I was wondering how this worked and the benefits of these kits. Also, how does the rear subframe get attached onto the car?
Thanks

Chevelles are full framed cars and don't have sub frames. Are you asking how the stock 4 link system works, or aftermarket kit 4 link ? I personally would never use ladder bars, I believe that the original 4 link rear suspension can be modified to work alot better, just look at what the racecars in the NMCA have done on 9" - 10" tires and stock suspension.

Hi,
I know that chevelles are full-framed cars. I'm wondering about the aftermarket systems. Seems a lot of people use them on Chevelles, Novas, and Camaros. You can buy that kit for them with the frame. But how does the frame get attached to the car? Body Mounts? What are you meaning by the original 4-link rear?
Thanks

You cut the frame off behind the front seat area. Cut the floor out, weld the new frame rails and a narrowed axle, roll bar in. You could have a race car if it was done right. You could have a Pro Street cruiser. Or like a couple of "unfinished project" cars I have seen a pile of parts that will become someone elses problem.

Thanks. Well is this a job for a person like me or a professional. I was already planning on doing a body-off anyway. I would probably get a kit if I did this. Is their any sort of instructions for this job?

Chevelles came with a 4 links suspension, it dosen't have the adjustablity of a Drag race 4 link rear end set up. A professional would be a better choice to install a back half frame kit, but it can be done by a careful hobbiest, measure thrise and cut once.

Originally posted by Slo307:
Cut the floor out,..... Oooooooooh! That isn't good. I always thought that you just had to cut the trunk floor out. Can I ask why this has to be done? Sorry, just unaware of that and curious why.
Thanks

Bringing this back up. I think it may be the next thing after I get the engine back together. Just got the shop cleaned out and organized, and measured out room for 4 Chevelles so have plenty of room. Current frame has rust deterioration on it, and rear passenger and outer trunk pans have rust holes in them. So tubbing may just as well be part of the equation. I want to purchase a welder and do the work on my own.

Is the factory rear suspension sufficient or should an aftermarket back-half be opted for on an engine with 500 HP, a TH350, and 4.11-4.56 gears?

Usually 'back halfing' the car is for increased clearance for large tires. S & W Race Cars (http://www.swracecars.com/rearframes.asp#64) is one of the many companies that sell the frame kits and components.

http://www.swracecars.com/gif/10-501.gif

Think it's necessary to back half for 450-500 HP? Can the factory suspension and tire clearances suffice? I'm trying to decide if it would be worth all the work to go that far, just to fix the rust.

Back half, at 500 hp is surely overkill - unless you just gotta have the big rollers out back. Long live Pro-Street!

My '65 most recently laid down 564 rear wheel horsepower on a chassis dyno - let's call it ~ 700 horsepower at the crankshaft. According to Mickey Thompson the tread width of my E.T. Streets is 8.9". I'm reworking the factory 4 link to get it to hook up better, and I'm positive that I will be getting 1.4x second 60' times at the drags when it is more well sorted. There are guys who go into the 8's on true 10 wide slicks.

Thomas

Give me an email if you have any questions on what type of suspension or how to install it, and what the benefits (and drawbacks) are. I've designed hundreds of ladder and true 4-link kits.

I'm not big on the back end look, unless the whole car looks like a pro-street car. I was just considering it rather than buying factory body panels as I have a lot of rust repair. The car isn't just swiss cheese, but there are metal and panel seam splits in spots that are beyond just fill or weld.

Hi guys new to the scene. I was wondering, is there a book or some one that can teach about rear suspension mods. I am a body man by trade but would like to know more in depth about angles, suspension bind, and so forth. I have an 86 Monte carlo ss with a procharged small block and would like to have more tire clearance and a good bite to go with it.

Start with one of these, the Smith book and Adams are the easiest to understand. Valkenburg and Puhn require a bit of engineering background to fully grasp.

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Herb Adams "Chassis Engineering", Fred Puhn "How to Make your Car Handle", Carroll Smith "Tune to Win", Paul Valkenburg "Race car Engineering" and my favorite, Steve Smith "Street Stock Chassis Technology".

I was thinking bout moving the lower control arms in and using coil overs to compensate room for larger tires. Would the side to side movement be worse requiring the use of some sort of panhard bar? Or will keeping the angles and just moving them inboard a couple of inches be suffice?