Total Suspension Build

[novaderrik]

I checked SC&C website Savitske Classic & Custom and they say I would need adjustable upper control arms for allignment issues if I go with Howe ball joints. I think I will just go with the 5658 springs and cross my fingers.

why would you need adjustable upper arms if you use taller balljoints to lower the car and not if you lower it with springs? is it because of where the upper and lower earms are in relation to each other?

 

[Bent6]

What wheels are you going to run? Also what size did you get on the aerospace brakes? I have almost everything you have minus the rear in my next to purchase in the next month or so. I think I'm going to hit up the wilwood fronts and get the aerospace rears since wilwood doesn't make a rear that will fit the stock t-type wheels. Or just get the aerospace all around.Anyways great post.

The Aerospace brakes I have are 11.75" rotors on all 4 corners. I was limited in rotor size as I want to be able to use my 15" big n skinnies when at the track. I was going to use Wilwood but the only brake they make for the stock spindle uses a 10.75" rotor. You can go bigger with a spindle change but I wasn't interested in that as it changes a lot of other aspects. There is a Wilwood rear kit using something like a 12.19" rotor but then you've got bigger brakes on the back than the front which is never a good idea on a car that primarily sees street duty.

why would you need adjustable upper arms if you use taller balljoints to lower the car and not if you lower it with springs? is it because of where the upper and lower earms are in relation to each other?

The tall BJs increase the space between the upper and lower contol arms - this is how they acheive the lowering effect. One problem with this is that the control arms end up being closer to level and this puts the ball joints close to binding at ride height and really binds them up when hitting a large bump which can lead to breakage. The other issue is that any time a car is lowered whether by springs, BJs, spindles, etc., the alignment changes. The main benefit of the adjustable UCAs is just that - they are adjustable. The factory and even most of the aftermarket tubular UCA use shims to adjust the alignment and then they still leave a lot of camber issues to deal with. With these type UCAs, aligment is accomplished with the adjusters like most all modern vehicles instead of shiming everything to get it as close as possible. The adjustable LCAs have spacers in the spring pocket that can be added and/or removed in 1/2" increments to allow fine tuning of the ride height without cutting springs. While my main objective was to properly lower the car and have the adjustablity for street and strip, the overall setup using UCAs, LCAs, tall ball joints, double-adj shocks along with the Eibach springs should bring the handling of the car into the 21st century and be able to run with a Vette in the corners with the proper tires!

If anyone wants more information than they can handle on g-body suspensions, call Mark at SC&C - the guy definitely knows his stuff!

 

[Boost231]

The arowspace 11 3/4 will clear the stock T wheels right? Also how is the arrowspace stuff compared to the wilwood setup? Can you pm me how much cal charged you for them so I can order them. Also did you get. The braided brake lines from cal?

 

[Bent6]

I've got both Wilwood and Aerospace on my race car and have never had issues with either one. If you want big road racing style brakes then Wilwood is the way to go. This is my first set of Aerospace street brakes so we will see. They are supposed to clear 15" wheels although I can't say for certain about stock wheels. I am making my own braided lines. Call Holly at Hartline Performance for pricing.

 

[Boost231]

Did you get your vari shocks from sc&c? I still haven't decided on shocks yet but plan on getting them on the 15th. How do these compare to the QA1's or the strange? I know you got the dual adjustables I was looking at the singles. Also did your front disk brakes come with studs for the rotors? Thanks for all the help as for some reason you bought all the stuff I'm going to buy in a few weeks.

 

[karolko]

Will, off topic but what times did you get out of that billet 67 (or is it billet 66?) at the track???

e.t.
60'
mph?

Adrian

 

[Bent6]

Did you get your vari shocks from sc&c? I still haven't decided on shocks yet but plan on getting them on the 15th. How do these compare to the QA1's or the strange? I know you got the dual adjustables I was looking at the singles. Also did your front disk brakes come with studs for the rotors? Thanks for all the help as for some reason you bought all the stuff I'm going to buy in a few weeks.

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. Studs are included with the brakes.

Will, off topic but what times did you get out of that billet 67 (or is it billet 66?) at the track???

The powermonster failed just as I got home last time I had this car at the track - what started out as a brake upgrade has turned into this. All I can tell you is it ran something like a 7.14 @100mph in the 1/8th, 1.69 60ft on MT 16" DRs launching at 1-2#s and 19-20#s down track. Once I get this phase done I can launch it off the Tbrake and crank up the boost to the 28# range where this turbo needs to be. It's got a whole lot more in it. Judging by the first outing with only 19#s, it's going to haul - AND STOP!

 

[Bent6]

Some updates to the project.

Out with the OLD

Stock Rear End Assembly

HEAVY Stock Front Components

In With The NEW

New M9 Rear End Housing Mocked Up

Rear Axles Mock Up

Rear Shocks Mock Up

Spindles modified for new brakes

M9 Housing, swaybar, spindles back from powdercoating

 

[Bent6]

Front Suspension Assembly Begins complete with double adjustable Vari-shocks that finally showed up after a 1 month backorder............

Big props to Ronnie (rmar here on the boards) for doing the powdercoating! Check him out at Centralia Industrial Powder Coat, Inc.

 

[charlief1]

Looking good but I'm waiting for you to get everything together so I can see how well it works.

 

[jevans]

Look'n Good Will...Clean Install...Definitely waiting to see the frontend all together...

-John-

 

[turboc87gn]

...

 

[JOHNDEEREGN]

I wanna see the garage queen itself

 

[Bent6]

Look'n Good Will...Clean Install...Definitely waiting to see the frontend all together...

-John-

Thanks John - it's all coming together unbelievably smooth so far.

You know I blame you for most of this!

 

[Bent6]

I wanna see the garage queen itself

Ask and you shall receive. You've already seen up her skirt. Good thing she's not shy!

These are a few years old - right after I installed the Eibach springs - they settled in a little lower than these pics. Engine pic is current complete with new 6765 billet wheel turbo. The coolest part of this upgrade project will be the adjustability of the suspension for ride height as well as compression and rebound dampening. I hope to be able to have my cake and eat it too - street settings and then with a few clicks on the shocks be able to go to the track and hang 'em out with good 60ft times. Still has the original 20year old paint.

 

[Squid4life]

WOW, Beautiful car! Very impressive!

 

[Boost231]

Did the shocks come with the lower shock bolts that bolt into the rearend? By the way looking good.

 

[Boost231]

Also does the lower fronts have holes for the endlinks?

 

[jevans]

Thanks John - it's all coming together unbelievably smooth so far.

You know I blame you for most of this!

Peer Pressure...It Sucks...

Sometimes it's hard to "Just Say No"

-John-

 

[Bent6]

Did the shocks come with the lower shock bolts that bolt into the rearend? By the way looking good.

I believe they did - can't remember for sure.

Also does the lower fronts have holes for the endlinks?

Yes - just don't have them installed yet in the photos.

Peer Pressure...It Sucks...

Sometimes it's hard to "Just Say No"

-John-

I'd be willing to be you'll be re-doing your front suspension this winter! :biggrin:


Hope to have it back on the ground Wed or Thursday of this week.