So many other tube sizes to go with, I would go with tube. JR

 

[NOVACA1N]

Use round tube...Flat stock will provide no support. I just made one today out of 1-5/8" .083" wall chromoly for a customer's car...

 

[62civa]

I have seen some aftermarket ones made with flat bar that have many bends in them to allow easy exhaust routing. But, they are made from some very heavy flat bar, like 1/2" by 2". Check out Summit Racing, look under ford mustang, Chevy Camaro, etc. You will see what I am writing about.
Ron

 

[chevyIIheavy]

Use round tube...Flat stock will provide no support. I just made one today out of 1-5/8" .083" wall chromoly for a customer's car...

x2 on this setup good choice

 

[Notch Johnson]

cool - thanks for the suggestions :thumbsup:

I was hoping to avoid tubular to keep the angles easier to make. I will be making my cuts with a 4" cutoff wheel on my grinder. Mark twice, cut once I suppose.

1/2" flat stock might work but damn that will be heavy - might still consider that since it makes the angle/ welding issue easier to address.

 

[HR&CNovaRod]

Perhaps fab up the provisions necessary to reinstall the bolt in factory style. Just remake the bolt-to portions? Definately not as flashy but, if angles concern you, perhaps this would take care of that aspect of building a new one. Maybe it would just be a matter of fabbing up some straight portions to weld up to whatever frame rail configuration you have then drilling them to bolt up a factory crossmember?

 

[Notch Johnson]

I agree that ultimately would be best but...... I think a prior metal butcher owned my car.

I purchased this car not exactly knowing what to look for (under-educated at the time) so I have been making revisions where necessary to make things right. Basically everything factory is gone but the shell of the car. This is basically a full framed car now and the underside/ floorpans were trimmed to connect custom subframe connectors the rear Competition Engineering subframe to the front Heidt's subframe.

Whoever did the work did okay, but this leave me with challenges around everything (bolt-in's no longer exist). So in this case routing exhaust, fuel lines (-10an - considerable line size needed for my fuel system / engine combo), brake line, and making it all fit through the rear subframe cross member and trans cross member I am trying to fab. Short story, tight working quarters!

Summit sells a universal kit I am going to have the local steel mill replicate -

looks like I need 2x2" L shaped stock (1 foot) for the end brakets, something to make 4" wide by 3" deep "U" channels in the crossmember for the exhaust (3/8" flat stock if nothing already in this shape), and then 2 x 3" box tubing or the equivalent strenght flat stock to conenct the "U"s to the end brackets and provide a mounting point for the trans mount.

Summit wants $155 for their kit - the steel mill should be half that at the very most.

Once I get done if presentable I will post a pic