ramenth
Well-Known Member
I think what REALLY appeals to me about this is, it solves a couple of issues I have. Big block in an F-body is no big deal, but the Dakota frame strengthens the structure,
Greg
How do you figure?
I guarantee you that a set of well built frame connectors and a set of torque boxes will take the flex out of the unibody to standards that full frame vehicles don't have. The transfer of power to the ground and keeping the weight transferred to the tire that needs grip in cornering will be such to the point that mounting a unibody car to a full frame, with rubber, or even urethane biscuits, you'll be giving up any advantages of getting tube control arms.
Even if you just subframe it in, like the GM's did, you'll be giving up any and of the so-called advantages you're looking for. Drive a Camaro or Firebird, then drive a stock Chrysler t-bar set up. You'll see an immediate difference. There's better road feel in the Chrysler, better handling characteristics built in. Why? Because of the unibody.
As for the rack, the only advantage will be weight savings over the current set up and you lose that savings with the weight of the frame. Firm Feel's stage 2 and 3 boxes negate that issue without the work of converting to a full frame.
Guys, remember, that when it comes to building a car it's a complete package. You don't just look through a Summit catalog and start reading the descriptions of engine parts with the idea that manifold A will give me 40 bolt on horsepower, camshaft B will give me another twenty horsepower, these headers will give another 15 bolt on horsepower. Guaranteed mismatch of parts and for all the money you've just spent, all the time you've got into it and the engine will fall flat on it's face.
I'm afraid that's what you guys are looking at here. The body and the suspension has to be built as a package. The unibody is tight. There's a reason there are no more full frame pass cars out there. My wife's Hyundai XG350 is so tight I can put a floor jack on the left rear rocker pinch weld and lift the entire back of the car.
That's what needs to be done here and I've explained it in using frame connectors and torque boxes. There are things which need to be overcome with our F/M/J platforms and that means getting rid of all the rubber. Now you guys are talking about using a full frame, either all of it, or cut in half, which facilitates the need to use even more rubber!
Explain to me again how eliminating all the rubber in our cars gives us better handling, better power transfer, better grip, and then telling me how using even more rubber than what you need to get rid of gives you an advantage?