The '94-up Mustang platform (SN95) is much stiffer than the old "Fox-body" models, but there is still plenty of flex in that unibody. Stiffening the chassis helps give a more refined feel, makes the car more suitable for high-performance use, and reduces squeaks and rattles. It's also important if you plan to beef up the suspension with new springs and shocks. The best way to start doing this is to tie the car's front and rear subframes together by welding in a couple of long stiff tubes underneath the passenger compartment.

Options are Limited

If you have a '96-up Cobra, your options for subframe connectors are limited unless you do some special modifications. The notorious transmission crossmember brackets sit right under the front frame rails, preventing the installation of most traditional square-tube subs which are supposed to weld to the bottom of those rails. You can cut the subs to fit (leaving a VERY short connector), cut notches into them, or grind off part of the brackets and weld the subs to the remainder. Needless to say, it would be better to get some subs that fit properly in the first place -- some vendors sell Cobra-specific connectors that are shortened to fit, but this didn't seem to be a very good solution.

I was quite pleased when Global West came out with a full-length connector that fits all SN95s, including Cobras, without modifying any part on the car. They mount outboard of the frame rails, not underneath them, thus avoiding any interference. A set cost me $150, plus another $40 for the separate bolt-in seat brackets to which the main tubes are welded during installation -- the final assembly is sort of a super-duper version of the common "double-cross" subs. I passed on the expensive ladder-bar/jacking rail extensions; no need to go into overkill!

When the GWs arrived my first impression was, "these things are BIG!" 58" long, 1 5/8" diameter steel rollcage tubing, about 15 pounds each, powdercoated black. The seat brackets are sturdy enough, but are bare steel; I cleaned and prepped them with two coats each of Rustoleum primer and gloss black before they were bolted in. There are also a couple of steel gussets that provide another welding point at the rear of the front unibody rails; I prepped these as well.

Installation

Subframe installation is a job for a professional. I contacted Jim Whelan of Motion Dynamics (a father-son shop outside Austin specializing in late-model Mustangs, recommended to me by Tommy Regan) to schedule an install. Jim and his son Scott had recently put in some Kenny Brown Extreme subs into Scott's GT, so I was reasonably confident in their ability to handle the Globals. They charged me $160 to do the job.

While the welding took a bit longer than expected, Jim was able to do it right: MIG welding with the car supported by its front control arms and rear axle. The subs fit as advertised -- no altering of any existing part was necessary. They extend from the front bulkhead (about even with the back of the front wheel wells) to the torque-boxes under the door/fender seam. The seat brackets and gussets mated perfectly with the main tubes, giving a total of four welding points per side. The tubes hang about as low as the exhaust near the rear, but there doesn't appear to be any loss of ground clearance.

Impressions

Back on the road, I noticed no difference at first. The car rode just the same as before, and the very minor rattles that I have in the dashboard were still present (to my dismay!). But then I went over a couple of bumps -- now THAT was something! Before, I could feel the car flex slightly and hear a creaking sound when negotiating low-speed obstacles such as driveway entrances and speed bumps. With the subs in, those sensations completely disappeared -- it wasn't until now that I realized how much flex there is with the SN95. I mean, it's a pretty stiff platform to begin with but the subs make it feel like a solid block of metal.

The first time I took out my usual passenger, she commented that the car felt significantly different, as if riding in a more solid enclosure perched on a spongy mount (yes, the stock suspension's shortcomings are more apparent now!). She much preferred the new ride -- we'll see how she reacts when the new springs and shocks are installed. ;-)

I was quite pleased with the work done by Jim and Scott. They take time to do a complete and thorough job, unlike some bigger places that tend to rush things.

Overall, I'm very happy with the Global West subs. They help provide a feeling of quality and strength when driving the car, and there are no apparent drawbacks. It's also reassuring to think that future rattles and squeaks will be lessened with these things keeping the body structure solid. It should be noted that they arrived a little scraped and scuffed from shipping, but it wasn't hard to touch them up.

Other Options

For the ultimate in strength, Griggs Racing sells a pricey "through-the-floor" kit that requires much more labor to install and reduces the room for your rear passengers' feet, but supposedly exceeds the stiffness of any other subframe connector. It may be worth looking into if you're a hard-core racer. Otherwise, I'd say the Globals are unbeatable for strength and relative ease of installation. ANY subframe connector will help, though, so please consider a set, especially if your car will get stiffer springs and shocks.

One other consideration is that if you plan to add a side exhaust kit, you'll have a tough time routing it around most subframes -- as far as I know, only Roush and Griggs have possible off-the-shelf solutions for a subframe connector/side exhaust combo. Otherwise, a custom setup will be required.

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