The Project Pad

Lots of good progress today.

I first mounted up my other ABT wheels with Nitto 235/40 NT01 (more like a 245) and a 10mm spacer. Here is how they look with the B3 fender.



And here is the B4 fender in the approximate location.



A 17x8.5 wheel with 255/40 tire would be ideal, but don't know where I'll track down a wheel like that. The Enkei RPF1 comes in 17x8.5 30mm offset but 5x114.....

Got the majority of the big cuts done on the fenders. The part along the door will take time, patience and intricate cutting with a dremel tool, but I believe they are going to turn out nicely.



Spent a couple hours at Chris's place lathing out the spacers for the control arms. They will be moving back in the wheel arch about 1/2" at most. Thanks again Chris!!!





All in all a pretty good day. I should be done well in time for Spring Mountain Jim!

does that hurt your rear castor?

my2000apb wrote:does that hurt your rear castor?

Guessing you are joking.... Unless Darin is doing a rear wheel steer setup.... :???:

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using Tapatalk 2

Slight chance of rear bump steer?

I have a question... you mentioned using B5 S4 rockers (like Jim did), have you though of using 4KQ rockers? I had the wifes B5 S4 sitting within about 20' of a late (85-87) 4KQ last weekend and the rockers are the same length and very similar looking. The 4KQ ones are two piece (not very noticeable) and they're pretty much giveaway items unlike the S4 parts.

Did someone say castor?

I've already snagged a pair of side skirts from a black s4.

ooooh this thing will look so good with the b4 arches

Audilard wrote:A 17x8.5 wheel with 255/40 tire would be ideal, but don't know where I'll track down a wheel like that. The Enkei RPF1 comes in 17x8.5 30mm offset but 5x114.....

Are you still 4x108? some mustang wheels may work for you...
http://www.latemodelrestoration.com/pro ... ang-Wheels

my Brock b1s are 17x8.5 but have a low et 13

I have two sets of ABT wheels. The dark ABT's are 17x8, 30mm offset and have the Nitto tires on them. With the 10mm spacer they are technically 20mm offset. If I go S2 hubs they will be in the exact same spot as stock I believe so that means if I put a 15mm 5x112 to 5x114.3 adapter with a 30mm Enkie wheel that is 17x8.5 I'd gain about 12mm on the outside and 1mm on the inside. The rears won't be the problem then, but the fronts become the issue. I'd be too far out and a need larger flares in the front.

My other set of ABT's are 17x8 with a 25mm offset. I run a 6mm spacer in the front to clear the tie rod. So with either wheels with 20mm offset I do have about 4-5mm of clearance. No matter what I do with an 8.5" wheel, they are wider on the outside by about about 12mm. If I did a 40mm Enkei with a 15mm adapter, that puts me at a 25mm offset, but I would need clearance from the tie rod still.

Plus I would need to adapt the brakes too.

Thus a 245/40 on my current wheels is what I should shoot for.

My math was a little off. I think I'll only be further out by 6mm, not 12. The tie rod on the front is still the issue. Same issue Jim had when putting 17x9.5 on. I'll need to test fit.

Good stuff Darin, I am glad you are documenting this better than I did The front tie-rod is definitely an issue, and why I ended up rotating it so the wheel and tire can be flush against the strut. It completely destroys ackerman, makes tight parking spots difficult and adds some inside tire squeal on the track, but I guess it is worth it. I have not really noticed a difference in handling.

12 hour days are wearing me out, but amazingly I only had to work 4 today. So I spent 2 hours or so in the garage pulling one side off to get started on the control arms. Anyone know what torque setting I should use on the bolts that go through the subframe and if any loctite?



What is the torque settings for these bolts to the ball joint and what, if any, loctite should I use here as well?



I do have to remove the rear sway bar for now until I can find another way to attach it to the control arm. They have a provision tapped into them so I might try to find a way to use it.

Oh, also any suggestions on alignment for the alignment illiterate.

Glad you got some wrench time in! Dave can correct me but I think Rick's Alignment in Salt Lake is the one to go to. You have to make an appointment a few days in advance usually.

Pretty! Make sure you use anti-seize on those rod ends where they thread into the control arms. They will quickly corrode and seize up if left bare steel to aluminum. I probably should have suggested that sooner, sorry.

Here is how my sway bar is attached, this was taken before the brackets were welded up. My control arms do not have the provision for the sway bar so I had to make these brackets.

Attachment ( 33587 ) : IMG_1351.JPG

Jim, where did you get all that linkage for the sway bar? From the red bushings all the way down to the bolt. I think that will work with mine with the provision they have tapped into the CA.

Can't speak for Jim's specifics, but that looks like some Energy Suspension (or equiv) bushings, a bolt, some washers, and a female rod end. I'd be inclined to use a high-misalignment rod end, but that all looks like pretty standard stuff. I'd also be inclined to find a way to put that lower attachment in double shear, that's a big load with that bar.

Yes, exactly, rod end with energy sway bushings. I agree my brackets are not ideal, but it took two days to wrangle this together. Due to packaging constraints this is as good as it gets. I was going to tie into the strut and even welded tabs on, but simply could not make a linkage that allowed for full or even 75% suspension travel without binding somewhere. We will see how it holds up.

The control arms are installed. Finished installation on Friday morning and made a few tie rod adjustments to eliminate some of the pigeon toe that both my rear wheels had to fit under the front part of the fender. I still have some negative camber, but not a lot. The wheels are nearly touching the rear bumper, which will be modified.

Now it's only a matter of waiting for the side skirts to get here, test fit and find a final resting spot for them and then start cutting and welding. Taking volunteers for welding.....

Keep it up Darin! All I have for a welder is a little 120volt wire feed thing. Nothing fancy but seems to do the job if you get desperate.

Nick, I need to get that rear bumper from you. Is it still for sale?

It's still for free

nsimps wrote:Keep it up Darin! All I have for a welder is a little 120volt wire feed thing. Nothing fancy but seems to do the job if you get desperate.

If it's a gas rig (shielding gas, not flux wire), with .023" wire it will work fine for automotive sheet metal.

Those control arms of SEXY, keep up the good work Darin!!!

mrmotorhead13 wrote:

nsimps wrote:Keep it up Darin! All I have for a welder is a little 120volt wire feed thing. Nothing fancy but seems to do the job if you get desperate.

If it's a gas rig (shielding gas, not flux wire), with .023" wire it will work fine for automotive sheet metal.

It's flux with .030". No gas. Sorry Darin, I tried