I have been driving at Willow Springs with my son. He has a 2002 Mustang and I have an '03 S2000. We decided to weld subframe connectors on his car for stability among other things. The shop said that the unibody frame on the Mustang was already torqued from taking the turns so hard.

Does anybody know if subframe connectors are needed on the S2000 to keep it from bending on track and autocross runs?

 

I don't know what a subframe connector is but I also don't know anyone who's added any, and I hang with most of the Cali track junkies.

 

It is a bar that welds the front sub frame to the main body and the rear sub frame. In the Mustang and my 1985 Jag you can unbolt the sub frame and remove it from the rest of the car. Usually the front sub frame would have the front axel, break rotors etc., on it. In a unibody car, like the Mustang, the car can twist and turn and get out of alignment during hard driving, and then you need to have the car, stretched or pulled at a body shop. The sub frame connectors make the car rigid so that it will not twist and turn and then stay in the new position.

 

Cusco makes a "floor reinforcement bar", that is very similar to a subframe connector on a domestic. The S body/chassis is much stiffer than a Fox Body Mustang. They are built completly different. The S's has a lot of chassis reinforcement through the transmission tunnel, and behind the seats, and the cowl.

 

I put subs on my 2003 SVT Cobra - they are necessary because the front and rear subframes were never designed for a 500 HP car, and the torque can twist them and cause bad handling - I have seen frames permanently damaged by not having enough meat undernaeth. But that is in a 1978 design being used ona 2003 car!

The S2000 does not have those problems. However, some have put bracing in the engine cradle area, which does look a little under-whelming in terms of reinforcement. I just bought Ricks X-brace, which looks to me to be the strongest design from a mech eng'g standpoint. It will make the car a bit less compliant, but I think it will have more benefit than a shock tower brace on this car - just no bling bling.