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Tony Hoffer


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Suspension and ignition upgrades
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Got sidetracked with the kids today... Work begins Sunday.



-- Edited by Tony Hoffer on Wednesday 13th of April 2011 09:01:48 PM

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SShink


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Looks like fun Tony! 



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Stan S.-Twin Cities 'South Metro'

1972 Malibu Convertible 2nd time around 

2001 Mustang GT Convertible 

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Tony Hoffer


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220 lbs drag springs vs 550 Lb road race spring in middle..







Think Ill store a little more energy? These could be interesting to install though!

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Derek69SS


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Interesting...

Looks like those little black brackets go on the outboard bumpstop mounts on the axle, and attach to the extra links on the lower arms, which would then turn them into a short ladder-bar. I'm curious what that bracket that connects to the "ears" does, and how the rear is located laterally without binding up with the conflicting arc of the ladder bars.

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Derek Kiefer - Mantorville, MN

69 Malibu Pro-Touring stroker LS1-383/T56 - 69 SS396-325/3spd project
Tony Hoffer


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You cant see it in the picture... but the top track bar relocator has spherical bushings that allow it to pivot in the upper control are bushing ears on the housing.

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Derek69SS


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Ahhh.. that makes sense, and is a cool idea. Much stronger laterally than the Alf Weibe upper link I saw pics of a few years ago.

I think we're going to see a lot more air under those front tires this year!

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Derek Kiefer - Mantorville, MN

69 Malibu Pro-Touring stroker LS1-383/T56 - 69 SS396-325/3spd project
Tony Hoffer


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Yeah.. as long as I dont kill myself with the spring compressor tonight..

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Tony Hoffer


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Ive got one in.. man that was about 22 shades of ugly!! Passenger side after dinner....hope to have all my teeth when done.

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Tim H


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Tony what style spring compressor do you use?

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Bowtieman427


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What springs are you going with ? where did you get them ? you mentioned 220 # front. What about the rear ?
I want to see how my car goes with what it has this year and perhaps an upgrade next year.

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Jim  -- Pine Island, MN
Lost in the 60s


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Tony Hoffer wrote:

Ive got one in.. man that was about 22 shades of ugly!! Passenger side after dinner....hope to have all my teeth when done.

If that spring gets loose, you won't have to worry about teeth. Keeping your head intact would be more important.

Hmmmmmmmmm................no more replies. Wonder where he is.........

 

 



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Mitch D.   River Falls, WI

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Tony Hoffer


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Im OK... LOL

I took a break.. gotta take it easy on the bad elbow..

I have this type of compressor..


The springs are 225 lb rate drag springs from Santhuff.

The "new" rears cam with the kit.. I dont know the rate.. I had 166's in there and they worked OK.

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Lost in the 60s


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I rented a compressor like that to install the springs on a bare chassis. To be honest it was a pain in the butt to use and get back out !! With your car, I would use a floor jack. I did that on my '66 and it works slick. I have things on the calendar for the next 2 nights, but if you want to wait until Thursday, I could run over with my jack and help you slip the other one in.

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Mitch D.   River Falls, WI

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1970 Chevelle SS 396 M20

1967 Camaro SS/RS 350 M20
Tony Hoffer


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The floorjack routine is my normal method.. But you arent even getting these suckers into position without compressing them...
I get them in with the lower arm fully extended and then use the floor jack.

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Chris R


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Ive had sucess using that tool before in the past as well. I actually bought that same compressor and paid way too much for it. 



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Chris - Ramsey, MN.

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Lost in the 60s


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Tony Hoffer wrote:

The floorjack routine is my normal method.. But you arent even getting these suckers into position without compressing them...
I get them in with the lower arm fully extended and then use the floor jack.

OK, yeah, they look long compared to stock. Hopefully they don't coil bind under compression.

 

 



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Mitch D.   River Falls, WI

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1966 Chevelle SS 396 M20

1970 Chevelle SS 396 M20

1967 Camaro SS/RS 350 M20
Tony Hoffer


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Yeah.. They sure dont look right compared to the global west road race springs..
I had looked in the Moog catalog and some of the stock springs were 17.25" to 17.5" free height.. These are 18" and guys are running them at the strip.. Im not so sure they would be a good choice for a street/strip or a street car though.

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Tony Hoffer wrote:

Yeah.. They sure dont look right compared to the global west road race springs..
I had looked in the Moog catalog and some of the stock springs were 17.25" to 17.5" free height.. These are 18" and guys are running them at the strip.. Im not so sure they would be a good choice for a street/strip or a street car though.

They're all about extending the suspension quick for weight transfer to the rear so you don't get this....

 

 



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Mitch D.   River Falls, WI

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1966 Chevelle SS 396 M20

1970 Chevelle SS 396 M20

1967 Camaro SS/RS 350 M20
Bowtieman427


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There are people running less rate onthe TC forum who claim they run fine on the street. Not so sure of it. I guess you will be the local ginny pig. They should help you lunch better. Are you putting light ones int he rear too ?

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Derek69SS


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Those rear springs look very stiff.

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Derek Kiefer - Mantorville, MN

69 Malibu Pro-Touring stroker LS1-383/T56 - 69 SS396-325/3spd project
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The large threaded rod setup that I have been using always worked great and I felt safer then many other ways of doing it.

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SShink


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Derek69SS wrote:

Those rear springs look very stiff.

They also look very short.  Does that lower the rear end so that it will 'squat' when it launches?

 



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Tony Hoffer


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They are pretty stiff.. Id guess they are that way since most of the cars running them run the first 30-50 feet on the rear tires only.

