long story short = i priced up the parts new from rock auto to complete the fat man set up and inc rotors and r&p but not spindles/calipers as i dont know usa term for spindles? price is $300. some of this stuff you could by used.

anybody know if u.s escorts have same r&p as european escorts?

i think you could have the coil over ford sourced fatman set up for around $2450 maybe less. about 800 usd over jonks idea its still an extra 800 but you have modern parts and easier? upgrades plus r&p and more room in the bay if you want it

however as iv said the classic racers spec cars do seem to hang on pretty well

if i went ofr upgraded standard using g/w tcp etc etc anybody know wich kits use std replaceable parts as buying complete just for a ball joint is a joke!

67. i realize what std mustang suspenion is but when i read your reply it sounded to me that having ,,double control arms,, was something different something i should buy rather than something i allready have . i think your right std with sensible mods can work well the problemis whe you have your new toy you want to buy stuff to improve it and with so much stuff available and all the flashy magazine articals its easy to feel left behind

 

can anybody confirm if the aje k member kit can be used by simply buying just the k member then using everything from a foxbody or similar?

this way i could upgrade as i go and still have a half decent set up?

 

can anybody confirm if the jae k member kit can be used by simply buying just the k member then using everything from a foxbody or similar?

this way i could upgrade as i go and still have a half decent set up?

 

Yep, you can. I'm doing it so I can use strange adjustable struts.

 

Yep, you can. I'm doing it so I can use strange adjustable struts.

 

I'd recommend sticking with basically the stock SLA arrangement and spend more of the early money on track time. Lots of new parts won't impress your instructor nearly as much as a little humility and willingness to learn how to drive at that level of intensity. What you might have called "hard street driving" really isn't that hard and doesn't count for much - and you may have learned a few wrong things that'll need to be un-learned.

Start by making as honest an evaluation as you can concerning how stiff of a ride that you will tolerate on whatever basis you drive this car, whether that's daily, weekends only, or just once in a while, and on the road conditions it'll see. This will (or at least should) influence your choices of springs and shocks. Not everybody has the same tolerance or preference (for instance, some folks consider the 620 springs way too stiff, while others do not). The closer that you can pin this down, the happier you'll be with the end result.

Get the car in proper mechanical condition first, and make sure that you have enough brake system capacity. I'm not saying big-$ big brake kit here, just better pads and fluid should be enough the first few times. Get good tires, but stay away from the top-shelf autocross or "R-compounds". They tend to cover for driving errors and let you get away with things that you shouldn't keep doing (eventually, you'll be driving fast enough to where they won't).

Likewise on specific suspension pieces. Quality shocks, perhaps adjustables, and to save a little shop time if you don't do your own work - springs. GR-2's and Tokico Blues are not quality shocks as far as high performance use is concerned.

The Shelby/Arning "drop" is a good mod, but without knowing anything about your experience I'd hold off on that a bit. Along with greater front grip and turn-in comes an increased chance of having the rear end come around on you. Get some seat time first.


Another reason for pushing the driving before the modding - after you have a little track time under your belt, you'll have a better idea of what the car (and your driving style) needs or wants. And what will be tolerable for the 'street' part of it all.

In autocrossing, improvement is "driver, tires/wheels, everything else" in that order. HPDE/PDX/whatever is mostly the same, just at higher speeds and not quite as frantic.


Norm

 

Yeah, all the suspension in the world is worthless if you can't control the car. That's why a lot of Dodge Vipers get wrecked. A good driver in a crappy car will be faster than a crappy driver in a good car.

 

with respect guys im aware experience is most important iv even said so in another post thats not what im questioning

so heres the the thing
i dont want to buy twice. i need to replace some of my front end anyway due to damage. but when i bought the car it came with as extras a new 1 inch arb ,620 -1 springs an 11,, disc kit minus calipers all new

so as per original post question im wondering if to use my new parts and add some upgraded stuff

or go over to struts/coil over etc and sell my excess parts and as it now apears i can buy this k member and fit used fox front end parts wich im thinking would work at least as well as an uprated original set up? THEN buy upgraded parts as and when i can its strating to look like this could be the way to go?

can you explain what hpde and pdx is please iv had some ideas but everydays a school day right?

 

I'd stick with modifying the OE arrangement. Springs, shocks, sta-bar, and the Shelby/Arning UCA relocation.

Struts can be made to work well enough, but their geometry is inherently inferior to an equally well set up SLA (short long arm) arrangement.


HPDE = High Performance Driver Education

PDX = Performance Driving (SCCA's name, not sure what the X stands for)


Norm

 

Just modify your stock setup. Box the control arms if you want extra rigidity, reinforce the the towers(early BOSS/Trans Am mods), keep the springs you have, use the Shelby/Arning drop, for bushings you'd be better off from a performance standpoint with Del-a-lum or poly to reduce movement in the suspension, or you can upgrade to some of the Opentracker stuff(bearings, no deflection), a good 2 way adjustable shock. Good strut rods.

I wouldn't go to a tubular coilover setup unless you plan to road race it frequently and drive it every day. The advantage of a Global West or TCP coilover is mounting the spring on the lower arm, you can run a lighter spring rate and still get the same wheel rate so it handles the same but rides smoother. And tubular is stronger, but you'll only benefit from a tubular setup if you race aggressively with large/sticky tires.

To give you an idea.....

Here's the point where you need tubular suspension, so unless you have the skill and ***** to drive like this, it's a total waste of money. Notice the mph, and ask if you're willing to drive your classic like this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5eBGS...eature=related

And this is what can happen(at even slower speeds) when you have just a bit too much confidence and not quite enough skill....he got on the throttle a little early coming out of turn 9 at Willow springs on the Big Track. Again, ask if you're willing to drive your Mustang like this....if not then there's no point in a coil over conversion.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8ygjttKdF4


If those give you pause about driving that fast, then use modified stock, it's more than you'll need.