86 Mustang challenger build

The next job is the sub-frame connectors and battery relocation, then I get to install the rear end parts.

The sub-frame connectors came with the Maroon92 parts car and as the battery is an Optima and the trunk is a separate area, I plan on a simple relocation without a box.

I will build my own design, panhard rod and have the Steeda upper control arms as shown on page 1.

The Rustang will make a Mitty appearance this weekend

In reply to ReverendDexter:

From what I can tell, and this is me visualizing the thing in my mind, the rear axles requires the UCA to both lengthen and twist as the axle goes through what should be normal vertical movement.

Like, imagine the axle were to droop. For this to happen, the top "connectors" on the pumpkin will fall away from the UCA forward mounting points because they're splayed outward and are angled in towards the axle. That's how I'm seeing this thing anyway and if I'm wrong I'd like to hear about it. I actually thought about modeling this up in AutoCAD once and checked the distances between static normal ride height and a 2 inch drop in axle from that normal position. But I never did.

I agree on the twist, I think the length changes as well, and the big goofy bushings are there to accomplish both. If I were doing this on a budget I'd probably use stock UCA's, LCA's, check the bushings and replace as needed. Then add some good shocks and a panhard bar and hope for the best.

That not a rusty Mustang, this is a rusty Mustang (Crocodile Dundee reference ) I don't care what anyone says, they are and always will be simple, crude fun. I'd say cheap too but I've sunk enough into mine to know better.

Moving_Target wrote: That not a rusty Mustang, this is a rusty Mustang (Crocodile Dundee reference ) I don't care what anyone says, they are and always will be simple, crude fun. I'd say cheap too but I've sunk enough into mine to know better.

and yet it still reeks of awesome.

grunt grunt

That's a several years old picture of my heap but it has always been a helluva lotta fun in it's various upgrade phases over the years. Bodywork (as you can probably tell) is not my forte.

In reply to pres589:

There are a considerable number of aftermarket UCAs that use heim joints. There's no need for the UCA length to change; think of the control arm lengths for one side of a typical SLA setup. You have an upper and lower arm, and the lengths and relative positions of the pickup points determine the spindle's movement and orientation as it goes through it's available travel; if the arm lengths could change that would be a very bad thing.

Problems for the Mitty, of course, the water pump had to be changed to a standard rotation pump, thanks to Greg Voth who ordered and delivered one to the Mitty for installation, then we discovered that three of the origional bolts are now the wrong length, thanks to Wayne (Clownkiller) and Mike (Poopshovel) for running all over Atlanta on Saturday en route to the Mitty to find what we needed.

This resulted in this at turn 3. (edit: actually getting Rusty on track)

Prior to the clutch cable breaking on the way back to our site.

Better here than at the Challenge..... I guess.

Picture is hard to tell. Trailing water or smoke?

aussiesmg wrote: I will build my own design, panhard rod and have the Steeda upper control arms as shown on page 1.

Which picture shows the upper arms?

And if you are going to design and build your own panhard, would you consider designing and building your own upper 3rd link? You seem to have some access to circle track parts, so you may find a short upper arm that you can use.

From speaking to a few people, the 3 link is better than the 4 link- you can tune it to eliminate torque wedge- which would be nice on the drag strip + if you can run a less locked rear end, that would eliminate some understeer that you have to build in....

Seems well within your project.

Javelin wrote: Picture is hard to tell. Trailing water or smoke?

Neither, it ran great until the cable seized.

I was behind a red 2012 Roush and had no problems staying with him on the few times we could open them up, wish Tim's Shelby was there with us both.

I guess I didn't load the UCA pic.

Oh, phew! The way you wrote it made it sound like something went boom!

In reply to aussiesmg:

So that's attached to the axle on the right side, and the original body on the left? Interesting.

Still makes me want to ask about fabricating your own upper single parallel link. Seems like that would be easy for you to do.

I am more comfortable and experienced with setting up a 4 link, It is equal length and quite tunable, I was stoked when I found the deal on these arms.

The panhard bar is 2" inside of the width of the inside of the rear tires so it is at optimal length and will be very low, level with the bottom of the diff housing.

Those UCAs are part of the Steeda 5-link setup... I'm not quite as familar with it, but I have an old issue of GRM from when the 5-link first came out that has a favorable comparison of it vs a torque arm.

And that book will be in the mail tomorrow, I swear

Thanks in advance Dex

In reply to ReverendDexter:

Seems like the pinion angle of the axle will change then as the axle moves through it's arc as described by the length of the control arms. If that's acceptable then okay, if not then not okay, I guess. Have read a few horror stories out there about cracked floor pans after UCA's with much increased stiffness get installed in these cars. I'm not saying a solid UCA cannot be used on this chassis, just takes engineering and planning to do it right. The Steeda 5-link, in its original form especially, seems pretty well respected but I don't like that it requires a different exhaust from stock-style replacements.

pres589 wrote: In reply to ReverendDexter: Seems like the pinion angle of the axle will change then as the axle moves through it's arc as described by the length of the control arms. If that's acceptable then okay, if not then not okay, I guess. Have read a few horror stories out there about cracked floor pans after UCA's with much increased stiffness get installed in these cars. I'm not saying a solid UCA cannot be used on this chassis, just takes engineering and planning to do it right. The Steeda 5-link, in its original form especially, seems pretty well respected but I don't like that it requires a different exhaust from stock-style replacements.

The equal length control arm eliminates the pinion angle change completely, if they move through the same arc how can the pinion change?

These do not mount to the stock axle mount and aren't comparable to the multitudes of stock pick up replacements.

I think Steeda know how to engineer a Fox part by now.

My take only

In reply to aussiesmg:

If you get camber change on an SLA front suspension, you get pinion angle change here, right? Maybe not?

Finally got the damned clutch cable swapped out, it was completely seized but the good news is the car has a firewall adjuster and a quadrant already.

We also finally got the weld in frame rail connectors that came with Maroon92's convertible parts car installed.

What a difference they make, found a couple of places around the rear torque boxes showing evidence of the notorious Fox Body flex. Welded it all up nice and strong again.

I also started removing interior parts, it still had all the stock seat belt winders under the seats, quite some weight there.

Next up is the rear suspension.

Two thumbs up!!

The panhard is done, pics here, what a change in handling.

Maximum width and lowest point across the center, this one is wide.

Just noticed you're still running the quad shocks! As soon as you get your new UCAs in, thow those things in the garbage.

Absolutely, just waiting to get the UCAs installed

Got the Steeda UCAs and brand X LCAs installed tonight, went pretty nicely, only hiccup was we had to relocate the previously installed aftermarket fuel pump to clear the UCA.

Quad shocks are history.

That gets the suspension installed, now for some test and tune time.

Still have SN95 brakes, battery, improving the cooling system and a whole lot of prettying up to do, for a start.

My Fanboi great-nephew

Update 06/22

I lined rear of cabin with aluminum sheet to tidy it all up.

Started stripping floor insulation off. It got way louder inside, will have to plug some holes.

Removed Cobra seats, have them sold already, installed one of the replacements as shown under Fangio in the pic. Still have cruddy seatbelts for now.

Checked new rear suspension installation, all good, no movement or twisting where it isn't supposed to yet. Real test on Sunday at a FWSCCA autocross