Seek&Destroy
04-21-2016, 12:08 AM
My project car is a 78 firebird. I've been considering the feasibility of grafting a c5/c6 front suspension to the subframe. Much to my suprise it "seems" to be more of an atainable goal than that I had originally intended it would be.
Let me explain what I've come up with so far and hopefully I will be able to gain some insight on the subject.
The most notable problem with converting to a corvette suspension that ive been able to dig up is the difference of track width. Usually it is much wider.
Front track width(measured from center of tire to center of tire)
C6- 61.9in
78 Firebird- 61.3in
An important thing to note here is that difference wheel size.
A stock corvette front wheel is 8.5 in wide with a 56mm offset. That's a backspacing of 6.4in.
A stock (or my stock snowflakes) are 8 in wide with a 4.5 in backspace (12-13mm offset,
These figures leave me with a outside of tire to outside of tire distance of
C6:70.4in
Firebird : 68.3in
That leaves me +1in on each side.(outboard)
As far as backspacing goes we have 6.4in. That's too much for a firebird....BUT the things that usually get in the way of of more back spacing, tire rods, sway bars, inner fenders and frame will basically be a vette packaging and therefore stock wheels would fit
Front that point I would mount the suspension cradle of the vette on a jig. At ride height for the vette, build a frame section right over the top to bolt it into. Then I would locate the shock and upper control arm measured to factory corvette measurements.
I would need to mount body & frame of the car as low as possible to the "clip" as to maintain tire clearance and lower the center of gravity.
Any other ajustments to the suspension (spring rate & load, wheel rate, swaybar rate, you get the idea)would need to be made after Ifigure in total weight and tire loads.
I could build the rear to complement it.
I think it would be a bad *** project. It's fits my budget, and I have the time to put into something like this. I belive I have the basic skills needed to do it.
What are your thoughts on this and I'm curious if there is any important variables I could be overlooking.
-ryan
Let me explain what I've come up with so far and hopefully I will be able to gain some insight on the subject.
The most notable problem with converting to a corvette suspension that ive been able to dig up is the difference of track width. Usually it is much wider.
Front track width(measured from center of tire to center of tire)
C6- 61.9in
78 Firebird- 61.3in
An important thing to note here is that difference wheel size.
A stock corvette front wheel is 8.5 in wide with a 56mm offset. That's a backspacing of 6.4in.
A stock (or my stock snowflakes) are 8 in wide with a 4.5 in backspace (12-13mm offset,
These figures leave me with a outside of tire to outside of tire distance of
C6:70.4in
Firebird : 68.3in
That leaves me +1in on each side.(outboard)
As far as backspacing goes we have 6.4in. That's too much for a firebird....BUT the things that usually get in the way of of more back spacing, tire rods, sway bars, inner fenders and frame will basically be a vette packaging and therefore stock wheels would fit
Front that point I would mount the suspension cradle of the vette on a jig. At ride height for the vette, build a frame section right over the top to bolt it into. Then I would locate the shock and upper control arm measured to factory corvette measurements.
I would need to mount body & frame of the car as low as possible to the "clip" as to maintain tire clearance and lower the center of gravity.
Any other ajustments to the suspension (spring rate & load, wheel rate, swaybar rate, you get the idea)would need to be made after Ifigure in total weight and tire loads.
I could build the rear to complement it.
I think it would be a bad *** project. It's fits my budget, and I have the time to put into something like this. I belive I have the basic skills needed to do it.
What are your thoughts on this and I'm curious if there is any important variables I could be overlooking.
-ryan