NEW suspension goodies from the SEMA HotRod and Resto Show

[Marcus SC&C]

I just got back from Indy and thought you guys might like to hear about some cool new stuff. There were several 1st Gen R&P kits there. Flaming River installed one a `68 Camaro at the show. Quick and easy install but the geometry looked a little shaky. Naturally it was supposed to have "0 bumpsteer" but then that`s the big catch phrase/ "Would you like a beverage sir? It has 0 bumpsteer" etc. Unisteer`s was there too,it looked fairly promising. I`d love to see that one installed.

One of the biggest things for the ProTouring crowd was a totally new spindle for 1st Gens and A bodys from believe it or now FatMan Fabrications. I talked to Brent (THE Fatman himself, really nice guy BTW!) about them. They`re a 2" drop spindle (I know,ho hum,but wait...),they`re 2" taller overall than stock (got yer attention now huh?!) and they move the steering arm down .513" to correct the bumpsteer (at least as much as possible without changing tie rod lengths). The one I saw was a rapid prototyped plastic piece but it looked beefier than stock and pretty well engineered. They`ll accept stock brakes,hubs,steering arms etc. or any aftermarket parts that fit a stock spindle. They should be out in 2 to 3 months (I`m pretty sure he said 2-3 anyway). "Introductory price" $299pr. We`ll have to have a big tech discussion about these babys. The big 2" height increase would give the UBJ a pretty hairy angle with stock or stock configuration tubular UCAs but it should work very nice indeed with a set of SC&C flat BJ plate adj. upper arms. :icon996:

QA1 is introducing a "budget" version of their coilover conversion for 1st Gens and A and G body too. It used a non adjustable threaded steel tube coilover rather than the adj. billet ones. They didn`t have any pricing on them yet.

AirRide had their 4 link/Shockwave rear suspension package for 1st gens there and installed one in a Camaro. It was a pretty tidy system and didn`t take them long to install. It`s a converging 4 link (roughly similar to a Chevelle) but they moved the UCAs down to the axle tubes which should lower the RC height to around 9"-10" and the angles may not bind as bad as stock (that`s what they said anyway). The suspension part of the package would work with std. coilovers too.
I`m sure I missed a lot of stuff. I`ll try and post anything else I remember as I go through the reams of catalogs and literature I picked up there. Marcus SC&C

[David Pozzi]

Thanks for the report!
It sounds like companies are paying attention to PT type car builders.

[protour_chevelle]

Now we just need affordable but quality parts! Like that will ever happen. bummer!

-Matt

[wickedmotorhead]

Any pics of the spindles?

[Norm Peterson]

If it's the Coleman Racing piece, the latest copy of Circle Track does.

Norm

[Mean 69]

The new spindle sounds interesting, except for the "stock hub" part. I am in the process of fitting new calipers to my car, and had to pull the hubs as a result this past weekend, they are just puny, bearing especially. I am really not comfortable with them in the "next" intended phase of my car. If they could throw an Impala pin and do a hub to match, that would be much better. I suppose their replacement would be fine for the majority of folks though. I'd love to see the geometry.

Great thread, thanks for the info!
Mark

[Marcus SC&C]

FWIW Heidts also came out with a taller replacement spindle recently. It`s 1.5" taller than stock,also a 2" drop and has an integral steering arms. I don`t know if any changes were made for bumpsteer correction. They offer them with brakes up to 13" Wilwoods with 6 piston calipers.
Oh,that reminds me,Wilwood will have several 14" brake packages out this year also.
I ran the numbers for the FatMan tall spindle quickly and it`s a definite improvement over stock. I wish they`d offer a non dropped version though. With a 2" spindle drop it doesn`t allow for much spring drop if any so the LCAs are still angled downward toward the LBJ even at fairly low ride heights and the camber curves end up about the same as a 2" spring lowered car with the G mod or SC&C tall UBJs. The RC is a little higher than I`d like at around 5" also. They should be a great bolt on for otherwise stock cars though,which I`m pretty sure was their intention. Marcus SC&C

[David Pozzi]

Bigger bearings would be great.

[dennis68]

WOAH!!!! Hold the phone, how did I miss this thread? Did I just save myself about 400 bucks by waiting to have those spindles made up??? Do I understand that Fatman is building 2" drop spindles, 2" taller than stock with dropped steering arms???

I'll gladly sacrifice the small gains I had made in FVSA, bump steer, camber gain for a spindle that I can:
a) use off the shelf parts with
b) replace easily and without a 6-8 wait if something "bad" happens
c) advise others to use without a warning of the extensive mods and custom parts required for it's use
d) use a bolt on steering arm with

Thanks a bunch for the heads up Marcus!!!

Now, I can take that 400 and build a set of 1.5" longer control arms and order a new set of wheels with more backspace and that would decrease scrub radius and then............

[Marcus SC&C]

You got it Dennis! I was wondering when you`d find this thread. :) Marcus SC&C

[USAZR1]

If those spindles excite Denny that much,they sound very interesting.

[dennis68]

OK, now to light a fire under the Fatmans ass and get these things on the shelfs...or more to the point, in my garage.

[93Polo]

FWIW Heidts also came out with a taller replacement spindle recently. It`s 1.5" taller than stock,also a 2" drop and has an integral steering arms. I don`t know if any changes were made for bumpsteer correction. They offer them with brakes up to 13" Wilwoods with 6 piston calipers.
Oh,that reminds me,Wilwood will have several 14" brake packages out this year also.
I ran the numbers for the FatMan tall spindle quickly and it`s a definite improvement over stock. I wish they`d offer a non dropped version though. With a 2" spindle drop it doesn`t allow for much spring drop if any so the LCAs are still angled downward toward the LBJ even at fairly low ride heights and the camber curves end up about the same as a 2" spring lowered car with the G mod or SC&C tall UBJs. The RC is a little higher than I`d like at around 5" also. They should be a great bolt on for otherwise stock cars though,which I`m pretty sure was their intention. Marcus SC&C
I'd love to see pics and prices on the Heidt and Fatman spindles. Is the Heidt's for A-bodies? 13" Willwoods :smoke:

[Marcus SC&C]

Heidts should have pics and info on their site. I`m not certain if their spindles are made for Chevelles. I just skimmed over them in the catalog. The FatMan spindles are still in rapid prototyped form. They had some black and white brochures but I don`t think they`re in the catalog yet. Marcus SC&C