Close



Results 1 to 10 of 10
  1. #1

    Default Any "coneheads" in here? Opinons on my setup?

    My 83 is coming together and should at least be mobile in the spring. It's mainly meant for weekend cruising and a little spirited rip every now and then.

    I've been thinking of using it for some local autocross just for fun and the experience. I do not intend to be competitive, just to have a little fun. It looks like I'm going to end up in CAM-T for a class. I'm in Canada, but the organizing bodies all seem to use the specs from the 'States organizations for rules. Like I said, I don't really care what class I'm going to end up in, I just want to push it around a few cones and have a little fun.

    Drag racing is not in this car's future. Well, no more than maybe and occasional romp away from a stop light on street tires.

    This is also kind of a budget build. Mostly stock parts swapped between years with a few aftermarket bits, some DIY stuff and my labor and skills to pull it all together.

    The powerplant is an 89 HO roller engine with an edelbrock performer RPM air gap and a holley 750 vac secondary (Hold your "too big" comments to yourselves please). The rest is pretty much stock right up to the E7 heads. I'm considering a set of aluminum heads, but more for weight savings on the nose rather than HP gains (never going to be much more than a 300-400hp power plant). T5 backs it up. Rear end is a fox 8.8 with SN95 31 spline axles and Traction lock 3.73's.

    Brakes in rear are SN95 discs, up front is 99+ PBR's. No cobra stuff, just production SN95 bits. Stainless steel lines and a 94 SN95 master and booster. Haven't had opportunity to run them yet, so not sure if I need to mess with the MC sizing.

    What I'm wondering about optimizing is the suspension setup with what I have planned/purchased.

    First the front end: Fox V8 sway bar, narrow K member slid forward 3/4", engine setback 1" (per Mathis book recommendations). 2003 cobra A Arms, 2003 Mach 1 springs, 95 SN95 spindles. Struts are either a 2003 Bilstein takeoff's or NIB KYB AGX (single adjustables) shocks. I have both, I may run both for a couple runs and see what works best for me. Caster/camber plates, grabbed off eBay for now. No coil overs (or ever plan to) so these will be fine for my purposes. Please, no "MM" this or "MM" that. I'm well aware of their products and great rep. They may make fine kit, but it's just not in my budget.

    Steering: 94 SN95 steering rack (pulled from a V6 car) and OEM replacement inner/outer tie rod ends. I'll get a replacement spec'd 22-2200 one down the road sometime. Machined my own Al bushings (I have a metal lathe) and built my own fox column to rack steering shaft (indexed it the way I wanted so no rack or column modifications).

    Rear end: Axle as already mentioned. Stock lower control arms. Mustang GT OEM rear sway bar. KYB AGX shocks. 2003 mach 1 springs. Upper arms removed. I'm building my own panhard bar and torque arm. Again, I understand the "MM" arguments and the safety issues with DIY components. I understand the geometry requirements and will be tack welding my components together and having them professionally finish welded. So please, no "i wouldn't do it" or such pointless comments. I may not have time to get the TA done this winter, in which case I was thinking of maybe running the "PM3L" setup for this summer.

    Full length subframe connectors (welded). I'm considering building rocker/jacking rails.

    Wheels are 16 SN95 oem takeoffs. I'm limited to no less than treadwear 200 tires so these will do fine. A little more sidewall (compared to 17") will hurt me a touch in cornering, but give me a little better street ride.

    No lowing planned other than where the springs/components end up. Looks like it's about a 3/4" drop from stock. Hard to tell as the car was a v6 with broken springs to start with.

    My biggest limitations for autocross (that I can see) is going to be driver skill (new at it) and tire width/compound (class limitations and what will fit). But I am doing cones just for the fun of it. I could care less where I end up on some points board.

    So, any coneheads want to point out any items or adjustments that may be helpful in car setup? I'm thinking right off the rear spring rates might be a bit too low with the PB/TA setup.....

    Everyone loves pics, so I'll chuck a couple "project in progress" ones up:







    Last edited by great white; 11-10-2016 at 12:35 PM.

  2. #2

    Default

    Well, the Bilstein's just showed up today:



    Which ones m I going to run?

    Well, anyone want to buy some "new in box" KYB AGX adjustable struts?


  3. #3
    FEP Member brianj's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Location
    Raymond, New Hampshire
    Posts
    2,896
    Blog Entries
    2

    Default

    I would highly recommend contacting Maximum Motorsport for a spring recommendation for use with their TA. Easiest way to be sure. As far as fabricating your own, it's a pretty simple piece. As long as you are confident in your welding, it's pretty straight forward. As far as the panhard set up goes, I'd probably buy the MM one, for the simple reason that rod ends are pretty spendy, and after buying them and the appropriate bushings and hardware you're probably going to be close to the price of buying one anyhow.
    Last edited by brianj; 11-10-2016 at 03:13 PM.
    1983 Mustang G.T. No-option stripper- I like strippers.
    5.0, GT40P heads, Comp Cams XE270HR-12 on 1.6 rockers, TFI spring kit, Weiand 174 blower, Holley 750 mechanical secondarys, Mishimoto radiator, Edelbrock street performer mechanical pump, BBK shortys, T-5 conversion, 8.8 rear, 3.73 gears, carbon fiber clutches, SS Machine lowers, Maximum Motorsport XL subframes, "B" springs.

