More pics of chassis and exhaust detail, front suspension here. Note things like the tie down hooks for trailering and splined sway bars are standard on ExtReme frames. This customer chose to run 295-30-19s up front, although the suspension is designed to accept 315s. Everything about this frame is design to be the missing link between street cruiser and race track thrasher. One thing I think is cool is the inclination angle on the front shocks is more effective allowing for a lighter rate spring to achieve heavier rate handling characteristics. Headers are designed to play nice with this super low stance. The spindle was redesigned to have even better geometry for even better handling than our current AFX spindle. Any questions or comments feel free to post 'em up!
Mid section here. As mentioned this car has 3" exhaust that tucks nicely parallel to the Torque Arm. We considered a triangulated 4 link for the A body cars when this chassis was in development mostly because that's what everyone was used to for these cars. That idea quickly got axed to run our Torque Arm instead, there's so many advantages to this system it just didn't make sense to run a 4 link. If you've never experienced how smooth and predictable our torque arm is, next time you're at an event ask a Speedtech equipped car's owner for a ride along.
Rear suspension. One of the biggest challenges with any lowered Pro Touring car is exhaust clearance, some rear suspensions make it more difficult than others. Our Torque Arm with it's panhard bar is tight too, but still allows ample room for a 3" system. We don't have a specific exhaust kit available, we usually buy a SW mandrel bent stainless universal builder kit and custom fit it to the car. Dutchman preps our 9" axles including welding on all Torque Arm brackets.
Unique to Speedtech are our 2-peice "Articulink" lower trailing arms that use components machined from billet steel to allow the arms to rotate with suspension articulation. This really makes for smooth transitions as you throw the car back and forth in the curves and over bumps in the road. Note that the arms have multiple mount position options as do the shocks so that you can maximize performance with your desired ride height. That billet lower shock mount can be flipped for a 1 1/2" difference in ride height without adjusting the shock at all. This suspension works so well a rear sway bar isn't typically necessary unless you're running a LARGE front sway bar for racing and the rear bar is needed to balance and reduce understeer. We like to use Rick's Tanks for our builds, they come with the extra clearance of notched corners and pretty much any fuel pump requirement provisions.
Final pics before it heads home. There is still some work to be done, including the hood tach which is off getting re-faced to match the interior gauges and some of the interior work which will get done at the upholstery shop down in Vegas. It's been a great project to work on and turned out just beautiful. Enjoy!
Brian Hobaugh SCCA National Tour June 2014
First Hemi 'Cuda Convertible Ever Built
Short clips: Goodguys Pleasanton autocross and pit videos
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