Ford Suspension

[GIDRDUN]

Building a 1970 Mach 1 and in need of aftermarket suspension. Any thing out there other than Global West? Thanks in advance.

[cykotic]

There's total control products. Which is awesome as far as the rear coil over setup is concerned. The front isn't too bad. There's also the option of going to mustang II ifs from places like Heidts or rod & custom motorsports. But my personal favorite, is the GR-350 setup from griggs racing. A bit pricey is the only problem, but one of the best available for old school stangers.

[GIDRDUN]

Thanks for the info. Much appreciated.

[67Sally]

There's total control products. Which is awesome as far as the rear coil over setup is concerned. The front isn't too bad. There's also the option of going to mustang II ifs from places like Heidts or rod & custom motorsports. But my personal favorite, is the GR-350 setup from griggs racing. A bit pricey is the only problem, but one of the best available for old school stangers.

That just about covers what I would have thrown up for you.
W

[ANIMOSITY]

Fatman Fab has a sweet kit, that runs Late model stang brakes, spindles,and steering rack,and sets your car up with coil-over struts up front.

[funcars]

There are more options as well. It really depends on what your goals are. What are you trying to do with the car?

[the5farrs]

huh

[Mean 69]

We have plans to adapt our rear suspension setup to the early Mustangs directly after completing the kit for E-Body Mopars, which is currently on track for late summer of this year. It is not a bolt in affair, however, but nothing "really" good ever comes easy. If I absolutely, positively HAD to build a car immediately and needed parts right away, I'd have to recommend Grigg's. Bring your checkbook though, and significant fabrication skills.

Mark

[fast Ed]

Also take a look at these guys from the land of Oz:

http://www.rrs-online.com/

And some good U-build it ideas and links here:

http://home.bresnan.net/~dazed/DazeCars


cheers
Ed N.

[4MuscleMachines]

If you have any questions about any of those suspension systems, you can PM me. I have tried all the good ones out there, except for Griggs, on many Mustangs that I have personally owned.

As for brakes, this time I am going this less expensive but still effective route. Cobra/Mach wheels (oem not replicas, lighter weight), Cobra brakes/rotors front and rear. I paid less than $1500 for the wheels, 13" discs, calipers, brackets, ect. If you ask me, that is a very good deal.

Wheels
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=8011229372&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWN%3AIT&rd=1

Front Calipers
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=8071197380&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWN%3AIT&rd=1

Rear calipers
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=8072035231&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWN%3AIT&rd=1

Rotors can be found on eBay for as little as $50 pair delivered.

Brackets with proper offset for late model wheels
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=8072395967&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&rd=1

[GIDRDUN]

Thanks everyone for the help. I will check these companies out. I have had no luck getting parts from GW.

[69MACH1]

I have Total Control coilover front suspension in the front and a custom coilover and torque arm setup in the back. My car will hang with a new BMW M3 just to let you know how well it works. The car corners very flat and neutral with no over or understeer, just a nice drift of the tires at the limit. I highly recomend their parts, especially the rack & pinion steering. I will not ever drive another vintage Mustang without this upgrade. The steering is a precise as my old Porsche. The chassis is strengthened with through the body subframe connectors which make the car nice and stiff. Stock, Mustangs are very flexy which makes them not too fun at the limit. The guys at Spintech mufflers have a metal stamping for stiffening the chassis that I like much better than the pieces of tubing that everyone sells for connectors. You can see some photos of the suspension of my car on my photobucket site.

http://s45.photobucket.com/albums/f79/kikolemus/?start=80

[EvolutionMotorsport]

Building a 1970 Mach 1 and in need of aftermarket suspension. Any thing out there other than Global West? Thanks in advance.

We will be shipping production units of our frame mounted Watts kit, in the next few weeks. Our ThreeLink kit should follow by the end of the summer.

Everything will be bolt-in....

Thanks...Mike

[wendell]

got any pics of the bolt in 3link? How about some details?

[EvolutionMotorsport]

got any pics of the bolt in 3link? How about some details?

No pics of the Three Link yet...We are still working out some of the mounting geometries...We have Watts pictures....

In general it will be similar in fashion to out Three Link kit for the late model mustangs....

