1968 Camaro Front Suspension - Subframe

1968 Camaro Front Suspension Helping Hands

Three people are required at this stage of the process, with one operating the floor jack while the other two deal with the rails of the frame.

Three people are required at this stage of the process, with one operating the floor jack

"That's why we went to stainless," Chris concluded. "There are just too many reasons not to, but pretty much the whole hot rod and street rod industry is going over to stainless for the exact same reasons. The material has real nice mechanical properties, and it also just happens to be corrosion resistant. If you get a few scratches, you can just polish them out. And it will never rust."

Before turning your attention over to the photographic portion of these proceedings, there are a few things we should mention. First of all, the Wilwood calipers used to wrestle the vented Chassisworks rotors and hubs to a stop require a minimum of a 15-inch wheel to provide the necessary clearances.

1968 Camaro Front Suspension Maneuvering

A bit of maneuvering is required, with the front of the frame higher than the rear portion, to keep the front of the frame from hitting the valance.

A bit of maneuvering is required, with the front of the frame higher than the rear portion

We also feel compelled to remind you that this '68 Camaro did not fall into our hands in pristine shape. Some of the original steering and braking components, along with other things like the front bumper and grille, had been liberated from their posts by the time we got the car. Therefore, we have taken the liberty of substituting some photos of a much-more-intact Camaro, to more accurately show what can be expected with a typical installation of this new front subframe.

As part of this interest in providing clear photos, we also cheated by putting the car up on the Chassisworks lift. While it is easier to work with the car substantially elevated, it is definitely possible to do all the assembly work with the car on jackstands.

1968 Camaro Front Suspension Front Bushings

With the front bushings installed, the frame is jacked up and wiggled around until the body-mounting points on the radiator-core support line up with the frame.

With the front bushings installed, the frame is jacked up and wiggled around until the bod

Last, but certainly not least, is the fact that you don't have to plunk down big cash, only to find that your assembly skills aren't up to this task (although, after watching a couple of these installations, we can verify that it's actually relatively simple and straightforward). For those inclined to explore things further than this series takes you, the photo-illustrated Installation Guide can be purchased separately.

Now, on with the show! We can't wait to get our Camaro started toward the rest of the projects that will take it from pitiful derelict to full-on delight. But first, let's get the new front clip installed. Next month will see the end of the frontend stuff, as we deal with the steering linkage (designed to work with the stock steering column) and check out the public debut of the new bolt-on subframe connectors designed specifically for this application. Stay tuned for the rest of the story!

The front mounting bolts are threaded into place, but they won't be torqued down until the frame is aligned.
The front mounting bolts are threaded into place, but they won't be torqued down until the
The rear of the subframe is then attached to the body, with those bolts left a bit loose for the moment. The bracket welded to the inside of the framerail will be used later to attach the stock "hook rod" for the parking-brake cable.
The rear of the subframe is then attached to the body, with those bolts left a bit loose f
Chassisworks offers a variety of crossmembers to accommodate just about any popular transmission. Now is the time to slide ours into place.
Chassisworks offers a variety of crossmembers to accommodate just about any popular transm

The crossmember must be tightened up before the frame is torqued in place (to ensure the ability to later remove and reinstall it), if such is ever required.
The crossmember must be tightened up before the frame is torqued in place (to ensure the a
Now is the time to put the alignment pins into play and snug up the mounting bolts at the firewall location.
Now is the time to put the alignment pins into play and snug up the mounting bolts at the
The rocker-panel lips are used as reference points for getting the frame aligned under the car. If the lip has been mashed a bit over the years, Chassisworks recommends using a body hammer and dolly to straighten it out.
The rocker-panel lips are used as reference points for getting the frame aligned under the

If the previous step is done correctly (and the car itself is straight, of course), the distance from the back of the frame to the "rear frame gauge hole" found on the car should vary by no more than 1/8 inch from side to side. At this point, all the body-mounting bolts are torqued down.
If the previous step is done correctly (and the car itself is straight, of course), the di
The "NoFab" designation doesn't mean that a bit of drilling isn't required now and then. Here, a 1/4-inch hole is drilled into the framerail to attach the brake-line clamp.
The "NoFab" designation doesn't mean that a bit of drilling isn't required now and then. H
The stock bumper brackets are then reinstalled on the new framerails, and the bumper is mounted and aligned. In our next issue, we'll finish up this stage of our Camaro reconstruction as the Chassisworks rack-and-pinion steering unit is mated to the stock steering column, and the new bolt-on subframe connectors specific to this kit are, well, bolted on!
The stock bumper brackets are then reinstalled on the new framerails, and the bumper is mo