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Sunday, July 22, 2012

Product Installation - Control Freak Sub-Frame Connectors on a 1974 AMC Javelin AMX





Why Sub-Frame Connectors?  AMC Javelins are uni-body cars which means the body IS the frame.  That means the body can twist and flex excessively which soaks up horsepower and even affects handling.  The last AMC Javelin was made in April of 1974.  This means your Javelin has had over 38 years for it's body to weaken, fatique and generate squeaks and rattles. Case in point:  My 1974 AMC Javelin AMX had 36,511 original miles on it when my uncle delivered it from my grandfather's garage in Sioux City, IA to my garage in Carrllton, TX.  It wa stored from 1976 until 2007 without being driven.  For the first 20,000 miles or so after that, the car was tight as a drum.  Then, things started looseing up after driving her daily.  Currently, I have 81,000 miles on her and there quite a squeaks and rattles I never noticed before.  You can't build low miles back into the body of your AMC Javelin but you can do the next best thing...install sub-frame connecors. 

Back in my Paxton days, the Granatelli racing suspension engineers told me sub-frame connectors would benefit any unibody car (especially those with more than 200HP).  Back then, I didn't really understand why and really, I didn't need to:  they had proven their designs in professional racing...and won many times.  But, let me inform the skeptics their statement holds water.  Case in point: My 1987 Formula 350 Firebird ran high 13's in the quarter mile at close to 100MPH.  My non-t-top roof had cracks almost an inch long from flexing and I also had numerous squeaks that only occurred when going over speed bumps or bumpy roads.  Once I installed weld-on sub-frame connectors on this car, my squeaks and significant body flex were eliminated.  Additionally, more power was getting to the ground because I ran one to two tenths of a second quicker in the quarter mile.  For the first time, it consistently broke the tires loose during the 1-2 shift under full throttle and the only addition was sub-frame connectors.  The body takes horsepower to make it flex.  If the body can't flex, then that horsepower must go somewhere...the rear wheels. I experienced similar results with my 1996 Z-28 Camaro and I have good reason to believe the results in the AMC Javelin will be similar.  

Preparing For Installation:  Above you will find photos of the Control Freak AMC Javelin sub-frame connector installation on Marty Bricker's '74 Javelin AMX (additional photos to come). The installation was performed at Bobby Gentry's Muffler & Brake Shop in Denton, TX. They charged $70 for th
e complete installation (no removal of carpet or seats was required).   The sub-frame connectors come raw, ready to paint.  We didn't want them to rust down the road so painting was required.  We could have chose powder coating for superior finish durability but we were on a budget so we chose the do it yourself method ("rattle can").  First, I applied SEM Copperweld weld-thru primer (P/N 40783 - available from O'Reilly Auto Parts).  This makes for cleaner welds with less distortion. Then, I painted them with Harley Davison wrinkle black spray paint (P/N 98606BF - available from any Harley Davidson dealer).  This paint is extremely durable (the next best thing to powder coating and it's the only paint I've found that hasn't chipped off of my front spoiler).  In case you are wondering, the Control Fream sub-frames connectors are beefy and will add approximately 16 pounds to your AMC Javelin but the benefits make them a MUST HAVE item.

The Installation:  After preparation, we needed to locate a shop for installation.  Control Freak sub-frame connectors require welding which gives superior strength over bolt on sub-frame connectors.  As with custom exhaust systems, you'll want a shop that takes pride in their welds and installations.  If you don't have custom exhaust system shops, look for race car fabrication shops to do the installation...you won't regret the extra leg work here!  The first custom exhaust system shop I took the Control Freak sub-frame connectors to said, "these must be mis-boxed. There is no way these will ever fit your Javelin and I now this based on my 30 years of experience building custom exhaust systems!" How can they KNOW that when they refused to read the manual? At any rate, I called Al Kamhi at Control Freak to verify the right parts were received and that they would fit. Al, at Control Freak, designed them and GUARANTEED they would fit the AMC Javelin.  I lost all confidence in the first shop so, we enlisted the services of Bobby Gentry's Muffler & Brake shop (in Denton, TX).  Bobby Gentry is THE premier custom exhaust system shop in the DFW area:  their welds are second to none, they are fast, efficient and reasonably priced.  They did the exhaust system fabrication on Marty's Javelin as well as my Javelin and the welds were, in a word, perfection!  After Bobby's shop saw the Control Freak sub-frame connectors, they said, "yes, they will fit with no problem and those are some of the nicest sub-frame connectors we've seen!" The entire installation only took about an hour on their lift.


Thoughts:  Marty will be posting comments after he has had a chance to drive his Javelin AMX over a variety of roads and speed bumps.  His car has been down for a Gear Vendors overdrive installation and he just installed 17"x8" MB Old School wheels with 245x45ZRx17 Kumho tires. Stay tuned for updates from Marty! I will also be installing sub-frames on my 1974 AMC Javelin AMX. I will be taking my car to DFW frame and alignment to verify my frame is straight first. And, I will be doing a before / after chassis dyno test to verify how much more power is getting to the ground. 

About The Manufacturer:  Who is Control Freak Suspension? The general manager, Al Kahmi, is a fluid dynamics engineer who received all of his suspension training in Formula One, Grand Am Cup and some NASCAR. Control Freak suspension systems have been installed on seventeen Bonneville Salt Flats record speed holders, including Ford and Mopar sponsored vehicles. To date, Control Freak has sold over one thousand nine hundred IFS and multi-link rear systems for Mopar, Ford, GM and AMC vehicles. In Control Freak's hot rod shop, they have built 492 vehicles with two Riddler contenders and two Grand National Roadster Show contenders. Simply put, they KNOW cars and suspension and it's their business to know. So, AMC fans, you can really trust Control Freak that they know what they are doing, the offer "made in America" suspension products and systems backed by professional race proven engineering. They offer the most complete line of aftermarket AMC suspension systems ever! They literally have it all from front / rear IFS to 4-link, forged spindles, drop in rack and pinion steering systems, custom sway bars, custom control arms, sub-frame connectors and much, much more (please see the catalog link in the source section below).

Scott A. Carpenter
North Texas AMC Webmaster & V.P

Sources:
Control Freak Suspensions
Contact: Al Kamhi
1101 Oak Lane, Suite 1031
Winter Springs, FL 32708
407-696-2272
888-325-6462 - Toll Free
407-696-6216 - Fax
www.FreakRide.com
akamhi@freakride.com
www.freakride.com/2011_amc_suspension.pdf - Catalog
www.freakride.com/amx_javelin_subframe_conn.pdf - Instructions
P/N ACC-1800 - 1968-74 Javelins - $199 retail plus shipping
P/N ACC-1805 - 1968-70 AMX - $199 retail plus shipping
P/N ACC-1810 - 1964-1969 American Motors vehicles (except Javelin and AMX)

Bobby Gentry Muffler and Brake Shop, Inc.
Contact: Bobby Gentry
708 S. Locust
Denton, TX 76201
940-566-1440
www.bobbygentrymuffler.com

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