Front suspension overhaul

Hey guys,
I'm in the process of pulling apart the entire front suspension from my '73 Grabber and I'm thinking I'm going to go ahead and replace/upgrade everything that is coming out.
Here is the tentative parts list:

--SPC Upper control arm $300 - http://m.summitracing.com/parts/sps-94210

--Global west Lower control arm $435 http://www.globalwest.net/tbf-7.html
or the street or track lower control arm https://www.streetortrack.com/Street-or-Track-Tubular-Lower-Roller-Control-Arms-pr-24444.html

--Opentracker Roller spring perches $200. http://opentrackerracing.com/product/roller-spring-perches/

--Addco Front sway bar $220 http://www.jegs.com/i/ADDCO/020/835...vojGYFvqS_DXTQunxCLO3YH_0yC1KPy9YRxoCRH7w_wcB

--Ridetech HQ Shocks $350. http://m.summitracing.com/parts/art-22179854/overview/make/ford/model/maverick

--Springs - unsure what lb springs or where to buy them from.

--Fatman fabrication 2" drop spindle $600. http://www.fatmanfabrications.co/products/1970-1977-ford-maverick-dropped-spindles/

--TCP strut rod $520 https://www.cachassisworks.com/p-1884-mustang-68-73-fordmercury-68-77-strut-rods-19-1516.aspx
or I could pick up the street or track strut rod $400. https://www.streetortrack.com/Street-or-Track-Adjustable-Strut-Rods-pr-16135.html

--Inner Tie rod, Outer tie rod and Tie rod Adjusting sleeves May just wait for another day. All of it is covered in grease/oil so I'm assuming there is a leak in the manual steering box.

I'm not really looking at gutting it and putting in a rod customs mustangII setup. I dont really have the expertise or tools to do it.

If you have any thoughts on the above parts of even recommendations for cheaper parts it would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!

 

You might want to consider the strut rods in this link
http://www.pacificthunderperformance.com/collections/1971-1977-maverick-comet

 

These look like they will do the trick and save me $150-250. Thanks for the link!

 

you'll save tons of money, or allow budget to be put elsewhere, by eliminating some unnecessary parts in that list and going to a coil-over setup which gives you ride height adjustments. Adjustable shocks added to the list just puts more icing on the cake and makes it almost infinitely adjustable for whatever you want to do with your ride.

btw.. what DO you want to do with your ride? or more importantly, what do you want your ride to do for you? lol

 

I've tried looking into this and I haven't seen a lot of good kits for it and the only "good" kit is the R&C set up. Unless I'm missing something? Going to a coilover set up would definitely be nice if I could avoid cutting up and doing welding on the car.

 

rather than trying to remember or searching for you myself.. probably easier to ask what vendors you looked at so far?

would also help everyone here to know.. what you're going to do with the car?

 

The R&C kit is one. There are some from TCP that are coilover conversion kits that put the load on the lower control arm or leave it on the Upper but if I remember right they aren't specifically made for the maverick. I think there may have been another but it escapes me.

Car is going to be more of a daily/weekend driver that I'd like to be safe/fun for California freeway speeds and mountain driving.

 

You'd be cheaper to just buy a kit from any of the bigger vendors. http://www.totalcontrolproducts.com/fcss-fd.html

At the very least I would look into... http://www.totalcontrolproducts.com/vas_bolton-co.html .. for substitution of the above^^^^^ red highlighted items. You'll be money ahead either way you go.

 

I think you want to figure out if you want to modify or swap your entire suspension to gain more engine clearance or simply to be safe and tool around the passes?

Both ways will work well enough for that but one gets a whole lot more time consuming and welding sure ain't cheap either. Sounds to me like you need a bolt in setup but I dunno.

 

Yeah I thought about going full out so I could get rid of the shock towers and have more room for a 351 or just more room for headers and working under the hood. But, I think I've decided against that and just everything that is involved I would have to send the work out and it would be just too expensive in the end.
So at this point a bolt in set up is defintely what I want to do.

I do remember seeing the TCP stuff a while back when I was researching but I had decided against it do to cost, I think. I'll have to add up the cost of both set ups when I get home tonight.

 

So doing some quick math:
TCP Coilover kit -
Upper Control Arm
Lower Control Arm
Strut Rods
Shocks (Non adjustable)
Lowering Springs
Spring Isolator
Lowering spring Rockers
For $2300 and gives you from what I can tell about an inch drop.

Self Built Kit -
SPC upper $600
GW lower $435
Pacific thunder Stut Rod $260
Vari Shock $290
Springs ~$100
Spring Isolator $30
Roller Spring perches $200
Fatman 2" drop spindles $600
This comes to $2515 and provides a 2" drop. (Edit: changed uppers price from $300 to $600 since they are sold individually....)

So I guess the prices aren't too far off. I wonder if i could save some money going the TCP coilover route but leaving out the Strut rod and getting the Pacific one. I'll have to look into that, but then again the 2" drop with full travel seems to be a better set up.

Thinking out loud here:
SPC upper $600
GW lower $435
Pacific thunder Stut Rod $260
TCP Upper A Arm Coilover kit w/2" offset adapter $830
Total $2125
Seems like a good option. I haven't seen a lot of info regarding this coilover kit. And I don't know how the 2" drop affects the suspension geometry vs using a 2" drop spindle which would lower the car but not change any of the geometry. Maybe someone could chime in on this. Thank you for all the help!

 

I have the Total Control coil over with the Shelby drop, upgraded front sway bar, upgraded rear sway bar, Koni rear shocks, 4 leafs, traction Master bars and a subframe connector.

I can corner with it where it use to scare me. It has taken a bit to get use to. Now it is just fun. Especially when someone is behind me and tries to do the same.

With the 1" drop, it is pretty low. Speed bumps can be a pain. I might bring my ride height up a bit.

Micah

 

Yeah after reading this and realising I priced the upper control arm wrong this really seems the way to go. How is the ride? Is it super stiff or still good as a daily driver? I've got a 2010 shelby with kwv3's, it's not horrible but it's pretty dang stiff and can beat you up a little bit. I want to avoid that on this car if I can.

 

http://rcmotorsportsinc.com/rc-107-adjustable-ride-height-coilover-conversion-package/

RC-106 $2,595.00 RC-107 $2,795.00

Available for: 65-73 Mustangs, 67-70 Cougars, 62-69 Fairlanes, 66-69 Cyclones, 68-71 Torinos, 60-70 Falcons, wagons, convertibles and Rancheros. All year Mavericks and Comets also.

mine is with 2" drop spindles... I have done a couple of road cources and Love it...

weld in the crossmember and then open boxes and bolt it together. I put mine all together then took it apart and painted/powder coated the parts.
tell them what motor you are running and they put the ...motor mount stands... on the crossmember for you...(pic. #2)...

 

With a 500# front spring, 4 leafs, rear seat bracing, sub-frames and the upgraded sway bars, my car was intended to be little stiff. Since my car is not a daily driver, I like it this way. I'm sure all this attributes to the cornering and the near zero body roll. Not doing some of these modifications will give you a little more flex and soften the ride. Springs are fairly easy to swap out and not expensive if you find them too stiff.

It is a very easy install. The only modification is to drill out a couple of spot welds for the upper spring seat. I think this suspension works great and does not require any fabrication. I added power steering and have no complaints with road feel.

I went with the upgraded belly bar to tie the lower arm mounts together. I would have done a Monte Carlo bar also but could not do it with EFI.

Pictures in my Showcase post.

Micah