Is it a good idea to use subframe connectors & traction bars if you plan to drag race a '69 camaro with 650 h.p. engine? If so what would be a good brand of subframe connectors & traction bars to buy?

I highly recommend going with the Calvert split mono springs and Caltracs in the rear. I would also use subframe connectors. I have Comp Engineering weld in SFC's on my car. Some people prefer bolt in.

With 650HP you should be in the 10's which means you will need a roll bar or cage. Does the car currently have a bar or cage?

No I don't have a roll bar, can you recommend one? What is the min. I can get away with?

Steve do you have tubs in your car? I don't, just wondering what is the biggest slick I can get under stock fender wells, or go with a mini tub, full tubs?

I don't have the rule book with me but I believe the minimum is a 6 point bar to run 10.0 or slower. I have a 10 point cage in my car that I bought from Chris Alston's Chassis Works in Sacramento, California.

In addition to the roll bar you will need the proper helmet, 5 point harness, driveshaft loop, radiator catch can, flywheel shield and, if it's an automatic, a trans shield.

Steve do you have tubs in your car? I don't, just wondering what is the biggest slick I can get under stock fender wells, or go with a mini tub, full tubs?


My car is mini tubbed and I run a 29" X 12" slick on a 10" rim. The tread is 12" wide and the sidewall is close to 14" wide. I did have to trim the front part of the wheel opening to clear this tall of a tire.

With stock tubs I ran 28" X 10" slicks on a 10" wheel. That is about as big as you can go.

If I install mini tubs will it effect the back seats or interior?
Thanks for all the info you are a great help.

If I install mini tubs will it effect the back seats or interior?
Thanks for all the info you are a great help.

It depends on which tubs and cage you use. I do not have a back seat in my car because the cage has "X" bars right where the seat goes.

Detroit Speed sells tubs that can be used with the back seat. Also, you would need to install a roll bar that has the rear bars go through the package tray. You would still need to crawl over/under the horizontal bar that supports the front seats.

On your subframe connectors, do you have to cut into the floorpan? I want a SFCs' that I can install without cutting on the floorpan.

On your subframe connectors, do you have to cut into the floorpan? I want a SFCs' that I can install without cutting on the floorpan.

The Comp Engineering ones that I have on my car do require you to cut the floor. There are others out there that can be installed without cutting. I believe Hotchkis is one of them and there are others.

Calvert split mono springs and Caltracs on the way.:thumbsup: Already have Calvert rear drag shocks. My old leaf springs were rusted & broken I can't believe I raced on those things.:o Hope this drops my 0-60ft. times. If so I'm in the 10's:hurray:

Hey Greg. Hotchkis, Global West, Summit, Jeg's, and a few others do not require cutting the floor. I think both the Summit and Jeg's mount between the spring eye pocket and frame which I didn't like (was worried about effect on pinion angle). They're bolt in but can be welded. Most everyone raves about the Hotchkis ones. I've got the Global West ones and like them a lot. They bolt in at the front but can also be welded, come with a set of solid aluminum body bushings and new bolts for the rear-most body mount, and weld to the rear frame. They are a little different in the rear than most others. Instead of mounting around the spring eye pocket and side of the rear frame they have a u-shaped end that comes up where the rear frame starts to go upward. Matt's got a bunch of pics in his Global West suspension thread.

Hey Greg. Hotchkis, Global West, Summit, Jeg's, and a few others do not require cutting the floor. I think both the Summit and Jeg's mount between the spring eye pocket and frame which I didn't like (was worried about effect on pinion angle). They're bolt in but can be welded. Most everyone raves about the Hotchkis ones. I've got the Global West ones and like them a lot. They bolt in at the front but can also be welded, come with a set of solid aluminum body bushings and new bolts for the rear-most body mount, and weld to the rear frame. They are a little different in the rear than most others. Instead of mounting around the spring eye pocket and side of the rear frame they have a u-shaped end that comes up where the rear frame starts to go upward. Matt's got a bunch of pics in his Global West suspension thread.

I got the Hotchkis & welded them in, no cutting on the floorpans, they really helped stiffen the car up, they are awesome!:thumbsup:

I got the Hotchkis & welded them in, no cutting on the floorpans, they really helped stiffen the car up, they are awesome!:thumbsup:

Ha. Holy crap. Didn't notice the thread was spread out over eight months.

If you want to go 10.0 or slower with a stock floor pan{tubs and frame notches O>K. you need a minimum 5 point bar.You dont techincally need a passenger side bar.You should run some kind of bar on that side just to add stiffness to the car,but it doesnt need to be shoulder height like the driver's side,so if you have a street car,you can run the bar down low so passengers can get in and out easy.only need a swing out bar on the driver's side,but again,something permanent is better You can run a bar on the driver's side down low for stiffness,then add a swing out bar mounted to the top of that bar to have the best of both worlds.If you want the ultimate in stiffness,run your side bars to plates on the floor mounted as far foward as possible.Then weld brackets to the side of your front subframe right next to where the side bars hit the floor and put plates on the brackets to go under the floor.Drill holes thru both plates and the floor and use 4 3/8" hardended bolts to sandwich the floor between the 2 plates{you can also welded the top plate to the floor or rocker}.This will allow you to remove the front subframe without cutting a bunch of welds.should you need to do so in the future.If you do this,having welde in frame connectors is not that important,but you will need solid body mounts.
I recommend setting the main hoop down over the rear leaf spring mounting area on the rear subframe since this will add stiffness to the car as well.Make sure you install new clip nuts on the leaf spring mounts when you do this since if you dont do it now,you will be screwed if the nuts ever break off in the future{a common problem).From there,I would run the rear bars thru the package tray if you want to keep the back seat.If you are going to run a fuel cell,I would recommend adding bars off the rear package tray bars running rearward to the back of the car to protect the fuel cell.Bend the bars so that when they are mounted they are higher and go further back then any point on the cell.
If you dont move the springs in and/or use weld in frame connectors,you dont need the down bars off the main hoop that run down on an angle.If you choose to run weld in connectors or relocate the springs,you can reinforce that area using the down bars.
As for tubs,full size tubs that are fitted flush to the rear rails almost always interfere with the rear seat while some mini tub setups dont.
Good luck.