Tools You'll Need: *Tools...
Tools You'll Need:
*Tools for cutting floor
* Welder
* C-clamp
* Jacks, or a lift
* Jack stands
* Grinding wheel
* Wire wheel
* Seam sealer
* Welder and supplies
* Dead-blow hammer
When you think about it, the front and rear halves of a Camaro or Firebird aren't held together by very much. Only the sheetmetal of the floor and roof keep them from twisting into a knot and going separate ways. Flex is inherent to the design, and from the factory's standpoint, not a big deal. Nonetheless, when you start applying gobs of power and push your car to perform better, the unibody design can cause slower quarter-mile times and a loss of handling. The good news is that it's relatively easy to fix.
One of the most common ways to stiffen the chassis is by adding subframe connectors. Detroit Speed & Engineering decided to take the idea of subframe connectors to the next level by integrating them into the floor rather than having them hang under the car. They take more work to install compared to bolt-in connectors, but the final product has a clean look, and DSE feels its connectors add additional rigidity over other types. "The idea behind the DSE subframe connectors is to increase the car's beaming and torsional stiffness by integrating the connector into the floorpan while connecting the front subframe to the rear framerail," DSE's Kyle Tucker says. "In addition, the subframe connectors aren't visible from the side view of the car with our design. Many believe that stiffening the body to this extent will increase ride harshness and noise, but, in fact, it improves the car's driveability by allowing the suspension to do its job. It also helps reduce the car's other itches, squeaks, and vibrations caused by inadequate frame structure."
 Detroit Speed & Engineering's...  Detroit Speed & Engineering's weld-in subframe connectors (PN 010101, $185) are fabricated from 2x3-inch rectangular steel tubing. |  Before getting started, make...  Before getting started, make sure the body mounts are in good shape. |  Use a cutoff wheel to make...  Use a cutoff wheel to make the cuts. Chop less than what you think you need, test fit the connector, then cut more if needed. |
 After going through a couple...  After going through a couple of cutting wheels, this is your reward: a hole in the floor. |  Now move to the interior to...  Now move to the interior to make the final cross cuts and clean things up. You want as snug a fit as you can get for the subframe connector. |  With the Camaro back up in...  With the Camaro back up in the air, put the connector in place. The rear is notched by DSE to slide into the rear sheetmetal. |
 Then, start welding the subframe...  Then, start welding the subframe connector in place. Stitch it everywhere the connector touches the floor, and where the front of the connector meets the subframe. |  You can see the front subframe...  You can see the front subframe welded to the subframe connector. |  If you have a factory front...  If you have a factory front subframe, use the gussets supplied by DSE to mate the connector to the shape of the front subframe. |
 With the Camaro back on the...  With the Camaro back on the ground, weld the subframe connectors from the interior of the car, and at every seam where the DSE part touches the floor. |  Here, both subframe connectors...  Here, both subframe connectors are installed, seam sealed, and ready for undercoating. |  Here's the subframe connector...  Here's the subframe connector completely welded in place. Notice how it extends from the front subframe back to the rear framerail. |