Charlie,
I'm not sure how you got the impression that I was having "issues". My front suspensions currently works great but as anything on these cars it has a lot of room for improvement. The reason I'm mixing manufacturers is because I believe different designs have pros and cons to each.
This should probably be a different thread but if you want to know why I'm mixing and matching I'll explain. I like the SPC uppers because of the adjustability they offer, no other control arms that I've seen match that and they work perfect with the ATS spindle. I went for the ATS spindle because of the tall design affording me better camber gain, better hub design, and a variety of brake options that are more cost effective than any of the current kits available for the front of our cars. Now I'm interested in gaining more Caster and keeping the wheel centered in the wheel well for clearance and upgrading my springs and shocks. It's my understanding that both the ridetech and SPC LCA's move the pickup point forward to get you an additional 1 degree and better center the wheel in high caster applications. Now, I like how the SPC's allow the use of conventional or coil over springs but I really like how the Ridetech's have a lowered coilover mount to give us more room to keep the coilovers from bottoming out. This is where I went to talk to Scot and see if the pickup points on the ride tech arms are different than that of the SPC's. If it's the same or very close I plan on buying the Ridetechs with their coilovers... Pretty simple right?
Paul
Kinda simple Paul. The issue is, you're wanting something that was designed as a complete kit to be used with a stock steering knuckle, and adding 2 parts that weren't intended to work with them. If something's designed to work together as a kit you'll be much happier with the kit as a whole rather than piecing things together. If you're interested in a wider front track I know that you can adapt a set of A/B body front arms to a G body and move the front track out almost 6" which will make it handle much better.
Parts are also a lot less expensive so you could experiment a little
Yes, that's what he does.
In case you weren't aware, suspension companies don't make all their own parts. Very few make their own springs, or swaybars, and many other parts. They call out their specs, and have a big spring company, or a big swaybar company, or another manufacturer, make the part and put Their sticker on it.
It really is no different than calling out specs for a kit, and picking the parts (Yes, from different manufacturers) that work great together.
I would really be interested in seeing that rebuilt motor, with the FelPro gaskets, FelPro bearings, FelPro pistons...........
That's the only way it will work, right?
Um....you did know that Federal Mogul owns most of the companies you tried not to mention on the gaskets and bearings, right?
Looks like one company does in fact make the parts you were mentioning, but it's done by divisions of the parent company, not by different companies that have nothing other than the fact that they made parts differently for the same car.
I'd really like to see the testing facilities that Marcus has developed himself for testing all the parts that he's developing or designing. I'd bet it's a really advanced machine facility and test track.
Now in comparison, the guys at Felpro actually take the factory designs (gaskets) and either make them for the OE manufacturer or do a slight re-design and then test said parts in their facilities. If I remember right, Felpro, and Buick division of GM, worked together to make the gaskets for the Buick Indy cars, and Felpro did the testing before GM got to do some testing themselves.
While Marcus
may have found parts that will fit the same car and do a specific job, they're not matched together for that purpose, except by Marcus. No one, including the manufacturer, match those parts together, which should tell you something.
I believe Hotchkiss and Ridetech are the only ones currently making complete "kits" for a GM metric midsize car. If someone else is making a complete kit by themselves I'd really like to know about it.
Now I'm just a simple mechanic with an AAS in Auto Service Technology (Hell yes, I'm a Texas AGGIE!!! GO A&M!!!!!) in addition to 274 hours in mechanical engineering, education, and Engineering management college classes, so I'm sure my 32 years in the automotive service industry don't mean much, but I did start out in SCCA GT1 Corvettes and ended up in FF 1600 cars so I'm sure I've absorbed something on chassis and steering set up.