Thanks...Mike

[wickedridz]

Global west is actually a really good company to work with. the parts they build are pretty much the best of the best. perhaps its a case of some one wanting something for nothing so to speak. i have talked to doug as well as his extreamly helpfull staff, they have an awsome product that seemes to be flying off the self. sorry but i do not mind paying for a product that exceeds mt expectations as well as the customer support....................in and out burger verses mcdonnals...........................no contest.

[wickedridz]

"my" expectations

[4MuscleMachines]

I agree, GW and TCP are tops when it comes to Mustang suspension. I am sure the Griggs is also good, but it is not 100% bolt on.

[aonghus]

...My car will hang with a new BMW M3 just to let you know how well it works...

That is an incredibley boastful statement, that I'd like to see backed up by some numbers, slalom, cone course, you name it. Have you ever driven an M3? :pat:

You might be able to "hang" with an E30 M3, but you're blowin' smoke up some questionable orifices if you thing you are on the same level as an E36/E46 M car.

Back it up or you're starting to sound like 'rice.'

[Madspeed]

Global west is actually a really good company to work with. the parts they build are pretty much the best of the best. perhaps its a case of some one wanting something for nothing so to speak. i have talked to doug as well as his extreamly helpfull staff, they have an awsome product that seemes to be flying off the self. sorry but i do not mind paying for a product that exceeds mt expectations as well as the customer support....................in and out burger verses mcdonnals...........................no contest.

What makes them so good besides customer service?
I can tell you from Experience that there mustang front stuff is GARBAGE.
It shure looks pretty though nice shiney black powder coating and relly pretty stickers.
as far as fit? It fit like crap and had to be modified to get anny kind of camber Even close to 0 to neg it was actually massive pos camber and global west couldnt explain why
and the bump steer is horrible.

Now lets talk about there sub connectors
#1 Tube? #2 Tubes with bends?
Lets just say they guy brought me a pile ( i use that term loosely) and I installed it.
66 mustang fastback seems to turn well but dont try to drive down the fwy and hold a cup o java
Oh well Id suggest you get your mustang stuff from somone else the stock front is garbage anyways

Rant Off

[phonedude_mln]

on a related note... the August issue of PHR features a nice 68 mustang w/ a Heidts MII front end.

I've read a lot of second hand stuff about MII swaps, but has anyone ever driven a car equipped
with a Heidts or R&C MII kit? And then a comparable TCP or GW car? My gut is that a lot of MII
negativity comes from the street rod era, where junk yard diving was used to upgrade the rod.
But no one seems to have real info on the "new" kits...

I know TCP & GW make nice stuff, but shock towers suck. :-(

PHR has run a lot of nice technical pieces lately -- I think an expose on MII front end kits would be welcome.

[GIDRDUN]

I have ordered two complete coilover kits from GW 6wks ago is why I was asking. I keep getting the "end of this week story" , Getting old. I understand it takes time to manufacture parts. So much for customer service.

[bret]

I have a 69 with double adjustable ShockWaves and the Total Control Products control arms and power rack and pinion system up front. On the rear I have the bolt-on AirBar 4 link and DA ShockWaves from Air Ride Technologies. [before I'm "outed" let me confess that I own Air Ride Technologies...] I've had several 69-70 Mustangs...this is by far and away the best driving and handling system that I've come up with so far. Last year I drove it 400 miles to the Year One event in Atlanta and then drove it at well over 125mph on the Road Atlanta track. It tracks straight and smooth, turns in precisely and predictably, and rides better than a new Mustang. It is very neutral through the toughest of corners with just a hint of oversteer to make things fun. [I could likely tune this out but I kind of like it this way:)]
This car had a 620 horse Cleveland engine in it at the time with a Tremec 5 speed. Fun just doesn't cover it.
If the price of all these goodies doesn't stop your heart [it might], the performance will.
I scattered the engine last September at our Street Challenge track day. I now have a aluminum 427w engine with a Rankin magnesium 4 speed to install in July. I've taken over 400 lbs out of the car over the winter...it'll be interesting to see how this new combination fares.
I've seen the various MII conversions on these cars. I know the MII installation works nicely on street rods and custom cars with full frames to weld to...I've not actually installed one in a unibody car. I would think one would want to take extreme care to tie into the unibody structure properly to avoid flex and fatigue problems.
Bottom line...if the oem shock towers are not a problem for your with engine/header fitment, consider upgrading the stock suspension with TCP components or similar. On the rear, I [obviously] recommend the AirBar. You won't be disappointed.

