Get your A game on! Brace your A body!

[Ben@SpeedTech]

Hey all-

We're glad to announce that we have a new product to work the twisties out of your system, our 68-72 Chevelle/ A body frame brace kit! A body frames are incredibly flimsy by nature. We all know good suspension helps a car corner better, but stiffening up the chassis is part of the program too. Now we can help you max your efforts with the first of our new line of brace kits. This includes laser cut plates for frame rail boxing, a system of bracing bars that ties the body, rear lower control arms, and frame rails together, and it incorporates the fully adjustable and easily removable trans cross member we use on our Pro Touring subframe. It tucks up nicely within the frame rails and there's plenty of clearance for big exhaust. When it's all installed it adds a significant frame stiffness increase.

Here's a link to the brace kit on our website, and below are some additional eye candy photos. Check it out!

http://www.speedtechperformance.com/...rod/prd398.htm

Pre Welded Mock Up...





Final Product...







Note how it triangulates the lower control arm mounts.







Note where it bolts to the floor for more stability in tying things together.

[Nothingface5384]

Just got email on this today
Looks pretty similar to the HPI kit made in Canada
But cheaper in price and shipping

[Ben@SpeedTech]

HPI has a nice kit but you'll notice ours ties the bracing into the rear suspension and the floor, making everything that much stronger. We also utilize our adjustable transmission cross member from our Speedtech subframe kit for ease of mounting and later swapping transmissions.

[Nothingface5384]

Yeah I did notice that lt
Which leads.me to ask will this work in conjunction with the rear control arm braces.many have already purchased and installed?

[Ben@SpeedTech]

Great question! We thought of this too, knowing that a lot of folks would already have installed the short braces in an effort to tighten things up. The best we could tell these braces bolt on the side of the lower control arm mount, then up to the upper mount. Our rear cross brace bar bolts to the front of the lower control arm mount, so there isn't any interference at all and all the bracing plays nice together. Take a look at these pics to compare...

[chevelletiger]

I like,but have one problem...my roll bar is aleady welded to the frame,can the kit be welded with the body on?

[Ben@SpeedTech]

I like,but have one problem...my roll bar is aleady welded to the frame,can the kit be welded with the body on?

I would say it would be a tight squeeze in some areas but you probably could. The main part I see trouble with would be welding the tops of everything, including the boxing plates and transmission cross member support plates. We welded the trans supports on the topside, but you could probably weld them on the inside perimeter instead of the outside. Can the frame drop out of the body a couple inches to get at the top of the frame rail boxing plates? That would be ideal. Making sure all welded areas were well coated for rust proofing will be vital too.

[73z-6sp]

Any plans to do earlier years? Or is it already out there.

[Ben@SpeedTech]

Absolutely! 64-67 are on deck as well as something for the G body guys.

As similar as we might expect these cars to be, they are quite different. As of lately our in house clients have been the 68-72 A bodies, and employee cars are all Camaros, Novas and G Bodies. So, we're on the hunt for a pre '68 Chevelle/ Malibu to do the Research & Development on. If you're near southern Utah and have one give Blake a call!

[73z-6sp]

Hmmmm...
I'm in Tucson. Might give a call and see if I can help.

[81sleepinOLDS]

Can't wait to see this for the G body!!!

[Ben@SpeedTech]

Me too 81!

[TimMC]

Any thoughts on the convertible frames?

[Ben@SpeedTech]

Good question Tim. We haven't had a convertible come through the shop, which we would need to have here to see the difference and make adjustments to the kit as necessary. Kind of interesting, most of the cars that come through are 1st gen Camaros, surprise surprise, lol! We had a couple A bodies in a row come through recently so we were able to get the 68-72 kit knocked out. We've got an early A body scheduled to come in soon so we can get that kit done as well. Now if we had a convertible, say from Illinois for example, we could make the necessary mods to accommodate that frame too. ;)

[RobSSS]

Any word on solid body mounts for the abody specifically the 67 year?

[CampbellshotrodsAZ]

Good product to know. I'll be using this in conjunction with other frame goodies on the 67 Chevelle I should be getting to about a year from now.

[TimMC]

Ben,

Kind of a long haul from IL. to your shop. But will keep it in mind. I like the Pumkinator build. Wagons are great.

[73z-6sp]

Do you need the car or just a frame? I keep looking for another 66 frame locally because I want to do something and I like the looks of your kit. But I don't want to take my car off the road for so long.
The early a body you have coming...is it pre 66?

[bluegoose]

My frame is already boxed. Do you offer a kit without boxing plates?

[Twentyover]

Hows about elCamino's ? i'd be looking for a 65 variant....