Between Heidt, Rod&C and Fatman IFS kits, any acclaimed one ?, all pretty similar?, best IFS for the Buck. On the rear end - 4-bar ?, or just Wonderbar upgrade ?
The Fat-Man set up is totally different than the other 2. It uses a later model mustang strut, spindle, brakes and the original shock tower mount. You do away with the upper control arms. This is the way I'm going, I've already bought the kit just havn't collected all the parts to install it, plus working on something else with it. I know Tom Hackman has used the Rod & Custom kit twice, I would think he is pretty happy with it, and I think there are a couple others that have used it also. I know I didn't really answer your question but I wanted you to know there are differences in the kits.
Wardf, Where did you get the kit from, and if possible the price?. Are you going with power steering too?
For the rear suspension, it would help to know how you plan to use the car the most. Street cruising, drag racing, autocross, show queen? Intended use will determine what will work best for your needs. Fatman actually makes 2 types of suspensions. A Mustang II based design and the Strut conversion Ward was referring to. Based on the other manufacturers you listed, I get the impression you were asking about the Mustang II kits? The shop I play around in has installed Mustang II kits from all these manufacturers. Of these we had the least problems with the R&C kits as they were specifiaclly designed for the Maverick and the unique size, spacing and angles of the Maverick frame rails. I can't say enough good things about this company and their product. Heidts does not list a Maverick specific kit. This means the kit will be designed for frame rail widths that do not match our cars and will require modification. Fatman makes a lot of kits but not a specific kit for Mavericks either. Their Mustang II kits that we used in Mustangs were quite difficult to install as many of the parts seemed as if they were not the right ones for the kit they sent us. Bolt holes didn't line up, were too small, etc. Quite a few instances of "colorful language" in the shop. I have not had a chance to play with the Fatman Strut front suspension yet. I noticed that the kit is $1495 and you still have about $1000 of additional parts that you need to find from several different cars. You also have to re-thread the tie rod ends on the steering rack. This makes me a little nervous as a stripped thread on a tie rod could cause a total lose of control. WardF, I am very curious how well the Escort/Tempo rack works with the 94-02 Mustang spindles and how well the package works overall. Please keep us posted as you progress with your installation?
Yeah Ward let us know how it goes. I checked some of the late model salvage places around here for those Mustang pieces needed for that kit (except I was going to build my own) and I can get basically the whole front deal, spindles, rotors, calipers, struts arms everything off 95-98 Mustang GT for $250.
Jayman, many thanks for the educative post. I called William at RC shop and discussed some details with him. Apparently the kit come very complete to be assembled, no other parts needed. Rear suspension, a daily driver, no racing or autocross (at least for now). He mentioned a development of a rear kit, but not untill 07, somewhere around.
Jayman is correct about Fat-MAn making both kits, BUT,, the strut kit is made specifically for the Mav/Com. He never made a MII kit for the mustang and said he wouldn't because he didn't like the bump steer he could not seem to get rid of. Now you can use one of his unversal MII kits but he would not reccomend it. Rad Rides by Troy used the srtut front from FM on the Ebay mustang. You don't have to cut the car at all, though you can trim the shock tower all the way back to the frame if you want clearence. Like I said I have not installed the kit yet, in fact the kit is in another state at a Rod Shop where I'm working to get a bolt in triangulated 4 bar rear to go with it for our cars. You would have to get 2 tabs welded on the rearend housing for the upper bars. More of a cruiser rear than anything else, should provide a nice ride and handling, It will have a rear sway bar also. It is going to take a little time as money is slow right now. Also working with Flaming River to get a column made as a bolt in for our cars. Thay have been real receptive. Hopefully I will have much to show at the 2007 MCG Gathering.
bringing it back i see this is an old post, but does r&c offer the rear set up yet. i want my car to be for the show but i want it to put all 450 horse to the ground at the strip too. i want the stut kit that uses your factory towers that he was talking about in the beginning . anyone going to post a link to it. all i can find if for the mustang 2 nothing that says for for maverick or comet. a link directly to the kit would be nice of ya'll
