Who builds customs Suspensions/Chassis'
 

I am about to start building up my project car, and need some advice/suggestions for the suspension set up.

The car is a 1973 RX 2, basically, handles like crap, can only fit 8's in the rear if lucky, and even then, it handles like crap. :p:

Any suggestions on a complete custom suspension? IRS rear end, with lots of cutting to fit 10-12 inch rims in the back? Up front possibly a one off A-Arm design. But, at the very least a step up to first or second gen front suspension. I am looking at this being a street car, with some track and drag time. It will be putting down between 400WHP and 450WHP. I am most concerned with improving the handling, and having the car hold up to the kind of power I am going to throw at it.

So, that is my dilemna. Anyone have any practical experience in this area? Any ideas on where to search, or shops to contact?

Yes I know it will be expensive. ;)

I have a friend that used to run an RX2 in ITA. He was always competetive. When he quit racing he built another RX2 as a street car. i know one of the things he added was a speedway sway bar http://www.1speedway.com/ . He cut the front bar in the center and added a tube since it is part of the suspension locating. Installed the speedway bar for the sway bar. He did borrow some first gen stuff for the front , but I don't think he ever got it to work or fit right.

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I know exactly what you are talking about. I am working on a chassis right now from a guy that lives in SoCal also. You can mini tub the rear and keep the rear suspension or back half the car or do a complete frame front front to rear. Either way, it is a lot of work but would be very cool.

Being that you are dealing with a unibody structure, you do not have much to attach new suspension points to. Can maybe do a bolt in crossmember with a-arms and coilovers already attached. I did that to a R100 I had years ago from a Toyota Corona (?). Worked pretty good, using it as a Dirt Stock Car at the time. Totalled that one.

I have been in a few RX2's that were very fast and handled well. Sway bay is a must. Bushings front and rear a must. And very good Struts and shocks a must also.

I have always wanted to use a E30 series IRS in a car, they use a crossmember style mount that I think would be very easy to convert or use a Sec Gen IRS. Would have to narrow either of them to work. Come up with a good shock mounting point, re-tin the floor, find the right wheels. Be cool though!

Keep us posted!!

Yep this is exactly where I am heading. I was looking at the Jag IRS, because the shocks are mounted inward far enough. So, the mini-tubs or back half would work. I can visual it. I just can't fabricate shit. :p:

You mention E30. Are you referring to a bimmer? if so what year?

I definetly believe that with enough time, money, and effort it can be done. My real problem is getting ahold of someone knowledgeable enough to do it. ;)

Now that you mention it, is this something that is viable with a unibody? would I just remove the complete undercarrige, and have someone fab a new chassis for the car?

An IRS would be cool, don't get me wrong, but from my limited knowledge of drag racing my question is, is it the right way to go? Can you load the suspension and chassis properly to get the car to hook-up off the line with as much power as you are looking for? It would work but I don't think it would be optimum. I'd go for it myself and give up the hard launch to have fun in the corners too. How about taking an entire FC subframe and suspension, narrowing it in the middle and having CV's instead of u-joints on your axles. Then you only have four points to locate on the body(2 subframe, 2 shocks) 6 if you count the rear diff mounts.

Definetly more interested in handling in the corners than drag racing.

E30 bimmer is from 84 to 91 I think. Mine is a 84. Has a drop out crossmember that holds everything. It is a unibody also, can cut out the rear floor out of the way and weld in plates on the side for the crossmember. Can be done.

There are two guys who race Rx-2's in EP here in the Northwest, Mark and Scott Hanken. Here is a link to their website with some pics:

http://hometown.aol.com/shanken250/m...utoracing.html

I race against them and they are a couple of the nicest guys you are likely to meet. I can tell you that they have gotten THEIR cars to handle, and it has taken some chopping and cutting!

I'd highly recommend AWR. I've seen a lot of their work and its very impressive. They're running an overall excellent operation.

Got a website or contact information?

David- a complete C4 Vette IRS from disk to disk with everything in between can be had for around $1K. 12"+ rear disks.... Dana 36 or Dana 44 pumpkin. You would have a difficult time breaking anything in the setup and it would be "cost effective." All aluminum as well.

You should put some IMSA flares on it and go gonzo.

San Francisco = into flares. :p:

Actually the Vette rear end is not a bad idea. I would think that setup would be kind of heavy, though?

Also, is it a simple IRS? I.E. will I have to build a cradle for it, or Just a couple of brackets for 2/4 bolts to hook up? I know the Jag rear end, is 4 bolts, and also a Dana 44.

well, For a Drag race ? A Ford live AXLE with muti link?watt link would be much cheaper and easier to build? and it fit to Drag race concet?


AND about JAG IRS. YES I have see it done. A lot of hot rod shop and British car use that as replacement for their live axle rear end.

The down side, you are adding a lot of weight. I rember compare to a MGBGT's rear end's is about 200LB heaver.

this will give you a better understanding what is involved. Some shortening is required... aside from that it shouldn't be that bad.

http://www.turbobuicks.com/members/s...e-irs-swap.htm

It worked pretty well for drag racing considering he was cutting 1.3x 60' times....

Great link. Thanks!!!!!!!