Mac Struts

[Twentyover]

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/01/26825230921-1.jpg (http://www.fquick.com/garages/viewgallery.php?action=viewimg&id=230921)

First real car out of school.....

OK, this car has a true MacStrut front end. It uses a track arm (that when combined w/ the swaybar forms the lower control arm) that's about 9" long. Currently the suspension is in solid stack, all the front suspension is in the tire sidewall. It's about an inch lower than pictured.

One option I'm thinking of doing is the typical ricer coilover deal for the strut, but move the upper strut mount up vertically to get a bit more travel, and stretch the track arm (and shorten the steering rack) to try to reduce camber change in bump. Finally, i'm thinking I need to break the track arm location control off the sway bar, adding a tension or compression strut.

Am I kidding myself? should I just drop back 5 and punt on this? Shift to double A-arm and be done with it? I can't believe even a MII would be any worse than the current deal is, and I'm not sure my thinking would be more of an improvement than just capitulating to a SLA front end. Is resistance futile?

Looking for suggestions, thoughts.

[Twentyover]

Can I percolate this up again and see if anyone has input?

[silver69camaro]

It really depends on what goals you have for the car. If you want to do some autocross or road racing, it's difficult to get sufficient camber out of strut front ends, although I really am not familiar with the suspension in that car.

So, what's in the plans?

[JMarsa]

Greg,

I'm assuming under the hood looks like any other unibody strut car? Instead of MII, how about grafting on another design from a similar sized sports car?

--JMarsa

[Twentyover]

The car is pretty typical of Mac Strut cars. Bolt on crossmember to unibody frame stubs. Inner fenders are spot welded to the frame stubs;and the front fenders are spot welded to the inner fenders. Car has a fairly narrow track @ 53.5". Very short lateral arm (about 9' pivot to pivot.) Think I appreciate the camber change due to strut compression in bump (especially w/ short track arm), and the positive camber input from body roll.

If I'm going to spend money on the car (and it looks like I am), I'd like to occasionally track and autocross the car. No door to door or class based racing like IT, Prod, or GT. Want to keep the tires inside the fenders, with maximum of lip rolling on the fenders. No big flares.

I'll entertain any suggestions. I was thinking MII since it would be an easy SLA suspension to adopt, and should provide a better camber curve than the current strut. I also appreciate that an MII also has shortcomings.

[Kenova]

I would think if you have the room under the hood, it should be do-able. The hardest part may be getting the geometry right. Check with some of the chassis builders / sponsors to the right. They just may have something in that width that could be adapted.

:hmm: Oh! by the way, what is it? I want to say Capri, but I'm not so sure.

Ken

[JMarsa]

I'm not sure about the track width or if you have any OEM preferences, but it seems the Japanese were the first to migrate to light suspension pieces. I would look into RX7/8, MX5, 350z, 240sx, or WRX. Basically if it has good aftermarket strut/coil/brake support and placed well in the races.

--JMarsa

[Twentyover]

I would think if you have the room under the hood, it should be do-able. The hardest part may be getting the geometry right. Check with some of the chassis builders / sponsors to the right. They just may have something in that width that could be adapted.

:hmm: Oh! by the way, what is it? I want to say Capri, but I'm not so sure.


Ken


1976 Capri MKII.

MKI was similiar, had some faux vents behind the rear door, and a trunk.

http://www.dmmultimedia.com/capri_mk1/capri_104w.jpg

75 the introduced the MKII body style (no 75 US cars), marketed the MKII in the US as 76, 77, and 78 (V.few 78 cars as the Fox Capri was in the pipe).

http://files.capri.pl/capri/mk2-ghia-2.jpg

MKIII was availabe as Euro only

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/archive/6/68/20071028104314!Ford_capri_mk3_1978.jpg

Deal is, if you strip off the heavy bumpers, I think alot of the disco era cars are really quite attractive.

[Twentyover]

Thanks for the input guys. Good stuff to think about

[JMarsa]

Greg,

Here's something I ran across the other day that might be of interest. Consider a subframe that's built for a strut set-up that would tie into your frame horns.

http://www.murtaya.com/Pictures/Tom-and-Dave.jpg
http://www.murtaya.com/Pictures/Murtaya-Kit-Parts-1.jpg
http://www.murtaya.com/Pictures/HiRez/Mikes-Murtaya-Getting-Painted-1.jpg

--JMarsa