Thread: Light, fast, and hopefully controllable!!!!!!!

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I was just killing some time today and went out in the lean to and was looking over my Bronco II body (with the 3" chop and laid back windshield).

Anyway, I've figured out how to stretch the wheel base out to 96" - 98" with some relocation work on the wheel openings. I've got the body all cross braced and solid, floor is cut out and gone. I'll be building a moly tube chassis, 1 5/8" x .083 wall complete with full cage.

Front suspension will be a modified version of a late model Mustang strut type, the rear is where I'm concerned......which is going to give me the best control and handling? 4 bar, triangulated 4 bar, composite leaf spring and Ladder bar, or ladder bar and coilover??

As usual, I'll be putting in way too much horsepressure and of course a 5 or 6 speed manual transmission. This will be a streetable car with the obligatory outings at the drag strip (mostly on grudge race nights). Estimating the structural and component weights I've come up with a dry weight estimate of 2200 pounds. Of course I also want it to handle like a go-cart and put down 60' times like a Super Gas car!!!!

Which, in your opinion and please a "why" with it, would you go for on the rear suspension?

This one is still in the scheming and dreaming stage, so I won't bother with a build thread on it until I actually start putting the tubing on the chassis table!!!!!

PS----Don't bother telling me I'm crazy to do a build like this, my sanity or lack of it has been established years ago!!!!!!

well if you want it to go straight(dragrace) 4 link, if you want to road race(turn corners) probably the triangulated 4 bar

no ladder bars as they are always in a bind--but coilovers in any case and I would mont them directly on the housing above the axle centerline so the spring rates are easy to calculate as they will work with only allowances made for the tilt angle---------

I have to agree (mostly) with Jerry. 4 bar with a Watts Link. Perfectly centered and fully adjustable!

Four bar works great for drag racing and on the street... The right stabilizers and shocks should make the handling good, also. Only thing, a short wheelbase with a hard hitting 4 bar and get a bit twitchy on the street. I've got pieces made for an adjustable triangulated 4 bar for the 'Maro, anxious to get that suspension together and see how it works, too!!!!!

Dave,
I'd vote for coil overs and a triangulated 4 bar for the best of both worlds. If you were going strip only then a 4-bar with panhard, or even better a watts link would make more sense. I believe that the geometry of the triangulated linkage will give you better, more adjustable handling for auto-cross style performance.

Did some plotting and rough drawings.....giving some thought to backing off on the angle of the upper bars, then putting a Watts link on besides???? Might be overkill, but with the right anti-sway bar on the back the rear housing would travel in a good arc and should be free of binding with heims on the ends......??????