Without buying an aftermarket sub-frame How can I fit a 17x8.5/9 wheel with a p265/p275~40r17 tire on the front of a 69 Camaro. My current set-up is Hotckiss TVS coils w/Bilstiens. Speedtech uppers and lowers. LS1-T56. The rest is stock. I have the sub-frame out of the car and looking at it you obviously have to clearance the frame rails to clear the tire on the inside of they're turning radii. I don't see a problem at all with notching the frame rails in front of the axle for clearance and I think I have a plan for how to notch the passenger side behind the wheel but WHAT do you do where the steering box is? I think you could notch it far back into the steering box area and build re-inforcing in a pocket shape around the steering box to replace what you cut out. Has anybody done this? Got pics? (Now I know why it seems like all the aftermarket subframes run front racks :) ) I also realize that this is also the space where the headers pass thru and they almost always have issues with the steering box……so while you're building replacement structure for what you cut out you also have to stay out of the header area?

Lance

Pictures of this done to someone's frame would be a big plus :)

you could simply limit the turning radius with steering stops. I drove a Camaro done that way and other than real tight turns you don't even notice the lowered turning radius.

Jody

you could simply limit the turning radius with steering stops. I drove a Camaro done that way and other than real tight turns you don't even notice the lowered turning radius.

Jody


Yes sir,

I thought about that but I'd like to make it work without comprimising the turning radius.

Lance

check CarlC's website, he runs 275's on the front of a 68!!!

275's on the front...WOW what did he have on the back?!?!?!? What is the biggest size you can put on the back of a stock 68 without altering anything??

Yes sir,

I thought about that but I'd like to make it work without comprimising the turning radius.

Lance

going to be tough to keep it as stock with the stock subframe. I saw one years ago that was cut/sectioned to allow it, but even he said it still didn't turn as sharp as stock, but was reasonable. He also said he'd do an aftermarket frame next time as the effort was pretty high and he still ended up with a stock type frame and steering. He could have gone aftermarket, picked up a good rack steering setup and clearance for big tires and saved a ton of time.

Jody

going to be tough to keep it as stock with the stock subframe. I saw one years ago that was cut/sectioned to allow it, but even he said it still didn't turn as sharp as stock, but was reasonable. He also said he'd do an aftermarket frame next time as the effort was pretty high and he still ended up with a stock type frame and steering. He could have gone aftermarket, picked up a good rack steering setup and clearance for big tires and saved a ton of time.

Jody

Yes sir,

I agree with your statement. Until I ran into the steering box clearance issue I was convinced I was just going to cut the factory subframe. I really don't want to spend the dollars on an aftermarket frame if I can avoid it. Cost is definately the motivator on making the factory one work. I also think I'm going to have to make mods the the inner fenderwells. It rubbed there before and this is just going to make it worse.
I also thought about running a smaller tire...but it'd suck to look back and say "I shoulda tried harder to make that work". Guess we'll see what I end up with.....

Yes sir,

I thought about that but I'd like to make it work without comprimising the turning radius.

Lance

Sorry, but you can't have your cake and eat it too.

A 275 will fit the front on a stock subframe with some adjustments. You'll have to dial out some steering. A 245 will fit the front pretty easy.

Sorry, but you can't have your cake and eat it too.


I can try :D

i wish you the best of luck and let us all know what you do, i dont see much of any way other than what others have already said

I really hope you can do it so that i can too, once you figure out how its done

I feel your pain Lance!

I am in the same dilemma. I love the big tire look SO much that I am willing to cut some clearances into my stock sub-frame of my 69. (cannot afford the aftermarket frame, nor do I want a 'Rack that does not give optimized geometry)

I also had the same expectations/thoughts as you did. eg. boxing in the notched area and the same steering box dilemma.
Your post made me think a little more about it....

It seems to me that you would have enough strength in the steering box area if you were to cut out the outer section, move it inward about halfway, and fill in the space from there inwards with steel plates. (welded into place)
Then of course, box it in on the leading and trailing edges.

That should leave the new 'thinner' section as basically solid, then you'd just need shorter steering box mounting bolts.
Just need a template for where to notch and another for the filler sections of plate.

Seems so easy in my head, then again I can't weld and I do networks for a living. ;)

Well Allan,

I've kinda been letting this roll around in my head while I do the mindless scraping of undercoating off the bottom of the body (not fun). Looking at the frame / PS box, I've been thinking that since the PS box is basically a cylinder (with some inconvenient protrusions) why not just weld a half of a tube/pipe around it's location and make a pocket for it to fit into. I mean why not, that area is already filled by the steering box so it's not like you giving any real estate up. You'd have to get creative with the mounting ears relative to the tube but that's not that bad. This would effectively move the entire frame rail inboard of where it is now. After that you'd just have to blend this new section into the existing frame by carefully bringing the loads back inot the factory frame rail. Hard to explain in words. I've been thinking about modeling on the cad software here and having one of the structural guys run they're analysis program on a factory frame and my idea for the modified frame and see the difference. That's alot of work and not near as much fun as just going out to the garage and start cutting and welding what I have envisioned but seeing a Ansys model of it with small loads would give me great peace of mind :)