HI John, will do. I'll sign up now for 1.5s...3580 lbs... Lets talk this weekend and start planning on getting the locals getting together at a track this season like I tried do last year. Cheers!
Well, so much for being frugal. The old arms are out and I decided they are not going back in. I just can't bring myslef to re-use those old heavy parts...they seem so at home in a box on a shelf in the work shop. Got the Global West tubular G plus arms ordered and returning the bushing kits and shafts.
The ultimate: I will soon be replacing my 6204 moog front springs with the ultimate spring... Santhuff 225 x 5 x 18 springs (you may need the 200 spring). FAR SUPERIOR to the Moroso drag springs that collaps so fast. Call before ordering these and give all info on your ride first. You will likely use a 225 or 200 on most a-bodies. I will remove my 40 year old cheap gas shocks that still are perfect, and replace them with the ultimate... Calvert 90/10 front drag shocks #43093. Calvert 90/10 for $60 each, is the best lift shock out there except a $800 dollar pair of Strange double adjustables. Just can't resist the ultimate in freedom for my front suspension, for the price. I Already have Global West del a lum upper and lower a-frame "bearings" or bushings. I'll let you'all know how this works.......later.
Thanks Gary, keep us posted. Summit shipped the GLW tubular upper and lower control arm sets Saturday. Should be here by Tuesday. I will use the new moog springs and use the QA1 shocks and leave the 1.25 front bar off. I may put it back together next Sunday but I am in the midst of a garage storage / work bench / work shop overhaul that I plan to complete before buttoning up the Street Sleeper's front end.
Tubular a-frames often have lower bottom spring pockets and require a taller spring or a spring & spacer installed to make sure you don't sit too low. Check this out so it goes together properly on the first install.
So naturally the 6 cyl new springs i plan to install with this (moog 5230) are 3" taller than the springs coming out. Makes sense as spring rate vs coil ratio for lighter spring vs heavy. Car sat damn near perfect with the springs that were in it and stock arms. I tried to ID the springs coming out but no numbers I could find made sense to me for GM Abody. It is possible and likely the previous owner swapped springs from 350 Skylark to other when he did the suspension for BBC and 4 speed. The numbers best I can see cast on the springs that came out are in two places. 116211410 on the outside of the spring and 106216410 inside the spring. Any way to figure what these springs are? They do have a flat top in them compared to moog which are consistent coil to cut ends. If my memory serves , GM Abody springs started with 4.....
The rear squat springs are an older theory,and worked better for slower cars. You want to shove the rear into the ground,the opposite direction from the body. I use a regular HD spring in the back,with drag shocks,Hotchkis frame braces,and a 1" sway bar. I also have a Moser housing,which has improved geometry. It has the upper ears raised higher,in a similar position as a stock rear with no-hop bars.This brings the instant center back towards the rear of the car. It also has the shock mounts moved onboard,directly behind the lower control arm,to take angle off the shock,and make it work better. A set-up like this is designed to lift the back of the car,and push the rear into the ground. As for the front,I have Moroso trick springs,drag shocks,and no sway bar. This transfers weight very well. You might have to play with shock settings. I run a 325/50/15 drag radial,in a 3800 lb car,running 10:90's@ 122. It always hooks and goes straight. I will soon be swapping for the new engine,which makes 774/710,and I will still make it work. I do plan on switching to front coilovers,and possibly some different rear shocks,but I know I can do it. I am also looking at the Global West rear shock relocation kit,with coilovers,that moves the lower end of the shock inboard even more,and eliminates the rear coil springs. I am also swapping from 3" to 3.5" exhaust,so I need to see how I would rout my tails with the different shock location.
Two different approachs , Squat is the old school way, and still very capable of getting the car moving, but what Brian is referring to is called Separation, which is the more efficient,safe and quicker way to get the car going. Separation takes more effort and planning to get it setup, and more adjustment points are needed most of the time. But when it's working it is much better than wheels up launches , not as fun for the spectators but name of the game is ET. Friend of mine does Fab work and sets suspensions up, it's amazing the math he uses to determine what it needs, his stock suspension mustang went 1.19's last time out and front end travel was only like 4in tires never left the ground. Awesome to watch a car just shoot straight out with no drama.
It's not really too much effort,but yes,some planning and the proper selection of parts. You would not want to mix squat springs with a lift style rear suspension,as they would be acting against each other,trying to do two different things. I don't play with different pinion angles too much because the stock angle will work,unless you have a lowered car,then you need to tip it down,to simulate what the angle originally was. I also run adjustable upper and lower control arms,with spherical ends,and solids at the other end. The upper ears also have spherical ends. It is a free-moving rear,with no bind during travel.In fact,when I put my car on a lift,the rear will swing down far enough that the rear coils will fall out. I do use the adjustable arms to choke the rear forward some,without it looking off-center in the wheel well. It doesn't sound like much,but if you draw an imaginary vertical line(on the side of the car) up from the center of the axle,and look at how much more car or body is behind that imaginary line,when you move the axle forward,you have helped redistribute the weight,like when you move the battery to the trunk. It all helps. Some type of sway bar,or anti-roll bar will also help. They keep the car straight(side to side),prevent body roll,during launch,much like they do when cornering. The rear wants to spin like a propeller,sucking the right side up into the car. This helps prevent that,and keeping the rear planted to the ground. I run a 1" Hotchkis sway bar.There are some thicker ones out there now. I also run an air bag in the right side,and put 10psi in it at the track. I run my drag radials with 18psi at the track. The car leaves nice and straight. It's not trying to rollover,and both front wheels are the same distance off the ground. No Detroit-lean here.
With IC improvements such as Moser and Ta no-hops, I have come across fantastic traction score card results with Moog cc501 rear cargo springs. Whatever you try, keep score, then brag. Let us know the outcome unless it's too good a secret. http://www.v8buick.com/showthread.p...e-card-and-tips&highlight=traction+score+card Here is one example...http://www.chevelles.com/forums/13-performance/274460-new-bests-broke-out-002-a.html This Monte Carlo runs about 107 mph in the 1/4 mile. So take his average 60 foot time, 1.65, times 107 mph equals a score of 176...fantastic!!! (A LOWER score is better...just like E.T.) The ET's and speeds listed on the above score chart are based on a score of 1.84 for average good traction.
Update: It am switching to QA1 Double Adjustable coil over shocks. I am starting with the 350 spring rate. The lowers I bought are for coil over so that's that. Much more tuning options. One day next weekend should allow the time to get the front end back together. Cheers!
QA 2x adj, coil over set in hand. GW upper & lower tubular A Arms. Net weight savings from the stock A arms, QA1 1x adj. shocks, stock springs = 19 lbs off the front...:beer. Revised weight with 205 lb driver = 1940lbs front / 1760lbs rear / 3560lbs total, 52% / 48% Shop time coming up.. Cheers!
Looks very similar to what I am switching to,with the exception of the uppers. Years ago,I installed the Hotchkis tubular uppers,with the taller B-body spindles,and 12" rotors. I just need to remove the stock lowers and the Trick springs,and install the GW lowers and my QA1 coilover kit.
Got this all done last weekend, think I have ride height set on the springs where I want it. I am taking for alignment in the morning.
It's all back together but need to put trans and clutch back in....Have not driven it yet. Stray tuned.
Going back together Saturday. McLeod replaced the Twin Disc clutch & rebuilt Hydraulic T/O bearing- no charge/warranty. The Rock Crusher was torn down, checked,cleaned and is back together, found nothing and is all good! The flywheel was turned. 2qts Redline.
