Front axle . . . help!!

[Boogieman]

for my fenderless-never-gonna-run-hot-rod-project I'm searching for a front end . . with the whole Suspension attached to the crossmember (or the frame-part . .) . . no useless McPherson ;D

this would be perfect . . but 3000$ + shipping is a bit steep . . for my low-budget-project . .


I was thinking about something like a Lotus-7 frontend (anybody cutting a 7 apart?? . . ;D . .). . or something similar . . it should have disc brakes (size doesn't matter .. the smaller the better . .) . . and be more or less "common" . . so the wohle thing and spare parts doesn't cost a arm and a leg . .

any ideas? . .

[joethefish]

I may be talking tosh and if so someone correct me but triumph spitfire?

[kevfromwales]

mk4 / 5 cortina - ugly as fook, but all on it's own x-member

often used on 'budget' rods, but not my choice for a fenderless ride - what is it you're building - if it's narrow / light enough use a ford pop beam axle and transverse spring, can be converted to discs using 105e anglia hubs or some sort of triumph hub setup

- could possibly fabricate tubular arms for a cortina front to slim it down a bit?

hth - kev

[Boogieman]

well . . first-google pictures of Spitfire front-ends look very promising . . hmm . . but where to get a hold of a spitfire that I can cut in half . . here in central europe??

but it is exactly what I had in mind . .

[joethefish]

Should be able to trak some down over here fairly easy.. ROADTRIP!!

p.s I'm insanely in love with your dodge

[Deleted]

Get a Cortina one, copy the A arms in tubes and swap the comedy big springs and shocks for pretty coilovers. That's all those Mustang 2 ones are, anyway.

[popuptoaster]

get a Cortina one as said above and use it as a jig to make your own better looking one, welded box section looks loads better than the weird shaped pressed steel ford effort, plus easily available in Europe off the taunus

[93fxdl]

not sure about this but I posted some info on aussie build rules a while ago and seem to remember a mention of using the front end from a l300. mind you the law of sod says I am wrong or they are unnavailable where you are
ttfn glenn
this isnt the one I was wittering about but may be of help
www.infrastructure.gov.au/roads/vehicle_regulation/bulletin/street_rod.aspx
will try and find the thread I mentioned
may be here but not sure
www.infrastructure.gov.au/roads/vehicle_regulation/bulletin/vsb_ncop.aspx

[ejenner]

Saab 900 has a double-wishbone setup.




New lower wishbones are available after-market for about £30.00 each. The upper ones would have to be restored if you wanted them to look pretty. All the bushings and ball-joints are still available as either standard or Powerflex polly.

You would need to build a frame to put between the wishbones as they're usually bolted to the monocoque bodyshell. But I don't really see that as a problem. We adjust the camber and castor by moving the upper wishbone in or out using shims.

You would need to build a top mount for the spring or alternately forget about the original spring mount and attach a coil-over unit to the original shock mounting point on the lower wishbone. If you wanted the coil-overs facing forwards then it is easy to reverse the whole setup and keep the steering part for the hubs pointing backwards for a steering rack mounted at the bulkhead. Of course, if you wanted your steering rack mounted in front then that would be possible as well.

[ejenner]

p.s. - better to get the parts from a 900 made after 1988 produced up to 1993. The hubs use the more common 4x108 PCD for fitting wheels. That includes Ford, Citroen, Peugeot... so you would be spoilt for choice when it comes to chosing the rims.

Also, up until 1988 Saab were still using the front hand brake and some unusual brake calipers. After 1988 they switched to a much more normal setup using very standard ATE calipers. The much bigger calipers from the 9000 are also a direct bolt-on upgrade... although I'd imagine the 900 calipers would be eaisly big enough to stop a small rollerskate type vehicle if that is what you're planning to build.

If you like this idea and need help finding the parts then send me a message.

