hipockets
01-22-2014, 04:49 PM
I have a 71 6 cyl Nova, that has been upgraded to BBC status, and made into a Motion clone. It has 4 wheel Baer manual discs, 17" torque thrusts, TH400, 454, 8.2 10 bolt with 3.55 gears. I am in the process of doing some upgrades, such as an aluminum headed 468 BBC, and going to wider 275/40-17 rear tires from the 245/45-17 it has now (has 245/45-17 on the front now). I am also upgrading the fuel system, and moving the battery to the trunk. It has power steering, and the previous owner put a quick ratio box out of a new car ( I believe the monte carlo ss swap).
It has the stock mono leaf rears, and 6 cyl front spring now, with koni white body shocks at all 4 corners, and all bushings in the suspension and body have been changed to energy suspension black ones. It also has bolt on subframe connectors. The front sway bar is a hellwig I believe, it is over 1" diameter, and the car has a rear bar also hellwig from what I can tell, but the brackets to connect it to the frame were removed by whoever did the exhaust, as the tailpipes are in the way now.
The stance is perfect, but the ride is horrible, bottoming and bucking over every bump, the front tires rub the inner fenders on tight turns, and the rear suspension bottoms and clangs on any bump larger than a cheeseburger! I want to improve the ride and handling, but also the dragstrip performance, and put the power the new engine will be making (600-650, 600 torque) to the ground. I will drag race it a few weekends a summer at the track, and cruise with it, possibly up to a 200 mile round trip. There are no organized autocross type events around where I live, so that is not a consideration. Good drag strip performance, but with good handling for cruising is what I am after.
I was thinking of the Hotchkis TVS system, just because it was developed together, and would like to add tubular a arms for header clearance primarily, but also better handling, since it has a bit of a pro touring theme with the Baer brakes and 17" wheels. I have a hard time spending the $ on the hotchkis arms, when there are other options (speed-tech for ex.) but want them to work with the kit, and give the needed geometry changes. I have also seen the recommendations on the tru-turn with spindle package, but will this really be beneficial to what I am looking for? Or would a different route work almost as good? I have to keep in mind header clearance for the BBC.
I have also thought of just changing the springs front and rear, tubular a arms, taller ball joints, and different rear bar as well. But I do not know what springs to go with, as I don't like the idea of trial and error for the proper ride height and transfer for at the drag track. I also would like to keep some traction aid, whether it is new proper length slapper bars, slide a links, or cal tracs.
As far as budget, am I better off to pick and choose the components to achieve my goals, and what would those components be? I am not looking to spend $4000, I would like to stay at around $2000, (or less of course), but if you guys say for only a bit more $ I would really see a big difference I could probably stretch it. The problem lies with the new BBC, fuel system, and other changes needed for the engine (trans rebuild. convertor, bigger rear tires and rims), that this part of the budget is suffering.
Thanks in advance for your suggestions, and for vendors for these parts any recommendations? I am in Alberta, Canada, so the dollar conversion will make quite a difference for me ordering everything direct.8900489003
It has the stock mono leaf rears, and 6 cyl front spring now, with koni white body shocks at all 4 corners, and all bushings in the suspension and body have been changed to energy suspension black ones. It also has bolt on subframe connectors. The front sway bar is a hellwig I believe, it is over 1" diameter, and the car has a rear bar also hellwig from what I can tell, but the brackets to connect it to the frame were removed by whoever did the exhaust, as the tailpipes are in the way now.
The stance is perfect, but the ride is horrible, bottoming and bucking over every bump, the front tires rub the inner fenders on tight turns, and the rear suspension bottoms and clangs on any bump larger than a cheeseburger! I want to improve the ride and handling, but also the dragstrip performance, and put the power the new engine will be making (600-650, 600 torque) to the ground. I will drag race it a few weekends a summer at the track, and cruise with it, possibly up to a 200 mile round trip. There are no organized autocross type events around where I live, so that is not a consideration. Good drag strip performance, but with good handling for cruising is what I am after.
I was thinking of the Hotchkis TVS system, just because it was developed together, and would like to add tubular a arms for header clearance primarily, but also better handling, since it has a bit of a pro touring theme with the Baer brakes and 17" wheels. I have a hard time spending the $ on the hotchkis arms, when there are other options (speed-tech for ex.) but want them to work with the kit, and give the needed geometry changes. I have also seen the recommendations on the tru-turn with spindle package, but will this really be beneficial to what I am looking for? Or would a different route work almost as good? I have to keep in mind header clearance for the BBC.
I have also thought of just changing the springs front and rear, tubular a arms, taller ball joints, and different rear bar as well. But I do not know what springs to go with, as I don't like the idea of trial and error for the proper ride height and transfer for at the drag track. I also would like to keep some traction aid, whether it is new proper length slapper bars, slide a links, or cal tracs.
As far as budget, am I better off to pick and choose the components to achieve my goals, and what would those components be? I am not looking to spend $4000, I would like to stay at around $2000, (or less of course), but if you guys say for only a bit more $ I would really see a big difference I could probably stretch it. The problem lies with the new BBC, fuel system, and other changes needed for the engine (trans rebuild. convertor, bigger rear tires and rims), that this part of the budget is suffering.
Thanks in advance for your suggestions, and for vendors for these parts any recommendations? I am in Alberta, Canada, so the dollar conversion will make quite a difference for me ordering everything direct.8900489003