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Post by yammies on Apr 13, 2010 19:21:10 GMT 12
has anyone here replaced or upgraded their front suspension on a chevette? I was thinking something along the lines of mitsubishi L300 or similar. i.e. basic suspension layout remains the same, though should be somewhat stronger all round, and parts easier to source.... Thoughts?
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Post by cul8r on Apr 13, 2010 19:48:06 GMT 12
Got to ask why do you want to upgrade it? Ive seen v8's in chevettes using the stock setup..
Bulldog, danny boy use the chevettes largely.. Most all of us change the springs and dampers
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Post by mikuni on Apr 13, 2010 21:30:35 GMT 12
I think the guys that race them upgrade the lower arms in the front to allow fitment of heavier duty ball joints. Other than that, theres really no need to uprate upthing else as far as I'm aware. Theres another thread where a few of the guys are looking into adapting an adjustable coil over setup for the front of these cars. If your keen on doing some fab work perhaps it might be a better idea to focus it in that direction?
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Post by yammies on Apr 14, 2010 6:58:44 GMT 12
I'm planning on doing plenty of fab work anyway. the plan is to fit a holden vp commodore 3.8 v6 and T-5 transmission, (in a road car by the way, certed and warranted) hence the wierd questions! I figure someone else has already done something similar in all aspects of what I plan to do, so it's a lot easier to copy what works well, and learn from their mistakes and try not to repeat them!
the main reason I'm looking at the L300 setup is it gives a cheap brake upgrade, and strengthens pretty much everything, it also allows me to pretty much choose my track width, which allows me to choose common offset wheels.
I'm still throwing ideas around though, so things may change
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Post by zep on Apr 14, 2010 9:06:54 GMT 12
TBH, you want cheap brake upgrades but the fitment of L300 gear into the chevette isn't going to be cheap, regardless of what way you look at it so it's going to outweigh the savings on the brakes.
I'd say, if you're putting in this engine combo, either
a) Get a Hopper Stoppers Kit, or
b) Get some Lynchbuilt lower arms and run the E30 disk/ FD Caliper setup. This will stop you in a millisecond (as proven by a blat in Tony's car).
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Post by cul8r on Apr 14, 2010 20:08:46 GMT 12
^ What he said, also talk to Shaun ZZ/R on here, I swapped him a 3.8v6 for my twincams, he had one sitting in his gemini..
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Post by yammies on Apr 14, 2010 20:44:53 GMT 12
Tell me more about these lynch built lower arms... the brakes will be something along those lines, but there are plenty of options, so I guess thats the easy part
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Post by zep on Apr 15, 2010 10:10:31 GMT 12
My suggestion is that you give Tony Lynch a call. Google him along with LynchBuilt for his number, it's on the engine parts page, and see what he has to say.
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Post by yammies on Apr 15, 2010 15:08:23 GMT 12
Fantastic.. Brakes are the easy part, but tips like these lower arms etc are worth their weight in gold (assuming a tip weighs anything at all)
I emailed Antony at F.A.R. in gisborne about a bodykit and I got back what I think is a pretty reasonable deal - for front bumper/airdam, flares, and bobtail spoiler (all HS type) it was a shade over $1200 plus freight. On the plus side, they are a New Zealand company too.
Basically I'm trying to compile everything I need in advance, so the build list can be sorted out early and I can figure out if the Mrs can go on that holiday after all....
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Post by gordo on Apr 18, 2010 23:22:13 GMT 12
Where are you, Yammies?
Other things you may wish to consider is a internal mounted brake bias box, for plenty of clearance in the engine bay, rear mounted battery, fuel cell, laminated screen - if it has a tinted band, it's laminated. Diff' type and mounting, ride height, whether you want a roll cage, stripped or trimmed interior, etc.
Even a stock Chevette hatch is pretty darned strong (tested a few of them) and unless getting into silly horsepower, some basic seam welding should be ample.
Brake size is going to be limited by the rim size you're looking at running, so you're going to have to decide that fairly early on. What it's going to be used for will also have a influence on the brake package.
It's a heavy donk and trans, so you should give a fair bit of thought on it's position - if set back, you're going to lose the heater of have to do a fair bit of reworking, but the balance will be better.
A couple of years back, I suggested something like that as a lakes type rat-rod - big and little steels with whitewalls and lake pipes.
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Post by yammies on Apr 19, 2010 17:43:31 GMT 12
Where are you, Yammies? Other things you may wish to consider is a internal mounted brake bias box, for plenty of clearance in the engine bay, rear mounted battery, fuel cell, laminated screen - if it has a tinted band, it's laminated. Diff' type and mounting, ride height, whether you want a roll cage, stripped or trimmed interior, etc. Even a stock Chevette hatch is pretty darned strong (tested a few of them) and unless getting into silly horsepower, some basic seam welding should be ample. Brake size is going to be limited by the rim size you're looking at running, so you're going to have to decide that fairly early on. What it's going to be used for will also have a influence on the brake package. It's a heavy donk and trans, so you should give a fair bit of thought on it's position - if set back, you're going to lose the heater of have to do a fair bit of reworking, but the balance will be better. A couple of years back, I suggested something like that as a lakes type rat-rod - big and little steels with whitewalls and lake pipes. I'm in Palmy. The plan is to have a driveable fully legal road car with all the standard creature comforts, plus whatever else I can easily fit. I'm not too fazed by fabrication, but a lot of it will depend on the certifier to some extent as to whether there will be any issues. Plan is to keep the standard fuel tank if possible, using a lift pump to supply the EFI fuel pump. if it turns to custard later i will either it an in tank surge tank, or an external one. I'm not big on fumes or noise so it will be outside the car if fitted. I will play with brake bias once I have fitted everything and have determined exactly what the system is doing. I emailed Hoppers about a brake kit for the chevette and they told me $790AUD to $927AUD + $260AUD freight to NZ - this uses VT Commodore rotors and calipers, so I figure I can probably make something up significantly cheaper once I figure out what calipers I want to use. I'll do some corner weights before I start, to work out weight balance etc before I fit the engine and trans, so hopefully the weight balance shouldnt be too much of an issue. if all else fails, heaven forbid, I can always shoehorn some midget japanese heater in! So basically, my rim choice will be determined by brakes, interior will be trimmed - either factory or retrimmed, ride height won't be ridiculously low - it's a street car after all, and exhaust should be quieter than my porsche currently is! I think that kind of sums it up! |
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Post by misdablack on Apr 19, 2010 18:17:23 GMT 12
u got a porsche???
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Post by yammies on Apr 20, 2010 18:53:33 GMT 12
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Post by yammies on Apr 24, 2010 10:24:44 GMT 12
while I'm changing the theme of this thread (how can I hijack my own thread?) I figured I'd ask the question....
have any of you guys tried running a remote booster? I'm only asking because I feel I may have clearance issues with the engine I intend running... I think hillman hunters run the particular booster I'm after... VH40 if I'm not mistaken...
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Post by mikuni on Apr 24, 2010 11:16:55 GMT 12
I don't run a booster at all and I like it, but others who drive my car don't seem to. I'll do the same again in the next car I build too, if its not too big or doesn't have too large a master or slave cylinders.
Might not help you with doing a larger conversion that is aimed for the road, but just to let you know that running nothing is doable.
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