X frame

pvs409

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 11
We added these to my friends 62 Impala SS 409 convertible restoration. The factory passenger side isingle control arm had been pulled off the frame racing a 327 3 speed convertible. I like these better.
They came from Show Cars Inc
https://show-cars.com/product/4183
https://show-cars.com/product/4180

We also added dual upper control arms -see the picture below of the factory rear endP1000436.JPGP1000440.JPGP1000441.JPG
 

Hobart

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 1
Here's a few pic's of my '59 crossmember. My car only had a mount for one arm on the frame, so I built a crossmember and added those Global West braces and some other bracing as well. Boxed and reinforced the lower arm mounts too. And did a bunch of reinforcing to the X, as I cut some of the tunnel out to go with a one-piece shaft. Got a little carried away with the welder and a pile of steel:wacko:D...
 

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Fathead Racing

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 7
It is welded in.
View attachment 76945
Seeing how my goal is a “ correct” 63 409/425 hp convertible I don’t plan on adding another upper control arm.
But I think some additional reinforcement like what was shown in the service bulletin makes sense.
The choice to "not" include the driver side upper arm for a correct restoration should not be an issue for a street driven car with reasonable size radial or bias ply tires. The problem rarely raised its ugly head in the day unless you had a knuckle head like me driving a high horse four speed 09 car and side stepping the clutch. Add sticky tires, a bad attitude and the outcome is inevitable.
 

R63ss

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 4
Yeah, yeah, that's the ticket. :danceDid you notice if the driver side of the crossmember was dimpled for drilling for the second arm? My 60 was.
It looks exactly like the the other side’s mount,and would be easy to add a control arm but it wasn’t dimpled for drilling.
 

IMBVSUR?

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 2
The choice to "not" include the driver side upper arm for a correct restoration should not be an issue for a street driven car with reasonable size radial or bias ply tires. The problem rarely raised its ugly head in the day unless you had a knuckle head like me driving a high horse four speed 09 car and side stepping the clutch. Add sticky tires, a bad attitude and the outcome is inevitable.

Ray, you are surely too hard on yourself, and too easy on the short comings of design.
 

409gang

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 1
R63ss and my 63 convertibles were welded in. Ricky's 61 was welded in. Ray's 60, 409 gang's 62, and Don's 63 were bolted in.

Do you suppose it has to do with the point of manufacture?

My 64 is AWOL to see right now so I can't look at it.
Very possible my 62 I have now was built in Van Nuys Ca and my one I had back in the day was a St Louis car
 
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