Thread: front suspension plans

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Been doing a bit of studying on a front suspension set up I want to try on the 'maro for sure, and maybe on the '57 too...

On the same design as the 'maro's from '82 to ?? and the Mustang's from '97 to '04 using a lower control arm and a McPherson strut. Playing with the design on a suspension simulator and in the shop on some stuff I mocked up I've discovered that I can really limit the camber gain as compared to a conventional suspension with upper and lower arms. On the Mustang stuff I mocked up, I can eliminate the camber gain going to negative on the inside tire and actually make it go positive....result being bigger tire patch on the ground in hard turns at full suspension compression.... Can't quite get the 'maro stuff to do the same thing, but I can still play with mount points for the lower control arm and strut top yet...

Both the Mustang and Camaro style have coilover conversion kits available to convert the strut to a coilover strut setup, just a sleeve and spring cups. Shop is too crowded to mock things up on a frame so I can put a rack and pinion on it and set up the bump steer fixture, but so far the geometry looks good.

What else should I be checking, and what am I leaving out before I proceed a whole lot farther????

this is what Im using for my project......2003 to 2008 crown vic fron end....comes off in one complete piece including rack and pinion......may be someting else for you to look at.......it measures 34 inches between the rails mounts


Here's what the front piece looks like.
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e3...RatRod/A15.jpg
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e3...RatRod/A16.jpg

Originally Posted by RadRidesByDan

this is what Im using for my project......2003 to 2008 crown vic fron end....comes off in one complete piece including rack and pinion......may be someting else for you to look at.......it measures 34 inches between the rails mounts


Here's what the front piece looks like.
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e3...RatRod/A15.jpg
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e3...RatRod/A16.jpg

I've been through them, way too big and bulky for what I want... friend brought his over, took the coil spring out and hooked up the caster/camber gauge and ran it though it's travel.....way too many changes in camber for what I'm after....

Having been around this Hot Rod stuff so many years, to me the Crown Vic thing is just a modern version of the Camaro/Nova sub frame on anything that was so big in the late 70's, early 80's.....

Hi Dave, you might find this thread from the Brit rodsnsods forum helpful .

making a independant front end

Originally Posted by echnidna

Hi Dave, you might find this thread from the Brit rodsnsods forum helpful .

making a independant front end

Neat stuff, but just another system with upper and lower A-Arms. They work great, I just want something better and lighter...

Way above my head Dave, but I'll watch and learn!

Originally Posted by stovens

Way above my head Dave, but I'll watch and learn!

It's nothing really difficult, just something you haven't learned to do yet.. Guess my favorite part of a build is chassis and suspension, making it work better and weigh less!!! It will be mostly OEM design, just some lighter and stronger components and more adjustability..

This set-up is pretty light & simple.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...Suspension.jpg

Funny you should bring up front suspension Dave, I've kicked around the idea of replacing this with a lower control arm deal. I may have gone too light for occasional street use. I won't be changing it anytime soon, but might sometime down the road. Just depends how the build goes.

Originally Posted by pro70z28

This set-up is pretty light & simple.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...Suspension.jpg

Funny you should bring up front suspension Dave, I've kicked around the idea of replacing this with a lower control arm deal. I may have gone too light for occasional street use. I won't be changing it anytime soon, but might sometime down the road. Just depends how the build goes.

Yeah, same design, just need some heavier components and altered mount points.... If you can visualize a cross between a Strange Strut front and an Asphalt Late Model........ I want the car to be light, fast, and handle like a slot car!

You more than likely have already herd of this for front end stuff but,, My Old Man ran torsion bars out front on Little Six back in the day. It only had a slant six in her but man did that little car move. He held the track record with it running against all the big V-8's until 1971. Then he beet his 5 year standing qualifying lap with his 70 Hemi Challenger

Thought some of bars, ran fast with a bunch of old Mopar's...but positioning them is the trouble, same with the Sprint car type set up. Sure do like your pic of your Dad's car!!!! Ran a couple similar when I first moved from karts to cars but never with a six. The old Modified days of racing were great, if you and a couple friends had decent jobs and went together on a car you could actually afford to race it!!!!

My suspension for the front is in the "virtual" stage right now, all done up and tested on the 'puter. Waiting for time and room in the shop to get back on my own stuff!!!!