jaybee
07-30-2014, 04:04 AM
My project is a '57 Chevy Handyman wagon. Plan is to be a relatively low buck (like anything in this hobby can be truly "low buck"), mostly street driven car with the odd autocross, and once comfortable with the handling there probably track day it at least once just to see what it'll do. Engine will be 5.3 or 6.0L GM truck engine with close to stock hp. The wagons don't have a lot of front weight bias stock, and this car will come out close to 50/50 with a fiberglass front end.
Front suspension is planned to have disk brakes (can't drive an old car in modern traffic w/o) and updated steering gear. Idler arm bushings will be replaced with bearings to take the mush out of that point. Geometry will be close to stock because doing all new would blow the budget...two inch lowered springs to get the suspension in a more advantageous part of the camber curve, A arms for strength and to get caster compatible with modern tires, adjustable shocks, and sway bars of course.
Now to my question, the rear. I'm going to put a Ford 8.8" rear under it. They're strong enough, Ranger/Explorer rears are plentiful, the right width, and can come with disk brakes. The thing is, these are slightly oddball suspensions because they use a 2" leaf. They use a particular shackle that's more expensive than a Camaro/Nova part (mine have been replaced with cheap, generic "extended shackle" kit) It's a good idea to put in a shock bar because the floor pan can crack where the shocks mount. My initial plan is to use a modified spring, not just dropped but with an extended front on the 2nd leaf, like a Mopar Super Stock spring. Studying the archives shows me some on here did something similar to what I have in mind with some Camaro springs. Oh, and as for getting just the rate? Fuggedaboutit, and obviously changing rates would be difficult and expensive.
As I budget all this out it looks like I could do a triangulated 4 link for a very similar price compared to the leaf spring rear I have in mind. It would need to be triangulated because the gas tank wraps very tightly around the rear end and I don't wish to relocate it. Labor costs aren't an issue because it would be my work, only parts. I'm planning to do a frame crossmember anyway for strength. Obviously spring rates could be changed much cheaper and easier.
Is there something I'm not considering here? What are the pros and cons of these different approaches? I'm not into changing things just to change them.
Front suspension is planned to have disk brakes (can't drive an old car in modern traffic w/o) and updated steering gear. Idler arm bushings will be replaced with bearings to take the mush out of that point. Geometry will be close to stock because doing all new would blow the budget...two inch lowered springs to get the suspension in a more advantageous part of the camber curve, A arms for strength and to get caster compatible with modern tires, adjustable shocks, and sway bars of course.
Now to my question, the rear. I'm going to put a Ford 8.8" rear under it. They're strong enough, Ranger/Explorer rears are plentiful, the right width, and can come with disk brakes. The thing is, these are slightly oddball suspensions because they use a 2" leaf. They use a particular shackle that's more expensive than a Camaro/Nova part (mine have been replaced with cheap, generic "extended shackle" kit) It's a good idea to put in a shock bar because the floor pan can crack where the shocks mount. My initial plan is to use a modified spring, not just dropped but with an extended front on the 2nd leaf, like a Mopar Super Stock spring. Studying the archives shows me some on here did something similar to what I have in mind with some Camaro springs. Oh, and as for getting just the rate? Fuggedaboutit, and obviously changing rates would be difficult and expensive.
As I budget all this out it looks like I could do a triangulated 4 link for a very similar price compared to the leaf spring rear I have in mind. It would need to be triangulated because the gas tank wraps very tightly around the rear end and I don't wish to relocate it. Labor costs aren't an issue because it would be my work, only parts. I'm planning to do a frame crossmember anyway for strength. Obviously spring rates could be changed much cheaper and easier.
Is there something I'm not considering here? What are the pros and cons of these different approaches? I'm not into changing things just to change them.