New -HOTCHKIS 1st Gen CAMARO HANDLE BARS

[Hotchkis]

HOTCHKIS 1st Gen CAMARO HANDLE BARS:
NASCAR CHASSIS TECHNOLOGY FOR YOUR F-BODY

New Brace for 1967-69 F-Bodies Eliminates Flex, Improves Handling & Control

• Prevents changes in geometry, alignment, and tire contact patch
• Rigidly connects upper control arms to the cowl and firewall
• Bolt-on installation w/ included hardware
• CAD designed for superior fit and finish, designed and manufactured in the USA
  

Take a long look at a modern NASCAR cup car, a 1960s F1 car or a 3,000 year old Egyptian pyramid and you'll notice one similarity: lots of triangles. The triangle is the strongest shape in nature, so when a group of hardcore autocross racers asked Hotchkis to come up with a way to eliminate subframe flex in their First Gen Camaros, they looked to the past to define the future. The result: Hotchkis Chassis Max Handle Bars, the first tubular front suspension brace that triangulates the upper control arm pickup points to each other and the firewall for incredible rigidity, consistent driver control and handling.
First generation Camaros and Firebirds use a bolt-on style subframe that can twist and flex during hard cornering, altering suspension alignment and altering the tire contact patch, creating unpredictable handling at the limit. This problem is amplified in pro-touring style cars with sticky modern tires and high-power engines. To eliminate flex, Hotchkis to developed the Handle Bar system to tie the upper control arms to each other and then triangulate them to the firewall for maximum subframe strength and rigidity. The result is more consistent response, increased handling, and improved driver control that makes the most of any high performance suspension.



Handle Bars are CAD designed and built out of high-strength steel tubing, CNC bent brackets and laser cut gussets for easy installation and a perfect fit. All necessary hardware is included, and Handle Bars are available with a durable gloss anthracite powdercoat finish or in raw steel for those that wish to color-match their engine bay.



About Hotchkis Performance
Founded by former professional racecar drivers and national champions, Hotchkis Performance was one of the first to design and track test performance suspension for muscle cars. Nearly two decades later, Hotchkis remains dedicated to high-quality, track-tested, suspension that is Made in the USA with domestic materials. Dare to Compare: Hotchkis offers complete bolt-on systems that are designed in-house and rigorously track tested for maximum performance, strength and value. Each system is tuned for high performance handling, a sporty yet comfortable ride and improved traction on the street and track. Don't settle for pieced-together systems or foreign sourced parts. The Hotchkis Philosophy is simple: Buy it once, bolt it on, and have fun! To preview the entire line of Hotchkis Sport Suspension parts and components, please visit www.Hotchkis.net, email [email protected], or contact Hotchkis Performance, 12035 Burke Street Suite 13, Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670, 877-4-NOROLL.

installation video

[sunkistcamaro]

Funny I just posted a question about these last night.
https://www.pro-touring.com/forum/sh...ad.php?t=61371
Will this work with a LS1 installed in a 69 Camaro?
thanks for the info.

[John Wright]

Now...build one for the front and rear of an early 2gen camaro

[1969CamaroRS]

Any issues with fitment with aftermarket control arms (Global West etc)?

[jknight16]

So it mounts between the Control arm mount and the arm itself. So the upper control arm will be moved inward by the width of the mounting plate material. Price looks to be around $550 from the website.

[68Formula]

Will it fit Pontiacs (with Pontiac engines, of course?) How about if if the Guldstrand was done?

I take it it fits flat to the inside side of the brackets (where I have a ton of shims now)? How thick is that bracket? It would be nice to stiffen and at the same time possibly take out one of the shims that I have in now to get static negative camber.

[mpozzi]

Those are NICE!!! Second the request for our second gens and if you need something that will hold still long enough, my car will donate some time for the mock up.

Cheers,
Mary Pozzi

[John Wright]

Mary, have you or Dave been kicking around that idea of the rear shock tower style brace for our cars...?
I have to admit, I have been lazy.

[neki67]

Saw this already some time ago and asked the same question as 68Formula:
will these fit when the Guldstrand mod has been done?

Oh, and like Bill; how about when you have an LS engine in?

[Mr.VENGEANCE]

niiiice!!

looks like something new for Stormy on the list..

[tumper93]

The upper control arm bolt is a press fit type bolt which I spotted on the back of mine at the subframe because of turning. Wonder if these can be installed on the outside of the control arm instead of inbetween?

[Damn True]

Very cool guys! X2 on the questions above regarding UCA offset if any.

Adding one: Can we see a close up of the bar/firewall interface? Does the mount wrap from the vertical to the horizontal plane?

[Roadrage David]

I also would like to see a 2 ore 3 bold triangular fiks point on the firewal!!!... that one bold thusend cut it for me... looks to weak of a atachment point nekst to the bar.. as for the rest of the disign i like it and would defenatly buy it.

[jknight16]

The website says the bars have another set of holes to use when the G-mod has been done, so I think they'll work in those cases.

I would think you could cut and weld a 90 degree bracket on the firewall mount that would wrap to the horizonal plane of the firewall like True mentioned if you were worried about strength at that point. Or like David mentioned, could use a header collector-style bracket that will allow the use of more than one bolt. I'm thinking that Hotchkis probably decided not to go that way because much of their market are not hardcore PT guys and still require these improvements to be completely bolt in, as they won't drill additional holes in the firewall like we will.

All in all a great addition for all first gens and a good starting point for the hardcore guys.

[John Wright]

Looks like it uses the fender bolt like the Herb Adams bars did...must have been a good attachment point for Herb to use that bolt.

Dave's G-braces also use that same bolt.

[Roadrage David]

John im aware of that, but it looks to me that the initional stifness should be the main pipe conected on the firewal in sutch a way that there is no chanse of flexebilety this is the whole idea around this consept!!! to get out the flex, wel ataching it NECKST to the bar that should not be able to move at all, is usless you ""might"" help stifen it up a bit side ways but howabout up and douwn!!, no matter how hard you twist that bold in that lip on the fire wall it stil not atatch that bar the way it should be to get the full potentional the system CAN diliver when haveing 3 lips and 3 bolds bolted to the firewall.

[CliffS]

any weight# available?

[Hotchkis]

Wow, you guys are on top of this!

I"ll try to answer everyone, feel free to post, pm, or call us if I miss your question:

1. Will this work with a LS1 installed in a 69 Camaro? - YES
2. build one for the front and rear of an early 2gen camaro - We're on it:


Check them out here

3. Rear flex concerns can be addressed with our 1968-1969 Camaro, Firebird Rear Shock Tower Brace


4. Any issues with fitment with aftermarket control arms? - No issues with any of the major aftermarket arms, they were specifically tested and trial fit on multiple aftermarket arms as well as stock arms. They work great on all.

5. Pontiacs - We've had one test fit with no problems, but we'd like to do a little more research.

[Damn True]

Can we see a close up of the bar/firewall interface on the 1st-Gen unit? Does the mount wrap from the vertical to the horizontal plane?

[John McIntire]

does this clear all engines? SBC, BBC, LSX, even the I6?