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Sn95qc · Feb 4, 2019

Hi! I’m new to the forum and the Sn95 world. I’m about to buy a car and I’m having trouble choosing between 2 cars I saw. Both are 1994 convertibles and both are in top shape with lightly modified 5.0. Both have been used to drag race a bit... the one that as been used for racing the most have frame connectors and the one that did not race as much does not. Should I be worried about potential weakening or damage to the frame (unibody) on the one without frame connectors since its a convertible? When I’ll buy the car I do not wish to drag race more than once a year. I mainly want to preserve the car.
Thanks for sharing your knowledge.

DKblue98GT · Feb 4, 2019

Welcome!

I would be most concerned about the condition of the "Torque boxes" where the rear lower control arms attach to the unibody. As long as they are not torn up you should be good. I would recommend adding subframe connectors if you get a car without them.

Says the guy who still needs to put them on his own car...

PinkieT · Feb 4, 2019

Yep, if you get the ragtop without them, install them later. It'll help make up for the lack of rigidity of a steel top.

Wood's 5.0 · Feb 4, 2019

If I could do it all over again and could not do but ONE thing to my car, it would be to install a set of weld-in sub-frame connectors. BKBlue98GT is right about the torque boxes. I will add that if they are shredded or torn on either car; don't get that one unless you are prepared to spend a fair amount of $ to repair them. I seam-welded them up on mine. I also took mine a step further and welded up a lot of the uni-body seams under my car and installed a 4-point lower brace as well. I have not added the matrix jacking rails yet to tie the outside edge to the sub-frame connectors but that has been on my "future mod list" for a number of years. If I turn in from the road to a parking lot or whatever and it has a steep transition, of course I will approach at an angle, my car will literally hold a tire off of the ground before it will allow the body to flex enough to keep it on the ground if the transition gradient or elevation difference is outside the articulation range of the suspension. I cannot stress enough the importance of addressing chassis rigidity for our vintage/generation/platform Mustang and welding in a set of sub-frame connectors ESPECIALLY on a convertible.

DKblue98GT · Feb 4, 2019

Yep, the Stifflers kit is in my cars future...

Sn95qc · Feb 6, 2019

Thanks for the replies!

PinkieT · Feb 6, 2019

I got a triangulated Kenny Brown rear shock brace for my ragtop - attaches to the shock towers and the floor. Found a deal on one and figured it couldn't hurt. Had to wiggle the amps around a but, but otherwise the install was easy. If you don't have a front strut tower brace, I would recommend that too.