Panhard bar and subframe connectors on a '69 Camaro

[Rallybob]

Guess I'll introduce myself at the same time I post these pics. My name is Bob, I joined here a while back but have never posted previously. Mostly I lurk here to get ideas for various projects of mine.

About two months ago my friend Al asked me to help out with some modest underhood issues on his '69 Camaro, and the initial 1-2 day job ended up drawing out to about 4-5 weeks on my lift! I ended up building a few custom items to help tighten the car's suspension up, and thought some of you might like to see what I did.

First off is the fully bolt-in panhard bar chassis bracket I built.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2010/06/4670947810_82ba0924d8_b-1.jpg

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2010/06/4670949874_39b9522dec_b-1.jpg

The rear mounting point for the frame connectors, they share the bolt holes with the forward spring perch mounts.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2010/06/4670952204_593986414d_b-1.jpg

Forward frame connector mounts. They slip inside the front subframe and are through-bolted.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2010/06/4670952362_e2d00f8468_b-1.jpg

After the frame connectors were done, I felt that more was needed and added this lattice-work of small tubing to help tie the left and right sides together.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2010/06/4731364059_e512d5a9ee_b-1.jpg

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2010/06/4731364239_dbaec6fa08_b-1.jpg

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2010/06/4731365085_c6c819d033_b-1.jpg

And here's his car from the outside. Previously the car sat pretty jacked up in the rear, but I lowered it by 1" and added the suspension enhancements and now it's a different car to drive. I'm slowly getting him steered towards the Pro-Touring look!

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2010/06/4732009294_e50673ef99_b-1.jpg

Bob

[1969CamaroRS]

Wow some nice work. I love the lattice work on the sub-frame connectors!

[Bjkadron]

Nice! Does that affect the ground clearance at all?
And welcome to PT.com! As you already know, it is a great place to get ideas!

[Rallybob]

Nice! Does that affect the ground clearance at all?
And welcome to PT.com! As you already know, it is a great place to get ideas!

The frame connectors are 1.5" x 2.5" rectangular tubing. They *just* miss the bottom of the floor pan. Hopefully that gives you some perspective on. From photos I've seen, they seem to offer about the same ground clearance as the Hotchkis bars. The round diagonal-mount tubes are higher than the rest of the subframe bracing, so no issues there.

Thanks for the welcome, there's some really neat stuff going on here for sure. Some of the project builds are just crazy!

[Gitter Dun]

Nice color. can you post more pic's of the panhard bar?

[eddiep]

Superb work!

[Rallybob]

Nice color. can you post more pic's of the panhard bar?

Sure, here's a few more. If there's any particular vantage point you're looking for let me know and I'll see if I can find a picture that works.

The axle mount:
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2010/06/4627773319_7cbe92b998_o-1.jpg

Some close up pics of the chassis bracing.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2010/06/4670948074_9eff0ce126_b-1.jpg

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2010/06/4670322181_eaf65ed584_b-1.jpg

After powdercoating:
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2010/06/4670323279_ca30a2e5a6_b-1.jpg

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2010/06/4670323439_50e7ec762a_b-1.jpg

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2010/06/4670324835_e98230d88f_b-1.jpg

Hope that helps somewhat.
Bob

[Gitter Dun]

Great job on the bar, I really like it, question tho, isn't the bar supposed to be parallel to the axle housing or no?

[Rallybob]

Great job on the bar, I really like it, question tho, isn't the bar supposed to be parallel to the axle housing or no?

When the car is on the ground, the panhard bar is parallel to the axle in the same plane as the ground beneath the car. In the pics it is in full droop on my lift so it is hanging crooked.

If however you mean parallel in the other plane, it surely isn't! Most production cars aren't either in fact, and I personally didn't want to extend the panhard/axle mount out too far from the axle since it is only mounted in single shear.

[MrQuick]

pretty nice,

On the panhard bar, how far did it lower the roll center?

Nice work.
Vince

[Rallybob]

The roll center is now about 2" below the bottom of the axle tubes. I typically like a lower roll center but for a street car ground clearance becomes an issue (the bracketry).

[JRouche]

Hey Bob. I like your work. Very nice setup. Thanks for sharing the really nice work. Keep on posting your stuff. We will all benefit. JR

[Gitter Dun]

Hey Bob. I like your work. Very nice setup. Thanks for sharing the really nice work. Keep on posting your stuff. We will all benefit. JR

I agree, very clean. I have been trying to figure out how I was going to do mine and was looking at the way the Penske/Donahue set up was but didn't like the way they did it. Thanks for sharing.