Bunch of suspension work underway

sort off.. depending on perspective. Many of those same idea's are just take offs of the convertible, trans-am, and nascar mod's short of going to a full tube chassis.

I will be using many of those same mod's myself.. but there comes a point of diminishing returns and the added weight needs to be factored in as well. Not to mention.. you'll need one hell of a front and rear suspension to ever fully realize all that potential with matched stickies all the way around too.

IOW, a thousand into chassis stiffening will warant another 5 in suspension and tires. The snowball effect in all its glory.

 

According to my bro-in-law we should all be trying to figure out how to fit hummer suspension systems under our cars. So yea, I understand. That sentence represents why getting stuck on a 4-hour car drive with automotive engineers can be a lot less fun than it sounds. I did learn an awful lot about suspension design though I guess...

 

You guys are nuts. You should buy yourselves Corvettes, and run from these cars as fast as you can.

 

Okay......

 

I regret starting this thread. For what it's worth, my car continues to corner flatter, grip harder and remain predictable when it does get loose. Somehow the good lord has spared me in spite of my foolishly having bought the incorrectly sized, (yet only size) Maverick rear sway bar.

 

I wouldn't sweat it. If not this one.. the debate monster's would've probably bitten in the next one anyways.

Like I already said in a roundabout way.. with these sloppy'ish unibody structures.. it's pretty tough to get a rear bar that too large anyways. Only when it starts to steer the front of the car for you.. then it might be a tad too big.

PS. sorry for veering away from your original excitement level. I'm sure it makes it tough to share when everyone's a critic. For now I'll just have to live vicariously through your build until mine's improved in similar fashion.

I say.. enjoy it.. you've certainly earned it.

 

Bookmarked that page... I really like his ideas.



I believe ADDCO will bend a custom bar for not much more than the cost of the 7/8. I cant remember how much but I will be calling them back to get one made soon enough.


OK... forward 10 minutes


I've called them and to have a single 1-1/8th bar made with 3 adjustable end-link mounting holes (stiffer hole - standard hole - softer hole) it will be 425.00... BUT, if we can get 10 orders together, they will do it for 255.00 and comes with frame mounts.

 

I believe the early Falcon front sway bar will fit. If so then it's only $150 http://www.dearbornclassics.com/63-65-falcon-front-sway-bar-1-1-8-inch.html I have the 65-66 Mustang sway bar on my '60 Falcon but it's about one inch too long or 1/2" on each side making the end links lean. I need to pull my '64 Falcon wagon sway bar and see if it will fit my Maverick.

 

According to the ADDCO catalog:

The 66-70 Falcon is the same part # as the 67-70 Mustang
The 63-65 Falcon is the same part # as the 64-66 Mustang
The 60-62 Falcon is a 1-off
The Maverick is a 1-off

From previous testimony, the Mustang is 1"wider than the 60-62 Falcon as well as the Mav. That being the case, then why are the parts for the 60-62 falcon and the Mav not the same? Possibly difference in arm length? If your car is sitting low, going wider even by half an inch risks interference with the strut rod. (I've had that problem) Either way for 100.00 more, its a part made for our cars with adjustability.

 

Unlike a Maverick...the 60-62 4-lug suspension used smaller parts. The lower control arm is smaller than the 63-65 V8 control arm. I think we will have enough room to plate over the hole on the LCA and re-drill so the Mustang bar link could/should/might fit our Maverick LCA(?) You can see there's enough clearance in this pic of a Mustang bar on my Falcon. Like I said...I need to take both sway bars off my cars and see what's different.

 

Chris, count me in for one of the 1 1/8 adjustable bars. I might not use it immediately but it will eventually get used.


As for chassis stiffening, as a minimum you would want a good montecarlo bar, shock tower braces, belly bar that ties into the lower control arm mount points and subframe connectors. I believe Toporanger offers all these products.

Another easy mod that dramatically stiffens the chassis is installing the Mustang convertible seat pans. It is not a direct fit but can be made to work without too much trouble. You can also add a piece of 1.5" square tubing with a cut on one side to weld it around the pinch weld under the rocker panel. This adds quite a bit to stiffening the passenger compartment but does not add much extra weight.

Welding in a 10 gauge steel firewall behind the rear seat increases resistance to twisting in the back portion of the body for only a couple of pounds added weight. It also increases safety if you are using a trunk mounted battery, fuel cell, etc.

For the suspension in the rear, make sure to weld in a U shaped support around the frame rail where the rear sway bar end links mount as the U-bolt that mounts into the frame WILL rip out after a relatively short time. You should also consider reinforcing the upper shock mount locations if there is any chance you are going to be either bottoming or topping your shocks out or if you are using air shocks or coil helper springs on you shocks. If you are considering coil over shocks, you definitely want to build a custom mount to attach the top of the shocks to.

I think I have found a relatively easy way to put a Watts link under our cars. I will be trying it out over the next couple of weeks and will let you know how it works.