69 charger build

[RJ1]

What are good chassis and suspension brands for 69 chargers.

[68Cuda440]

What are good chassis and suspension brands for 69 chargers.

What are you going to be doing with the car? Is it street or track only? I'm partial to Firm Feel. They make a good product line.
http://www.firmfeel.com/b_body_mopar_parts.html

Some folks like the Hotchkis for the B-bodies.

My car has a welded factory K, QA1 lower control arms, QA1 adjustable strut rods, Borgeson steering box from Bergman Auto Craft, Firm Feel torsion bars, torque boxes, sub frame connectors, and etcetera. I also have Dr Diff "Brembo" 13" front disc package with Baer rotors and the matching 11.7" rear setup.

[RJ1]

Thanks i plan on doing some open track besides that i will daily drive it.

[Schwartz Performance]

www.MoparChassis.com

-Dale

[68Cuda440]

www.MoparChassis.com

-Dale

I guess we should ask if he has a budget... this option only costs about $20k.

[68Cuda440]

Thanks i plan on doing some open track besides that i will daily drive it.

Do you want to keep it torsion bar front leaf rear and do relatively minor "budget" modifications or do you want to get every last bit out of it at the track and don't mind spending a lot of money?

[Schwartz Performance]

I guess we should ask if he has a budget... this option only costs about $20k.

Yup, he didn't indicate any words relating to budget, but he did ask for "good chassis & suspension brands."

To clarify, our chassis system includes brakes & rear end which are not considered chassis or suspension parts. The frame itself is the only real "extra" cost.

-Dale

[RJ1]

Hi don't mind spending money however I'm trying to keep it between 20-30k

[68Cuda440]

OK... in the bang for the buck department. I would go with the Firm Feel setup and a conversion to the Borgeson power steering box. Maybe source tubular upper and lower control arms elsewhere if you want that. That is along the lines of optimizing the stock type system. Now, common misconception on the Mopars - you do not need to go to a coil over setup to get a good handling car regardless of what those folks selling the systems tell you. Hotchkis is not much different really than Firm Feel. They have better marketing, and they push their "geometry corrected" upper control arms. For brakes I like the kits offered by Dr Diff.

If you want to go the route of a coil over system, I would start with looking at the Reilley motor sports (RMS) setup. This replaces the factory K-Frame and gives you more room for headers and such. Call it entry level bling... Reilley also makes a bolt in rear 4 link system. These days there are a few other competitors to RMS, but for the most part they are pretty much selling you the same thing, a bolt in coil over replacement that requires minimal mods.

The Schwartz system is a step up from Reilley in cost and goes the full frame replacement route. If you are going to start cutting and are looking to spend that level of money I don't understand why you wouldn't just have something purpose built. I would also prefer to go to a truck arm style or 3 link with a Watts linkage or panhard bar. I don't understand why the "triangulated" 4 link is so popular, it is a packaging driven decision. I'm sure there will be the argument that it is just as good, almost as good, you won't notice the difference...

My personal opinion (just like everyone else I have one) is that the stock style system can be optimized and goes a long way. The coil over replacement systems with rack and pinion are pretty, but not a significant step up in performance if any. The Schwartz system is full on "Pro Touring" bling.

I have been around Mopar autocross for years, here is what I see:

Level 1 - stock or optimized stock.

Level 2 - emulates the old trans am cars, still uses torsion bars but goes the next step by incorporating a 3 link rear.

Level 3 - purpose built race cars like this car that won the class at Pike's Peak:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7hTZ_tDXMs
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-or John Sanberg's car, a winning Pro Solo car. They brought this thing to a Goodguys track event and left all the "high end" sponsored "Pro Touring" cars in the dust. This thing is a beast.
163809

[68Cuda440]

This is a torsion bar suspension rear leaf optimized car. It has drop spindles and a few other tricks. Guy driving is Dr Bob Reed. I believe he won a national championship at one point driving Mazdas, so he is no slouch. This is his '68 Barracuda at Willow Springs.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=x0q7w6s7t5k&feature=youtu.be

He sold it and just finished building another one with a Gen 3 392 Hemi.
His new car:
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[68Cuda440]

… and in the under construction category. My old beater:

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[RJ1]

Thanks i really appreciate the info that helped alot

[RJ1]

Hi i replied back to your message, however I'm not sure if it went through I couldn't tell if the message was sent.

[HUSTLESTUFF]

I would go Hotchkis TVS and the largest Torsion bars made. Hotchkis shocks, and frame connectors. They really make these cars handle well. Big brakes F/R. My Charger outran a newer Camaro SS on track. If keeping older engine transmission combo, keep the T-bars. If modern Engine/Trans combo maybe RMS/Coilovers because you hack up the trans/TB crossmember. I'm doing TVS on current AAR build. The new UCA's with on car adjust-ability is mandatory. Not even sure they sell the old ones. Mike