Heidts Mustang II Installation Help

[Gailahan]

I am installing the Heidts Mustang II kit into my 65 coupe and I'm running into a little problem when measuring the notch for the frame rail. Maybe some of you guys that have done this kit before can help me out. The boxing plate is hitting the sway bar mount and will not center on the 24 1/4 mark. Do I need to cut the sway bar mount a little to make the boxing plate fit, or am I measuring wrong? Here are a few pictures.

 

[reenmachine]

You need to get rid of the sway bar mounts altogether. The Heidt's sway bar mounts directly to the frame rails. You can get rid of the strut rod housings as well while you're at it.

Did you ask the shop you bought the kit from?

 

[Gailahan]

You need to get rid of the sway bar mounts altogether. The Heidt's sway bar mounts directly to the frame rails. You can get rid of the strut rod housings as well while you're at it.

Did you ask the shop you bought the kit from?

I was thinking about removing the sway bar mounts seeing as the heidts sway bar mounts to the bottom of the frame rails, but my question was more in relation to the location of the notch in the frame rail. I'm afraid I might not of measured it right. In some pictures of finished installations that I have seen, the factory sway bar mounts are still there and the frame rail boxing plates are directly behind them. I measured back 24 1/4" from the front of the front crossmember like the instructions say, but my boxing plates won't center on the line I measured unless they overlap the sway bar mount a little bit. Seeing as this is an extremely critical cut I just want to be sure that I'm cutting in the right place. Do you think you could provide some measurements for me please, Reenmachine? I think a measurement going from the back of the frame rail instead of from the front might help me a lot.
I havn't ask the shop I bought the kit from yet because it's Sunday and they're closed today. I plan on calling Heidts tomorrow, but I figured I'd ask on the forums also.

 

[reenmachine]

The measurement from the front of the front crossmember is the best one to use and 24-1/4 is correct. A measurement from the back can vary. If I recall correctly, I have always had to remove the sway bar mount to get the boxing plates to fit -- your situation exactly. Measure carefully and trust yourself!!

 

[Gailahan]

Heh, ok thanks, It's just so critical of a cut I want to be 100% sure before I goof it all up.

 

[wildstang]

Couldn't you trim the boxing plate if you don't want to cut the swaybar mounts off?

 

[Gailahan]

Couldn't you trim the boxing plate if you don't want to cut the swaybar mounts off?

Yes you could, and I think that's what they must of done in this installation. When I was looking at the installation articles I saw the sway bar mounts still attached so I figured you shouldn't have to mess with them and I was measuring wrong. I called Heidts yesterday and they said just to go ahead and remove them altogether. There is really no point for the factory sway bar mounts with the Heidts sway bar because it mounts underneath the frame, so I don't know why they kept them on the car for the installation articles on Heidts webpage.

You can get rid of the strut rod housings as well while you're at it.

reenmachine, are you worried about weakening the front of the frame by removing the strut rod housings? They seem to brace the front crossmember fairly well.

 

[reenmachine]

reenmachine, are you worried about weakening the front of the frame by removing the strut rod housings? They seem to brace the front crossmember fairly well.

No, I'm not worried about that since that part of the frame doesn't really do anything anymore. The massive Heidt's crossmember provides more stiffness to keep everything square than the old frame configuration ever did. IMO, they look really out of place once they're not used for anything, and it looks really clean with them gone. You can always weld some slimmer reinforcement in their place if you think you need it. I've seen many, many MII installs with them removed -- more often than not by far.

 

[Gailahan]

Okay thanks for the reply. I definitely think it looks a lot cleaner without them.

 

[allcarfan]

Are the strut rod housings the pieces that attach the frame rails to the front support? I was thinking about removing them with my conversion, but I didnt know if they were needed to brace that front support?? Maybe weld a tube in their place?

 

[allcarfan]

anyone?

 

[Gailahan]

Are the strut rod housings the pieces that attach the frame rails to the front support? I was thinking about removing them with my conversion, but I didnt know if they were needed to brace that front support?? Maybe weld a tube in their place?

Yep, those are the strud rod housings. I was worried about removing them also, but reenmachine cleared that up earlier in this thread. I'm going to remove them after I get done welding everything in (boxing plates, crossmember, and spring towers). I don't want to remove them first because the frame is very weak after cutting the notches and they will add a little bracing to the frame until the new crossmember is in. After that, the Heidts crossmember is so strong you don't need them. Plus it looks a lot cleaner without them.

 

[67coupe351w]

Yep, those are the strud rod housings. I was worried about removing them also, but reenmachine cleared that up earlier in this thread. I'm going to remove them after I get done welding everything in (boxing plates, crossmember, and spring towers). I don't want to remove them first because the frame is very weak after cutting the notches and they will add a little bracing to the frame until the new crossmember is in. After that, the Heidts crossmember is so strong you don't need them. Plus it looks a lot cleaner without them.

What about them adding some crumple zone type strength? I was thinking I'd rather leave them in for a little extra protection in event I run into the back of something (not that I plan to) but I figure it might be nice to maybe save the engine from getting pounded.

 

[allcarfan]

Im going to have two bars welded in. Maybe center them more toware the middle of the front support.