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Suspension Guru's....Help needed

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Old Jan 2, 2005 | 09:24 PM
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Default Suspension Guru's....Help needed

I'm thinking about going to a 4 link and solid axle before I break this alum rear this year. Heck, it's practically new and I can't see just letting it break before I replace it with something that will hold up.

Anyway I've come into possesion of 2- 9" ford rears to do with as I please, so it's got me to thinking of going ahead and 4 linking it now.

Can I use the existing rear part of the frame to accomplish this? I was thinking of cutting them and moving them inward. Will this work? I would like to keep the same arch to keep from having to cut the body and relocate my battery.

I could then add some box tube on an angle from the rear of the center section of the frame to the frame sides to strenghten everything up

Tubs wouldn't be a problem, they would just be a couple of humps in my storage area.

I was also wondering if I kept the rear arch as it is now, it would have short link bars. Would the aftermarket kits have low enough, upper bar mounting holes to keep the intersect point from being under my front wheels?

Any thoughts are appreciated...and If anyone has pics of 4 links in a C3 that would be appreciated too.
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Old Jan 3, 2005 | 01:45 AM
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For a straight axle car, just backhalve it and cut out the floor. If you're going to do it yourself I would assume you know enough about suspensions.

My dad backhalved his '64 witha 9" inch. He made ladder bars come off of a mount in the front. The stock floor wouldn't work with the 14" slicks. I only saw the setup once.
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Old Jan 3, 2005 | 07:07 AM
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I don't mind cutting the floor out behind the battery box because I don't particuly want a taller tire, just a wider tire.
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Old Jan 3, 2005 | 07:47 AM
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The two I have studied , both battery and storage comparments were gone, deck raised all over, and the gas tank moved, no spare of course....

GENE
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Old Jan 3, 2005 | 09:25 AM
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Gene:

Wonder how much weight savings there is by getting rid of all the lids/buckets for the battery and all that "Stuff."



Back to your previously scheduled thread.
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Old Jan 3, 2005 | 09:35 AM
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Originally Posted by ZD75blue
Gene:

Wonder how much weight savings there is by getting rid of all the lids/buckets for the battery and all that "Stuff."



Back to your previously scheduled thread.
It isn't really a matter of getting rid of them, it's figguring out where to move them to when you do. C3's have a very limited amount of space
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Old Jan 3, 2005 | 10:14 AM
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I'm thinking about finding a jack from a pickup or dodge caravan that would normally be mounted to a firewall in the engine compartment, and mounting it up under the rear bumper.

Also thinking about doing a light weight battery tucked somewhere...

Wonder how much the buckets weigh? I think I've seen them forsale in the catalogs, dont remember for sure though.
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Old Jan 3, 2005 | 10:49 AM
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Talk to GrandsportC3, he is having this done to his car. I don't know if it's in the shop currently or will be shortly but he's going for a 10 second car thus he needed a solid axle.
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Old Jan 3, 2005 | 11:43 AM
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I've already talked to him, that is the reason I posted this thread
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Old Jan 3, 2005 | 11:46 AM
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Originally Posted by burners
Talk to GrandsportC3, he is having this done to his car. I don't know if it's in the shop currently or will be shortly but he's going for a 10 second car thus he needed a solid axle.

I'm actually planning on making it run 9's once I add the NOS.. Initially - I'm shooting for high 10's on engine...I'm still going to run the IRS until the shop is ready for the install of the Ford 9 inch.. I personally don't care if I lose the storage compartments/battery compartment... The only thing that matters is that I can keep my convertible top...
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Old Jan 3, 2005 | 01:44 PM
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A fuel cell will probably be needed. On the two backhalved Corvettes I've seen they had dual battery boxes behind the rear bumper. They were drag cars, hence the dual batteries.
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Old Jan 3, 2005 | 01:56 PM
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Yea I took another look and the battery will have to be moved, no getting around it and the back will have to be cut even with the back of the seat.

Oh well nothing in my storage compartment now except a few emergency tools and it looks like the battery will fit behind the bumper mounted in a box

Might as well go with a prefab rear frame section
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Old Jan 3, 2005 | 02:31 PM
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Well...

Depending on how much race is in the car...

You could go with magneto's on the ignition, and have jump it... I've seen some guys use terminals on the back bumper, pretty cool stuff!

For me... I'm just thinking about a light weight battery, or maybe a gel coil like the Ultimas...
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