SBC_400 Posted June 1, 2004 Share Posted June 1, 2004 I am thinking about doing a new complete front end on the 71 240. It will be a full tube front end on top of a boxed subframe tied to a 10pt cage from the fire wall back. (subframe running through the floor to the rear suspension) the engine would then be mounted with engine plates. my question is as long as I am going with a completely custom front end, what other front suspension set up should I look at? my original plan was to use the standard datsun strut set up with coilovers and camber plates big brakes etc. but as long as it is all going to be new, what might be easier to fab up, or just better in general. and I will use the flairs I have now, which are very wide, so nothing needs to fit under the stock body this car will be used for track days mostly, but will still be street legal for limited driving to car shows etc. so what do yo guys think Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Aaron Posted June 1, 2004 Share Posted June 1, 2004 If I were planning such a swap, I would have to seriously look at the C5 'vette front end. From what I have read, they are fairly simple to put on other cars, and they are regarded as one of the best suspension systems available. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 77vegasz Posted June 1, 2004 Share Posted June 1, 2004 Strut type suspensions were not used because they are performance oriented, they were used because they are cheap and simple. If you are starting from scratch, I suggest youread a book entitled " Chassis Engineering" by Herb Adams. It goes into great detail on the various suspension types, their advantages and disadvantages and applications. The book gets further into design calculations for designing your own system, and tuning thereof. Jon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SBC_400 Posted June 2, 2004 Author Share Posted June 2, 2004 well, my original thought was that I would not be starting from scratch (using the datsun suspension) I do plan on spending some money and alot of time on this, but I am still trying to stay within a budget, and I am not sure if building a completely new suspension set up will fit in to that budget. but I will look into the book and thank you for the sugestion. I am not building an all out competition car, but I do want it to handle well. and I am also looking into the cost of getting a corvette front end. My original Idea for this cam from 74_5.0LZ, and the tube front end he put on his car after it was in an accident, and he used the stock suspension set up, but I just started to get into the while I am at it syndrome again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest iskone Posted June 2, 2004 Share Posted June 2, 2004 Ahh.....While I"m at it, isn't the greatest Get the book I have a copy and it's great! I've done all the same considerations you are doing now, it's not going to be very cheap. But here are a few points to consider when using a corvette front supspension. You can buy the control arms, spindles, hubs, and brakes for less than $500 if you shop around. You'll still need to build a cross member and some how fit a steering rack on there. And you still need to measure for and buy the right springs and shocks. Somthing I think can only be done correctly if you get your car on a scale, or trail and error. Chevy uses a 5 on 4.75" bolt pattern on there hubs so if you want the same bolt pattern on the front and back you have to either re-drill the chevy hubs(if it can be done) or have custom rear hubs made for the Z. Keep in mind that it can change your backspacing front and rear. And the one that I always knew would get me is While your at it might as well drop in a Corvette IRS. Then things get way out of hand. One more quick thing about the book and it's authurs. They own VSE the company who makes most of the parts in the book and sells the Cobra chassis that is fetured. They are a pain in the ass to deal with or get a hold of. I have a copy of there catalog because I wanted to buy their knuckles and don't bother ordering one it is full of Cobra crap and not bits and peices to build your own suspension. I lost there number but to gewt a hold of them do a search in an online yellow page site for V.S.E. located in California (Carmel I think) Well it was a quick thought. Hope that helps Isk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest iskone Posted June 2, 2004 Share Posted June 2, 2004 Ahh.....While I"m at it, isn't the greatest Get the book I have a copy and it's great! I've done all the same considerations you are doing now, it's not going to be very cheap. But here are a few points to consider when using a corvette front supspension. You can buy the control arms, spindles, hubs, and brakes for less than $500 if you shop around. You'll still need to build a cross member and some how fit a steering rack on there. And you still need to measure for and buy the right springs and shocks. Somthing I think can only be done correctly if you get your car on a scale, or trail and error. Chevy uses a 5 on 4.75" bolt pattern on there hubs so if you want the same bolt pattern on the front and back you have to either re-drill the chevy hubs(if it can be done) or have custom rear hubs made for the Z. Keep in mind that it can change your backspacing front and rear. And the one that I always knew would get me is While your at it might as well drop in a Corvette IRS. Then things get way out of hand. One more quick thing about the book and it's authurs. They own VSE the company who makes most of the parts in the book and sells the Cobra chassis that is fetured. They are a pain in the ass to deal with or get a hold of. I have a copy of there catalog because I wanted to buy their knuckles and don't bother ordering one it is full of Cobra crap and not bits and peices to build your own suspension. I lost there number but to gewt a hold of them do a search in an online yellow page site for V.S.E. located in California (Carmel I think) Well it was a quick thought. Hope that helps Isk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
