Went AutoX'n this weekend to test my suspension setup

[Mach0ne351]

..it was the first time i went out on the autox course to test out my suspension setup since 2004 (been busy workin on the car, so that was my mission)...

so, my previous suspension mods were, when i won the ESP autox Class was:
- Bilstein Sport shocks/struts
- Eibach Pro Series Springs
- MM Caster/Camber plates
- MM 4pt kmember brace
- Steeda IRS bushing
- Kenny brown rear shock brace

Since then! i installed to the drivetrain/suspension:
- HANS Racecraft X-System Rollcage
- HANS Racecraft X-System 2" Rear Shock Tower brace
- HANS Racecraft Force Subframe Connectors
- MM Front Coilover kit with 355# springs
- MM 2003 cobra STB
- 03 Cobra IRS Brace
- FRPP 3.73 gears
- FRPP aluminum driveshaft
- FRPP cobra clutch

i can tell you the car felt ALOT better in the hard corners, and especially in the swooping ones where i can still give it gas in the turns. the rear end still felt a little soft, but thatll be fixed once i install the rear MM coilover kit i have at home this week. overall, the mods install gave me a positive outcome, and im happy with the direction the cars suspension is going in. The HANS Racecraft products REALLY helped in the progression of this cars suspension. they were the biggest factors on the improvements, cause we all know that our 1978 chassis needs all the strengthening and support possible. here are some pics for you guys....

marek

 

[wals9331]

Awesome man! How were your times and such?

 

[Mach0ne351]

i started off slow, cause i wanted to get a feel for the track layout first, but by the end of my last run (4th run), i shaved off 9 seconds off my first run.....

 

[cobraracer46]

Looking good. :beer: I'm slowly building up my suspension as well and hopefully by the time the Ferrari club Virgina city hill climb or the Shelby Club Mini nats rolls around, the convertible will be ready. :rolling:

 

[wals9331]

i started off slow, cause i wanted to get a feel for the track layout first, but by the end of my last run (4th run), i shaved off 9 seconds off my first run.....

Wow...sounds like you started moving at the end. Nice :beer:

 

[VirtualSVT]

That's so cool. I wish we had more road course races around me.

 

[Mach0ne351]

Looking good. :beer: I'm slowly building up my suspension as well and hopefully by the time the Ferrari club Virgina city hill climb or the Shelby Club Mini nats rolls around, the convertible will be ready. :rolling:

dude, with the current mods you just installed, you pretty much are there. i would just recommend a full coilover setup, if you havent already, and that's pretty much it. youll be totally set suspension wise..

Wow...sounds like you started moving at the end. Nice :beer:

i just pushed the limits more. and the great thing is, i could have pushed it some more. i just wished i had more runs available, but it was ok. i got alot of my rusty dust off, and ill hit the course in a few weeks again. i just didnt know how the car would handle, cause i didnt race it for a while. i didnt 360 out of control!!! haha my rear end barely even moved, which was a killer thing. i could have pushed it more.....dammit! haha

marek

 

[svt32v99]

Wow, I see that body roll is still a problem. Nice rig though. Let me know when those cheaper subframes come in...

 

[UCBeau]

you need a supercharger =)

 

[Mach0ne351]

Wow, I see that body roll is still a problem. Nice rig though. Let me know when those cheaper subframes come in...

ya, that was manly cause of the SOFT rear end suspension. my new coilovers will fix that. but it doesnt roll light it used to...let me tell ya....

oh, a supercharger will be on in the future stay tuned.....

marek

 

[99 svtcobra]

what the website for hans??? Do you get discounts??? and what is the difference in the tower brace and the x tower brace for the rear shock???

cobrafan

 

[Mach0ne351]

what the website for hans??? Do you get discounts??? and what is the difference in the tower brace and the x tower brace for the rear shock???

cobrafan

www.hansracecraft.com

im actually a distributor and i give BIG discounts to everyone. but im currently OUTOFSTOCK on everything! and HRC is in their development stage right now, so inventory will not be available for a little while.

the Standard rear shock brace is 1 5/8" thick, and the xsystem version is 2" thick, and it can be installed into a rollcage if you prefer..like shown in the pic below...

marek

 

[Mach0ne351]

in-car video
http://www.32valve.com/media/autox_incar_050706.wmv

2.5mb

 

[Orlandostang]

Marek

You will love it when you get the MM rears on. I've had the front and rear MM coilovers for almost a year now and all I can say is that I could never go back. I just wish I had an autoX place around here so I could really see what this thing can do. Awsome pics. Keep up the good work. :beer:

Kyle

 

[Mach0ne351]

ya man, i love the front kit i have on! i just cant wait to complete it with the rear kit....what springs are you running? i am running 355# in the front, and 550# in the rear..

marek

 

[Orlandostang]

ya man, i love the front kit i have on! i just cant wait to complete it with the rear kit....what springs are you running? i am running 355# in the front, and 550# in the rear..

Yea, those are the same rates I'm running. The ride is great. I drive the cobra everyday aroundtown and it's tight but nowhere near harsh. MM did a great job. The next thing on my suspention todo list is the MM rear grip derlin bushing kit and the 03 IRS brace, then I think I'll be finnished with the rear. For the front, I'd like to get the MM K-member, control arms, ect. But for now I need new brakes so some of that will have to wait until I get the Cobra R Brembos :-D
BTW, What size wheel spacers do you run in the rear? Thanks

 

[Mach0ne351]

im runnin the 1 3/4" rear h&r spacers. DONT get the MM kmember bro. no need at all! why? well, it weighs pretty much as much as the stock kmember, and youll need to purchase their oil filter relocation kit. so basically, your gonna spend $1000 on the kmember and oil filter relocator. no point man.....griggs makes a better one, BUT you need to have reinforcements welded to it at 2points. get the griggs one if any, then have it reinforced. but IMO, just get some tubular control arms instead; that will save you 20-30lbs.

...and if you truely decide to install a tubular kmember, install some midlength or longtube headers at the same time. totally WORTH it.

marek

 

[Orlandostang]

Thanks for the advice.
I haven't done much research on the front suspention, I'll have to look into Griggs some more.