Future New Front End

[Mark]

This is a long-range goal for me, and I’m just starting out, looking for some ideas.  I believe that I’m looking at some significant work ahead, but the more that I can learn about it, the better I’ll feel, whether I do the work or pay a shop to do it for me.

I have a Fiberfab body on a custom frame (as best that I can call it).  The car was Mr. August in our 2012 calendar.  The rear end is a Nissan 240Z or 260Z and is powered with a Chevy 283 V8 that’s been bored out and beefed up.  It has an automatic transmission (“something” 400?).  But the front end is what I consider the weakest part, a Chevy Chevette.

The brakes on this little puppy are also very inadequate, in my opinion.  When I did have it out on the city roads, it was all that I could do to stomp on the brake pedal to keep the high torque engine from lurching forward when I was at a stop light.  I never felt comfortable driving it in the public.

With two major changes that I can see needed, I’m open to suggestions for changing out the front end and improving the brake system.   What are my options and what is this going to cost me?

Thanks.

[Gabor Kesseru]

I bought a CMC kit with a Chevette frame last fall and after some investigation decided that it was a poor design, so I investigated other options. I settled on a Mustang II front end. See my build thread under My Projects/Building Alfred. If you want to do somethign a little less radical, cutting your frame off right in front of the front body hoop and going with a M II front end is a possibility. The major difference is that your frame is wider than the stock Mustang II front crossmember, which is about 27″ outside to outside.  The standard MII front end track is 56″, your Chevette 51.2 and the Nissan rear is 53. Close enough but You may have to use 16″ wheels up front to clear everything and to get a lot of backspace/offset. The front tires will still stick out a hair.

[billnparts]

I agree with the MustangII front end. If you can install the front crossmember and suspension you will find endless possibilities for brake upgrades all the way up to full size Chevy Caprice brakes. These are all simple bolt ons.

https://www.welderseries.com/blog/online-store/ws14540/

One of many suppliers.

http://www.helixsuspension.com/catalog/Braking/Mustang-II-Brake-Kits

Another supplier.

Bill Ascheman
Fiberfab Ford
Modified 5.0, 5sp., 4:11
Autocross & Hillclimb
"Drive Happy"

[edward ericson]

Probably a silly N00b question but, what would it take to narrow the Mustang II front crossmember to better tuck the tires under TD fenders? 

[Gabor Kesseru]

The beauty of the M II design is that all the geometry is designed to work together and work very well. You change anything, like width, upper arm angle, lower arm angle, arm lengths, steering rack pivot point, spindle axle angle, rack pivot point…and you mess up the roll center, bump steer, scrub radius, Ackerman angle…..
But to answer the question, you would have to take the steering rack apart and shorten the tubes and the rack. Using shorter tie rod arms would not work because you would move the tie rod pivot point relative to the ball joint imaginary pivot axle.

[billnparts]

Depending on the supplier, all that is available in the sizes you would need.

Bill Ascheman
Fiberfab Ford
Modified 5.0, 5sp., 4:11
Autocross & Hillclimb
"Drive Happy"

[edward ericson]

Ah. I’ve sparked a debate between the guy building right now, who obviously is thinking ahead and critically about all this; and the guy who built one that was good enough to be a champ auto X car.

My job here is done!

Please, discuss.

[billnparts]

Wow, had a little free time at work and found this.

http://www.fatmanfabrications.co/products/mii/mustang-ii-frame-stubs/

Fatman has front frame stub kits for Austin Healey. Should be narrow enough. worth a phone call.

Bill Ascheman
Fiberfab Ford
Modified 5.0, 5sp., 4:11
Autocross & Hillclimb
"Drive Happy"

[Scott A Chynoweth]

I gotta chime in here. the only thing mustang 2 aftermarket kits that is mustang 2 is the design.A 10 inch dics brake should give plenty of stopping power even a 9 inch for that matter.I see nothing wrong with a chevette front end,same weight car as a mustang 2.Guys have been dumping small block of 1 type or another into chevettes,vegas,pintos,and mustang 2’s for years and none of them did anything with the brakes.

MG’s isue is in wrong master and brake proporsioning.

If you been here long enough you should know he has had this promblem for some time.Changing the front end to a mustaang 2 is not going to solve the problem.

I have a hunch the the promblem is-the pivot point for the master push rod is wrong.Its not getting the correct leverage.

[edward ericson]

I think that’s right, Scott. My MII question was more of a hypothetical.

Wow, that hotrod stuff can cost.

[Author]

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