Opinions Front Suspension.... CUSTOM

[Blown70]

Ok, Some have seen the front of my car.  Other have not so I am attaching a picture.  Now this was set for Drag Racing ONLY.  The current Front coil over struts will NOT work on the street.  (just not enough brake)  They are strange coil overs.

So, OPINIONS AND OPTIONS and thoughts. PLEASE.....

Below is a link to a "street rod" front by Alston Chassis works.  OPINIONS?

http://www.cachassisworks.com/download/catalog_cac_vol14_71-105.pdf  (look at page 10) it is a PDF file.

Thanks in advance for your time.

[Chryco Psycho]

Check with these guys http://www.redtopspeedshop.com/
they are desiging a road race front suspesion system , either that or we need to get together & design our own system
the Alston system looks like the ever popualr Mustang II design , Strange has it as well

[Blown70]

Check with these guys http://www.redtopspeedshop.com/
they are desiging a road race front suspesion system , either that or we need to get together & design our own system
the Alston system looks like the ever popualr Mustang II design , Strange has it as well

Well I am open to any ideas chryco,  I just thought the 2x4 on page 10 would be the best for what I have? Please I am open to anythoughts.  Again, I was looking at ease os just welding the frame to what I already have.  What is needed for my own system....  YOU MAKING A TRIP TO FARGO?   

Thanks for your input.

Tom

[Johnny SixPack]

And there's also Reilly Motor Sports' Alter'K'tion unit.

https://www.reillymotorsports.com/store/product.php?productid=16144&cat=255&page=1

Finally!

Competition for parts to go fast in more than just a straight line.

[Blown70]

And there's also Reilly Motor Sports' Alter'K'tion unit.

https://www.reillymotorsports.com/store/product.php?productid=16144&cat=255&page=1

Finally!

Competition for parts to go fast in more than just a straight line.

While I appreciate the input if you look I HAVE NO K-FRAME, those from what I understand are made to bolt to where the K frame bolts.  This is why I attached the picture.   Although maybe I just did that for fun.

Tom

[Johnny SixPack]

I keep forgetting yours was radically modified, Tom. 

So that means even the XV Level II stuff wouldn't be enough, right?

http://www.xvmotorsports.com/engineering/suspension_xvsuspensions.cfm

[Blown70]

I keep forgetting yours was radically modified, Tom. 

So that means even the XV Level II stuff wouldn't be enough, right?

http://www.xvmotorsports.com/engineering/suspension_xvsuspensions.cfm

I cannot open the link here at the house.  RADICALLY MODIFIED  Yea, um to say the least.  Its ok.... seriously I do apprectiate any input to this little MAJOR project.

Thanks for looking and posting the links.

Tom

[Chryco Psycho]

the system on Pg 10 is what I was lookin at , it is Mustwang II based , simple light & strong all in 1 piece , not sure if you can get brakes bigger thran 10" now though
Fargo is a bit out o fthe way when heading to Vegas , man if I didn`t have to make a living & pay bills the stuff I could create 

[Silver R/T]

im looking forward to one of those

[RallyeMike]

The RedTop system sound neat, but it looks like its also a K-frame bolt on.

There are lots of systems out there like (above), AlterKation, multiple Mustang II manufacturers, etc. They will all require some frame rails to be fabricated from 2x4 tubing or similar. I don't think too many people here have enormous experience with street-rod custom subframes and aftermarket independent suspensions, so you might want to poke around some more knowledgeable places to get a more varied response.

[Mike DC]

   
I think most of the aftermarket systems are way too fragile & maxed-out for most of the cars they end up being bolt into.  (I mean, I've seen cars with tight-ass aftermarket steering/control arms and then a stock unibody with no frame connectors. WTF?)

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The Magnum Force setup seems mainly useful for a drag-racer to dump front-end weight.  I don't see a whole lot else to like about it now that you can get a rack & pinion steering setup without it.

The AlterKtion setup looks well-done (especially considering how much they accomplished without cutting anything on the car).  But it's basically still getting the job done by limiting half the suspension travel and most of the bushing play. 

         

[Chryco Psycho]

even alter-k-tion doesn`t have a sway bar

[Mike DC]

even Alter-k-tion doesn't have a sway bar

Interesting.  I looked at a bunch of specifics about the AlterKtion setup and never even noticed that baseline problem.  (Maybe they're assuming you're gonna run an aftermarket one anyway?)

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It's been said by others before, and I agree:

90% of the customers who want the aftermarket front suspention setups would probably be better off just getting a nice rack/pinion steering conversion, slightly upgraded swaybars at both ends, and a decent stock rebuild on the bushings & ball joints. 