[cortinaman]

You could try this book:-

www.amazon.co.uk/Build-Your-Sports-Little-Pounds/dp/1859606369

although it might be out of print now - gives detailed instructions on building independent front suspension using (I think Mk5 cortina parts).

[ejenner]

I suppose there are a couple of other options for a coil-over mounting as well if not using driveshafts (as I imagine you would not)

1. Fit the coil-over unit to the spring pivot point on the upper wishbone. That's what we do if we want coil-overs. Could tilt it over a bit more so your upper mounting point does not need to be so high up.

2. Fit the coil-over unit through the gap in the upper wishbone and mount it to the middle of the lower wishbone shock mount.

[waveman1500]

Dec 22, 2009 13:20:01 GMT 93fxdl said:

not sure about this but I posted some info on aussie build rules a while ago and seem to remember a mention of using the front end from a l300. mind you the law of sod says I am wrong or they are unnavailable where you are
ttfn glenn
this isnt the one I was wittering about but may be of help
www.infrastructure.gov.au/roads/vehicle_regulation/bulletin/street_rod.aspx
will try and find the thread I mentioned
may be here but not sure
www.infrastructure.gov.au/roads/vehicle_regulation/bulletin/vsb_ncop.aspx

This man speaks the truth! I don't know how common they are in Europe, but the Mitsubishi L300 is like a DIY hot-rod kit all in a convenient drive-home box. The front end is perfect for mounting to a separate-chassis hot-rod, as is the diff, nice compact pedal box for hot-rod use and even a little under-dash heater/demister system. Basically just change the body, engine/box and chassis and you're away! Here's what the front clip looks like:



Edit: Please note that this one has already been modified by a hot rodder, who has fitted a different steering rack (front mount instead of rear) and drop spindles.

[carmad]

I dunno if this is gonna be any good to tou but a vauxhall viva magnum and firenza have them

and gaz do coil overs for them

heres a pic off mine

[ejenner]

I'd still go with the Saab setup as the wishbones are nice, long and separate and you aren't forced to use a sub-frame supplied with the parts as with the other examples. With the Saab bits you would weld a few bits of box-section together to achieve the frame of the right width for your project. All the alignment is then adjustable so you don't end up with a fixed front-end that accidently went on wonkey and now can't be adjusted.

[popuptoaster]

Dec 22, 2009 16:44:11 GMT ejenner said:

I'd still go with the Saab setup as the wishbones are nice, long and separate and you aren't forced to use a sub-frame supplied with the parts as with the other examples. With the Saab bits you would weld a few bits of box-section together to achieve the frame of the right width for your project. All the alignment is then adjustable so you don't end up with a fixed front-end that accidently went on wonkey and now can't be adjusted.

you don't need a subframe for the Ford vauxhall or mitsubishi front end any more than you do for the saab one, your box section will work just as well on them, and you wouldnt be stuck with the saab stud pattern either, i'd look at the avalability of the kind of wheels ou want and pick a front end thats cheap and has cheap wheels and uprated brakes available for it if building a budget rod, ford would be a good bet in this country for easy upgrades, i don't know vauxhalls but big brakes from much later fords will go on cortina hubs.

On a budget build you need to look at things like that saab stuff may be better technically but is it better for this project?

[Seth]

MGB?



Lots of bolt on off the shelf upgrades available for them.

[chrissyb]

saab >88 is 4x108, same as Ford

[Boogieman]

thanks for all the input . . I have to say the L300 option is probably the one which is the most available here and I'm tempted to just buy one right away ;D . . . the Saab parts really looks nice . . but I'm not sure if a "subframe" isn't the easier oprtion . . . .

keep em coming ;D

[Boogieman]

after a bit of thinking . . .

The Volvo- is the shock-mount stront enough to be the mounting point for a coil over?? . . most of the stress in the stock configuration is on the top whisbone . . transfered by the spring . .

The Mitsu- what years of the L300 do have this front clip? . . 1st or 2nd gen? . . or both?

Vauxhall: is there a Opel-Version of the Viva??