Hey guys im new to the forum and live in Australia. Im building a 65 Falcon Coupe (aussie version, very similar to U.S. model). Was after some advice/experience of what people have been running in their cars. Was planning on running the air ride tech shockwaves, but was wondering has anyone in the US done a Strut coversion out of a latel model mustang or similar or is there an after market strut conversion that can run airbags? What would need to be done to run the air ride tech strut designed for the later model mustangs?
Thanks
Dallas
first of all, welcome. i have a 65 falcon. I designed and built my own double a-arm suspension with coilovers.
i dont see why you couldnt use an air strut with a kit like fatmanfab. i like RRS uses their own struts. But a AJE might be another option. They uses new mustang spindles so any air strut would work. there is enough room.
I have a 62 nova which also had the strut suspension like the fords. Guess they were all building the budget cars the same back then.
So, I have shockwaves now. Cut out all the strut towers. Wrapping up the build now and Ill be posting a complete build thread soon.
Basically I have a mustang II front with shockwaves. Simple and pretty solid. Many folks dont like the MII front so any A arm suspension will work.
I have tubular arms. SPC upper arms and heavily modified (by me) TCI lower arms. Baer tracker tie rods. Forged spindles. Wilwood 13" brakes. Speedway engineering roll bar. 17x8" billet specialties wheels and some goodyear rubber. Its all a really tight fit. But running the suspension through its entire travel I dont hit anywhere. A lil tight but no touching.
Oh, and all of my bushings are metal. Oilite for the uppers, 4140 for the lowers. Aluminum for the steering rack. And oilite for the roll bar. Theres no rubber. And all the bushings are greaseable, ten zerks to monitor.
The alignment Im gonna start with is straight up, meaning equal on both sides.
.5 degrees of neg camber, 3 degrees of positive caster ( I already checked it and go as much as 5.5 degrees there), 1/8" of toe in.
Oh, and the camber gain with just suspension travel is very close to 1 degree for every inch of travel, Im liking that. I actually lost a better geometry buy going with the SPC upper arms over the TCI arms I had. The TCI arms mounted flush with the cross member. So they sat a half of an inch lower compared to the vertical mount I made for the SPC arms. But it was a trade off I wanted to give to get a better upper control arm mount. Its solid now, wont slip like the aftermarket MII arms can.
And this car wont ever see the track or be a daily driver. Just something fun to hop into on the weekends to putt around in. JR
I have a 62 nova which also had the strut suspension like the fords. Guess they were all building the budget cars the same back then.
So, I have shockwaves now. Cut out all the strut towers. Wrapping up the build now and Ill be posting a complete build thread soon.
Basically I have a mustang II front with shockwaves. Simple and pretty solid. Many folks dont like the MII front so any A arm suspension will work.
I have tubular arms. SPC upper arms and heavily modified (by me) TCI lower arms. Baer tracker tie rods. Forged spindles. Wilwood 13" brakes. Speedway engineering roll bar. 17x8" billet specialties wheels and some goodyear rubber. Its all a really tight fit. But running the suspension through its entire travel I dont hit anywhere. A lil tight but no touching.
Oh, and all of my bushings are metal. Oilite for the uppers, 4140 for the lowers. Aluminum for the steering rack. And oilite for the roll bar. Theres no rubber. And all the bushings are greaseable, ten zerks to monitor.
The alignment Im gonna start with is straight up, meaning equal on both sides.
.5 degrees of neg camber, 3 degrees of positive caster ( I already checked it and go as much as 5.5 degrees there), 1/8" of toe in.
Oh, and the camber gain with just suspension travel is very close to 1 degree for every inch of travel, Im liking that. I actually lost a better geometry buy going with the SPC upper arms over the TCI arms I had. The TCI arms mounted flush with the cross member. So they sat a half of an inch lower compared to the vertical mount I made for the SPC arms. But it was a trade off I wanted to give to get a better upper control arm mount. Its solid now, wont slip like the aftermarket MII arms can.
And this car wont ever see the track or be a daily driver. Just something fun to hop into on the weekends to putt around in. JR
Regardless of what you say that is gonna be one serious putter!!!
John
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'66 Nova/Chevy II - The NEW '69 Camaro!
I have had a few customers use the Mustang Shockwaves on the front. SKW1022 is the part #.
SKW1022?? Hmm. I was sold the SKW1001 for the MII front, which is correct for the MII suspension. The 1022 is for earlier stangs right? It looks like you guys make three front shockwaves. All types of mounts but basically still three shockwaves.
10.75, 13 and 15" ride heights. And all types of end mounts giving the diff part numbers. JR
Brian Hobaugh SCCA National Tour June 2014
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