Suspension advise needed

[ho428]

I'm building a 1968 Firebird for road racing and track days. This will not be a street legal car.
I'm a neebie on Road Racing, I come from a drag race background and am switching over.
The car has a 366 Pontiac, maybe 375 hp at most, M-20, 10 bolt 3.73 rear and to get it on the track asap I'll be running the drum brakes for initial shake down and testing.
Eventually I will be upgrading the brakes for sure. The budget is everything right now and I have all these parts already.

Right now the car has PS, I also have a Manual box and pittman arm. What's the opinion on running a 3000# car with bias tires (required) on the track? Power or manual?
I've been looking at the Global West package for Del-U-Lum bushings, shackles and lowered stiffer front-rear springs, Opinions?
1 1/8" front sway bar? Shocks and Spring rate recommendation?
I'm installing an 8 point cage, 1/2" lower body bushings and subframe connectors at present. Fuel cell and racing seat also.

The goal is to get the car running and on track using my in house parts, the suspension upgrades I need now is stuff I don't have or need anyway. Springs, bushings, sway bar, etc...
The roll cage and chassis are being done so as not to need upgrading anytime soon. The rear will eventually be a 9", the brakes will be disc, bigger engine, etc... as I gain track time. But for now I'd just like to build a good foundation under the car.

Please feel free to chime in, I'd like to get some opinions.

Thanks,
Gordon

[wendell]

PM sent.

[rohrt]

Sounds pretty cool. Would love to see more pictures as you get it together.

[David Pozzi]

Check out my web page below, I have some suspension tips there.
GW suspension is a good way to go, the 10 bolt will work for now, even if there is no posi in it at your HP level.

Manual steering will work on the track. So will manual brakes. I opted for power brakes and steering to ease the work load on the driver over long track sessions. If you will ever autocross the car, use power steering.
David

[ho428]

Thanks David, nice link. That'll help a lot.

[Marcus SC&C]

The first thing to consider if you`re going to be class racing is the rules. Races are won or lost in the rulebook long before the car hits the track. Build the car to the rules then you "just" have to set it up properly,make it reliable and drive it well enough. :twothumbs

1st Gens have some profound suspension and steering geometry issues up front. In strict classes you may be limited to old SCCA TransAm cheats. They`re certainly a step in the right direction but are limited in effect compared to modern "no holds barred" efforts. GW parts will allow you to run improved alignment specs. That`s a good thing but they don`t address geometry issues at all apart from the small changes made by changing the alignment. If your class allows it you can do much better with geometry altering parts such as a tall ball joint or tall spindle package. Even Roger Penske ran rare GM tall spindles back in the day until SCCA outlawed them. There are considerations about brakes and wheel sizes to take into account too. Give us a little more info and we can be a bit more specific. Mark SC&C

[ho428]

From what I've read on the rules and talked with the tech guys I can change about anything, to a point, accept the original suspension design and attachment points. Meaning not DSE type rear ends. This is HSR group 3B I'm shooting for, it's not really an "original" vintage class.
Rear disc brakes gets me a weight gain, front disc is ok, 8" x 15" rims, bias tire, original style to the car rear end, leaf, coil etc... As far as spindles and a-arms I think I can change the spindles, and A's to tubular. Brake diameter is fixed, but with 15" rims you can't do a lot anyway. It's a hobby league, they really want you to be able to run and keep cost down so nothing exotic, cu in fix at 366 and 6800 rev limiters.
Heck, I'm not concerned with winning anyway. I'd just like to be able to run and keep up, or at least out of the way to start.