New member with awesome 2dr Custom

[gasman826]

...see if I want to go 4 link.

triangular 4 link is the most stable for lateral movement.  My fingers will not fit between the sidewalls and the fender well opening.

[LAUDY57]

Gasman is your whole frame custom made? Sure is strong looking, at what angle are your trailing arms and how long are they? What size rims and tires are those?

[gasman826]

If I figured time and materials at a rate north of the minimum wage, I could have bought an Art Morrison frame.  It is an OEM frame...strengthened, re-welded, modified.  The tires in the picture were just for mock up...some old NASCAR tires.  The 4 link measurements are very vague and not critical.  I'll take some updated pictures.  The main thing is to keep the upper and lower links length within 70% of each other.  The triangle should be at least 30 degrees.  If possible, the lower link should have an upward angle at ride height for better weight distribution under acceleration.  For a full race version, these guidelines are way too general but adequate for a street suspension.  I have a good ride...no noise or binding.  Much stronger and lighter than OEM.  With no rubber, spring steel, or plastic to absorb torque, banging gears will transfer some harshness.

[LAUDY57]

More pics would be great! I used to some design work on stock cars a long time ago and having to find the centre of mass, etc,etc, and I've helped on other street cars so now I finally get to do my own, it's always good to know what actually works in reality and not just a bunch of numbers on paper (I've always had the KISS principle drilled into me).
I did a double take for sure when I saw those tires!!

[gasman826]

I figured that if I could get those NASCAR tires under it, there would be plenty of room for street tires.  The tires on it now are Mickey Thompson Sportsman S/R 30x12.00Rx15 and matching MT skinnies on the front.  There is a 2" tub to the body.  Very simple...like it was made for it.  I split the wheel well in the middle, cut 2" out of the floors, added a 2" strip of steel and welded it all back together.  It barely shows.  The rear seat still fits and the trunk hinge does not need to be relocated.  I'll have to get fresh pictures of the body.  The frame is in the cold storage part of the barn so the light is really poor.  The 2" body tub also matches up to the frame...well most of it.   The original frame clears the front, inside edge of the tire.  As the frame goes up and just as it almost reaches the top of the arch over the rearend, it dog legs outward.  With the frame fastened to a frame table (frame table is an exaggeration...homemade with 10" I-beams), I cut out 18" of frame and moved the dog leg behind the tire.  I changed the shocks and cross member from the first design to the current design because I forgot to leave room for the 3" tailpipes.  If I was to do it again, I would likely use 'air springs' (air bags/shock combos) to simplify and conserve room.  I would move the front, lower link bar mounts inward and mount on the inside of the frame for better weight transfer geometry.  The links are way over kill.  A kit would provide brackets, links and link ends.  But I had fun making everything. 

[LAUDY57]

You're right, the fun is in the doin'! A t first I didn't get it because your avatar shows a 57 driver but these pics show what you're building now? I'm looking at air bags you said you would put in if you did it again.

[gasman826]

The avatar was Version 1.0.  I've been walking for the pass three years making Version 2.0.  All the frame modifications were complete on the first version with no comforts.  NO insulation.  NO window seals. NO carpet.  NO pretty nothing.  The frame mods, air bags, tub work, power rack and pinion were all tested for a couple of years on the first version.  Know I'm trying to clean up the act.  I liked the braking, steering, ride and control so well that nothing is being changed underneath.  I upgrades in the rear were only to accommodate the tailpipes. 

Since it was several years ago when I did the air bags, air springs were fairly new and very expensive.  If I was to start from scratch and knowing what I know now, I would go with air springs on the rear cause space is very limited.  Especially with a 44 gal. BAJA fuel safe and 3" tailpipes.