  4. #4

    Default

    A few other auto-x peeps out in the internet world would recommend the following;

    Alignment-
    Camber: -1.75s
    Caster : 3.5+ degrees
    Toe: Out 1/16th

    Tire Pressure -
    Fronts: 36
    Rears: 34

    I have tried them with good results.
    1986 SVO 1E (IRS'd and too much $$ spent making it turn, stop, and go)
    http://vb.foureyedpride.com/showthre...esto-Mod-Build

    1979 Pace Car #2179 (Gathering parts for GT500 5.8, T56, and t-top swap)
    http://vb.foureyedpride.com/showthre...84#post1944184

  5. #5

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by brianj View Post
    I would highly recommend contacting Maximum Motorsport for a spring recommendation for use with their TA. Easiest way to be sure. As far as fabricating your own, it's a pretty simple piece. As long as you are confident in your welding, it's pretty straight forward. As far as the panhard set up goes, I'd probably buy the MM one, for the simple reason that rod ends are pretty spendy, and after buying them and the appropriate bushings and hardware you're probably going to be close to the price of buying one anyhow.
    Thanks for the suggestions, but I have everything I need to make my own stuff on hand so that's a big fat "no" to buying MM stuff.

    I can also weld (mig and stick) but have a pressure vessel certified friend who will do a far better job than I can finishing up my welds for free. Well, a little beer and bartering some labor on his vehicles is free enough for me.

  6. #6

    Default

    This looks like a great plan. You are going to have a blast.
    Only thing is in autocross tires are the biggest bang for the buck. I would suggest a 9" wheel with 245 or 255 tires. A slight stretch on the tires is proven to be faster, feels better and gives better feedback. The new 200 treadware tires are very good.

  7. #7
    FEP Senior Member BMW Rider's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2014
    Location
    Calgary, Alberta, Canada
    Posts
    949

    Default

    I'm planning to autocross my 79 coupe as well. Can't offer much in the way of advice since I'm completely new to it as well. I look forward to seeing more of you build and experiences.

  8. #8

    Default

    We've done some conehead stuff here for 10+ years. I'm trying to avoid or go around those issues you don't want an opinion to and just give out a few thoughts:

    - go for T/A
    - with T/A, and autocross in mind, you'll want pretty stiff springs, and in the front you'll soon find out that conventional springs just don't do. Convert to coil-over springs in the front, and this will give huge improvement to the front end. Matching T/A spesific stiff rear springs can be found from..... XX
    - C/O in the front wants quality struts and out of what you have the clear winner is Bilstein
    - 200-300hp should do it, but depends on the track profile. You'll need certain amount of power to get quickly off the line, then it is more like controlling the speed you have achieved. Optimize all the specs of the engine to great harmony (driveability).

    I don't know how you guys out there have to line up at the autocross events. At least here we seldom (never) have a chance to warm up the tires to proper operating temps. Thus fancy sticky tires are not as good as they may seem on paper. Try to find widest allowed quality tires with best grip while cold/cool, and it might help.
    '79 Indy Pace Car V8 / Aut
    '79 Indy Pace Car L4 Turbo / Man
    '84 Capri RS V8 / T5
    '65 Fastback Shelby GT-350 replica

  9. #9
    FEP Member brianj's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Location
    Raymond, New Hampshire
    Posts
    2,896
    Blog Entries
    2

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by great white View Post
    Thanks for the suggestions, but I have everything I need to make my own stuff on hand so that's a big fat "no" to buying MM stuff.

    I can also weld (mig and stick) but have a pressure vessel certified friend who will do a far better job than I can finishing up my welds for free. Well, a little beer and bartering some labor on his vehicles is free enough for me.
    I mean to go to MM for a spring recommendation, not necessarily to buy a torque arm. A torque arm is about as complicated as an anvil, as long as you have a plan for the pivot.
    1983 Mustang G.T. No-option stripper- I like strippers.
    5.0, GT40P heads, Comp Cams XE270HR-12 on 1.6 rockers, TFI spring kit, Weiand 174 blower, Holley 750 mechanical secondarys, Mishimoto radiator, Edelbrock street performer mechanical pump, BBK shortys, T-5 conversion, 8.8 rear, 3.73 gears, carbon fiber clutches, SS Machine lowers, Maximum Motorsport XL subframes, "B" springs.

  10. #10

    Default

    It's amazing how similar your process and goals are to my '83. I read the Mathis book and built a T/A / Watts also. I autocrossed years ago and think my 'Stang is finally reliable enough to finally get some events in this summer. My stock carb was a limitation (starving in corners), but I've addressed that with center-hung float bowls. The T/A should do a GREAT job of getting the power down. Enjoy dodging cones; I'll be excited to hear how it goes for you.

    Per the T/A, make sure your design allows for some fore / aft movement. This is not apparent in the diagrams from the Mathis book. My initial attempt did not have this at the subframe attachment and I had to re-engineer.

    P.S. I'm running Bilsteins front and rear and like them a lot.
    83GL with '88 302. Project car for street / autocross / open track events.
    SB by Bill Klein, N. O., OH: (~10-1), Crane 2030, E7TE ported heads, 1.6 roller rockers, Stealth w stock carb rejetted 0.062 p, 0.070 s, 6.5" PV, MSD dist Mech advance only; headers, 2.5" duals - CRT-tuned: 246 HP & 275 #/ft
    T-5, ’95 spindles w/ ’02 brakes, 8.8” 3.27 rear, ’88 T-bird TC brakes & 5-lug axles. Fabricated rear LCAs, TA, Watt’s. BBK springs, TRX front bar, '88 rear bar.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •