One Supplier or Mix and Match?

[Chappy74]

I am building a 74 Charger SE. It is the first car I ever owned, finally building it up 24 years later! Want to update suspension to make it handle better. Don't need to go as far as a tubular k member etc, but I am willing to spend 2-4000 dollars to make sure it handles well.

My question is does it pay to buy everything from one supplier, or do I mix and match components? I like that Firm Feel has all of the components I need to do my suspension the way I want, but when I look at prices for some of their items it seems like I can get many of those parts cheaper from places like PST. Don't want to be cheap about it, but don't need to buy all items from Firm Feel if items from other suppliers are good quality, cheaper, and will work well in conjunction with parts I need to get from them.

Opinions? Thoughts? Any advice on what to do and not to do to make my car handle well. It will be a street car, 500hp 470 efi stroker, 5 speed, fun to just get in and drive anywhere car.

[JB400]

Considering that most companies do a lot of R & D on their parts, it's best to stick with the same company on thier suspension parts unless you know that one company offers a particular part that is far superior to the corresponding part that it replaces with that particular system.  Stick with the same supplier.



Welcome to the group

[BrianShaughnessy]

You don't need tubular K frames or anything...  but $2K - $4K the first consideration is what size wheels and tires are you gonna run... that'll be the biggest difference right there.      New torsion bars and bigger sway bars also.   

[Chappy74]

That was $2-4000 just on suspension. Should be enough to beef up what I have I would think, and if its not, I will spend more. Want to run 17 or 18 inch rims. Haven't decided which ones yet (such a hard decision). I know that brakes etc. will be more cost, but my 2-4000 budget is just suspension, nothing else.

Suggestions?

[BrianShaughnessy]

You can blow $2K on wheels and tires easy...   and you can spend $2K on brakes also ... or more.

Both are integral to how the suspension can be built.   

[Chappy74]

Wheels will be something in a 17 or 18 X 8, with a nice grippy tire, probably the Nitto 555. Rear will be wider, but still in a 17 or 18 inch, with a tire matching the front.

Brakes will be Wilwood 6 piston, with a 13 or 14 inch rotor on the front. Will be disc in the back, just don't know which size yet.

Again, things like wheels and brakes are seperate costs to the 2-4000 i'm willing to spend on the suspension. Just looking for help and suggestions on the suspension components. Not a lot of people have info on the 73-74 setups they have, so I'm trying to make the best decisions I can.

Thanks for any help I can get.

[HPP]

First and foremost is make sure all your hard parts are in good condition. Things like ball joints, tie rod ends and bushings need to be up to snuff before anything else can be improved. For simplicity sake I've usually bought all these as a kit froma single vendor. If  you want to price compare on everything and piecemeal it, that is possible to and since these are the basics of the system, it won't be a big difference. Some swear by Moog, I've had good luck with over the counter stuff from parts stores and I've also picked up kits from PST. Consider this part to be around $500

Obviously wheel and tires are a big part of the formula, but since you ahven't nailed that down, we won't get into them here.

For many owners, the Chrysler factory style over assist is annoying. You can replace the steering box with a Firm Feel unit to eliminate this aspect, but if your original box is in good condition, you don't necessarily need to do this. Steering feel doesn't necessarily improve handling, but may alter your comfort level, so this change is a personal call. $500 for this change.

The foundation for good handling is a solid foundation, so subframe connectors and other stiffening devices will not only reduce flex, but allow the suspension to better do its job. These also have the side effect of reduces squeaks, creaks, groans, and rattles and allow door and window seals to better seal things up. These updates can run for $20 to a few hundred depending on source.

Since you have a 74, there are some unique parts you will also want to look at. The isolation bushings your car has provide ride comfort, which aren't at the top of the handling list. Replace these with urethane or aluminum to further firm things up. This will run around $350 if you include the rear cross member mounts too, $600 if you update te erear leaf spring mounts too.

Certainly stepping up the t-bars and s-bars are a big benefit. 40 year old suspension parts were soft to begin with and age makes them even more so. The '74 has a longer t-bars than previous generations, so of course these cost more, figure $350 minimum. Bigger sway bars also help out a bunch over the puny stock units. Careful shopping can net these for around $150 front and $200 rear, otherwise figure around $350 each for newer tubular style ones with adjustability.

Shocks are a big deal and are the heart of hte suspension system. buy as much shock as you are willing to pay out more as cheaping out here can make a good system behave badly. Bilsteins or QA1. Figure $400 for a set. your choices here are also dependant upon if you change out the iso-clamp stuff on the rear. Front, you're kind of stuck with what you have unless you get into control arm modifications.

Tubular upper control arms are not high on my list of upgrades. They don't do a lot other than provide additional caster. But this is where your 74 may have an advantage with a wider range of adjustments over earlier cars. Only add them if you really want to spend the bucks on them. Good ones can run $400 to $600 a pair.

Finally once its all together is the alignment. If you do all eeh work above and then put a stock alignment under it, everything was for naught. OEM alignment specs were for skinny bias ply tires. Radials will tolerate more aggressive settings and can transform your car's feel. Try for as much positive caster as possible, up to 5*. Get zero to -.5* camber. Total toe in should be .0625  in inches not degrees.  Figure $100 here.


All told, depending o na few choices along the way, you are in the upper $2000 to upper $3000 range for all that.

[Chappy74]

Thanks very much for that informative post. It will help me a lot.

[garner7555]

I am rebuilding the suspension on my 69 now and I mixed and matched parts. I don't know if that is the right choice or not, but I want the most bang for my buck when possible. Here is what I used:
1.03 front T bars from PST, magnum force upper control arms, I welded stiffening plates on the lower control arms, large addco front sway bar, stage 3 steering box from steer and gear, the rest of the front suspension I replaced with new factory or new polyurethane parts.
On the rear I used Hotchkis lowering leaf springs, polyurethane bushings, large adjustable sway bar from summit
I know you asked about suspension but make sure you stiffen up the chassis as much as possible too.

Once again, I may have went the wrong direction by mixing and matching, but I did save money over using a single company's package deal. 

Good luck on your decision

[dangina]

i mixed and matched only because hotchkis didnt have a tvs package for the 71-74 bbody. They have one right now and expect the kit for spring, its beneficial to buy the kit as like mentioned before the company spend all of the R&D into it to get the perfect balance for that specific vehicle. I hink i spent 4500 including 13" viper brakes on the front and 12" cobra calipers on the rear as well as mix and matching all of my suspension compnents,