Many subframe connectors for...
Many subframe connectors for these early F-bodies use the spring mount to attach to the rear, but the Global West units weld onto the inverted hat channel, increasing the strength of the frame and improving the connector's effectiveness.
First thing on the agenda was to fix what was broken. The soft and distorted body mounts were replaced with solid aluminum units. "There is a common misconception about body mounts," says Doug. "People think that these solid mounts will make the car stiff and noisy. New cars have a body/frame construction where there is no bushing or mount at all." Now that the car was on a solid foundation, the next step was to tie the front end to the rear. Camaros retain the front eye of the leaf spring through a bracket bolted to the floor with screws into some flimsy sheetmetal clips. Global West does not trust these clips on their own, and it's made even worse with a second load. Global West's subframe connectors weld to the inverted hat channel that is the Camaro's rear subframe. The material used is 1 5/8 x 0.125-inch round tubing, shaped by a CNC tubing bender to hug the floor. Early musclecars are known to have the "guts" of the car hang well below the rocker panel, so minimizing this mass is important. Rather than welding the front of the subframe connector, it is sandwiched between the body mount and the frame, then secured with bolts that affix to the framerail and the connector to keep the whole assembly from pivoting or flexing.
Back in the day, when you filled out the order form for your new Camaro, you got the option of mono- or multileaf springs. This car started life as a base 250ci six-cylinder, and had monoleaves that did nothing to keep the rear tires hooked. These are notorious for exhibiting wheelhop. Proper rear spring choice is based on what the purpose of the car will be. If you intend on driving the car on a road course, you'll want a spring that will give the car what is known as neutral steer, meaning it won't understeer or oversteer. Autocross is intended more for smaller sports cars, so maneuvering the relatively big Camaro around takes a bit of oversteer to persuade the car around the tighter turns. Since this car is being set up for autocross and aggressive street driving, Global West's G-Plus series leaves were chosen. To keep the front, rear, and side-to-side twist out, several smaller leaves are attached to the single leaf that spans from eye to eye.
 Taking notes doesn't end when...  Taking notes doesn't end when you graduate from school! Keeping track of suspension changes, tire temperatures, and tire pressures is key to proper setup. |  Global West produces these...  Global West produces these control arms in-house and offers designs for street, drag race, and road course cars. Don't have an F-body? They carry suspension parts for Tri-Five Chevys, Chevelles (A-body), Impalas, Novas (X-body), Grand Nationals (G-body), Mustangs, and more. |  The upper control arms are...  The upper control arms are where Global West gains the most improvement. The arms on this Camaro give it up to six degrees of positive caster for straight-line stability and better road feel. They also allow more initial negative camber to be dialed in to the alignment, giving the tire more surface area on the ground in action. |