Thread: What to do? New Rear-end and Tires

Tweet

I have an 87' Firebird and I just have the stock rear end and I would like to up grade to somithing I could use Mainly for Drag Racing And a couple trips to town every now and then with out having to get one of those comp. engineering frame kits. What could I replace with some performance part and maybe add like some kind of 4-link or somithin. Also I bought some new wheels 14-6 for the front and 15-10 for the back Im gettin some 295-50-15's for the back what should I get for the front?

With out knowing the HP or skill level you have, I would sugjest a posi unit and 411 gears (or better) & some chassis tuning can make a huge difference from stock. Don't jack up the back end.

Paul

Mini Tubs, frame connectors and a 4 or 6 point cage will tie the car together nicely. A narrowed 9" Ford would be almost bulletproof behind it, Currie and Moser make them with the bird brakcets allready installed. Rather then all the adjustment nitemares inherent with an unequal length 4 bar drag race setup, how about some housing floaters and a set of 30" or 32" ladder bars?

WOW somebody accualy replied Well Its got a small block 350 And plan on making that motor push out as much hp as that little motor can



Thanx

I would try Cal Track bars first. Their easy to install and work great. You could go to a ladder bar set up like my car, however alot more money and time sub-framing the car, cutting out the rear floor pan at passenger foot area, coil overs and so on. We have cars running 6.03 - 6.50 in the 1/8 on them. I dont think your putting out that much power with the 350 that you need the ladder bars yet.

I was doing some measuring on my '82 Camaro the other day, which is much the same underneath as your '87... With a bit of trimming on the inner fenderwells, the 9.5 wide IROC wheels will fit in there just fine, with some very careful measuring of the backspacing, a 10" wheel should fit.

On any 87 with the torque arm being the only upper link and going to the transmission, and just the short lower arms you do have a few options. On Joe's Camaro, we put a set of UMI lower arms and torque arm in, along with their Frame ties. It's a very nice setup, and should work great. Unfortunately the car won't be on the streets til spring so at this time I can't tell you just how well it will work. My Camaro will be getting a 9" rear, coilovers, and a triangulated 4 bar. Using a triangulated 4 bar will require loosing the back seat and adding a 6 point roll bar with some bracketry to tie the upper arm brackets into the bars and tub.... UMI and numerous other companies make adjustable lower arms and a torque arm and mount that moves the forward attachment point of the torque arm from the transmission to the crossmember, this could be another option.... If you want to see their stuff, check out sales@umiperformance.com. They are heavy duty parts and built quite well with polyurethene rod ends which IMO are much better then heim ends for a street car....