Handling upgrade

[CFMopar]

Hey guys & gals.

Been out of the scene for a while now. Car has been sitting in garage since I've gotten married, kids, house etc etc...

Gotten to the point where I'm close to working on it again and looking for some advice.

Planning to redo the whole car since most of the work I've done was while I was in my teens / early 20's and the power of hindsight has shown me a lot of the things I could've done better. Currently I'm making a list of various things I want to upgrade and the rough cost associated with them.

One thing I'd like to do is a suspension upgrade. A lot of kits have been developed over the years and I'm wondering if anyone uses any of them?

I was looking at the systems offered by QA1. They seem nice but for the price, but to go with essentially a stock torsion bar system it seems like a lot. Has anyone tried the Alterktion coil over conversion or any others?

Should specify intentions for the car. Would like to do the occasional autocross / road race course. Something like the NFLD targa or something one day.

[303 Mopar]

How are you planning to use and drive your car?  If just messing around on the street, the QA1/MagnumForce/enter a name here modified suspensions are overkill and you would be better off putting that money some place else.  I would suggest:
- Bilstein Shocks front and rear
- PST/Hotchkis big torsion bars
- Larger front sway bar
- Hotchkis rear sway bar
- Sub-frame connectors
- FirmFeel Stage III steering box
- Upgrade your brakes to at least front discs
- New bushings all around
- Wheels and tires??

[CFMopar]

Hey thanks for the reply.

I realized I never mentioned my intentions with the car and updated it while you were probably typing your response.

Also the Car already has sub frame connectors and a six point cage and front disc.

[HPP]

For just a cruiser or casual autocross day, any of the kits from Hotchkis or Firm Feel can really step up the performance while looking stock, not costing a fortune, and allowing upgrades to be done gradually.

If you are talking about autocross or road racing, are you intending to get into class specific competition that has a rule set you have to work within or simply the run what you brung open class stuff like SCCA CAM or NASA HPD or Timetrial courses? If the former, then rules will dictate what can be done. If the latter, then the sky's the limit and the old adage of speed costs, how fast do you want to go will apply.

[CFMopar]

Ok so lets do it like this then.

Has anyone used either QA1's level 3, Alterktion coil over conversion, or magnumforce's coil over conversion? They're all roughly in the same ball park price wise.

[HPP]

I'm not trying to be difficult, just trying to help you dial in what you want.

Suspensions have become like engines, they can be a bottomless pit of spending.  If you plan on being competitive in the unlimited world of no rules autocross, plan on spending north of $10k per end of the car to be in the fight. None of the companies you have listed are bringing it to these types of competitions and you will need to  go to someone like Ron Sutton or some other specialty fabricator. Does that mean the ones you listed aren't capable, no, they are very good, but they are still not over the top enough, nor have any mopar guys taken the challenge of  pushing this envelope to put them on the map in the unlimited stuff going on now.

IMO, the biggest advantage of ANY of the coil over systems is the ability to quickly change springs rates to adapt to different courses. They also offer lighter weight, up to 100# less,  and slightly improved geometry. Stock Mopar geometry was way ahead of its competitors of the day and still isn't bad now. The biggest shortcoming of the stock system is the lack of caster and road feel, but there are ways to overcome this now. So if you will be changing suspension  to best suite each competitive venue, the coil over systems will get you there the easiest. If you are a set it and forget it kind of guy, you can achieve 95% of what they offer for half the cost with  Hotchkis or Firm Feel. I say this because when you purchase a coil over system, they will ask you a bunch of questions about your set up and usage and will send you a set of springs with recommended shock and alignment setting and provide one free spring change if you  don't like the results. By contrast, many guys with a stock set up simply assume it is incapable without actually stepping up spring rates, sway rates, or shock rates or don't dig into that it would take to get it there and adjust accordingly. Tires don't care about what spring system is putting them to the pavement. They simply reacted with the components they are attached to.

Now, one place the coil over systems really have it over stock stuff is that they appear impressive, can be polished up to look great, and will blow away the casual observer with what you have.

Additionally, if you want to run local autocross in CAM classes or Performance track day events or the occasional bracket day at the dragstrip, these systems do give you some adjustability to do them all somewhat well if you are willing to tinker with them.

[garner7555]

I have a mixture of parts on my car.  I have not been able to test drive yet, but everything has been great quality.  The QA1 stuff is top notch.   
QA1 -   k frame, lower control arms, front sway bar, Strut bars
PST-     1.03 Torsion bars, Steering linkage
Magnum Force-   upper control arms
Borgeson-   steering box
Hotchkis -   lowering leaf springs
Summit -     rear sway bar

[375instroke]

Are you cutting this car up into a real race car, and willing to push it hard enough to risk wrecking it?  Are you willing to put parts on the car that won't even last to the end of one race?  Is this going to remain a street legal car, or be driven on the street in any way?

[Kern Dog]

How are you planning to use and drive your car?  If just messing around on the street, the QA1/MagnumForce/enter a name here modified suspensions are overkill and you would be better off putting that money some place else.  I would suggest:
- Bilstein Shocks front and rear
- PST/Hotchkis big torsion bars
- Larger front sway bar
- Hotchkis rear sway bar
- Sub-frame connectors
- FirmFeel Stage III steering box
- Upgrade your brakes to at least front discs
- New bushings all around
- Wheels and tires??

This is excellent advice.  Upgrading the stock setup with reasonably priced, well sorted aftermarket stuff gives you factory durability with great performance.