[BonzoHansen]

I don’t know Fords very well, but I saw the TCP front-end stuff this weekend at Carlisle (at the GM Nats no less). Nice looking stuff with what appears to be a good deal of adjustments available to users. The uppers bolt to the shock tower, so I might want reinforced towers like the Cobras got (it was the Cobras, correct?). My next-door neighbor is a stang head, but I never listen. :)

[phonedude_mln]

I have a 69 with double adjustable ShockWaves and the Total Control Products control arms and power rack and pinion system up front. On the rear I have the bolt-on AirBar 4 link and DA ShockWaves from Air Ride Technologies. [before I'm "outed" let me confess that I own Air Ride Technologies...]

[deletia]

Bottom line...if the oem shock towers are not a problem for your with engine/header fitment, consider upgrading the stock suspension with TCP components or similar. On the rear, I [obviously] recommend the AirBar. You won't be disappointed.


you have a beautiful silver 69 -- it is striking w/o being busy (similar to, say, Mark Stielow's cars)

so what would it take to get the ShockWave stuff on my 66 Fairlane?

[dutch]

I typically do not post in many web forums, as credibillity is difficult to establish from this perspective. However, for what it is worth ... I have some insight to offer.

My background is predominantly street rod untill 6 or 7 years ago. The street rod shop that I worked for installed mostly Hiedt's front suspensions. They were/are a wonderfully executed system, that parts-wise is a great bargain, and is very upgradeable.

So, 6 or 7 years ago I along with another fabricator at the street rod shop were introduced to vintage road racing through a customer. We prepared a 1967 Porsche 912 for him (rather blindly in retrospect), and attended a few races. It was like a drug!

Anyhow ... the relavent part ... this inspired me to procure a 1967 Mustang Coupe at that time for some open track.

This car has been through countless itterations of suspensions (mostly stock - based). The most effective (on track) up untill now was the typical overly stiff springs and huge anti-sway bars, shelby drop, koni shocks, through body sub frame connectors, etc ...

The car would rattle your teeth out on the street though.

After having sold my street rod, I wanted to convert the mustang to a multi purpose car. I am in the process of this as we speak (type?).

One company not mentioned, that I went with for bolt on front suspension is Ron Morris Performance (RonMorrisPerformance.com (http://www.ronmorrisperformance.com/)). I originally was going to purchase GW, but the back orders put me off. Then I researced TCP, and ultimately chose the RMP kit. His stuff is priced up there with the TCP and GW, but it is a smaller company and customer service is outstanding. Of anything aftermarket that I have bolted on to this car, the RMP kit was one of the most straight forward with no fuss.

I upgraded to double adjustable shocks through Ron. I also didn't lower my upper control arms as much as called for (the more you lower them, the higher the roll center goes, and more it migrates; trade-offs!!). And, with regards to camber ... his kit calls for adjusting the length of the lower control arm. I initially did this to set a good static camber, then measured the difference in the arms (1/16"), and drilled 2 new eccentric eliminators for one side so the lower arms are the same length.

I use a TCP rack because of what is available it is engineered for the car (clean sheet). The RRS rack looked good, but it mounts behind the linkage, and causes some long tube header issues. The TCP replaces the tubular bolt in crossmember, in front of the steering linkage ... taking up no header real estate. I did realize that I needed the KRC pump to compliment the rack, as advertised by TCP. So this is a very expensive upgrade.

In the rear, I have fiber glass leafs, maer panhard bar, and konis with a modified 8.8 out of a Ranger pick-up. I have been debating on different setups, and purchased an IRS out of a 2003 Cobra. After measuring, I think that to fit the IRS as is would require a stock-ish ride height, control arms pointing up at static, or new control arms and some re working of the rear floorpan/rails. I haven't ruled this out yet.

There are also some link options that I am considerring that will facilitate the existing stick axle in the back. One of those options is the bolt in airbar (suggested above), but with coil overs in place of bags to match the front. I would really like to measure one of those systems up first as the arms look very short to me in all pictures that I have seen. Also the converging links are above the axle, which would raise my current rear roll center by some amount.

Anyhow, check out Ron Morris Performance, and good luck with the build!

[GIDRDUN]

Well tomorrow is the day. We'll see. If it doesn't happen I will be ordering from someone else. Can't wait anylonger. Have a track day setup in 4 weeks. Thanks to everyone for your help. It is greatly appreciated.