74_5.0L_Z Posted June 2, 2004 Share Posted June 2, 2004 I did a complete tubular front end on my 1974 260Z after I went head-on wth a pick-up truck. I cut the front end off at the firewall, installed a 2.5" square tubing frame to the rear subframe, and built 1.625" chromoly tube shock towers. I designed mine to use the factory suspension parts (I already had coil-over, sway bars, Koni's, big brakes). Here are pictures showing the completed front end: When building the front end, I had the car on a fixture that held the car in a fixed, level position. The fixture also allowed me reference my measurements to the factory frame alignment drawings ( The back of the fixture was aligned with point C) I have been driving it since September. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest iskone Posted June 3, 2004 Share Posted June 3, 2004 74_5.0 Did you ever consider building a dual control up front suspension using the stock lower control arm and coil over mounting location? I'm sure it has been discussed here somewhere though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SBC_400 Posted June 3, 2004 Author Share Posted June 3, 2004 well, I did a quick search on ebay for corvette front ends, and I found one with one day left on the auction currently at $250. and that was complete with 13" rotors. but having the different lug patterns is bothering me right now, and I would not mind the corvette rear end, but I dont think that is in the budget right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted June 3, 2004 Share Posted June 3, 2004 Can't you just redrill the stub axles in back? I seem to remember Mike Gibson had a template to drill them right on the car... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest iskone Posted June 3, 2004 Share Posted June 3, 2004 $250 that's a great deal. I'd take if that's what you want to do. I was thinking about it and you might be able to drill the corvette hubs with the 4x4.5 Z bolt pattern, I say might because I don't know how that will effect the rotors. Are they 2 peice with a hat? or do they slip over the hub? Drilling the 4 bolt pattern sounds like it might be the best bet. Or if it's in the budget you can have axles from a corvette IRS matted to your Z, sounds like alot of work and I don't even know if it's an option. Let me know what you are going to do. jmortensen: I think that mike was using a ford bolt pattern (5x4.5) and I remember I didn't feel safe doing it myself after reading the thread, but that is just me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted June 3, 2004 Share Posted June 3, 2004 Oops I think you're right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest iskone Posted June 3, 2004 Share Posted June 3, 2004 jmortensen: Yeah you should read all thew times I put my foot in my mouth Hey, are you in the ZCCW? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SBC_400 Posted June 3, 2004 Author Share Posted June 3, 2004 that corvette front end I mentioned is actualy from a c4 not a c5, nad it is at $227 with 5 hr left. here is pic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V8ZRACER260Z Posted June 3, 2004 Share Posted June 3, 2004 I am using a C4 front & rear setup. As for handling the C4 front will handle just as good as the C5 on the street. The $250 is a great buy for that front setup. The rear is not difficult to put in but will cast a bit more. Rick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
74_5.0L_Z Posted June 3, 2004 Share Posted June 3, 2004 Rick, I've been wondering how your project is coming. I haven't seen any new pictures lately. I am planning to run an autocroos up your way soon. I'd like to come check out the progress while I'm there. iskone, Yes, I have considered building an upper/lower control arm front end. If I do, I think I'll build new (longer) lower control arms and a custom front crossmember. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SBC_400 Posted June 7, 2004 Author Share Posted June 7, 2004 how does putting something like the corvette front end on a smaller car like the z change the handeling of that specific suspension design. I am wondering because the vette has a wider track width, so building it to a narrower front will change the roll center right? maby I am way off, or maby it will not change enough to be a problem, but I am just wondering because obviously the length of controll arms are designed to work in conjunction with the spoecifications of the corvette. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V8ZRACER260Z Posted June 7, 2004 Share Posted June 7, 2004 I put the vette suspension in full width in the front and 8" narrowed in the rear. This will keep the factory roll center in the front. As for the rear this set up has been used in cobra kit cars that handle great. I am widing my car about 2.5" in front & 3.5" in back to handle the larger rubber. Rick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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