Yes but support the body. Don't use the suspension to hold it up.

 

walk around the car on a level pad and see if the bumper bolts are the same height side to side. Or use the wheel opening lip on the fenders. If they are even close, don't worry. As long as the door opening cracks and the rest of the body parts appear to be even you shouldn't have any concerns.

Driving down the road or sitting still, the car is resting on about six points. two for each leaf spring and one for each front swing arm. Locate your jack stands as close to the center of your front suspension as possible and under the rear axle. Level side to side is good, front to back makes no difference.

Have you decided on what configuration you want for your connectors? I used the Crites type installation with 1.5" x 3" 0.080 wall steel tubing laid with the long axis flat. Pictures to follow. Mine angles outward from front to back to catch as much of the torque boxes as possible and leave room to weld around the ends. You will find with the Crites type connectors that the seat brace hangs down a little lower than the torque boxes. No sweat, you will just be pre-loading the structure a bit. The two pieces of 16ga tin that reinforce the seat braces can be cut from a single 12" x 12" piece. It has a 90* break and a 45* break to fit. Be sure to drill the hole for the seat track and leave clearance for the frame connector to pass by and allow for bolting the seat down.

Figure out ahead of time how you are going to finish off the ends of the tubing (two pcs 6'-6" and trim to fit) and grind where you plan on welding until you have bright steel. Get a can of weld thru primer too since you will be creating inaccessible places for later coatings. Be aware that the torque boxes were galvanized at the factory and you won't get a good weld to that coating....grind it off where you will weld.

Think 0.080 rectangular tubing is not thick enough? The whole car is made of sheetmetal and managed to last 50 years or so. Adding a lot of weight with 1/4" wall tubing is way overkill and if you car actually needs it, you have a lot more problems that this isn't going to solve.

Remember, the Thunderbolts did not have subframe connectors.

I put these on years and years ago and the first difference I noticed was the suspension working a lot more and a lot less complaining from the body.
Subframe Connectors Photos by w2zero | Photobucket

If you need more than this, you might as well just build a frame or buy one from Art Morrison.

 

The front sheet metal is already off the car as well. I still need to fix the battery try area (rust), but I have already replaced/fixed the floor boards and mini tub'd it.
I now want to make the sub frame connectors and then the roll cage.
I plan on using 2x3x.120 tubing.
I would like to keep them as straight as possible.
I have these two pictures for reference on how I would like to make them.

Thank you for the insight and the pictures

 

what engine trans you planning on? Going to the drags with some serious hp?

If you are planning on using those photos for reference then I would suggest tossing out the original frame extensions and crossmember that held up the tail of the transmission. Then fab brackets to mount a new crossmember to the new frame rails you are installing. That will allow for a lot more space for transmission access, and header routing. The original configuration is just way too busy around that area.

Are you changing the front suspension as well?

 

Currently I plan on running a 289/C4 combo that I currently have built for it. I have attached an older picture.
However, one day I would like a 545/Lenco set up.
The car will see both track and road time. One of the plans is to do the Texas Mile. I want to go 200+
I do not plan on keeping the stock frame extensions or tranny cross member.
I do plan to change the front suspension. I like the kit Fatman has using the newer Mustang set ups.

 

Good planning then for the future. Any thoughts on the future rear suspension?

One of the guys on the crazyformercurys site put a Mustang IRS on his Meteor and made it essentially a bolt in unit.

 

As for the rear, just going with the tried and true method.
9" with some Cal-Trac's.
The car is a factory six banger. I am thinking about leaving the stock springs for now. I'll make that decision when I get there.

 

You will like the Fatman Fairlane front suspension kit, know that it's designed for a roughly stock height car, even with the adj.collar all the way down, I couldn't get my down low ride height I wanted.
I switched the kit supplied 14-250's, for a set of 12-250's but ride suffered.
Te answer was a set of Race Craft dropped spindles & a switch back to the kit supplied QA-1's

 

I am not usually a "kit" kind of guy. I usually try to work it out myself. There is a lot going on up in the front and this time I figured I'd bite the bullet. Fatman looks to have this dialed in to boot. I've read up on it. I've got an article saved on the conversion. Either way it shall be fun.