2nd Gen Front Suspension Choices?

[jeffandre]

If you had to buy a new front suspension (UCA's, LCA's, springs, shocks) for street/autocross/road racing what would you get? I would like to keep the current frame and mounts, just bolt on stuff at this time. I will have extremely wide tires on this car and am using B-body spindles with the big outer bearing.

Would be interested in adjustable coilovers for the front, hopefully a setup that makes it easy to install without major frame mods...

Any brands that make kits would be fine, I am looking for feedback on what would be a great system to use all-around with some tuning adjustability. I would eventually match the rear springs to the front.

[primate]

im interested in this as well. so far one thing i have found that is very intersting is this...
http://www.74-77camaro.com/Articles/TransAm-chassis/images/page22.jpg
http://www.74-77camaro.com/Articles/TransAm-chassis/images/page23.jpg

i found this link in nastyz28's suspension section. this is the first thing i am going to do to my subframe when it comes back from the sandblaster.

anyone know if this is bad? i know a lot of people use the g-mod for 1st gen camaros, and it works wonderfully. i hope this mod is a good idea as well.

[primate]

noone? there has to be a few 2nd gens here.... i couldnt imagine this site only having a bunch of 1st gens and thats all...:scared: :icon_razz

[MrQuick]

Sorry, I tried to read that but my eye ball fell out. I have built a couple 2nd gens and I think they work well with stock geometry.

[yody]

quick!!! pick up your eyeball and re-insert!

[Lowend]

There is no bolt-in coilover setup that is any good. The QA1 stuff isn't good for much of anything (crappy shocks and poor adjustability).
My suggestion is to take a look at www.globalwest.net they have the best bolt-on type stuff on the market for that car. I would say their tubular upper a-arms combined with a set of Del-A-Lum lower bushings.
You need to replace the body mount bushings with Aluminum or Poly ones. Weld-in subframe connectors are a must.

[jeffandre]

Got the sf connectors welded in, aluminum body bushings, will be looking to see if I can have a set of Delrin/Del-a-lum bushings machined to fit my current aftermarket control arms before I buy a different set altogether. I figured the QA-1 coilover conversion stuff was fairly weak, not for road racing and autocross without specific springs and shocks. Thanks for the response Lowend!

[Piet]

There is one or two 2nd Gens here....

[1977nova]

I was also wondering about that article. Would moving the a arm holes help a second gen as much as a first gen? I would like to know more about the vintage setups that were used on second gen cars. There is just something to me about using modified stock peices rather than aftermarket.

[Mean 69]

Keep in mind that the vintage guys run vintage rubber, and that is a HUGE difference relative to a good contemporary radial tire.

I am not so certain about the suspension geometry of the second gen's, it might be an improvement over the first gen's, but in absolute terms still probably isn't "great." The spindle suffers from a really low pin height, so lowering the car will likely put the geometry in not so good shape. I wish we would have mapped it all out when we pulled the current project car apart, just didn't have the time.

We will be taking a look at things in more detail at some point in the near future, but this is not the first thing on the list at this time. I wouldn't stray too far away from what others have done that seems to work, if there was a silver bullet, it would likely have been found already.

Mark

[BonzoHansen]

I don't think those mods are needed if you do good aftermarket control arms, which have the same basic geometry changes built in, if I understand this correctly.

[OneslowZ28]

well if you want to fork out the extra money like i just did get the wayne due set-up. i can say it looks like it is well worth the money. i did the C-4 frame only cause i got a sweet deal on it. I was looking at the C-5 which parts are somewhat cheap for now and you dont have to worry about upgrading the brakes just because they already are big 13" to be exact. Just a thought,i know your trying to keep it under a budget but a couple more months of saving would be well worth it in the end. you would get good "street/autocross/road racing " out of this!

I still have your email and when i get the frame back from powdercoating i will send you some pics.

[SHANE 73Z]

I think I have a good idea of what I will be doing for the front of my car. In keeping in my budget constraints and willingness to make my own mistakes, I am planning on the following for the front of my car.

First will be a set of hidden adjusters & some heavier front springs. GW solid bushings in the lower arms. I think after that I am going to speak with Marcus @ SC&C. His combination of tall ball joints/tie rods & adjustable upper arms, seems to offer the cost & tuning capabilities I am looking for.

There are some issues that I would need some assurance on. I hate A-arms that dont have a provision for a droop bumper. I would also have to see that everything would package inside my 16" wheels.

I have just started this search, so this could all change.....maybe next week............

Shane

[rickk]

check out www.martzchassis.com (http://www.martzchassis.com) he does a good job.

rickk

[David Pozzi]

The upper balljoints from Marcus look very good, plus the mod is reverseable and you don't have to cut on the subframe. The second gen camber curve isn't all that great, better than a stock first gen but less than a second gen with Guldstrand mod. If you can get 5 deg positive caster, it helps a lot.
David