Boom!
Lordy! What was that? It shook the whole place—big time! Startled, I look over at Allen Shepley, who has this big, silly grin on his face. Then I remembered the man whom Shepley was talking to when we first drove up. I just know the guy in the F-15 is the same guy whom Shepley introduced us to: an Air Force F-15 test pilot from Robins Air Force Base. He owns a gorgeous red Mustang. The sonic boom was just his way of saying howdy to us. Somehow it seems appropriate: F-15s and Mustangs. But that’s another story.
Shepley starts off this little project by showing us the subframe connectors that he has fabricated for our Project ’70 Mach 1. They are constructed in his shop from 1x2-inch 11-gauge, rectangular, mild steel tubing. The front of the rail is wedged down and sealed to prevent snagging and to keep out moisture. The rear of the piece is also sealed and has a hefty 4½-inch gusset made from a ¼-inch mild steel plate. Ride height is hardly affected, because the connectors are only 1 inch lower than the original front subframes.
His approach is a little different from most we’ve seen, because his subframe connectors require no modifications to the car at all, no cutting of the floorpans, and no drilling. Bolt-ons cannot provide the rigidity needed, and if you’ve already installed new floorpans in your precious Pony (as we have), cutting them most likely would not be an option; however, it does require welding. Shepley used a MIG welder, but a “buzz box” could also perform the job. The price is right at $125 for the connectors and $75 for the installation. Or you can give the man $200, and he’ll do all the work. Shepley would like about 4 or 5 days of lead time for fabrication—so be nice, OK?