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I don’t mean to rain on Jesse’s parade, but solely tying into the frame horns may not be the best idea. It is well established that the frame horns are a weak link in higher horsepower applications, hence the reason for Kafer bars and such. I really think you should be looking to connect into the torsion tube or the upper shock mounts.

Rick/Danny:  Since I have no rear body subframe and given the comments about the potential weakness of the frame horns, I am thinking of attaching my fabricated subframe to the Kitman-supplied subframe at the back of the pan and then cantilevering it from the torsion tube.  Assuming I have a choice, the torsion tube is undoubtably stronger.  It partly depends on where the Kafer bar I ordered fits.  Thanks to all of you for your thoughts/suggestions.

@Nadodave posted:

Rick/Danny:  Since I have no rear body subframe and given the comments about the potential weakness of the frame horns, I am thinking of attaching my fabricated subframe to the Kitman-supplied subframe at the back of the pan and then cantilevering it from the torsion tube.  Assuming I have a choice, the torsion tube is undoubtably stronger.  It partly depends on where the Kafer bar I ordered fits.  Thanks to all of you for your thoughts/suggestions.

You can weld to the upper shock mount arms also, as they are very strong. This is done on sand rail frames all the time. I think they are cast steel.

Jesse is using the hefty torsion bar tubes to tie onto - not relying on the frame horns.  He ties into the frame horns which does pretty much the same thing as the Kafer bar.

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It looks like the Kitman comes with a rear support piece that gets bolted in. The welded in CMC rear support is better than bolting it in --- but it and the way it is simply riveted to the engine bay fiberglass and screams for a bit more steel.

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  • mceclip0
Last edited by WOLFGANG
@WOLFGANG posted:

Jesse is using the hefty torsion bar tubes to tie onto - not relying on the frame horns.  He ties into the frame horns which does pretty much the same thing as the Kafer bar.  It also gives support for sagging butt.

I see no support to the torsion housing in Jesse’s pictures.  I see the bars from the CMC subframe to the frame horns. Both of those are subject to sag. Maybe Jesse has something else I’m not seeing in the pictures?

That picture you just posted was my work on my 1958 Ghia, not Jesse’s work!

Last edited by LI-Rick
@WOLFGANG posted:

Like you said - it's for a Ghia so no CMC subframe.  Here's where he welded steel tube to the rear torsion bar tube. Din't know if he is using upper horizonal plate for a roll bar  or what.

You keep posting the picture of my car, not Jesse’s.  Those flat plates tie into the package tray, and I had a crossbar that also tied into the inner fender wells. I did not put a cage in the car, as I don’t feel they belong in a street car, but the guy I sold it to did put a cage in, and used those mounting plates.

I pulled my engine today so I can have room to work on fabing a rear subframe.  Kafer brace arrived late today too so I will install it tomorrow and see what I have to work around.  I was planning to cantilever a new rear brace off the torsion tube (welding it to the body subframe), but the torsion tube is only a couple of inches from the body subframe.  Bracing to the frame horns looks like better geometry since the rear subframe will extend about 44” behind the body subframe.  Thoughts?

Thanks

Dudes:  I am hopeful I have solved the rear chassis brace problem on my Kitman Speedster.  Essentially what I did was fab a "U" shaped bracket that I bolted in the front to the Kitman subframe and then fabricated braces that run from the Kafer bar mounts at the ends of the framehorms to the midpoint of the U shaped bracket.   It seems sturdier than that came with the kit and for sure does not obstruct the exhaust tubes.  I have attached a picture of the bracket (prior to intallation) and the braces I made. 

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Images (3)
  • U brace
  • Side bracket
  • Rough location of bracket and brace
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