Front Suspension & Steering

January 27, 2013

We begin with the front end mock up; test fit everything, then tear it all down to send raw parts out for powder coat. First Kam protects the chassis with pipe wrap foam and masking tape. Great job… maybe a little over kill 🙂

Next the mock up. He’s a great partner on this project. Tends to say “he can’t”, but always seems to pull it off… and yes I helped too!

January 28, 2013

Tear down was completed and all bare steel parts have been sent for powder coat. It took a only a bit more than a week to get them done.

February 8, 2013

Parts came back from the powder coaters today. Gordon Kennedy, owner of Niagara Custom Powder Coatings did a fabulous job on them…

February 9, 2013

Now that things are all shine, time to reassemble, then put them all back together! Here how the front end of car looks at the end of today. I had some issues with torqueing the crown nuts on the ball joints and the shocks… can’t seem to reach the torque specs without deflecting the chassis or burying the nut too far. Will have to investigate this…. but other than that… EZ PZ

February 11, 2013

Installed the painted front callipers (see the timeline gap page) Kamryn assemlbed one right along with me… so any brake failures going forward will be blamed on him 🙂

April 7, 2013

While we wait on brake, suspension and engine parts to arrive, I thought it time to work on the steering rack and power steering. Pretty simple really, once you get it all centered up.

May 10-12, 2013

PARTS UPGRADE

Major revision front in suspension. Gone are the Red Koni’s with 500# springs and replace with QA1 Ultra Ride adjustable shocks in front and rear with 425# Chrome springs. Not only much nicer to look at but will yield a far more supple ride without a huge impact on handling.

June 26, 2013

Making ready for engine install this weekend so I have to get the steering column and steering shafts installed.

Nicely chromed IDIDIT Column supplied by Factory Five. While it doesn’t say so in the manual, I learned in the build school to use 3/8″ spacer on the right side of the mounting bolts to push the column left so that the steering shaft does not rub against the brake pedal.