Leaf spring vs. 4 link???

[Boerger]

I am currently restoring a 70 Camaro, mainly for a fast street car/ strip car, but I don't want to rule out standing mile and autocross. The rear frame rails and wheel tubs are pretty rusted out, so I am going to replace them with mini-tubs and new frame rails, moved in a few inches.
I am a beginner at suspension, and would like to start with something simple to tweak on, but after reading this http://http://www.racetec.cc/shope/, I think I am more confused than before. haha
My question is, after doing all that work, should I bother to add leaf springs back, or just replace it with a 4 link setup? Is there a simple 4 link setup doesn't require alot of calculations?

Thanks in advance
Chris

[ProdigyCustoms]

We are drag racers and autocrossers. If you want to use leafs that will handle well and drag race well, it won't happen. Handling leafs are muti leaf design and have stiff rates, drag race leafs are mono leaf design and are soft rates. Both will work well in there respective arenas, but wil suffer badly when out of their comofrt zone.

Triangle 4 links in general offer the most veristitily to do do both drag and handling and also ride well. The Chris Alston G Link is the most adjustable and easiest to install. It is also our most popular rear suspension of all 5 braands of F Body suspension we sell.

[Boerger]

That sounds like a pretty solid plan. I looked on their website but couldn't find a description of any triangulated 4 links. How much does a basic kit run?

[ProdigyCustoms]

Your looking a tick nrth of $2000 depending whcih system and options we choose

[SLO_Z28]

If you want to use leafs that will handle well and drag race well, it won't happen.

There has to be guys well into 10's with Global West cat5 springs.

[ProdigyCustoms]

I am sure anything can be done. I am a drag racer for many years. We ALWAYS ran mono leafs or something like Landrum split leaf monos.

Lets put it this way, on our coil over cars, lets say it is a small block car, For handling we will run something like a 500 front and 200 rear, for drag racing we will run a 250 front and 130 rear. I currently have 90LB rear springs on my street racer, they do not handle very well!

On a triangle 4 link, we can do 175 LB springs, some double adjustable shocks, firm up the compression and rebound for road racing and autocross, soften the compression and firm up the rebound for drag racing so it does not pogo stick. You could do that with leafs, but 200, 250LB leafs do not act like coil springs, period.

[SLO_Z28]

Yeah, ive seen a low 7 second 73 camaro with split monos and 295 drag radials.Its not too rare to see 9 second slapper bar cars.

The point I was making is you can go really really fast with road race springs and drag slicks, and its pretty easy with this car. Its not like a first gen that has a terrible suspension design from the factory, this is one of the cars GM got right.

[Boerger]

If I stuck with leafs, I would still have to move them inboard. I had figured about $300 for monoleafs, and another $300-400 for a nice traction bar. For that amount I thought I could get started on a decent 4 link, but it is looking like it might be alot more. Has anyone used a kit like this?

http://www.welderseries.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=22_70&products_id=507

Although I don't know much about suspension now, the only way I will learn is to actually do it, which is why I am leaning toward setting up most of it myself.

[Bryce]

check out some of the geometery calculators on line and build a four link.

The adjsutablitly will make it more universal.