Yesterday I ordered the SC&C Stage II front suspension and Curretrac rear control arms for the wagon. Per Marcus' recommendation I'll keep the rubber bushings in the rear axle. Coupled with my stock-ish 4-wheel disc brakes, AGR quick ratio steering box, QA1 adjustable shock front coil-overs, QA1 rear adjsutable shocks, Hotchkiss rear springs with air bag assist and front and rear sway bars I should have a reasonably priced fun suspension set up. I'm told I may find the QA1 coil over springs and Hotchkiss springs a little soft for serious corner carving, but (unlike with the control arm mods) I plan to actually get the thing put together and drive it before I decide to upgrade or not.
I'll still have plenty of room to make future modifications such as springs, different sway bars, bigger brakes, etc. without tearing the whole car apart once I get it on the road. I think I would have been happy with suspension I had previously designed (boxed control arms, poly bushings all around except for rubber in the axle) but I decided to get a little more serious now, budget be darned, and it's a whole lot easier to swap out control arms now than after the body is on the frame. I can't say it will be exactly pro-touring material, but I bet I'll be able to embarras a few Bimmers with my ole wagon when I'm done.
I've already sold off my restored rear control arms to help take the bite out of the extra cost, I hope I can find a home for those spindle extenders too. If I can at the very least get my money back on them these recent upgrades will have only cost me $750 more than my original plans. The only stock parts left in the spension are the front lower control arms! I hope I can stop here for now, at least until I get it back on the road! I still have a long way to go on the entire project and I gotta stop redoing things I've already done!
I'll post some pictures when the stuff comes in and I've completed the install.
After designing and installing the exhaust and picking a transmission (where is that AGE Muncie 5-speed?!) it will be time to move onto the body and interior (ugh!).
I'll still have plenty of room to make future modifications such as springs, different sway bars, bigger brakes, etc. without tearing the whole car apart once I get it on the road. I think I would have been happy with suspension I had previously designed (boxed control arms, poly bushings all around except for rubber in the axle) but I decided to get a little more serious now, budget be darned, and it's a whole lot easier to swap out control arms now than after the body is on the frame. I can't say it will be exactly pro-touring material, but I bet I'll be able to embarras a few Bimmers with my ole wagon when I'm done.
I've already sold off my restored rear control arms to help take the bite out of the extra cost, I hope I can find a home for those spindle extenders too. If I can at the very least get my money back on them these recent upgrades will have only cost me $750 more than my original plans. The only stock parts left in the spension are the front lower control arms! I hope I can stop here for now, at least until I get it back on the road! I still have a long way to go on the entire project and I gotta stop redoing things I've already done!
I'll post some pictures when the stuff comes in and I've completed the install.
After designing and installing the exhaust and picking a transmission (where is that AGE Muncie 5-speed?!) it will be time to move onto the body and interior (ugh!).