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Scott Parkhurst


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SShink wrote:
Derek69SS wrote:

Those rear springs look very stiff.

They also look very short.  Does that lower the rear end so that it will 'squat' when it launches?

 

 Optimally, you don't want the rear to squat either. You want the body to raise up as the car launches. That shows the suspension is pushing down on the axle (and the tires) which is exactly what you want to be happening. 

If the car 'squats'- you're using energy to compress the rear suspension. Not good for traction.

 



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Tony Hoffer


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This setup has plenty of separation.. So Much so that it is reccomended that the Koni drag shock be set on the heaviest setting only.

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Derek69SS


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A 22" long ladder-bar setup will have a LOT of Anti-Squat. You'll probably have to bolt the rear springs in place just so they don't fall out on the launch.



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Derek Kiefer - Mantorville, MN

69 Malibu Pro-Touring stroker LS1-383/T56 - 69 SS396-325/3spd project
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Derek.. the rear springs will be bolted in

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Tony Hoffer


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Got the car lowered down and the right side is way too high.. The right spring isnt seated right in the top pocket

So now I have to wait for my compressor to be delivered 3 days early before I can take the car apart again... As always...One step foreward three steps back..

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Scott Parkhurst


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Can you just loosen it up, jack the rear of the car up, and manhandle it into position? I have to do this with mine when I jack it up past the springs, too. Once I got the springs seated correctly with the retaining bolts loose, I then tightened them so everything would be aligned right when the retainers got snugged up. I use a long tire iron or crowbar to wrestle the springs into their seat
pockets.


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Tony Hoffer


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Its the right front Scott... That means at least pulling the wheel, shock and lower ball joint from the spindle... Im hoping I can run the compressor up through the bottom shock hole using a plate on the bottom instead of the bottom scissors clamp and then get it compressed enough to slip past the spring retainer in the upper pocket.. If I cant do it that way..

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Tony Hoffer


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Rear spring comparison.. old 166's on the left, New on the right.





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Chris R


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What brand are those springs?



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Chris - Ramsey, MN.

Dear Optimist, Pessimist, and Realist.

While you guys were busy arguing about the glass of water. I drank it!

Sincerly,

The opportunist.
Tony Hoffer


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The old springs I bought from **** Miller.. Id bet they are Moog...
The new stuff came with the suspension kit and I dont have any information on the rates or who made them..
The wire on the old springs is around 9/16" thick ..While the new springs are 3/4"!!!

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Tony Hoffer


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LOL@ the forum filter..

Thats D*ick Miller

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bowtie


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Johnson Miller?
Unit Miller?
D I See K Miller?
hehe


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Bryan-NW 'burbs
1972 Malibu
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1999 std bore 5.7, Vortec heads, Holley Stealth Ram, GM cam
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Chris R


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Lol. I was going to say. That doesnt make any sense. Forgot the filter.



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Chris - Ramsey, MN.

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While you guys were busy arguing about the glass of water. I drank it!

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The opportunist.
frank


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the front end on my 37 has adjustable front springs. big 2or3 inch nut and the top of spring perch will travel a few inches up or down. i turned the nut a couple turns and the front end dropped two inches. on a different note when it launches the car goes straight up like scott was saying. firewall moved back 4"  along with motor. there was a number on that that i never could remember have it written down somewhere as to where every inch you move back how the weight transfers. same principal as why you can use them little mustang front end on street rods  .



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Tony Hoffer


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Vacation is over and Im back at big fat stupid time suckin work again.. If Im lucky I might have a few hours to work on it Saturday..

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Tony Hoffer


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Out to the garage for another round.

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Bowtieman427


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Did the stiff rear springs lower your rear ride hieght at all ? Are you running an ARB also ?

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Tony Hoffer


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Things are SLOOOWW going...I havent got to set the car down yet but It looks like it will be about the same under load.. no anti roll bar on this setup.

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Tony Hoffer


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suspension is in.. Need some help to bleed rear brakes and I have to install a new pickup wire to the distributor... Then hopefully the starter wont break upon firing her up.

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Tony Hoffer


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Before and after.. Left side is old suspension . right is new stuff.

What do you think?




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Definately getting more weight transfer as evidenced by the increased wrinkle wall buckling.



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Mitch D.   River Falls, WI

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1966 Chevelle SS 396 M20

1970 Chevelle SS 396 M20

1967 Camaro SS/RS 350 M20
Bowtieman427


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Did you get rid of your front sway bar also ? Looks like a lot more weight transfer. Front is more off the ground too. Very nice.

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Tony Hoffer


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Yeah..I took the swaybar off..I thought it wss just dead weight on the front for dragracing. The front seems to rise pretty even without it.

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bowtie


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Yeah, more wrinkle and it looks like the rear didn't drop down as much (or rose up).

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Bryan-NW 'burbs
1972 Malibu
Vaguely stock appearing, and the opposite of restored.
1999 std bore 5.7, Vortec heads, Holley Stealth Ram, GM cam
700R4, Viking coilovers, 12 bolt 4.10 posi, and a whole bunch more
Scott Parkhurst


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Ya Bryan I think the back is up a bit more too. It sure ran strong and launched consistently well out there.

Tony did your 60 ft times change much from the previous setup?

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Scott Parkhurst

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Tony Hoffer


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60 fts were in the 1.60's all day.. That usually what I would get at the rock with track prep.. At Cedar falls I was getting in the mid 1.50's So that will be the real test.

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Tony Hoffer


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2011 Night of fire.jpg

Actually got some air under the fron tires... Last outing with the B body spindle swap... got some changes coming up front.



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