Topic: 66 GT rear frame reinforcements

[02stang6]

Hello all! First time poster, ill give alittle background to the car. Its a 66 mustang GT a code -northern car.- im finally tackling the rear frame rail sections that are rusted out. I installed new frame rail sections and inspected the replacement in comparison to the originals. The original frame rail reinforcements are different and have 3 bolts and a welded nut along with the exhaust hanger crush tubes. I cannot reuse the original reinforcements as the rust ate way too much metal from it. I can find the exhaust crush tube inserts but i cannot find anything on the frame reinforcement. My main question is, is it that important to have the side and lower bolts installed? If so then is there a company that may manufacture the reinforcements? If not then should i just drop the crush tubes in to retain the ?factory GT? feel?

Thanks in advance

[J_Speegle]

First welcome to the site. Hope you find the information and support here helpful and valuable in your restoration projects.

As for the reinforcement plates IMHO yes they are needed and should be replaced as you rebuild your frame rail. Don't know if the plates are available by credit card or you just need to make them and attach them so that they look (from below the car) like they were originally attached. Maybe others who have traveled this path before, dealing with rust in this area on a GT/dual exhaust car can help out

And of course you should always have the crush tubes or take the chances of suffering the effect that Ford discovered and designed them to address


Again welcome

[warwick]

I also have a 66 KGT that need the crush tubes. They used to be available but to my knowledge they are not anymore-I spoke to Scott at NPD years ago regarding them. You may want to contact him, he is on CMF.

If you have any luck finding them-let me know.

[jwc66k]

Welcome. Here's are some pictures I've collected that depict the area you are working in.
Pic i: An explanation. If your rust is as bad as you think, the larger rear holes (1 one each side) are the most critical as that's where the rear shackles go.
Pic 2: A depiction of the crush plates. I don't know how accurate this is.
Pic 3: All the stuff that goes inside and outside for dual exhausts.
The welded-in nuts are for the dual exhaust shipping plates. If your goal is concourse, you need these.
Rear frame rails are available at National Parts Depot, Virginia Mustang (both companies are contributors to this forum) or Dynacorn http://www.dynacorn.com/ I don't know if anyone of those carries the dual exhaust crush tubes.
Jim

[02stang6]

Here is the link for the exhaust crush tubes.
https://www.npdlink.com/product/crush-tube-rear-frame-rail/184719?backurl=search%2Fproducts%3Fsearch_terms%3Dexhaust%252Bcrush%26top_parent%3D200001%26year%3D1966&year=1966

NPD does sell them but does not sell the reinforcement plates. If i cannot find anything similar to factory -dynacorn frame rails do have the lower nut but no crush sleeves still - i most likely will box the rails in-between the current crush tubes, weld a nut to the plate and bolt it together like factory.

Thank you for the welcomes

The frame rails were rusted through the shackle area to the point where it would not be worth boxing to save the original. Im not doing a full concours restoration but i would like to keep 90% of it stock where i can to retain the factory appeal. The car is numbers matching between the engine trans and rear end but thats about where it stops. Wilwood brakes front and rear, 3.55 with a detroit locker, 347stroker in the original block. A lot of mike maier suspension mods -front coil overs and their narrow leafs and rear panhard bar.- Once we mount the rear quarters to the car i will be flaring out the quarters some to get at least a 305 in the rear. in combination with a MTF wheelwell i think she will turn out pretty sweet minus all the work to get there, but you all know that. a project 10 years in the making for me, finally seeing the light out of the tunnel as long as the car is straight when we finish the metal work lmao.