         

[Blown70]

even alter-k-tion doesn`t have a sway bar

Hey Chryco,  on the order form you can add this.  I had looked at them prior, Pretty sure you had two options .75 or 1.125?  They are extra cost.

Tom

[Chryco Psycho]

good to know
I would not convert without a sway bar

[Bobs69]

I never noticed the absence of a sway bar either.  Thanks for the info.  All things said tho, I'd loke to redo my front suspension, and drop the ride hieght.  So I'd need dropped spindles.  Having said that, after I but everything I need, would the cost be close to that of an alterktion kit?  I really want to lower the stance, but I also want it to be tighter.  I thought having the alterktion would be great, figured it would get stiffer and lower at the same time.  If I get the 2 or 2.5 inch dropped spindles, and crank up a brand new set of heavy torsion bars, would I be back at the starting point again?

[suntech]

Alterktion does have sway bar, so has the Magnumforce, but not in the base kit. Extra money to get it. XV has it in the kit.

Why not make a piece of framerail/ bracketery to fit one of these systems? Would think that would be easier than building something almost from scratch, and the K mamber that comes with these kits would hold your front together to.

[Blown70]

Alterktion does have sway bar, so has the Magnumforce, but not in the base kit. Extra money to get it. XV has it in the kit.

Why not make a piece of framerail/ bracketery to fit one of these systems? Would think that would be easier than building something almost from scratch, and the K mamber that comes with these kits would hold your front together to.

Umm if you are speaking of my car anything is going to be a lot of work..... SEE PHOTO in top pic

[suntech]

Hmmmmmm!!!
If you are going to make this into a street/ road car, i would get a set of framerails and an aftermarket complete front suspention. Leave the upper tubes on there, and direct them down to the new framerails. Then you woulnt need inner fenders. And ofcause subframe connectors. But you are right........ everything will be a lot of work!!!!

[Mike DC]

 

Blown70:

The first thing that comes to mind is an aftermarket K-frame.  Of course.  But are you talking about a street-driven car?  That's intended to be drag car, and the handling isn't a big priority, but it needs to be steet-durable? 


I think the stock front end setup actually seems like a good balance of suspension travel & geometry for your needs.  Lotsa wheel travel, geometry is decent even by modern standards, it's pretty durable with rubber bushings, etc. 

But the actual stock assembly-line parts are probably heavier than you want, and you probably wanna eliminate the torsion bars for header/engine clearance, right?   

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If I was in your shoes, I think I might try to weld together a combination of the stock front end geometry/design, but use some of these recent aftermarket parts to dump the weight. 

Like maybe run that new aftermarket stock-style K-frame and LCAs that are fabricated out of tubular steel, but then add some coilovers (onto the stock-style LCAs) rather than the stock torsion bar setup. 

There are already some stock-replacement tubular UCA's being sold.  To run those, you'd just need to weld on a small chunk of the shock-tower areas off a stock B-body Mopar to get the stock UCA mounting points onto your car's front end above the K-frame.  (The muscle-era Mopar NASCARs' tubular front ends were done this way all the time.)

   


The stock steering setup setup isn't preferred, although it can be helped in a few different ways.  Aftermarket rack & pinions are out there (but shop carefully). 

If you didn't mind keeping the 40-pound stock power steering box on the car, those boxes & linkages can be rebuilt for a much tighter feel.   

[Blown70]

Mike,  I traded get this car in this shape.  I am not by any means a BIG racer..... I have found an artmorrison front that would work with what is exisiting. However, would most certainly handle like a DRUNK ELEPHANT... well not too bad as I can pick up the front end of the car by MYSELF... she is very light.  But then maybe not durable enough for the street that way.

May ideas, options, etc. exist.  Just what one to do with what I have.......  I have listed if for sale but one would want an almost finished drag car......

THANKS FOR THE IMPUT!! and yes I have thought of doing the UPPPER and LCA, if you look at some of the morrison and Alston chassis works fronts they possibly could be used.


Tom

[racecharger]

That locks a little like mine!!

Cant help you with the front end.
But I would love to see some more pictures of that car
Nice project

[Blown70]

That locks a little like mine!!

Cant help you with the front end.
But I would love to see some more pictures of that car
Nice project

Wanna trade..... hehehe. I can email you some if you want.  I jsut wish the frame rails were there but I guess I will have to make do somehow.  Just not sure which direction to go yet.... it has been some time.

Tom

[racecharger]

Yes mail me some pictures!! 

Maby I will be thrown out of here now but why not a compleat Chevy subframe Whit a crate 572 engine?

[Blown70]

Yes mail me some pictures!! 

Maby I will be thrown out of here now but why not a compleat Chevy subframe Whit a crate 572 engine?

Well anything I do will be based on some sort of coil-over front suspension.....   Uless I want to pull the front off a car and start this thing over.... 

I will attach photos here.