Total Suspension Build

[Bent6]

I did get them from Mark @ SC&C. The Varishocks have a whole lot more adjustabilty and are allegedly much better than the QA1s - not that the QA1s are bad or anything. The Strange shocks are supposedly pretty good as well from what I've heard. QUOTE]


Will, how do the rear shocks attach at the top???? Doesn't look like they bolt on like stock? Mods needed?

Part number for the F-body springs?

The shocks are pretty much a direct bolt in replacement. In the pics I posted of the rears, I didn't have them assembled with the top crossbars.

The springs are Hotchkiss 3rd gen F-body springs PN 1903R or 515-1903R from Jegs. I will caution you on one thing with the springs. These will sit the car down over the tires. You will have to do some serious rolling and/or cutting of the fender lip and trim to clear with a stock width rear end unless you want to use a 4.5"BS wheel which would not look too good IMO. One of the keys on mine was the M9 being narrowed 1/2 inch per side. John - jevans - used a stock width rear but had to cut a good portion of the trim to get it to clear. FWIW.

 

[TR Custom Parts]

Right now I am at 27" from ground to fender lip. Already have the lip trimmed back when I had a Weld Draglite setup with 3.5" backspacing. Now using 15 x 8 wheels with 4" backspace. I am using 79 Mustang springs that have been cut down and the springs have a height of. Something I have always wondered about is when I drop the rear down while frame is mounted on jackstands the springs can actually drop out. Hasn't been an issue for the past 14 years I have it set up this way. Will your setup with those springs do the same thing? Guess you don't really have to worry about it unless you are playing Dukes of Hazzards.

Springs I have measure out at 11" free height btw. Any idea what yours were?

 

[Bent6]

One of the good thins about these springs is that they do not fall out like cut ones. I didn't measure the free height. When installed with the car on the ground, they compress a lot with the bottom 3 or 4 coils stacking up - almost like coil bind. I spoke to Hotchkiss about this and they said it is normal for this spring.

My rear ride height has settled in around 26" and my front is at 24.25". On paper I would have thought that was more of a rake than I wanted but it looks pretty good. I may still raise the front back up a 1/2" or so just for a litte extra clearance. When we went to load it in the trailer to go to the track the other day, it was too low and about ripped off the intercooler scoop. Low points on my car are the scoop and the dump pipe at about 4". I wouldn't go any lower on the rear to avoid having issues with running out of shock/suspension travel.

 

[TR Custom Parts]

One last thing, did you use an isolator at the top of the spring??

 

[DCVING 6]

So Will, which car do you enjoy more.


Seems the guys with heavily modified cars or all out race cars are always telling me they've never had as much fun as when the car was stock or slightly modded.

 

[Bent6]

One last thing, did you use an isolator at the top of the spring??

Yes - a thick urethane isolator - not a stocker. They do affect ride height some.

So Will, which car do you enjoy more.


Seems the guys with heavily modified cars or all out race cars are always telling me they've never had as much fun as when the car was stock or slightly modded.

Funny - I enjoy them both - just in different ways. The race car is ALOT more work to run at the track. It is however a little difficult for me to "work backwards" from a 7sec car to a 9-10sec car. This street car stuff is tricky to make it work on the street AND on the track. I constantly have to remind myself that I'm not trying to build this one into a race car. It is fun to pull up at a red light knowing odds are nothing on the street can touch you! :biggrin:

 

[TurboBuRick]

Some real top notch work there. I am very impressed!

 

[TTnewB]

Man, I sure do like the way your car sits!!!!!!


What a awesome set up, and thanks for showing everyone how this is done. Everything you did is right in my book, wheels, stance, brakes, man, I wish my car sat like that. Thats my goal!!!

Thanks for showing!!!!!!!!

 

[Bent6]

Update............

We got to take the car back out to the track for a little TNT and I thought I'd give an update on the performance of this suspension setup.

Set the front shocks to full loose and the rears to about 10-clicks in on compression and rebound, 18psi in the MT DRs. First pass launching off the footbrake with 8-10psi pulled the fronts and netted a 1.45 60ft. There were several more 60fts in the 1.4x range throughout the night so I know it wasn't a fluke. Needless to say I'm pleased.:biggrin:

A lot of people will tell you that lowering a G-body car will screw up the launch and in some cases that may be true. I realize mine is a little extreme but I like to think this is the correct way to lower a GN. Maybe one day I'll put some low profile rubber on it and see what it'll do in the twisties........

 

[Bent6]

Update............

dbl posted - deleted

 

[DCVING 6]

So how did the rest of the timeslip look?

 

[Bent6]

We had some issues. Car would launch well but would cut out and/or nose over down track. Traced the cutting out to what appears to be a bad 2 -step box. Car ran better but would still nose over just before the traps. I finally just legged it to a 6.90 (1/8th mile track) at 21psi with it sputtering the last half of the run. Loaded up and went home. Turns out the cutting out caused by the 2-step issues fouled the plugs - put a fresh set in and now all is good again. I expect some mid 6s / low 10s out of this engine combo now that I know it'll 60ft.

 

[Bent6]

Update

We took this car to BG this year for a change of pace. A lot of folks say a lowered G-body won't hook worth a crap at the strip. I can't speak for all methods of lowering the ride height but that ain't the case with this one. This car consistently 60 footed in the 1.40 range all weekend launching off the footbrake at about 8-10 psi with the best being a 1.372. This was on MT 275/60 drag radials and not slicks. I was surprised to say the least but I think I found the magic shock settings it likes. We are right at the 9 second door with the best run being a 10.12 at 130 on a 1.37 60ft time. There's more boost to come - we just ran out of time. This car will run a 9 on this suspension!

 

[T-CHRGD]

We took this car to BG this year for a change of pace. A lot of folks say a lowered G-body won't hook worth a crap at the strip. I can't speak for all methods of lowering the ride height but that ain't the case with this one. This car consistently 60 footed in the 1.40 range all weekend launching off the footbrake at about 8-10 psi with the best being a 1.372. This was on MT 275/60 drag radials and not slicks. I was surprised to say the least but I think I found the magic shock settings it likes. We are right at the 9 second door with the best run being a 10.12 at 130 on a 1.37 60ft time. There's more boost to come - we just ran out of time. This car will run a 9 on this suspension!

I never doubted, Will. :biggrin:

 

[GNBRETT]

This car consistently 60 footed in the 1.40 range all weekend

Seems like everyone was hooken well. They must have really prepped that track. So close to the 9's. Congrats Will.

 

[jevans]

Very nice outing Will...Your car runs as good as it looks. I wish you would have had another pass or two, you would have definitely been in the nines...

1.30's footbraking is Awesome...

 

[Bent6]

Thanks guys. You can see how well the suspension transfers the weight in these two photos. I didn't even try to launch off the trans brake since it was working so well off the foot brake.